Why do cyclists run red lights?

[AbelianGrape]

I used to work with a chap who had been cycling to work through London for years. One morning he didn't turn up for work. He had been waiting patiently at a red light, and had been rear-ended by a RLJing car driver. Put him in hospital with some rather gory injuries.

I stop at red lights, because that is the law. I'm under no illusions that it's a particularly safe thing to do.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

I went through a red light at weekend, I was sat there on my own at the red lights, everyone else was let go, then my turn but it didnt charge, everyone else went again. Had to go through, I was sat there for 5 mins.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

This one comes up quite frequently. If the lights don't recognise you they count as broken and you should proceed at caution.

So its not a myth...

 

[Dan_h]

I used to work with a chap who had been cycling to work through London for years. One morning he didn't turn up for work. He had been waiting patiently at a red light, and had been rear-ended by a RLJing car driver. Put him in hospital with some rather gory injuries.

I stop at red lights, because that is the law. I'm under no illusions that it's a particularly safe thing to do.

That happened to me but on a motorbike, I stopped, the person behind me put their foot down.. I ended up with a broken shoulder and extensive bruising to my back. Fortunately it was not my bike (it was from the shop as mine was being serviced) so no real harm done

 

[AbelianGrape]

My theory is that the number of crap drivers will continue to rise, and at some point we will have to concede defeat and reclassify the RLJ as defensive cycling. Stopping at lights will mark us out as old-fashioned, quaint and timid, a bit like riding in the gutter.

 

[Nicobulus]

Basic problem is we're all very impatient and equate waiting a lights when we could be moving as wasting time. The Monash research (and it's a fine tertiary institution) suggests that we'd all be happier if we could legally circumvent the problem. Traffic lights don't help with that; especially when users know that stopping means a long wait. "Green man" schemes are the most infuriating of all as they make motorists trigger happy.
Roundabouts and common sense should apply.

 

[User6179]

I have two red lights that I go through regulary but only because there is no reason to stop other than its at red.

 

[Stugiffy]

In london there are traffic lights nearly every 500 metres or so, and it's so annoying when ur at lights and no one is moving, I personally feel if it is safe to do so go for it, traffic in London is a nightmare and if its not bad enough being cut up but taxis, buses, half wits in the 6litre 4x4s, then u have the problem of the zombie pedestrians who just walk out in front of you while there on there precious mobiles. It is quite satisfying to get ahead of the traffic at the lights, and in london the cyclist is the fasted mode of transport apart from mopeds anyway.

 

[benb]

I am becoming more and more of the opinion that, for cycles, red lights should have the equivalent status of a give way junction.

I don't think cyclists should flout traffic laws; I think we should change the law.

 

[Drago]

I used to work with a chap who had been cycling to work through London for years. One morning he didn't turn up for work. He had been waiting patiently at a red light, and had been rear-ended by a RLJing car driver. Put him in hospital with some rather gory injuries.

I stop at red lights, because that is the law. I'm under no illusions that it's a particularly safe thing to do.

I once got rear ended (fortunately with no injury or damage). I was waiting to turn from a minor road into the heavy traffic of a major road, so I had no choice but to wait.

Im under no illusion that I was hit because the car driver was simply an in attentive arriss and had nothing to do with me obeying the law and waiting, not that I had much choice.

There is much underground discussion, but I've yet to see anything empirical that reasonably proves that breaking the law on the road lessens your chance of coning to harm.

 

[biggs682]

I have two red lights that I go through regulary but only because there is no reason to stop other than its at red.

surely that is a good enough reason ?

would you do it if you were driving a motor vehicle of any description

 

[AbercynonGaz]

Always stop at red lights, never know when a lunatic is coming the other way at high speed. (I have seen a few) If they are sensor controlled lights that don't pick cyclists up, then I proceed with caution. (My fave three words of this thread:-))

 

[User6179]

surely that is a good enough reason ?

would you do it if you were driving a motor vehicle of any description

On one of the lights there should be a filter arrow to turn left but there is not , dont ask me why because I dont know, so I turn left as the cars from the left come out to their right, like I say no reason to stop other than the light is at red( I do stop for green man tho) and last week the police were in the queue of traffic so slowed right down in cycle lane til lights changed and as I got to the corner at the traffic light to turn, the car to my right cut the corner but luckily I thought he might athough he wasnt indicating to turn left and I managed to stop, so next time police or no police am going through , Dont know why they stop cycle lanes before a corner instead of around the corner, surefire way of getting someone killed!

The second light I jump is one where the lights at either side of a small narrow rail bridge where both lights are always at red to allow walkers a safe course across the bridge and if I didnt want to jump a red light would have to either walk in my cleats or wait for a car to come so I just go throught it when clear to do so.

In answer to your second question I would jump the second light in a car if it didnt respond to my presence like it dosnt on the bike but I imagine it would so I wouldnt need to.

I think people see these idiots in big citys jumping every light n going through pedestrian crossing and assume all red light jumping is bad when its not, there are a lot of red lights where the law should be changed to treat in particuliar left turns like you would treat a stop sign so you can turn left when safe to do so while cycling,this would allow the cyclist to get ahead of traffic and IMO a lot safer than waiting and getting cut-off on the corner especially if a large vehicle appears behind you as you wait.

 

[User6179]

Always stop at red lights, never know when a lunatic is coming the other way at high speed. (I have seen a few) If they are sensor controlled lights that don't pick cyclists up, then I proceed with caution. (My fave three words of this thread:-))

So not ALWAYS stop at red lights then ?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I think people see these idiots in big citys jumping every light n going through pedestrian crossing and assume all red light jumping is bad when its not, there are a lot of red lights where the law should be changed to treat in particuliar left turns like you would treat a stop sign so you can turn left when safe to do so while cycling,this would allow the cyclist to get ahead of traffic and IMO a lot safer than waiting and getting cut-off on the corner especially if a large vehicle appears behind you as you wait.

I think the law should be changed so that I can help myself to bottles of single malt at Waitrose without the tedium of having to pay for them. Judging by the shoplifting problem they have there I guess a lot of other folk agree share my desire.

But until the law is changed I guess I'll have to carry on paying for my scotch like a civilised law-abiding citizen.