Cyclists and red lights

[Geri]

I love the way pedestrians see a bicycle and then walk out in droves in front of it!
This happens to me all the time!
I'm always having to slow down as kamikazie (sp?) pedestrian hurl them selves at me as they cross the road!
Am I invisible?

I had one of those this morning. Straight off the pavement and onto the cycle path without even looking. I could have plughed straight into her if I hadnt already anticipated what she was going to do with my cyclist's sixth sense.

 

[golightly]

this doesn't mean that they shouldn't cross at other times if it's safe to do so.

Agreed. I am aware that the expectations on pedestrians is not the same as vehicles within the law, but many pedestrians take no responsibility for their own safety; far too busy with their own concerns to notice what's going on around them. If a cyclist hits them then the cyclist has a high risk of injury as the pedestrian.

 

[Spark]

If a cyclist hits them then the cyclist has a high risk of injury as the pedestrian.

or doesn't hit them - the only fall i've had on my bike happened when a pedestrian walked in front of me and i had to break so hard i went flying. the pedestrian was a bit shaken but unhurt.

 

[Garek]

I have a question for cyclists:

When I am waiting at the lights, waiting to turn left with my left indicator on (on a motorbike this is), why is it that the moment you pick to undertake me and attempt to go straight ahead is when the lights go green and I start moving?

One of these I will end up killing you and it won't be my fault.

 

[Boycey]

No fucking need to go through red lights. Especially when you nearly collide with pedestrians. Selfish bastards. Don't give me that shit about safety either. I cycled for years in London traffic without having to jump red lights. It's because you're too fucking lazy to slow down and then start peddling again.

eat my dust

 

[golightly]

I have a question for cyclists:

When I am waiting at the lights, waiting to turn left with my left indicator on (on a motorbike this is), why is it that the moment you pick to undertake me and attempt to go straight ahead is when the lights go green and I start moving?

One of these I will end up killing you and it won't be my fault.

You speak as if all cyclists behave the same way.

 

[trashpony]

I got shouted at yesterday for walking diagonally across the junction and in front of the cyclist who was going through a red light. I know the junction - all the lights go red at once and you can't do two sides if you do it as two sides of a square.

I don't think I should have to look out for cyclists when it's a green light for me as a pedestrian. I'm beginning to reverse my view on this I have to say

 

[Agent Sparrow]

I have a question for cyclists:

When I am waiting at the lights, waiting to turn left with my left indicator on (on a motorbike this is), why is it that the moment you pick to undertake me and attempt to go straight ahead is when the lights go green and I start moving?

One of these I will end up killing you and it won't be my fault.

I've been undertaken by a motorbike at lights, and if I hadn't checked my left shoulder would have probably been gone into (and even checking it made it a close call). Doesn't mean that all motorbike drivers do the same, so not all cyclists do so either.

I do as well - feel like a mug when all the other cyclists sail past me though.

This is also me.

It's annoying when it's the people you've overtaken go past you especically, because then you have to overtake them again.

If cyclists are going to go through red lights, they should make sure there are no peds crossing. Mind you, as has been said, there are peds that cross on the red man the minute the cars stop (not bothering to consider the very visible cyclists still to come).

 

[Blagsta]

eat my dust

Do it again, you'll be eating your own teeth.

 

[Cid]

<inserts standard response>

Tbh when I'm driving I'm far happier when a cyclist jumps the lights ahead of me; I can see what they're doing, they're not right next to my car or right in front of it... I'm pretty good with mirror checks, but cyclists are silent and often surprisingly hard to see from a vehicle, especially if they're on the passenger side. Dangerously unpredictable too, some wait for you to move off, some have slower reactions so you think this is what they're doing, some leap off but wobble as they bring the bike under control etc.

As a cyclist I will always stop at reds until I know the way the lights work... Even then I always slow and check for peds and any other obstacles. Never skip lights when it's green for traffic crossing my path unless it's obvious there's nothing coming. Tbh many London roads have very good visibility and are often all but empty, I mean we cross roads like this all the time on foot and think nothing of it, for me it's similar on a bike. I cycled through central London nearly every day for 6 years including a 6 month stint as a courier and not once have I come close to hitting a pedestrian. It's just a matter of riding sensibly; if you see people on the pavements, slow down and make sure you know what they're doing before you attempt anything that might infringe their right of way.

I see a hell of a lot of idiots mind you, which is why I don't think I'd go for much change in the regulations... I have a lot of experience cycling in London, but many people don't and that kills them. It's like the lorry thing, the deaths that are being countered by the new EU mirror regs are tragic, but it's one of the first things I learned... Never undertake a lorry. In fact, IIRC, they brought one round to my primary school so we could see how hard it was for them to see us. Need more training like that for adults.

 

[Urbanblues]

Nobody does that to the letter

No, but if a car runs a red light, at least there are penalties in place to punish those who are caught on camera or by lily law.

Cyclists on the other hand appear to flout the same rules with impunity.

A couple of weeks ago my PA missed a cyclist, who'd jumped a red light, by a matter of inches. Had she hit the cunt, he'd probably have been hospitalised, or worse.

 

[Urbanblues]

Some people are wankers. Some people are capable of judging their surrounding environment to ensure safety for all.

So argues every red-light-jumping-cyclist.

Years ago, before drink driving became the anti-social crime it is today 'mates' of mine would brag that their reactions were heightened after a few beers.

