Running the red light.
83% of all cyclists killed in London are female, and most of these it seems are killed by lorries turning left at junctions, and often because the cyclist waited obediently for the lights to change.
Confidence in traffic is the key: I do not hug the curb, as some inexperienced and in particular female cyclists do; instead I occupy the centre of the lane, forcing the car to make a decision to overtake rather than squeezing by. By making the motorist consciously aware of you as another piece of traffic, rather than as something insignificant on the side of the road, I am safer. If I do have to stop at a light - I don't dive through traffic, for obvious reasons - then I place myself squarely in the middle of the lane in order that the motorist cannot fail to see me. I will let him past when I am ready and not before by moving to the side of the road and signalling clearly. If done politely and quickly, and the motorist can see you're making an effort to go as fast as you can, this does not cause offence and does not hold motorists up. Many inexperienced cyclists, however do not have the confidence to defend themselves in traffic this way and get scared or killed as a result.
I know there is nothing which annoys motorists more than seeing cyclists running red lights, but that is pure jealousy that we are still moving, nothing more. When I do post about cycling in town, I shall point motorists frothing at the mouth about the subject to the Moving Target blog, who's today's addition to the blogroll. In the mean-time, motorists should just accept it from me that Boris Johnson's plans for sensible changes to the highway code which would allow cyclists to turn left at red lights is a step in the right direction. Ultimately most red lights should be advisory for cyclists. Most experienced cyclists run reds because it is safer for them to do so, which is why this campaign is stunningly misguided, and why the CTC lost my subscription because of their stupid opposition to this straightforward and common-sense idea.
17 immoderate opinions:
How timely to see your commentary this morning Jackart. Got severely abused by a ranting lunatic on pushbike this morning in slow moving rush hour traffic (driving my car). He seemed to think I had cut HIM up by turning left - giving him a wide berth and indicating) in a LEFT FILTER lane -when he was clinging to the kerb with the intention of going straight on or right (presumably), and him not using - for reasons known only to the fucking wanker himself - the lane to the right of me clearly marked out as being for straight ahead and right turn traffic only. Do not appreciate lectures and frothing abuse from spotty, ugly no-mark cunts like this on pushbikes. I'd like to see whether he'd have taken issue with me in the same way had I been a big fat bad boy driving a souped up 4x4 with blacked out windows (these being the vehicles of choice for the local drug dealers and crims in my somewhat tough neck of the wood in Bristol). Yes motorists can be ignorant, I agree, but cyclists are a bunch of unaware, arrogant, chippy shitheads a quite a lot of the time, in my experience.
I spent a year of hell driving around London for a job I'd rather forget. The main problem I had with cyclists were the many who would swerve infront of your car and expect you to slam the brakes on. A split seconds lack of attention and I would have been up before the beak for dangerous driving.
The key to safe cycling in London isn't getting in everyone else's way and generally pissing off all the drivers but being aware of what is going on around you. Such awareness is sadly lacking in all too many people on London's streets.
Anon 12:10... so let me get this straight, you overtook a cyclist, then immediately cut in front of him? And you didn't think to slow down and go behind? Am I right?
Falco. Yes. Many cyclists (those suicidal ones who ride with ipods in) are unaware. Most are not.
Anon: 12:56. Sure, but integrated cycling does not piss drivers off. Assertiveness is safer.
The last time I was booked was 1995, at about 11pm, in Newport Isle of Wight.
Having returned from my daily commute from Southampton, I was at the red light on the relatively desert town roads, and from my vantage as cyclist, could see and hear the absence of traffic; except for the 'white-van-man' with glaring headlights that pulled right up to my exposed ass.
So I took a second look in all directions, then jumped the lights, so as to be free from trampling by van man, when lights changed.
30 seconds later, white-van-man becomes late night patrol wagon, complete with blue flashing beacon.
It's hard to reason with mainlanders (all Island cops are from the mainland) and their bloody quotas.
Jackart, I'm with you on this one. I purposely put my self in the middle of the lane that I occupy when coming up to junctions or tricky bits. As far as I am concerned I am a vehicle, no different from perhaps a little old lady driving her car very slowly that needs to be over taken safely rather than whizzed by at speed while I am hugging the lane.
I get abuse every once in a while but I’ve noticed these people aren't all that big and brave when I start peddling faster to catch up with them to let them know what they've just done. Actually saw a white van go through a red light when he saw me and my mate closing in on him after he had deliberately cut us up
but on the whoel it hink things are getting betteras someone who is on their bike nmost of the time.
