what do people think of jumping lights???

[lulubel]

I haven't seen a cyclist stop at pedestrian lights since I've been in Spain (other than for long enough for pedestrians to finish crossing if they have to, but normally you can wait by just slowing down), so I don't stop either. If the lights are controlling traffic, sometimes cyclists stop and sometimes they don't, depending on what the traffic situation is. I use my judgement, and stop if I need to, but if the road's clear, I keep on going.

I haven't seen anyone here react to cyclists going through red lights. I think it's pretty normal and accepted.

 

[hero of valour]

well it would appear i am clearly a moron......i will never go through a red again....(apart from the one's I know are safe)

 

[vickster]

How is a red light ever actually safe? They are there for a reason you know - like a junction or a pedestrian crossing

The RLJers who really annoy me are those who track stand in the middle of a junction or indeed a dual carriageway and then proceed to cross once all the traffic has gone even though the lights are still red, not that they can see them as they are in the middle of the junction

 

[sabian92]

well it would appear i am clearly a moron......i will never go through a red again....(apart from the one's I know are safe)

I'm sorry, but they are red BECAUSE OTHER TRAFFIC IS USING THE JUNCTION. That would imply they are unsafe because they don't expect a law-ignoring cyclist to be jumping a red light. Trust me, a cyclist does not fair well against a bus. See this thread I posted (not about jumping lights but a guy got trampled by a bus and killed): Here

It's on red because you have to stop. If you don't stop then you are liable to be run over and to be honest if I saw somebody jumping a red light and being run over I'd probably just ride past. Nobody to blame but yourself if you end up under a bus. Call me heartless but.... it's your own fault.

 

[MrB1obby]

I don't understand why others even contemplate running a red light. It's red to stop you from being hurt.

What would happen if no one looked at traffic lights...it would be like india where the biggest vehicle gets right of way, do you know how many deaths on the roads happen each year there.

 

[Rob3rt]

I'm sorry, but they are red BECAUSE OTHER TRAFFIC IS USING THE JUNCTION. That would imply they are unsafe because they don't expect a law-ignoring cyclist to be jumping a red light. Trust me, a cyclist does not fair well against a bus. See this thread I posted (not about jumping lights but a guy got trampled by a bus and killed): Here

It's on red because you have to stop. If you don't stop then you are liable to be run over and to be honest if I saw somebody jumping a red light and being run over I'd probably just ride past. Nobody to blame but yourself if you end up under a bus. Call me heartless but.... it's your own fault.

I wouldn't go quite that far, I would stop to offer any assistance required, but following this I would be sure to offer myself up as a witness to ensure the act of jumping the red light was duly noted as a major contributer to the accident taking place on the police report and to be taken into consideration in any civil action.

 

[sabian92]

I wouldn't go quite that far, I would stop to offer any assistance required, but following this I would be sure to offer myself up as a witness to ensure the act of jumping the red light was duly noted as a major contributer to the accident taking place on the police report and to be taken into consideration in any civil action.

Maybe a bit far but I'd have very little sympathy towards the RLJer.

 

[Prestwick]

I detest it and make my feelings very clear about it. If the lights aren't registering you (like at those mini traffic lights on Old Street just before the Town Hall) then I dismount and cross at the next pedestrian green light.

The very worst are those who skim through when the green man has shown and people are walking across the road. You see even if there isn't any road traffic theres pedestrians to think about and the last guy who I observed running a red light when the green man was showing got shoved off his bike by an irate City worker.

Me? I usually say "red light mate, red light? Red light!" every time I see someone run one. Its not just dangerous its bad manners!

 

[Ticktockmy]

...whats the general consensus?....i jumped a red the other day mainly cos i know the route well and its a safe move if you know it....someone shouted something and it pissed me off!

At least you were alive to hear someone shout something at you,a lot of Red Light jumpers don't, too busy crying with pain from a broken body or worse..

 

[RAYMOND]

ok discription of a safe red light,
theres only one i go through and thats near the airport in doncaster.
once your in the middle lane ready to turn right,sometimes the lights on red, but sometimes theres not a vehicle in sight, now i'm not waiting 5 minutes
for it to change when nothings even on the same road.
If theres cars about then no red light is safe.

 

[marzjennings]

I often RLJ (but I mostly stop at red lights*) and folks can shout at me as much as they like 'cos I won't hear them over music blaring through my headphones. (Not kidding).


(*at least until the road is clear)

 

[Lancj1]

but sometimes theres not a vehicle in sight, now i'm not waiting 5 minutes
for it to change when nothings even on the same road.
.

+ 1 - Using the skills i picked up as a schoolboy when I was taught how to cross the road. " and if its all clear...."

 

[sabian92]

.... and that's when the lorry driver doing 55mph comes along and makes sure a poor copper has to pick you up with a sponge.

Still honestly, not worth jumping over the sake of "there's no cars about". That wouldn't stand in court either, somehow.

 

[zippygeorgeandben]

I think the OP has grasped the major consensus here!

 

[slowmotion]

I think the OP has grasped the major consensus here!

Yeah, but it won't go down well the dickheads, will it? They don't like the idea of having their "freedom" curtailed.