I am a Red Light Jumper :(

[Jezston]

Riding with a group last night, near the back as I'm 'carrying' a slower rider, guys shoot left down some major road I've never been down before, no idea where they are going. Only person in the group I know who I can call is the girl with me. Traffic lights turn red as we approach.

If I don't jump these we will lose them. Do it. Bloke it a van shouts at us as we sail through.

Sorry everyone. I've let you all down and reaffirmed some angry WVM's view of cyclists.

I'll be in my room, flaggelating myself with a birch branch.

 

[PoliceMadAd]

As i was told in the past, it may not be the right thing to do, but at the time, it was the correct thing (or something along those lines) lol

 

[gallego1968]

I never jump lights no matter what the others have done.

 

[ian turner]

So not only did you rlj but you encouraged someone else to do it potentially endangering their life more than yours given that while you might manage to avoid being hit their chances were less ?
Branch flagellation isn't enough. Hand yourself in to the authorities !!!

 

[NormanD]

 

[Jezston]

So not only did you rlj but you encouraged someone else to do it potentially endangering their life more than yours given that while you might manage to avoid being hit their chances were less ?
Branch flagellation isn't enough. Hand yourself in to the authorities !!!

There was no other traffic other than the van and they weren't moving. I didn't put anyone's life in danger, I just pissed off a van driver and reinforced his negative views of cyclists.

 

[BSRU]

I'll be in my room, flaggelating myself with a birch branch.

If that rooms a sauna then you will be enjoying yourself.

 

[Banjo]

You should be banished to the helmets debate forum as a penance.

No thats just too cruel.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

You should be chained to a chair and forced to watch Sustrans videos

 

[hotmetal]

Tricky one. Split second decision: "what are the chances of me being hit" vs "stop now and it's the end of the ride for us two". In hindsight, getting hit would have been the end of the ride anyway (or worse) but I know from experience that when in a group it doesn't seem like that in your head until afterwards. Although I haven't done that particular one, I will hold my hand up to having ridden my motorbike in a less-than-safe way due to the same 'pressure'.

In response to RichK's comment: Interesting point. In point of fact, jumping a red light because the emergency services are behind you is still illegal and allegedly not what the emergency services want you to do in case you cause a more serious accident right in front of them. But the pressure of feeling that you're in the way of an emergency vehicle would certainly be enough for me to want to do it.

Blue Light Awareness

It's interesting - the temptation to just get the **** out of the way is very strong, but here it reiterates the Highway Code advice that you still have to stay legal. That means not going above the limit, stopping where you shouldn't, entering bus lanes or crossing stop lines. The flip side of this is that if you do cross a stop line (say at a red light) you could be nicked (or an accident that resulted would be your fault).

I wonder what serving coppers think? I'd feel stupid sitting at a red light with the emergency services desperate to get past, but that's what you're supposed to do…

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Tricky one. Split second decision: "what are the chances of me being hit" vs "stop now and it's the end of the ride for us two". In hindsight, getting hit would have been the end of the ride anyway (or worse) but I know from experience that when in a group it doesn't seem like that in your head until afterwards. Although I haven't done that particular one, I will hold my hand up to having ridden my motorbike in a less-than-safe way due to the same 'pressure'.

In response to RichK's comment: Interesting point. In point of fact, jumping a red light because the emergency services are behind you is still illegal and allegedly not what the emergency services want you to do in case you cause a more serious accident right in front of them. But the pressure of feeling that you're in the way of an emergency vehicle would certainly be enough for me to want to do it.

Blue Light Awareness

It's interesting - the temptation to just get the **** out of the way is very strong, but here it reiterates the Highway Code advice that you still have to stay legal. That means not going above the limit, stopping where you shouldn't, entering bus lanes or crossing stop lines. The flip side of this is that if you do cross a stop line (say at a red light) you could be nicked (or an accident that resulted would be your fault).

I wonder what serving coppers think? I'd feel stupid sitting at a red light with the emergency services desperate to get past, but that's what you're supposed to do…

I would like to sit in front of the judge (after I appealed my fine et al) whos Wife was in the ambulance that I ran the red light to allow through.

 

[Adasta]

I've done it before by accident. I know it doesn't feel good.

I was once overtaking a bus on Clapham High St (it was pulling over). I was mid-manoeuvre and the bus turned to the left to stop. At the point, the lights became visible - they had just turned to amber. I looked behind me then braked hard, but the stopping distance wasn't enough. I skidded straight through the pedestrian crossing and got disapproving comments from those using it. I could understand their annoyance but there really wasn't much I could do.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I've done it before by accident. I know it doesn't feel good.

I was once overtaking a bus on Clapham High St (it was pulling over). I was mid-manoeuvre and the bus turned to the left to stop. At the point, the lights became visible - they had just turned to amber. I looked behind me then braked hard, but the stopping distance wasn't enough. I skidded straight through the pedestrian crossing and got disapproving comments from those using it. I could understand their annoyance but there really wasn't much I could do.

That would make for an interesting case I guess. You could not see the lights so should you have ridden more slowly until you could. Trouble is the brain doesn't work that way. I would say 99.9% of us respond to the colour of the lights rather than the knowledge of the presence of the lights. (Does that make sense?)

 

[Adasta]

That would make for an interesting case I guess. You could not see the lights so should you have ridden more slowly until you could. Trouble is the brain doesn't work that way. I would say 99.9% of us respond to the colour of the lights rather than the knowledge of the presence of the lights. (Does that make sense?)

The trouble was where I was riding. Here's a link to Google Maps which shows the lights in question.

The problem is that cars were parked on either side of the road (in the Cycle Superhighway, obviously). Now, the traffic was heavy at the time and I had a car which was quite close behind. It wasn't right up my backend, so to speak, but it was "there". The bus had to swing out to the right, then to the left. The bus was not in the bus lane but was moving into it. As you can see, the lanes are pretty narrow. Essentially I tried to clear the bus because I saw that as the immediate threat. As I accelerated round it to get out the way of its wavering "rear end", I noticed the lights change too late.

If I were in a car I would've stopped easily. Being on a bike meant my stopping distance was longer, but I took evasive action when I saw the pedestrians (i.e. I swerved around them). It was a lesson for me, certainly, but it wasn't a case of reckless cycling.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

The trouble was where I was riding. Here's a link to Google Maps which shows the lights in question.

The problem is that cars were parked on either side of the road (in the Cycle Superhighway, obviously). Now, the traffic was heavy at the time and I had a car which was quite close behind. It wasn't right up my backend, so to speak, but it was "there". The bus had to swing out to the right, then to the left. The bus was not in the bus lane but was moving into it. As you can see, the lanes are pretty narrow. Essentially I tried to clear the bus because I saw that as the immediate threat. As I accelerated round it to get out the way of its wavering "rear end", I noticed the lights change too late.

If I were in a car I would've stopped easily. Being on a bike meant my stopping distance was longer, but I took evasive action when I saw the pedestrians (i.e. I swerved around them). It was a lesson for me, certainly, but it wasn't a case of reckless cycling.

I am not for one minute suggesting it was reckless cycling. What I was trying to say is that most people only react when they see the lights (as you did) rather than slow down in an area in which they know there are lights when they can't see them. I think you did the right thing in the circumstances you describe.