Stopping at Traffic Lights

keenan110

Just wondering do many of you break red traffic often/all the time/never?:)

Chips Lovell

Never

penexpers

Never ever.

niceonetom

Never ever ever.

Even more rarely when in boards kit.

rottenhat

Not in the presence of impressionable individuals like children and guards.

ok, really, I don't endorse it but I'd be a liar if I said I never ever do it.

Lumen

Only when I consider it safe and don't expect to surprise/unduly annoy other road users.

In practice this means "not that often".

thebouldwhacker

nope, dont do it, drives me nuts when I see ppl doing it...:mad:

AstraMonti

niceonetom wrote: »

Never ever ever.

Even more rarely when in boards kit.

^What he said!

Tackleberry

I rarely do break them - mainly because I'm usually so wrecked that I'm dying for a rest! The only ones I might break are very slow ones at quiet junctions. I've a mate who's seems determined to break every single red light in Ireland, very annoying.

Actually not to take it off topic too much but how do you guys think you should tackle off-ramps on dual carraigeways - causes no end of debate with me and my mate - a particular example would be the off-ramp on the N11, southbound just before Kilmacanogue for Bray on a hill - the mate sticks on the yellow / white line and dangles out in the heavy traffic for 100m or so till the end, meanwhile I stick close the verge on the left which allows the traffic to pass by freely / relatively safely - only problem is you may have to slow to cross the lane at the top so you can conitinue on, which is a bit of a pain when you have to stop cause of traffic, but I think its a lot safer than his method - what do you guys think?

Its only really an issue because when there's two of us doing our own thing it presents even more of an obstacle to traffic! So if there's one "proper" method I think we'd just do that one, it happens a few times each cycle and neither of us want to admit defeat!

Hogzy

Its nice to be able to take a breather now and then when stopped at the lights... Not that i need it cos im supper fit:cool::p:p

i57dwun4yb1pt8

very very very rarely

ive been runover once through no fault of my own, dont ever want to go through that again , and it was just a broken collar bone

rottenhat

Tackleberry wrote: »

Actually not to take it off topic too much but how do you guys think you should tackle off-ramps on dual carraigeways - causes no end of debate with me and my mate - a particular example would be the off-ramp on the N11, southbound just before Kilmacanogue for Bray on a hill - the mate sticks on the yellow / white line and dangles out in the heavy traffic for 100m or so till the end, meanwhile I stick close the verge on the left which allows the traffic to pass by freely / relatively safely - only problem is you may have to slow to cross the lane at the top so you can conitinue on, which is a bit of a pain when you have to stop cause of traffic, but I think its a lot safer than his method - what do you guys think?

In situations like that, I generally think you should take your line early to give drivers plenty of time to see you and figure out where you're going - if I'm going straight on, I don't ever want to give the impression I'm turning down the ramp.

But I guess if you don't mind stopping and waiting for a break in the traffic, then your way is good too.

tunney

Red lights? Aren't they just for cars?

Hungrycol

I break most of them on my commute route except the ones on the bigger junctions. Always sneak around a left hand turn.

Tackleberry

rottenhat wrote: »

In situations like that, I generally think you should take your line early to give drivers plenty of time to see you and figure out where you're going - if I'm going straight on, I don't ever want to give the impression I'm turning down the ramp.

But I guess if you don't mind stopping and waiting for a break in the traffic, then your way is good too.

Yeah I can totally see that side of it, but my general approach for all things cycling is to presume all motorists are retarded, and therefore hanging out in between busy switching lanes for 100m isn't the safest option - in a perfect world I reckon you should defo make your intentions clear and stick to the line that you need to travel, but in reality I just think drivers rarely acknowledge you or try to anticipate your movements, so best to steer clear as much as possible and work around these kinds of exchanges?

zzzzzzzz

rottenhat wrote: »

In situations like that, I generally think you should take your line early to give drivers plenty of time to see you and figure out where you're going - if I'm going straight on, I don't ever want to give the impression I'm turning down the ramp.

But I guess if you don't mind stopping and waiting for a break in the traffic, then your way is good too.

I usually cycle on the line separating the dual carriage way from the off ramp - from the beginning of it. (i.e. what your mate does)

I think technically you should be just to the right of the line, but usually I stay just to the left of it.

That way the faster moving traffic on the dual carriage way has more space, people turning off can see that I'm going straight, and there's usually plenty of space to overtake me on the inside.

once i get to the other side, I move over to the left as soon as it's safe. Usually immediately.