I’ve noticed on this site that the majority of cyclists that respond to this kind of thread do so from a ‘I’m-a-responsible-cyclist-so-I-can-be-trusted-to-break-the-highway-code’ attitude.

Why the fuck can’t cyclists just observe the same laws and rules as the rest of us road users?

 

[Urbanblues]

!Am I invisible?

No; but, I am. As a wheelchair user I'm invisible to all other road users.

 

[laptop]

Have we not enough long and argumentatitive threads on this subject already?

We've had several.

And 2% of cyclists in London are still cunts.

I've taken to stepping out as soon as the light goes red, with my fist out at nose height.

 

[Agent Sparrow]

So argues every red-light-jumping-cyclist.

Years ago, before drink driving became the anti-social crime it is today 'mates' of mine would brag that their reactions were heightened after a few beers.

I’ve noticed on this site that the majority of cyclists that respond to this kind of thread do so from a ‘I’m-a-responsible-cyclist-so-I-can-be-trusted-to-break-the-highway-code’ attitude.

Why the fuck can’t cyclists just observe the same laws and rules as the rest of us road users?

Tbf, whilst I'm probably a bit uneccessarily anal about not jumping red lights (because I don't want anyone to think "ah ha, a feckless light jumping cyclist!"), there are easily red lights I could jump and not cause anyone harm at all. Like the ped crossings on quiet roads which just stand their empty because the ped has managed to cross before the lights have changed. I do actually stop though. Only red I've routinely jumped was one where you had to in order to take advantage of the subsequent badly programmed cycle priority lights, and I wouldn't even attempt it if there was a ped anywhere near.

I have started chasing the amber a bit more though, and there definitely are times when I must have been the last thing to legally get through or have just hit red myself, and very often 1 or 2 cars have followed behind me.

 

[Boycey]

Do it again, you'll be eating your own teeth.

physical threats on t'interweb forums are for proper fuckwits. if you had the balls you wouldn't be putting it on here- waaaaaaanker

 

[Blagsta]

physical threats on t'interweb forums are for proper fuckwits. if you had the balls you wouldn't be putting it on here- waaaaaaanker

It wasn't aimed specifically at you, you egotisitical twit.

 

[smmudge]

Why the fuck can’t cyclists just observe the same laws and rules as the rest of us road users?

Fair enough just for pedestrian crossings, but the vast majority of other laws and rules for the road were created with motorists in mind - specifically car drivers. Sometimes I ignore the rules because I know they are not actually the safest option.

 

[kabbes]

Absolutely, and should be obeyed when there are pedestrians about.

How often do pedestrian lights go red when there are no pedestrians about?

 

[goldenecitrone]

I've noticed more and more car drivers shooting through red lights at the last moment even when the light has turned red they accelerate to get through quickly. Cunts like that deserve a bullet through the brain.

 

[Agent Sparrow]

How often do pedestrian lights go red when there are no pedestrians about?

Quite frequently when someone has pressed the button and then seen a space in the traffic and crossed the road anyway! (and yes, I've done this and it can't always be helped, people aren't psychic)

 

[Donna Ferentes]

I knew you were going to write that

 

[weltweit]

Cyclists crossing rd lights!

Should get endorsements on their licences!

And if they don't have a licence, they should have to have one to cycle on the roads.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Yes dear, now go and have a lie down, you're sweating and shouting again.....

 

[kabbes]

Quite frequently when someone has pressed the button and then seen a space in the traffic and crossed the road anyway! (and yes, I've done this and it can't always be helped, people aren't psychic)

There's no way that you can know that has been the case though. If the light is red, somebody *must* have pressed it recently. Even if they have already crossed, if their light is green then they or any other passing pedestrian have the right to change their mind and run back across again. And they have the right to expect that the crossing will be *completely clear at all times* if they make that decision.

In one of my earliest driving lessons, I stopped as somebody crossed a zebra crossing in front of me. As they almost reached the pavement on the other side of the road, I started to go again and my instructor slammed the brake down. When I protested, he pointed out to me that I was not psychic and I had no way of knowing that they wouldn't suddenly realise they had forgotten something and turn and run back the other way.

His point was well made. If a pedestrian has the right of way and the reasonable expectation that their right of way will be clear, they become completely unpredictable and should be treated accordingly.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

I press the button when i walk by crossings, even when i don't want to cross, just to stop the traffic

 

[weltweit]

I once took a taxi in Bali Indonesia.

Junctions were amazing things, everybody rushed towards the junction honking their horns and gesticulating louder and bigger as they approached the junction.

Vehicles were like big buses with people hanging off the outside, multicoloured trucks, mopeds with up to 4 people on them, and bicycles with massive loads of whatever strapped on them making the bike and its rider look tiny.

Anyhow as the various vehicles approached the junction there appeared to be absolutly no traffic signals for anyone to obey. They just drove at each other honking their horns and gesticulating.

In my short taxi ride amazingly just about all the vehicles made it through the junctions despite my belief that there would be carnage, there was in fact a loud chaos, but that was all.

 

[Agent Sparrow]

There's no way that you can know that has been the case though.

You can if the pedestrian has crossed so long ago they're not actually in sight anymore, or have walked a long way down from the crossing.

But I always stop anyway, and I'm still not sure if that's or

 

[Agent Sparrow]

I press the button when i walk by crossings, even when i don't want to cross, just to stop the traffic

And I don't know if this is or !

 

[Urbanblues]

I press the button when i walk by crossings, even when i don't want to cross, just to stop the traffic

And still the cyclists sail through the red lights!