Cyclists jumping traffic lights

If you break the law then you criminalize yourself, the police are not criminalizing you! When you say that you have not hit a pedestrian when you shoot through a red light you should have added ....yet.

I agree that the police, government and councils are keen on offences that bring them in money but, as they can fine cyclists £30 for riding on the pavement, I don't see why they do nothing to stop this selfish and dangerous behaviour.

I think few pedestrians or car drivers will find your attitude funny or particularly clever. The police were not interested when I was burgled either but I did not see that as a good reason to go out and scare or risk the safety of pedestrians as some sort of perverse revenge.

I have discovered that actually the police are unable to catch you if you are on a road bike (and I have a fixie). They're bikes are too heavy and the cars can't chase you down narrow streets.

It first happened in Blackfriars where the police decided that catching proper criminals wasn't worth the bother and that 4 coppers on a road junction - purely for cyclists - was a good use of resources.

I rode through - admittedly I didn't see them at first, but when I heard them shout I just thought - screw them.

Since then I have jumped a few red lights where coppers are lying in wait (but only ones where there is no traffic - I'm not suicidal).

The way I see it if they catch me it's a fair cop, but until then I shall remain a 'fugitive at large' and I am quite happy to engage in police chases through London on my bike.

I wouldn't have this attitude if the police had bothered to investigate the aggravated burgulary which happened in my house 7 years ago - they still haven't caught the perps.

The ordinary man is becoming criminalised - it's no coincidence all the 'police traps' are there for the moring commuters (who work and have money to pay the fines)

The state has declared WAR on the psycho-list and there WILL ONLY BE ONE VICTOR mwahhahahahahahahahah

I would point out that I have NEVER HIT A PEDESTRIAN - but I have been hit 3 times by cars who turned left without indicating (or looking in their mirror).

You might think this is about safety - but it's actually about RAISING REVENUE FOR THE PLOD.
Otherwise the penalties would be criminal and not financial.

Nicknick
I saw an unusual sight today as I was waiting in Bath for the red man to turn to green. A cyclist stopped when the lights turned to red. I cannot recall the last time that happened.

I will look out tonight for the blue moon

Maybe pedestrians should
a) actually look before they cross the road
b) not cross when there is a red man
c) when they see a cyclist coming towards them (after making one of the 2 previous errors) actually get out of the way and not keep walking slowly across

A couple of weeks ago a woman walked right out in front of me at a pedestrian crossing when the lights were at green (and the red man was on). I had to swerve to avoid hitting her. She was in complete oblivion as to what she had done. I said "excuse me you're supposed to look when you cross the road" to which her (baffling response) was "so are you".

Cyclists cause pollution. Next time you see a cyclist in traffic watch as all the other vehicles that would have been going at a steady rate have to slow down change gear then accelerate by the cyclist to get up to speed again, only for the cyclist to pass them, as they sit at the next set of lights which the said cyclist ignores and shoots through, so the process gets repeated again and again. all those vehicles changing gear and accelerating must have an impact. Its the fact that the smug cyclist goes on about saving the planet and how cycling is so enviromentaly friendly whist causing all this carnage around them.

Cyclists often go just before lights turn green because it means they can get out the way before all the motorised traffic starts moving. Especially in areas like Farringdon where it is really busy traffic wise, some cyclists prefer crossing junctions as the lights are green for pedestrians because it is much safer. Most of these cyclists are very polite and will wait for pedestrians to cross first. There is always the odd person who ignores pedestrians and their right of way. However these types exist among drivers, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. Pedestrians also often cross the road where there are no zebra crossings or traffic lights and jump out in front of a cyclist. It would be nice if people were a bit more understanding and respectful of each other.

Cyclists often go just before lights turn green because it means they can get out the way before all the motorised traffic starts moving. Especially in areas like Farringdon where it is really busy traffic wise, some cyclists prefer crossing junctions as the lights are green for pedestrians because it is much safer. Most of these cyclists are very polite and will wait for pedestrians to cross first. There is always the odd person who ignores pedestrians and their right of way. However these types exist among drivers, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. Pedestrians also often cross the road where there are no zebra crossings or traffic lights and jump out in front of a cyclist. It would be nice if people were a bit more understanding and respectful of each other.