I often cycle the N11 in this manner, from Bray until it turns in to a single-lane road, and I've never had any close calls or other hassle.

thebouldwhacker

If your not using the ramp then cycle like its not there, straight line, if you start turning for the ramp and then 'pull back' into main traffic you are in the wrong should things go wrong...

arybvtcw0eolkf

Honestly, I never cycle through red lights.

I used to drive through in the early morning hours, then one day I had my brother in the car (he's an EMT) and done it at Ballybough.

He said something which stuck with me (it was the way/tone he said it).

"Martin, I'd love to bring you to the scene of an accident where someone done that to save 30 seconds, you'd hate me for doing it to you".

On my commute from Balgriffin down the Malahide Rd & onwards towards the quays, up the quays to the Dublin7 I'd say I'm in a tiny, tiny minority of cyclists who stop for traffic lights.

.

seamus

I don't break the lights when I'm on the road. It's gives you quite a boost when you watch a guy put himself through stress to break every light then you cruise by him 250m down the road. If I'm waiting at ped/cycle track lights and I know the sequence, I'll cross the road when I know the cars won't be going. It's actually only at one specific spot tbh.

I will however give myself a headstart. That is, I'll sometimes put myself ahead of the white line, and go just before the light has changed (where I know the sequence off) in order to get the safer position in traffic.

So technically you could claim that I "break" most lights, but in reality I always wait for the other guy's light to go red (and for the amber gamblers to get through)

Caroline_ie

I never break lights.

and i did it once ... but got scrared and will NEVER do it again.

petethedrummer

Tackleberry wrote: »

in a perfect world I reckon you should defo make your intentions clear and stick to the line that you need to travel, but in reality I just think drivers rarely acknowledge you or try to anticipate your movements, so best to steer clear as much as possible and work around these kinds of exchanges?

In situations like these where i'm likely to get side swiped, I tend to point forward (several times if necessary) to let drivers know I'm going straight on. I know it's technically not a proper hand signal but I'd say it helps clear up confusion.

Orion Hundreds Syllable wrote: »

I'd say I'm in a tiny, tiny minority of cyclists who stop for traffic lights.

If you get to the lights first and stop, more cyclists behind you will stop because you stopped. There's a bit of a sheep mentality among people. If you keep going most of them will go through too. I think most people don't like standing round like a mug if everyone else is flying through but will stop if someone else takes the lead.

Gavin

I am like an Anti-Bull. Red makes me stop.

Piercemeear

I've only really started cycling in the last couple of months in Dublin city centre, and I'm really suprised how many cyclists break red lights. Especially pedestrian ones. I never noticed much before I was on the bike, but it seems that when I'm stopped and someone's coming up behind me, there's a greater chance they will cruise on through than stop. Like, more than half. It's mad. They need to start some ads on television or something, like the ones that teach you how to drive. I honestly don't think people are aware.

seamus

I was thinking about that today, they should have one of those really gorey, slow-mo ads. Like a guy on a rusty mountain bike, saddle too low, pedalling with his heels on the pedals and breaking his balls going as fast as he can using the small ring. Ped light goes red, mother pushes her pram out and then "Oh no", cue to slow-speed image of the guys face colliding with woman's, blood splattering from every orifice, cut to scene of devestation - guy lying 20m away with a clearly broken neck and arms, woman lying on the kerb with a split open head and the pram lying on it's side, a month-old baby left writhing in a puddle.


...I'll get me coat.

Saruman

I almost never see a cyclist stop for a pedestrian light, they usually just go right through them and avoide the pedestrians as if they have a right to. More stop for general traffic lights but most go right through so the boards posters here must be the special few who obey the rules of the road.
I always stop at traffic lights or else get off and walk using the pedestrian lights if I am crossing a busy junction.

unionman

Haven't we had this thread before?

Oh, and no, never, nah-ah, no way.

Chips Lovell

Piercemeear wrote: »

I'm really suprised how many cyclists break red lights. Especially pedestrian ones.

You'll stop being surprised before too long. Plenty of days I've ridden into work and not seen one other cyclist stop at the lights. Then people wonder why motorists give us dogs abuse.

blue chuzzle

this is more than one question surely.

turning right on a red light is worlds different from turning left on a red to the point that im sure loads of people would always do one and almost never do the other.

following a rule just because its a rule is really not the way forward in life.

also going through the top of a T junction is totally safe in almost all suituations ("almost" because i cant say for sure but i cant think of any where it isnt)

im not talking about blazing through them while blindfolded of course but a little common sense (have a look around, for example) is all thats necessary.

to those who said "never" do you really stop at a deserted pedestrian crossing at night when there clearly arent any people within hundreds of meters? if so, thats really bizarre.

