Are cyclists now allowed to run red lights?

[stupid dogbot]

I managed to get out of the habit of stopping at reds on a bicycle. Quite liberating, and you get a great jump on the traffic.

I could never cycle on the pavement though.

Presumably, you'll expect sympathy and everyone to take your side when you get splatted by one of those awful car drivers?

Twat.

 

[twistedAM]

is it also legal for cars to run red lights because whenever i'm waiting at a red light (on my bicycle) and I see the lights in the opposite direction change to red I see several (average 5-6) cars and other motor vehicles to continue on through after the lights have changed to red?

Really? Whereabouts in Brixton do they do that? As has been said above, lots of junctions have cameras on them so drivers would expect to receive a letter in the post.
There have been a lot of roadworks and temporary lights around in the past month and many of these are not calibrated correctly so you can actually drive through a green and then find the road ahead all snarled up and traffic gets backed up.

 

[Spark]

did I say it was in brixton? I may live here but I cycle all over. The ones I was thinking of in particular are Tooting and South Wimbledon. Having said that, the one's at Acre Lane/Bedford Road/Kings Avenue I see a lot of cars going through reds.

 

[gentlegreen]

Cue for me to leave for work early now that the schools are back and video my nearest set of traffic lights where so many cars jump the lights during the rush hour it's almost impossible to get across the road.

The only snag is I don't know how to obscure number plates on a video ...

 

[snotcock]

This is not about making our roads safer, it is simply about revenue generation. It is the nanny state imposing stealth taxes on us honest cyclists and families, sure some red lights should be obeyed but what about at 4am in the morning, cyclist know what is safe and what isn't.

Or is that argument only allowed for speeding motorists?

What about when it's 4am in the afternoon?

 

[snowy_again]

Really? Whereabouts in Brixton do they do that? As has been said above, lots of junctions have cameras on them so drivers would expect to receive a letter in the post.
There have been a lot of roadworks and temporary lights around in the past month and many of these are not calibrated correctly so you can actually drive through a green and then find the road ahead all snarled up and traffic gets backed up.

I really didn't intend on getting involved in another red light jumping debate, but I've just watched 4 cars and 2 lorries jump the lights at the bottom of Stockwell Park Walk, along with 2 cyclists going down brixton road...

 

[Kanda]

Having said that, the one's at Acre Lane/Bedford Road/Kings Avenue I see a lot of cars going through reds.

The timing on those lights is ridiculous, green for less than 10 seconds and you have all the buses etc trying to turn right up Kings Avenue...

 

[twistedAM]

did I say it was in brixton? I may live here but I cycle all over. The ones I was thinking of in particular are Tooting and South Wimbledon. Having said that, the one's at Acre Lane/Bedford Road/Kings Avenue I see a lot of cars going through reds.

I really didn't intend on getting involved in another red light jumping debate, but I've just watched 4 cars and 2 lorries jump the lights at the bottom of Stockwell Park Walk, along with 2 cyclists going down brixton road...

Fair enough but I'm geuninely quite surprised as I never see that in Palace/Dulwich/Tulse Hill/Brixton Hill areas that I frequent on four wheels. I'm not averse to taking an amber sometimes on junctions I know well but those people are asking for tickets or much worse.

I got a ticket once for doing that on the junction of Streatham Hill and Leigham Court Road cos I went through on green/amber behind a truck that then missed a gear so i was stuck in no one's land. I see cyclists doing it all the time and wince each time i see it as that junction will be someone's deathwish.

 

[Ae589]

Presumably, you'll expect sympathy and everyone to take your side when you get splatted by one of those awful car drivers?

Twat.

Have any of the deaths in London this year been because a cyclist jumped a red light?

 

[Blagsta]

Have any of the deaths in London this year been because a cyclist jumped a red light?

I've had to jump out of the way of cyclists jumping red lights several times when crossing at a pedestrian crossing. There's no need to jump the lights, it's pure laziness.

 

[stupid dogbot]

Have any of the deaths in London this year been because a cyclist jumped a red light?

So if you survive, you're less of a twat?

 

[Pat24]

This morning on Kennington Road (By the Kennington Cross Junction) I saw two cyclists on the side of the road with two police officers. It appeared as if they were getting tickets (I suppose for jumping the lights!). Many cyclists go through red on that particular junction because it's quite a long trek and it's about 10 seconds advantage you gain from cars and buses. I've done it a few times myself. One time I stupidly went through the red and there was a police car behind me. They caught up with me and told me off but didnt give me a ticket, fortunately.

 

[Blagsta]

One of my colleagues at my last job got caught by the police going through a red light and had to go to a days cycling proficiency class.

 

[moose]

Have any of the deaths in London this year been because a cyclist jumped a red light?

5% of cyclists killed in the capital had been jumping a traffic signal at the time
(penultimate paragraph of article)

 

[lighterthief]

5% of cyclists killed in the capital had been jumping a traffic signal at the time
(penultimate paragraph of article)

One in twenty of how many fatalities? In how many "recent years"?

I'm not denying that jumping red lights could well be a contributory factor to cyclist fatalities, but this article doesn't prove it.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Yup, this too, especially bad on the pedestrian crossing on Coldharbour Lane/ Atlantic Road in Brixton. I've been narrowly missed by cyclists as well as cars. I fancy my chances are better if hit by a cyclist though.

Other half hit by cyclist at this crossing tonight. Knocked down, lacerated hand and leg, Guide dog unscathed.

 

[gentlegreen]

That's truly shocking.

Did the basatrd stop ?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

He was apologetic apparently. Other half got home on adrenalin but his hand looks bad. Very swollen thumb, bleeding knuckles and leg. Found a tyre mark on the dog but he's not hurt, in fact he's very chipper.

 

[IC3D]

Sorry to hear that M, I do jump lights sometimes but only when its clear of peds

 

[weepiper]

Oh no that's awful Mrs M

 

[Mrs Magpie]

We'll, it's not seemed to spoil his appetite. He's tucking into an epic Chile con Carne.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

The husband, not the dog.

 

[fredfelt]

Oh please, can we talk about cyclists on the pavement?!

As you wish - any pro cyclists knows to jump on the pavement rather than having to stop for any red light.

 

[fredfelt]

Oops - I made that last scary comment before I read that Mr Magpie got run over. It seems particularly out of place now. Hope the chilli makes things better.!

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Well, he's down to the last few grains of rice, so no internal injuries, clearly

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Well the injuries are; torn right thumbnail and cuts on right hand knuckles and back of hand, cut to left knee and sore left shoulder. He definitely didn't hit his head, he says. I really hope the fucking bike is damaged.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Expensively so.

 

[toblerone3]

I do see a lot of cyclists jumping red lights and also a hell of lot of motorists going through on amber and red and agressively encroaching on ASLs. Possibly fewer cameras, less police time is leading in a deterioration in road behaviour by everybody.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

ASL

American Sign Language? AgeSexLocation? Above Sea Level?

 

[weepiper]

American Sign Language? AgeSexLocation? Above Sea Level?

Advanced Stop Line.