Y435CBV
Ford Focus Ghia Blue
20/09/09 17:20

This motorist overtook me in Lytham after I started signalling with my right arm to turn right at a mini-roundabout and the car was 100 yards behind me when I started signalling.

After starting to move over to the right this pervert of a motorist decides to accelerate and overtake me and go into the oncoming lane and had to brake hard at the roundabout.

There are some perverts behind the control of vehicles who seem to have no consideration for other road users because their vehicle is more powerful.

Ford Focus drivers having accidents have increased recently - probably because it attracts those with the cut-above and show-off mentalities and going by what I witnessed this incident is consistent with the driver being a pretentious thicko.

All fair enough - but I must relay some concern over taking a single tarring all with the same brush view. Sometimes incidents are not black and white and require some common sense before taking the view that cyclists are idiots with no consideration for others. I use an example that happened this morning in Edinburgh...not as busy with pedestrians and traffic as London. I am a regular cyclist and believe myself to be a considerate road user. I fully accept that red lights mean stop, and when the green man appears, I should dismount thus becoming a pedestrian and walk across the road. I was stoped at the red lights at a cross roads. The green man came on and there were no pedestrians. I took this opportunity to roll through the red light and across the cross roads with one foot on the ground before cycling on. I harmed noone, was very aware of all going on around me and no health and safety issues arose. A motorist in a traffic queue coming the other way thought it important to take the time to roll down his window and shout anti-cyclist, expletive-filled abuse at me. He felt I had ran the red light in an inconsiderate and dangerous way, but he cleary didn't have his eyes open - no doubt he drives in a similar manner - but i'm not going to make such negative assumptions about his ability. Anyway - traffic offence by the book? - perhaps, but common sense would surely suggest this not to be an issue. What does anyone else think? did this chap have a point or was he just a twat?

All fair enough - but I must relay some concern over taking a single tarring all with the same brush view. Sometimes incidents are not black and white and require some common sense before taking the view that cyclists are idiots with no consideration for others. I use an example that happened this morning in Edinburgh...not as busy with pedestrians and traffic as London. I am a regular cyclist and believe myself to be a considerate road user. I fully accept that red lights mean stop, and when the green man appears, I should dismount thus becoming a pedestrian and walk across the road. I was stoped at the red lights at a cross roads. The green man came on and there were no pedestrians. I took this opportunity to roll through the red light and across the cross roads with one foot on the ground before cycling on. I harmed noone, was very aware of all going on around me and no health and safety issues arose. A motorist in a traffic queue coming the other way thought it important to take the time to roll down his window and shout anti-cyclist, expletive-filled abuse at me. He felt I had ran the red light in an inconsiderate and dangerous way, but he cleary didn't have his eyes open - no doubt he drives in a similar manner - but i'm not going to make such negative assumptions about his ability. Anyway - traffic offence by the book? - perhaps, but common sense would surely suggest this not to be an issue. What does anyone else think? did this chap have a point or was he just a twat?

I am a cyclist and I almost took out a man with his two children, he was leading them into the road without looking for on comming traffic (there was a RED man on the crossing). I almost hit all 3 of them at 20mph. Thank God I didn't hit those helpless children...
Peds should LOOK before crossing.

In my experience they don't just try to sneak through at the last minute, they just ignore the red light altogether. Today at Theobalds Road I was crossing as several cyclists continued through the red light and the one that had to stop or run me over was completely unapologetic. I asked him what he was doing, the lights are red. He just laughed - they know they can do it, bikes have no identification and they will get away with it - always supposing an angrry pedestrian doesn't knock their block off.

There is no justification - crossing are for pedestrians and in London as you approach a crossing you looking and the road and the lights and making decisions all the time about where and when to cross and all these depend on the people with the red light against them not crossing that red light.

Bikes need reg numbers and there should be big big fines that are always enforced - that should stop it..