Piercemeear

seamus wrote: »

I was thinking about that today, they should have one of those really gorey, slow-mo ads.

I was thinking more like one of the nice calm ones that teach you how to overtake, narrated by that nature documentary man.

blue chuzzle wrote: »

to those who said "never" do you really stop at a deserted pedestrian crossing at night when there clearly arent any people within hundreds of meters? if so, thats really bizarre.

Is it bizarre if you do it in a car?

DirkVoodoo

There are always grey areas and cases where it is safer to go than to stop. My problem is with the guys who NEVER stop. I was ahead of some tool who went straight through a busy junction at speed, felt good when I caught up with him at the next set of lights.

As to the on-ramp: I would join about half way up when there is a gap. You are far more likely to confuse drivers and cause an accident if you hug the left side of the road then start trying to move out at the roundabout when drivers are more focused on seeing what traffic is coming from the right. What delay? You mean the 10 seconds you might add to their journey?

Better to let drivers know you are there, being part of traffic and all that.

Lumen

Piercemeear wrote: »

Is it bizarre if you do it in a car?

Yes.

However, cars have blind spots so there is more room for error, so I don't think I've ever jumped a red in a car. There might be a sleepwalking toddler crawling across underneath your front bumper, or something.

Chips Lovell

blue chuzzle wrote: »

following a rule just because its a rule is really not the way forward in life.

And if every other road user followed this reasoning, where do you think we'd be? Why do you think cyclists should be above the law?

Lumen

el tonto wrote: »

And if every other road user followed this reasoning, where do you think we'd be?

Libertarian utopia. Or Delhi. I'm not sure.

BeerNut

I never break reds, but only because doing so would demolish my position on the moral high ground when bitching about other road users.

petethedrummer

What if there was an old woman carrying a child, who in turn was holding a kitten? You're cycling with no hands through a red light on a pedestrian crossing and they step out. Where would you be then? That's right, you'd be engulfed in a massive fireball. And as a tax payer I don't want to be paying to have your charred brains cleaned off my road.

Chips Lovell

Lumen wrote: »

Libertarian utopia. Or Delhi. I'm not sure.

I've been to a city that (reputedly) had only one set of traffic lights. The roads were hair raising, to say the least.

arybvtcw0eolkf

petethedrummer wrote: »

If you get to the lights first and stop, more cyclists behind you will stop because you stopped. There's a bit of a sheep mentality among people. If you keep going most of them will go through too. I think most people don't like standing round like a mug if everyone else is flying through but will stop if someone else takes the lead.

Thats the pathetic thing, I stop then like you said people pull up along side or slightly behind.

Then one muppet pushes through, and the tide follow's. But like someone else just said, its a buzz when I catch the same guy a few hundred meter's down the road & zipp past.

The tax man

Never break red lights. As a car driver also(I know the shame) it's just something inbuilt at this stage. RED means STOP.

blorg

I generally will not break red lights- almost never. However I will sometimes (not always) take a left on red if it is clear. To be honest if I am waiting it is often just so I can feel good about my moral high ground, there is no other good reason for it. I think cyclists should be allowed take a left on red. Cars too if we were in a more civilised country. Will NEVER go through a junction on a red.

el tonto wrote:

Why do you think cyclists should be above the law?

This is why you always cycle on cycle tracks where provided I presume

Lumen

blorg wrote: »

I generally will not break red lights- almost never. However I will sometimes (not always) take a left on red if it is clear. To be honest if I am waiting it is often just so I can feel good about my moral high ground, there is no other good reason for it. I think cyclists should be allowed take a left on red. Cars too if we were in a more civilised country. Will NEVER go through a junction on a red.

Your distinction is arbitrary and illogical. From a legal perspective, breaking a red light means crossing the first line.

Why would you not turn right or go straight on a red if the junction was well sighted and the roads were empty?

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

Your distinction is arbitrary and illogical. From a legal perspective, breaking a red light means crossing the first line.

Why would you not turn right or go straight on a red if the junction was well sighted and the roads were empty?

Technically I possibly would in those circumstances... Just I wouldn't admit it on the internet where I am trying to portray a holier-than-thou image (but with enough concession to common sense to make it believable.)

