London cycling commuters, are you breaking da law? ;-)

I do admit I don’t ‘run’ red lights, however if I’m at a cross roads and both set of lights are on red then if no one is crossing on foot I will carry on.

Another instance is at a pedestrian crossing, if the lights are on stop an no one is there to cross or is currently crossing then I don’t see an issue with it to be honest

Another instance is at a pedestrian crossing, if the lights are on stop an no one is there to cross or is currently crossing then I don’t see an issue with it to be honest

What do the cars sitting there think of that I wonder? I suspect they’d rather like to be able to go through the pointless light as well, wouldn’t they?

I pull up to the front, or the outside of the inside lane if I can’t get out front. Then when the lights go I am quick off the mark, but I stay in the middle of my lane through the junction so I can’t be overtaken, if it looks like being tight. I’m going fast enough for it not to be a problem so I don’t get grief for it.

Another instance is at a pedestrian crossing, if the lights are on stop an no one is there to cross or is currently crossing then I don’t see an issue with it to be honest

I do that sometimes (not that often though), but I get off and push the bike and remount the other side

I have to say, that in certain circumstances (Like riding an MTB on the road rather than my commuter which is too heavy for much tomfoolery) I’m exactly the sort of cyclist the Daily Mail and it’s readers hate:
Red lights? Whassat you say? What are they? I don’t give a flying toss about them. I’ll use the pavement as and when I feel like it, cut in and out of stationary or slow traffic, jump off roundabouts and speed ramps, steps, pedestrian areas, anything. I’m a nightmare for it. I give way to peds, but cars are fair game for blocking if I feel like it and they’ve annoyed me. I’ve banged on the side of a few in my time.

Why? Fun, innit 🙂

I get up to speed and out the way of a dangerous junction, cars get a clear run without the challenge of accelerating, changing gear, manoeuvring and overtaking me combined.

Funny thing is when I’m in the car and there is a cyclist at the lights I actually hope they go a few seconds early, makes it easier for everyone.

In an ideal world at busy junctions cycles would get a headstart, but lets face it if this ever happened there would be an uproar from the average motorist

richmtb Funny thing is when I’m in the car and there is a cyclist at the lights I actually hope they go a few seconds early, makes it easier for everyone.

Indeed. the two junctions I describe doing this at I am out of the cars way – safer for me, less frustrating for them.

I don’t have to rely on the cars seeing me and giving me space – Or demand my space in teh road – I am out of there before they get there.

I really must do the urban rider vid to post on here.

Why? Fun, innit

Innit though! Big up an nuff respect an ting to the Podmeister! 😀

I find car wing mirrors get in my way, so I do myself and all other cyclists a favour by removing them. The drivers never use them anyway, and removing them increases the aerodynamic efficiency of their motor vehicle which saves fuel and is better for the planet. 🙂

I’ve never had any one get annoyed, beep me, try and race past me or give me grief when I’ve either parked at the front of a queue, cycled up the inside (whilst stationary) or sprinted off before all the cars. I think motorists appreciate that it works well and gets me out of their way until they can pass normally.

I’ve jumped all of the red lights at some time on my commute, but follow them at other times, there are quite a few factors that influence these decisions. I’m aware it’s illegal and if I get done for it, then I’ll accept the consequences. I also accept that any argument I put forward to why I do this would fail to satisfy some folk on here, but similarly the ire or arguments expressed by them will not dissuade me from doing so. When my ride to work has brought society to a state of near collapse and our children are feral, I’ll finally know my work is done.

I agree with TandemJeremy. Safety first, rules for the sake of rules second. Those that turn a murky grey issue into a black and white one are fools to their own demise, which is their choice.

So those of you that believe that there is no excuse for RLJ are your bikes fully legal? Red reflector on the back, pedal reflectors, ce marked lights? ( non ce marked lights are not strictly legal)

If not how do you justify breaking these laws?

I’ve just checked my Brompton

Reflectors on pedals – check
Red reflector on rear – check
CE marked lights front & rear – check

It’s even got a bell!

😉

Sorry I really don’t get the “must be at the front of all traffic at red lights otherwise you will die” mantra. I only bother if it’s safe, convenient (to both me and other traffic) and/or I’m gonna make up a lot of time/distance.

It’s proper annoying when you get stuck behind a bus etc doing 12mph because spome twonk on a bike has inched to the front and decided everything behind him must go as slow as he does.*

EDIT *may contain trolling content.

So those of you that believe that there is no excuse for RLJ are your bikes fully legal? Red reflector on the back, pedal reflectors, ce marked lights? (

Oddly, being a seriel RLJer I have a bike covered in lights and reflectors on wheels and pedals. (F & R reflectors are pretty useless and I remove them to fit the lights or there’s no room)

So ner! 😉

It’s proper annoying when you get stuck behind a bus etc doing 12mph because spome twonk on a bike has inched to the front and decided everything behind him must go as slow as he does.

Yeah but it’s not the end of the World, is it? I mean, you’re not going to die because you’re only going at 12 miles an hour. Maybe it’s safer for the cyclist to just continue, rather than pull over to let some impatient person past.

If tossers in cars behind me get impatient and start bibbing, when there’s no way for me to let them past, I will ride deliberately slowly. **** ’em. The World doesn’t revolve around them.

Red reflector on the back, pedal reflectors, ce marked lights?

Not really on the same scale as RLJ, Police won’t give a hoot about those, what’s your point?

