Is it worth it anymore..... ?

They don't use the cycle lane, they stated it was inappropriate.

The problem being that cars etc feel that cyclists are simply taking the P by continuing to use the road whilst a bike lane has been provided.

On a different, I got a very close pass on Sunday. It was early Sunday morning and I took a left on a red light. Obviously this angered the coming car (although there was plenty of time and I was well on the road by the time they came through) and they moved right on top of me, and then once passed moved back to the right.

Now, regardless of you position on the red light and my cycling, there is simply no excuse for putting my life in danger to make a point. When did vigilatism become an accepted practice. When a car sees another car breaking a light, speeding, talking on the phone etc, do they go out of their way to endanger that person?

It is very odd, and dangerous carry on. If I had moved to avoid a pothole, my tire blew etc, and I ended up under the wheels, you can bet the driver would be full of remorse etc. Why do people put themselves (never mind the cyclist) at such a risk of a life changing event?

And yes I do get the irony that I broke the rules first, and I even get that the driver may well feel aggrieved or put out by it (don't understand it but I see it happen) but why compound the problem by a potential crash. What does the driver think will be the outcome of such an action?

randomname2005 wrote: »

I don't understanding doing to a left on a red light!

Sorry, total typo.

I took a left hand turn on a red light at a T junction.

Leroy42 wrote: »

They don't use the cycle lane, they stated it was inappropriate.

The problem being that cars etc feel that cyclists are simply taking the P by continuing to use the road whilst a bike lane has been provided.

On a different, I got a very close pass on Sunday. It was early Sunday morning and I took a left on a red light. Obviously this angered the coming car (although there was plenty of time and I was well on the road by the time they came through) and they moved right on top of me, and then once passed moved back to the right.

Now, regardless of you position on the red light and my cycling, there is simply no excuse for putting my life in danger to make a point. When did vigilatism become an accepted practice. When a car sees another car breaking a light, speeding, talking on the phone etc, do they go out of their way to endanger that person?

It is very odd, and dangerous carry on. If I had moved to avoid a pothole, my tire blew etc, and I ended up under the wheels, you can bet the driver would be full of remorse etc. Why do people put themselves (never mind the cyclist) at such a risk of a life changing event?

And yes I do get the irony that I broke the rules first, and I even get that the driver may well feel aggrieved or put out by it (don't understand it but I see it happen) but why compound the problem by a potential crash. What does the driver think will be the outcome of such an action?

They're not thinking about killing you or trying to kill you, I'd imagine they want to show you how dangerous it can be to break a light - you're right, they are not the police and it's not justified - however... I see this as a red rag to a bull and I really really really wish cyclists would not break red lights. If at the very least we obey the rules of the road then drivers have less to throw at us. I hate seeing cyclists go through red while I'm sitting patiently on my bike waiting for the green.

Also, you put yourself at risk in that situation, something you didn't acknowledge in your post.

Annie get your Run wrote: »

I see this as a red rag to a bull and I really really really wish cyclists would not break red lights. If at the very least we obey the rules of the road then drivers have less to throw at us. I hate seeing cyclists go through red while I'm sitting patiently on my bike waiting for the green.

100% this. Cyclists breaking the red lights tars all cyclists with the same brush in motorist's eyes.

Leroy42 wrote: »

That just a convenient excuse used by motorist to excuse their own behaviour. My breaking the red, or whatever, should not impact on the other road users adherence to the rules.

What ya mean is that it's not up to the motoring public to be Police and Judge/Jury using a 1300kg machine as the executioner..

Annie get your Run wrote: »

They're not thinking about killing you or trying to kill you, I'd imagine they want to show you how dangerous it can be to break a light - you're right, they are not the police and it's not justified - however... I see this as a red rag to a bull and I really really really wish cyclists would not break red lights. If at the very least we obey the rules of the road then drivers have less to throw at us. I hate seeing cyclists go through red while I'm sitting patiently on my bike waiting for the green.

Also, you put yourself at risk in that situation, something you didn't acknowledge in your post.

How does passing me with inches to spare teach me that. i don't even know that what they are complaining about. There was no danger, as is proved by the fact that I am perfectly fine, until they decided to teach me a lesson.

it's not justified - however...

Why are you not putting the same level of understanding to breaking the red light. It's not justifies...however!

I put myself at risk everytime I go on the road. If this was the only time that I had been closed passed, shouted out, beeped out, targeting then I would agree. But it isn't and never is. Even the attitude that this person thinks they have the right to 'teach me the dangers' screams of thinking they know better than me.