I get abuse everyonce in a while but i've noticed these people aren't all that big and brave when i start peddling faster to catch up with them to let them know what they've jsut done. Actually saw a white van go through a red ligth when he saw me and my mate closing in on him after he had deliberaley cut us up.
Yup Dex. You see, motorists is that if you tangle with the larger specimins of Homo Sapiens Bicyclensis, they have something most motorists do not - physical fitness. And because they are cycling, their blood is flowing freely trough their viens. And if you annoy one, and step out of your vehicle to remonstrate, the cyclist is already 3 phases into the endocrine fight preparation whilst you're still at the "fuck off you cunt" stage. Which is why you're going to get smashed into the tarmac.
I find the most effective punishment for errant motorists, however is to remove the car keys from their vehicle at the next lights and cycle off shouting "have a nice day"
>Anon 12:10... so let me get this straight, you overtook a cyclist, then immediately cut in front of him? And you didn't think to slow down and go behind? Am I right?
Jackart, said tosser was in the left filter lane, which is dedicated to traffic turning left, I think? He was riding on the double yellows of this left turn lane. No signals, nothing in his behaviour to indicate he was wanting to do anything other than to turn left (into a wide main road). Gave him plenty of room as per Gov't safety ads of old etc., and was indicating I’m turning left. Can only assume he felt cut up because he was wanting to go straight on or whatever. Really hard to decipher what his beef was (since I did not come anywhere close to him,) as he thought a constructive way to proceed would be to catch me up the queue, and repeatedly call me a fucking bitch and fucking cunt. I used to cycle regularly in Cambridge when I was a student; were I wishing to NOT to go left in a left filter lane I would indicate to traffic that I need to get into the middle or right lane by sticking out my right arm with adequate notice, looking behind me, and manoeuvring across accordingly. Never had any altercations with motorists in 3 years, nor any abuse from them because I refrained from pulling stupid stunts. And btw the road from which we were both exiting had no traffic at all in the other lane (marked for ahead and right).
Jimmy Giro: The police in London don't bother. They know they would have no chance of catching a cyclist! You're the first person I've ever heard of who's been caught!
Anon: 2:05... Well it sounds like the inexperienced cyclist I describe in the article. Lacking the confidence to go out into the traffic. He's scared and that makes him angry.
Given that if you make a mistake you (at worst) bend a bumper, whereas you puncture his lung.
Which is why cyclists get the benefit of the doubt.
(though some are simply arseholes, I admit! ;-) )
Hmmm. So it's a case of sod the pedestrians trying to cross the road, is it? As a larger member of the group Homo Sapiens Pedester, the next cyclist to give me a mouthful when I'm crossing the road at a red light may receive an unwelcome surprise.
The turning left at a red light idea is the same principle used on the continent with their flashing amber filters. If it's safe, proceed against the red light.
You would have a job nicking my keys, they are in my pocket or bag, not the dashboard ;)
I can't talk for the zoo that is London, but most of the fuckwits I see on bikes are hardly prime physical specimens. They clearly can't be prime mental specimens either as the connection between lights and being seen in the dark totally evades them. If someone can't be bothered to spend a tenner to protect their life, what value should I put on it?
Lights are the law for "vehicles" BTW, as are traffic lights. Signalling perhaps isn't but it is helpful to other road users.
Cyclists are cunts, just ask any pedestrian.
Pedestrians are suicidal. Just ask any motorist or cyclist. Anyway, as ever it is the Government who splits us asunder. Have a look here for a way we can all just get along...
"Pedestrians are suicidal."
Said the cyclist.
"It's like goldy or bronzy, only it's made out of iron..."
There is now no place of safety for pedestrians (which we all are) & the ones that piss everybody off are cyclists, on the pavements on canal towpaths, country parks, everywhere.
I still ride, out of choice a motorcycle and have done for 50 years, generally by positioning myself correctly on the road I can foresee motorist & buses will do, but not cyclists, jumping on and off pavements, going the wrong way up a road, running red lights, they are of course 'green' and therefore beyond criticism, and of course they pay no road tax or insurance.
End of rant, I'll get me coat and go for a lie down in a darkened room
"...most red lights should be advisory for cyclists..."
Yeah right.
And no doubt you think they should be allowed to ride on the wrong side of the road too. And maybe go the wrong way round roundabouts?
Oh, sorry, they already do all that, of course.
Here's my suggestion: cyclists can do whatever they like on the road, ride the wrong way up the fast lane of the M6 in a fog without ilghts if they want to, ride while pissed, anything at all - but if they have an accident while breaking the law, it's their responsibility.
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