Safe Speed Forums

Is a cyclist jumping a red really so bad. If the road is clear, where is the problem? A cyclist is in such a vulnerable state that I doubt they would cross unless the road was completely clear. An Indian friend of mine said that it is safer to cross at red as you are much more alert.

Excuse the alterations, but if you accept that very small, very vulnerable vehicles can jump lights, where do you draw the line?

Surely it would be simpler if everyone obeyed red lights, rather than just motorised vehicles.

I used to cycle round London when I lived there, and the only reason I ever felt like jumping a red (though I don't recall ever succumbing) was laziness, i.e. not wanting to expend the extra effort accelerating away. I suspect this is the reason with a lot of other cyclists deep down.

Exactly - you end up with red lights only applying to artics...

I don't get annoyed when I see a cyclist going safely through on red. I think this issue is just used as a stick to beat cyclists with.

I do not think you would think that if had ever treated the result of this. I have. when I did A&E many years ago.

It's the law and these same idiots go on about speed limits - yet when the law's applied equally to them - they WHINGE and WHINE more!
Usually compalining that as they are "vulnerable" the law does not apply to them - or that's basically what I read between the lines.

Sorry - but red mans STOP and Red and Amber also mean STOP.

Amber on it's own means you can go if at the point of no return and it's "safe-ish" and Green means GO but look out for numpties who ignore their red lights and all emergencies on a shout.

Plain common sense and if you are too lazy to stop or do not have the oomph to start up again - then you ain't a a REAL cyclist!

Tis the challenge of the set off!

Part of the fun is to see how hard I can do the accelerate on my bike from stop

Nope - no sympathy or comprehension of plain DAFT and LAW breaking especially when a good many of these people are "holier than thou" if a driver makes the slightest harmless error.

I ride a bike - I DO NOT - NEVER HAVE - CAN NEVER SEEMYSELF going through a red light either in my car or on bike - and certainly never ever DELIBERATELY!

On the rare occasion when lights have stuck .. in car - whacked on the hazards and crossed with absolute caution - and used Green Cross and become a a PEDESTRIAN to cross when on the bike.

To me - that simple. Traffic lights and crossroads are not the same as blipping over a speed limit on a camber or on a straight motorway. There's a definite collision danger.

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I think the proliferation of traffic lights (certainly around here) is having a detrimental effect on their use as a road safety feature. Nearly all roundabouts in Wolverhampton, Bilston and other small towns have permanent lights on them now, and any number of previously light - free junctions. I remember when all of these were considered safe without lights, and I would even contend that the roundabouts are more dangerous now than they were before the lights were installed, since now it's possible to mix traffic turning right (legally) in the middle lane with traffic going straight on (again, legally) in the right hand lane. I don't offer this as an excuse for my occasional careful running of red lights at half past silly in the morning - I don't feel the need to make any excuses - but I do wonder if this over use of lights has prompted a general decrease of respect for them among all road users.

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We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the kerb.

Absolutely Rythym Thief
Far too many lights where they are not required.
Often a junction where the lights are broken runs more freely. What is the point of having them if this is the case?

Ah, so you broke the law.

Except for...



Just as I do on my bike then. Only without the hazards, obviously.



Of course, that's still illegal. Just as much so as riding slowly through. My ex's mum once got told off and fined by the police for pushing her bike the wrong way down a one way street. Honest, it's true!

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We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the kerb.

They were genuinely stuck on red for everyone! I did use hazards .. and was very cautious.

_________________
If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !
But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.

But they were stuck for everyone



Ah... like those spoil sports with the unicyclist in Macclesfield..

I think I might have contested that one if wheeling along the pavement and obviously a pedestrian pushing something with wheels and not actually riding....

Blinkin' jobsworthy so and so.. Bet it was an inexperienced little oik too grrrrr!

_________________
If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !
But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.

Are traffic lights still legal once they have broken down?

A temporary set in Staveley last year broke down every night half hour after the workmen had gone home.
Eventually a local pulled them out of the way, and traffic flowed once again.
Just as well, because Mrs Coggins from the Post Office was dehydrating after so long without a drink!!

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

Hazards on, when moving (and not on a Motorway or unrestricted Duel Carriageway - signalling a hold-up ahead until the vehicles behind you are aware.) are illegal.

So yes, you broke the law!

(The Red traffic light is irrelevant)

But unless you have a rotating orange beacon on your car, they are a worthwhile precaution, as one of the few means available to indicate to other traffic that something is out of the ordinary.
Luckily they dont rely on a camera to prosecute for it yet.

_________________
Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

Ern - could not have said better ..

_________________
If you want to get to heaven - you have to raise a little hell!

Smilies are contagious
They are just like the flu
We use our smilies on YOU today
Now Good Causes are smiling too!

KEEP SMILING
It makes folk wonder just what you REALLY got up to last night!

Smily to penny.. penny to pound
safespeed prospers-smiles all round! !
But the real message? SMILE.. GO ON ! DO IT! and the world will smile with you!
Enjoy life! You only have the one bite at it.

I've never ever felt the need to put hazards on when crossing a junction with failed lights.

It gives such a skewed message to anyone that can only see half your car. I'm very surprised that anyone who is interested in road safety can think that it is a sensible thing to do.

It depend how busy ... of course Mad Doc could use his green lights - but he ist bound by rules on those und they are used only rarely - last time was when youngest was born und he had to get me to hospital "in the style to which I am accustomed." (Ist tongue in cheek ... where ist a tongue in cheek smiley?)

But if ist crossing which cross a fast straight und ist wide - then make sense to have some kind of warning lights .

If a tempo und you cannot see the other side of the road works - then ist like the hump back bridge - I tend to toot the horn to warn am there und lights stick. Ist not always possible to phone und let them know... you have to get out of car to get the number to phone to tell them.

If in towns these days - you could get car jacked - we keep reading of these from the towny local papers ...und even then - you cannot wait hours for some bloke to come und fix it or a policeman to come und direct traffic given he has to battle way through the resultant congestion.

Thus - you decide what ist safest under the condition you are in .. und sometimes you have to find way to warn people you are ahead there und a potential hazard to them. Ist polite - nicht?

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Nicht ganz im Lot!
Ich setze mich immer wieder in die Nesseln! Der Mad Doc ist mein Mann! Und ich benutzte seinen PC!

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Fine me for Safe Speed
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Greatest love & Greatest Achievements Require Greatest Risk
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it does seem rather odd thing to do. Can't say I've ever seen anyone do that or done so myself.

I have never had to perform the Heimlich manouvre on somebody that was choking, yet Iv've seen it happen (choking) lots of times - I hope I will know how when I need to!

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!