Leroy42 wrote: »

How does passing me with inches to spare teach me that. i don't even know that what they are complaining about. There was no danger, as is proved by the fact that I am perfectly fine, until they decided to teach me a lesson.

Why are you not putting the same level of understanding to breaking the red light. It's not justifies...however!

I put myself at risk everytime I go on the road. If this was the only time that I had been closed passed, shouted out, beeped out, targeting then I would agree. But it isn't and never is. Even the attitude that this person thinks they have the right to 'teach me the dangers' screams of thinking they know better than me.

From what I can see, the beeping, shouting etc etc is because they see us all as rules breakers etc (when in fact it's probably just frustration that we are getting home quicker than they are). I know and you know that they also break the rules but lets put that to one side for a second - if 'we' can obey the rules of the road and be the better road users then it can only help. Anyway, I'll continue to cycle (and drive) without breaking red lights and hope that someday others will consider doing the same.

Sometimes it is safer to break a red light, rather then wait for green being in the center of a formula 1 start race, but involving cars/buses/trucks,motorbikes etc.
I break red lights sometimes, not all of them - many cases it is just way safer. I may be wrong, but this is my best way of surviving the city.
I also use pedestrians green light to cross, but only (and I mean it) when I am sure all the pedestrians are gone and I cross very low speed (walking speed).

For what concerns drivers punishing you, unfortunately many of them do this - the revenge pass or call it as you want.
Once we were a group of cyclist (me and some friends going to the Phoenix park) turning right at a traffic light; everything was in order, but a woman in her big SUV, at the green, had to speed up and pass us in a very dangerous way, so that she could queue 30 meter later. I went close to her window, I excused myself, and I told her if she could take in consideration that she put in danger a group of cyclists just 10 seconds earlier - she yelled at me "where is your helmet?". So apparently, she thought she could put me in danger because I did not have my helmet.
There is always an excuse for a punishment pass.

axel, thanks for BS-ing me, I was peacefully giving my opinion. I think it is safer in some cases, not for myself only - I am actually advising it.

cramcycle, you have no time for people hiding behind the safety issue, but I am not hiding behind anything. Anyway, if you refer to me, please find the time to give me your opinion, because I am here to contribute for the best of all of us.

ed e, I am honestly not making any excuse, and I do not think it is about my impatience. advance stop zones are occupied more than 95%, and not from cyclists.

queldy wrote: »

Sometimes it is safer to break a red light, rather then wait for green being in the center of a formula 1 start race, but involving cars/buses/trucks,motorbikes etc.
I break red lights sometimes, not all of them - many cases it is just way safer. I may be wrong, but this is my best way of surviving the city.
.

I have to say, as a someone who cycles daily in the city and suburbs, I've never come across a situation where its safer to break a light than wait. I'll either stay behind traffic if I feel its safer to do so or I will position myself in the centre of the lane and make eye contact with the vehicle behind me to ensure I've been seen. There are plenty of ways to ensure your safety that don't involve breaking the law.

If people feel they should be allowed to break red lights for safety purposes (or any other reason) then I would encourage them to campaign on that matter with the relevant organisations or government department.

Parchment wrote: »

I feel the same - i dont cycle for pleasure anymore except on greenways.

Everyone here is talking about enforcement and penalties - i get that but i dont want to be a statistic. Its lethal out there. I wish my boyfriend would stop cycling on the roads, its sad but i do feel that way.

So annoying that this will result in less people cycling when more people should be cycling. It's a free, healthy, environmentally friendly way to travel, more people should do, not less. It's a shame drivers make it dangerous.

So there are no stats in regard to the effects of the RLJ, then what is the hysteria based on?

I can certainly see the carnage that a motorised vehicle at 50kph going through a red light can cause, but I have never heard of a cyclist causing a car to flip over or kill a driver.

People also mention pedestrians, but again, apart from a few anecdotal examples, there seems to be very little in the way of actual evidence of the negative outcome of RLJ's. This certainly happens, but cars also hit pedestrians and without knowing the nature of the injuries etc it is hard to tell whether this really is the problem it is made out to be.

That is not to say that RLJ is warranted, or safe, or good or anything else. Only that it appears that its relevance is overstated and seems to be little more than an annoyance to others rather than an actual problem.

It seems that motorist want it both ways. They want cyclists to obey all the rules that they have to (how many times have we heard call for road tax) yet still want to treat cyclists are second class users - stick to a cycle lane etc.