Chips Lovell

blorg wrote: »

This is why you always cycle on cycle tracks where provided I presume

You mean cycle lane as defined by the Road Traffic Acts, with the proper road markings and signposted by signs RUS009 or RUS009a?

blorg

el tonto wrote: »

You mean cycle lane as defined by the Road Traffic Acts, with the proper road markings and signposted by signs RUS009 or RUS009a?

No, I mean cycle track as there is no such thing in the law as a "cycle lane"

On the red light thing, I would think in the sense of Kant's categorical imperative the rule "allow cyclists to turn left on red when safe to do so" could be applied universally... It could even be applied to cars although I am not sure that would work in this country given the driving standard. Turning right, no. Cycling through busy junctions when you have the red, probably not.

Poor Uncle Tom

43 posts and most said no...................liars, liars the lot of you...


everyone knows there's only 25 cyclists in the whole country.....:D

SerialComplaint

Rarely - Sometimes at pedestrian lights when I can see that there are no peds on or approaching. Sometimes in pi$$ing rain when turning left, carefully. Hard to see the big fuss about careful left turns.

ollaetta

There should be no problem with cyclists carefully turning left on a red and the rules do need to be looked at. In some other countries cars that are turning are allowed go through a red if there is clearly nothing coming and it can be done safely so cyclists doing so should not be a big deal.

It should also be permissable to go straight ahead at T junctions where there is a marked cycle lane.

On the original topic I am amazed how many people have said they do not break lights. I don't either but it is just staggering how many I see doing it every day.

Tau

While being completely against breaking red lights on principle, there are one are two places where, having already stopped and waited, if you know the junction really well, and you know the light sequence really well, you are better off going about 4 seconds before the light goes green, just so as you get away from all the cars at the junction.

My example of this is turning right across the bridge at heuston station after heading west on the quays. It's a nasty junction, you have to either make it across 4 lanes of traffic and then back across 2 again at the subsequent left turn or just make it across 2 lanes and hope to god noone is going straight.

Sometimes, when I arrive at this light and it's green, I wait for it to go red so that I can break it, just before it turns green again...

arybvtcw0eolkf

Tau wrote: »

While being completely against breaking red lights on principle, there are one are two places where, having already stopped and waited, if you know the junction really well, and you know the light sequence really well, you are better off going about 4 seconds before the light goes green, just so as you get away from all the cars at the junction.

My example of this is turning right across the bridge at heuston station after heading west on the quays. It's a nasty junction, you have to either make it across 4 lanes of traffic and then back across 2 again at the subsequent left turn or just make it across 2 lanes and hope to god noone is going straight.

Sometimes, when I arrive at this light and it's green, I wait for it to go red so that I can break it, just before it turns green again...

I'm glad someone mentioned that particular junction, I was going to use it earlier.

A few weeks after I was knocked down by a cyclist (two broken elbows and a broken wrist) a motorcycle garda was killed on this bridge by a cyclist doing just what you've posted!.

That was back in 1995, I remember it well because it was on the opposite side of the bridge from where I was hit.

.

buffalo

petethedrummer wrote: »

If you get to the lights first and stop, more cyclists behind you will stop because you stopped. There's a bit of a sheep mentality among people. If you keep going most of them will go through too. I think most people don't like standing round like a mug if everyone else is flying through but will stop if someone else takes the lead.

I can't say I've ever seen that. I'll stop at every red on my commute (I have a different philosophy at night/weekends), and at certain junctions when I'm waiting every other cyclists will simply whizz by. About once a week one other person will stop.

blue chuzzle wrote: »

also going through the top of a T junction is totally safe in almost all suituations ("almost" because i cant say for sure but i cant think of any where it isnt)

im not talking about blazing through them while blindfolded of course but a little common sense (have a look around, for example) is all thats necessary

I see people doing this constantly, and it really isn't safe. All it takes is one clip of a wing mirror, and you could be underneath somebody's wheels. Usually the vehicles entering take evasive procedures, either by slowing down and turning harder than necessary, I think a cyclist or two might not be here anymore.
I've even had to avoid cyclists doing this myself. Honestly, if a person is breaking the law, the least they could do is yield to those who aren't. But I guess in for a penny...

BeerNut wrote: »

I never break reds, but only because doing so would demolish my position on the moral high ground when bitching about other road users.

+1

lucky-colm

keenan110 wrote: »

Just wondering do many of you break red traffic often/all the time/never?:)

red means go right?

Lumen

Regardless of the law, merging into moving traffic which is not expecting you to be there is asking for trouble and aggravation.