Red Lights - What do you do?

LotteBum said:

A couple of Questions:

1. Do you run red lights?

2. What do you do when people cruise past you when you're stopped at a red light, patiently waiting for it to go green?

I personally don't run red lights and have a tendencey to scream at people who do... this morning, however, myself and another roadie were sitting at the lights just as you come off the Indooroopilly Bridge (heading towards UQ) when an older lady on a touring bike with panniers cruised straight past us. Despite waiting probably 2 minutes for the light, I passed her about 1km ahead and said to her "You represent a lot of people when you run red lights - not a good idea". Not sure what her response was (was wearing headphones), but I hope she takes it in...

I personaly don't run red lights now... I used to feel quite ok about running pedestrain red lights but have since changed my tune...

I always feel inclined to tell people the mistake they're making, but knowing that if someone had said as much to me in the 'dark days', i'd probably have ignored it, I can't be bothered wasting my breath... At least if I stop at the red they ran through, drivers will realise that we're not all idiots... And if I pass him/her further up the road regardless, well, I'll feel very pleased with myself...

Eddie(unconfrontational is my middle name)c

LotteBum said:

A couple of Questions:

1. Do you run red lights?

Used to when re-commenced cycling as a adult, not anymore though. A big no no now.

LotteBum said:

2. What do you do when people cruise past you when you're stopped at a red light, patiently waiting for it to go green?

Stay where I am, possibly utter a few loud 'instructive' words, or simply ignore them. Catch up later & cane past to annoy them. :o

LotteBum said:

1. Do you run red lights?

Yes, but only when I judge it's safe to do so.

Quoted message said:

2. What do you do when people cruise past you when
you're stopped at a red light, patiently waiting for it to
go green?

I figure they have a different idea of what's safe than I do.

My reasoning for running red lights is based on three things:

Firstly, I think it's safer to get a "head start" on the cars behind, so that they're not breathing down my neck while I'm clipping in.

Secondly, I find that not all lights will register the presence of my bike.

Finally, I reckon by not polluting the environment to the same extent as the cars, bikes are entitled to some concessions. Selectively obeying road rules is one of these.

Of course, I only ever run the light when I feel it's _safe_ to do so. Anyone who gets hit when running a light has only themselves to blame.

Regards,

Suzy

LotteBum said:

A couple of Questions:

1. Do you run red lights?

No, unless it's late at night, there's no cars and the bike hasn't set
off the magnetic trigger.

Quoted message said:

2. What do you do when people cruise past you when you're stopped at a
red light, patiently waiting for it to go green?

If it's some rebel without a cause, let 'em go - if it's someone in
a bunch ride I'm in, yell at them 🙂

If it's some generic oaf, depends on my mood 🙂
If it's Stu, I push him into the gutter.

Hey LotteBum,

1. I never run red lights (apart from when I was at school and would
hoot down this big hill on my BMX with traffic lights at the bottom -
most excellent fun!!).

Nowadays, I figure that I'm a representative of the cycling community,
yada-yada-yada, so should do the right thing. Still get itchy feet
sometimes though when there isn't much traffic around......

2. I just ignore 'em, maybe shake my head a few times. No point
arguing, I figure, because that just usually makes them defensive and
stuborn... They'll learn there lesson when they get t-boned by a driver
coming the other way...

Hope your monstrous commute is still going well!!

Cheers,
Absent Husband (who didn't feel like riding in this morning - so was
pleased when he discovered it was raining!!)

suzyj said:

LotteBum said:

1. Do you run red lights?

Yes, but only when I judge it's safe to do so.

Quoted message said:

2. What do you do when people cruise past you when
you're stopped at a red light, patiently waiting for it to
go green?

I figure they have a different idea of what's safe than I do.

My reasoning for running red lights is based on three things:

Firstly, I think it's safer to get a "head start" on the cars behind,
so that they're not breathing down my neck while I'm clipping in.

Secondly, I find that not all lights will register the presence of my
bike.

Finally, I reckon by not polluting the environment to the same extent
as the cars, bikes are entitled to some concessions. Selectively
obeying road rules is one of these.

Of course, I only ever run the light when I feel it's _safe_ to do so.
Anyone who gets hit when running a light has only themselves to blame.

Regards,

Suzy

On ya Suzy, same sentiments as me. Also anyone yelling at me for going
through a red light I consider safe can explain to me how they have
never broken any road rules in a car, on a bike or as a pedestrian.

DaveB "common sense over laws any day"

LotteBum said:

2. What do you do when people cruise past you when you're stopped at a
red light, patiently waiting for it to go green?

See my 12:02 post in 'Some Kind of Monster' 🙂 and add "Red means stop,
[censored]".

hippy

DaveB said:

On ya Suzy, same sentiments as me. Also anyone yelling at me for going
through a red light I consider safe can explain to me how they have
never broken any road rules in a car, on a bike or as a pedestrian.

