Traffic lights were out this morning...

[Maz]

...what's the rule here? Proceed with caution?

A whole string of them were on the blink. Knocked 5+ minutes off my commute. Told this to a guy at work who got snotty and said "I'm surprised it made any difference. I thought you cyclists always jumped red lights anyway." !

 

[mr_hippo]

Soon the daffodils will be out followed by the car workers.

 

[Tynan]

dicey in a car, rule being follow the car in front bumper to bumper without flinching

I'd want to be very careful indeed on a bike

 

[Arch]

...what's the rule here? Proceed with caution?

A whole string of them were on the blink. Knocked 5+ minutes off my commute. Told this to a guy at work who got snotty and said "I'm surprised it made any difference. I thought you cyclists always jumped red lights anyway." !

To which the correct response is to
a) take a deep breath
consider the beautiful things in the world
c) adopt an extremely balanced and well spoken voice

and


d) smack him in the mouth, really hard....

And rlj'ers wonder why we get cross.

And yes, proceed with caution is the way to go. If everyone is in the same boat, you'll get through OK. If all else fails, you can of course get off the bike and proceed as a pedestrian, although if the lights are all out, this may not improve your chances. Depends on the relative volume of vehicle and foot traffic perhaps.

 

[magnatom]

I thought the rule was; it is far too dangerous to get to work by any means when the lights are out. For goodness sake man, you are expecting road users to actually think without instruction!! Get ye back to your house as soon and as quickly as possible. Lock all the doors switch the lights off and pray to whom ever and what ever you believe to be god (I'm a spaghetti monster man myself!) that life as we know it will not end today!

Won't someone think of the children......!!!


Seriously though, proceed with caution. What you will probably find that the lack of traffic lights levels the field. Everyone will have to proceed with the same caution, everyone will pay attention to other road users, and everyone will get through safer and quicker.

 

[Pete]

I think I read somewhere that 'proceed with caution' is indeed the name of the game. Across the channel, when this happens the junction reverts to the old priorité à droite rule (indeed at some junctions they turn off the lights at off-peak times replacing with a single flashing amber) - but in UK we don't have any counterpart priorité à gauche and drivers wouldn't understand anyway....

Note that this is not the same as T/Ls stuck at red. Then the law says you have to stop and wait: no option. Until someone comes and fixes them, or an authorised person (policeman or similar) waves you on. Of course, on a bike, you can always dismount and become a pro tem pedestrian...

 

[alecstilleyedye]

as in the highway code, you treat them as unmarked crossroads. no priority is assumed, so proceed with extreme caution.

 

[Crackle]

...what's the rule here? Proceed with caution?

The rule is wait for a big lorry and then stay next to it as it goes across.

 

[yello]

Across the channel, when this happens the junction reverts to the old priorité à droite rule

Sadly, not everyone knows it is "old" and still think it is the law! You still have to be careful approaching junctions (especially in more rural areas) because that beat up old citroen approaching from the right might well just sail on through the junction, regardless of road markings or differences in road classification!

As for traffic lights being out, I would have gone home and called in sick!

 

[domtyler]

...what's the rule here? Proceed with caution?

A whole string of them were on the blink. Knocked 5+ minutes off my commute. Told this to a guy at work who got snotty and said "I'm surprised it made any difference. I thought you cyclists always jumped red lights anyway."

Head down in a nice aero tuck and just go for it.

 

[Keith Oates]

Come to Asia, lights or no lights every crossing needs to be 'proceed with caution' as a lot of people think that lights are just roadside decoration or so it seems!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Terminator]

...what's the rule here? Proceed with caution?

A whole string of them were on the blink. Knocked 5+ minutes off my commute. Told this to a guy at work who got snotty and said "I'm surprised it made any difference. I thought you cyclists always jumped red lights anyway." !

Yeah I get this all the time.

 

[domtyler]

Yeah I get this all the time.

Prolly 'cos its true. All cyclists jump red lights and ride on the pavements. Whats the problem?

 

[Keith Oates]

Don't tell everybody they'll all want to take some credit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[magnatom]

Prolly 'cos its true. All cyclists jump red lights and ride on the pavements. Whats the problem?

No they don't. I don't, so that proves your wrong. So na na na na na!