TandemJeremy – Member
So those of you that believe that there is no excuse for RLJ are your bikes fully legal? Red reflector on the back, pedal reflectors, ce marked lights? ( non ce marked lights are not strictly legal)

If not how do you justify breaking these laws?

IMO they are less important than RLJ and visibility is accounted for in other ways.

so you pick an chose the laws to obey and compromise your safety?

al – it doesn’t hold the cars up tho – they will be in exactly the same place in teh next jam as no one overtakes

Elfinsafety – Member

It’s proper annoying when you get stuck behind a bus etc doing 12mph because spome twonk on a bike has inched to the front and decided everything behind him must go as slow as he does.

If tossers in cars behind me get impatient and start bibbing, when there’s no way for me to let them past, I will ride deliberately slowly. **** ’em. The World doesn’t revolve around them.

According to your post, it actually revolves around you then? 🙄

TandemJeremy – Member
so you pick an chose the laws to obey and compromise your safety?

Yes, so?

al – it doesn’t hold the cars up tho – they will be in exactly the same place in teh next jam as no one overtakes

In some situations, yes, but not all.

Yes, so?

Its the hypocrisy of the ” you must obey all red lights” brigade. They are quite happy to break other laws. (not you – I don’t remember you saying that.)_

According to your post, it actually revolves around you then?

Well, duuuh! 🙄 Have you not worked that out yet then?

It’s proper annoying when you get stuck behind a bus etc doing 12mph

You’ll never get stuck behind me doing 12mph!

I choose my strategy based on the fact that I’m fast enough to make it work. If I were a granny I’d choose something else!

The London police certainly do care if you’ve not got lights on, saw one lad getting fined last week in the road through Hyde Park.

As for motorists being bothered about cyclists going through red lights at pedestrian crossings, couldn’t give a monkies myself.

I choose not to jump RL’s because it’s stooopid, I don’t have silly reflectors on my pedals because there next to useless, I do have hi viz vest/backpack, three lights, pink grips with glitterey tassles and helmet though.

so you hare happy to break laws then when riding? pedal reflectors are actually very good for being seen by and identifying you as a cyclist. No rear reflector either? Are your lights CE marked? You lawbreaker you . Tsk tsk

OK, I admit it. I’m an irresponsible fool and giving the entire cycling public a very, very bad image.

I cycle round the streets of London in OFFICE SHOES. They have no velcro straps, no ratchet systems, no carbon soles and no cleats.

It’s not big and it’s not clever.

I’m ashamed of myself and shall hand myself in to the first policeman I see

pedal reflectors are actually very good

not once they get covered in grime, plus my legs move to quick anyway, rear reflector? What do you ride a Boris tandem? Do you work for the EU or something?

not once they get covered in grime, plus my legs move to quick anyway

They don’t seem to get covered up to the point of invisibility, and speaking as a motorist pedal reflectors are one of the things that immediately and unambigiously identify a cyclist from a long way off in the dark. Likewise wheel reflectors if the cyclist is coming from the side.

12mph! 😆

I don’t know if I’m that bothered about RLJ when it’s done (in my eyes) at a minimum and responsibly. I just don’t perceive the same threat from traffic at lights.

I have no pedal reflectors (I wish I did as they are very good but they fell off), However I have a pannier reflector, rack reflector and reflective trouser band, often a tabard too.

So those of you that believe that there is no excuse for RLJ are your bikes fully legal? Red reflector on the back, pedal reflectors, ce marked lights? ( non ce marked lights are not strictly legal)

I don’t know if it’s the same now, but when I worked in a shop it was only legal for a shop to supply a bike with front, rear, pedal and wheel reflectors. Once the bike had been bought the owner could remove them if they wanted to.

I don’t know if I’m that bothered about RLJ when it’s done (in my eyes) at a minimum and responsibly. I just don’t perceive the same threat from traffic at lights.

Maybe we need to categorise RLJing?

Is an RLJ when someone turns left through a light when the road is clear, or when someone sails through a red as if protected by a shield of invincibility? Or is it all the same (you lawbreaker, you)?

wrong pimpmaster. Teh rear reflector is mandatory for all bikes, the pedal reflectors post 1985. The front reflector and wheel reflectors can be removed. A CE marked light has a legal reflector in it.

60

At night your cycle MUST have white front and red rear lights lit. It MUST also be fitted with a red rear reflector (and amber pedal reflectors, if manufactured after 1/10/85).

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069837

BTW TJ I think your hypocrisy post was a bit over the top (and incorrect)

So right apart from the rear and pedal reflectors. 😛

On my ride from office to station

RLJs 8 (1 fix, 3 hybrid, 4 Boris bikes)
Riding on pavement (1 Boris bike)
Riding wrong way (1 Boris bike)
Near collision – only one, but ironically wa a girl who jumped lights got missed by a taxi by a gnats cock, which had also jumped lights
Percentage of ASLs that had taxis in them 100%

As someone that rides in London most days I’d say those that obey every rule of the road, wear reflective gear and ride along with a halo above them tend to be the same cyclists that end up under the wheel of a motorised vehicle!

If (like me) you occasionally, jump the odd light, use the pavement, ride up the wrong side of the road, dive in and out of slow moving traffic. Then you concentrating and not just blundering along and therefore less likely to be squashed! I make all my own choices and live with the results…. just like when I hammer down the mway at over 70mph!

Yeah it is breaking the law, but in grand scheme of things is it that important….? There are people in the world doing far, far worse!