Anyone who runs a red light and gets seen doing so by
anyone else is compounding the belief in the viewers that
cyclists don't play by the rules. This does "us" no favours
at all. As we're vulnerable (both physically and politically)
it is in our interests to maintain good public relations. Remember,
when you ride, you're an ambassador, not just someone who
thinks they don't have to play by the rules because it doesn't
suit them.

Won't make a difference, you'll still run 'em, but if you
get shouted at, you deserve it.

DaveB said:

On ya Suzy, same sentiments as me. Also anyone yelling at me for going
through a red light I consider safe can explain to me how they have
never broken any road rules in a car, on a bike or as a pedestrian.

DaveB "common sense over laws any day"

I'm sort of in agreement with that but at the same time I feel like I'm
giving drivers an excuse to break the law if I do so myself..

More importantly, anyone who gets in front of me by "cheating" deserves
to get their arses kicked! 🙂

still evil hippy
P.S. DaveB.. my phone batt had gone flat, sorry dude!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Do you run red lights?

selectively. My theory, which of course some people will think is balderdash, is that a red light means stop for a car and caution for a bike. Yes, we use the same roads so the rules are the same, but does this mean that the rules should be the same?. I think that a bike weighing under 100kg total going through a red light at 30kph will do a whole less damage than a car or truck, weighing upwards of 1000kg, going at 60kph+. In fact, really, the only person to be hurt if a bike runs the red is generally going to be the cyclist themselves, in which case "tough luck". You make your choice, you deal with the consequences. When i was couriering i used to run upwards of 150 red lights a day, but it comes down to how you do it. You dont go blaring through the middle of the intersection at 40kph. You do it cautiously and selectively and most of the time no one will even notice you.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What do you do when people cruise past you when you're stopped at a >>red light, patiently waiting for it to go green?

Its none of my business. Its no ones business to lecture someone on the rights and wrongs of the road unless (a) they ask for your opinion or (b) they are a cop, or (c) you have lived the life of a convent monk/nun and never thought sinful thoughts or taped a show off tv.

Have done a bit more thinking and I have to admit, I really only get aggro when I see a cyclist cutting a pedestrian crossing rather than a normal intersection. Which I'll admit is weird because pedestrian crossings are a squillion times safer. But I think in my own odd mind it's more that if you want to take your chances with the cars, then fine - It'll only be your loss (except for the possible emotional trauma to the driver involved), but cutting through pedestrian crossing risks slamming into pedestrians, where they will undoubtedly be harmed.

Weird, I know...

Quoted message said:

Hope your monstrous commute is still going well!!

Going fabulous thanks! Have been riding off road a fair bit too. Rode with a Dutch girl (who has previously raced World Cup!) the other day.

Quoted message said:

Absent Husband (who didn't feel like riding in this morning - so was
pleased when he discovered it was raining!!

Actually, this is something you're going to have to get over. Even Irode in the rain today, and I'm the biggest flaming sissy you've ever met!

Oh.. I just found out that one of my mates is the Orbea rep. So um... I want an Orbea!

Lotte

Carl Brewer said:

LotteBum said:

A couple of Questions:

1. Do you run red lights?

No, unless it's late at night, there's no cars and the bike hasn't set
off the magnetic trigger.

Quoted message said:

2. What do you do when people cruise past you when you're stopped at a
red light, patiently waiting for it to go green?

If it's some rebel without a cause, let 'em go - if it's someone in
a bunch ride I'm in, yell at them 🙂

If it's some generic oaf, depends on my mood 🙂
If it's Stu, I push him into the gutter.

Yeah but he never runs red 🙂

--
Nick

LotteBum said:

A couple of Questions:

1. Do you run red lights?

2. What do you do when people cruise past you when you're stopped at a
red light, patiently waiting for it to go green?

<snip>

I don't run red lights because I'm a road user and I'd be pretty [censored] if the cars started running red lights.

Also I like the opportunity to chat to the people in their cars, give
'em a big grin and say g'day, try to make them smile. It's nice to make
yourself memorable. Next time some cyclist is slowing them down they'll
get annoyed and then go "but that chicky in the pink was so friendly..."
and maybe be a bit more forgiving.

TangoBravo

LotteBum said:

A couple of Questions:

1. Do you run red lights?

2. What do you do when people cruise past you when you're stopped at a red light, patiently waiting for it to go green?

I personally don't run red lights and have a tendencey to scream at people who do... this morning, however, myself and another roadie were sitting at the lights just as you come off the Indooroopilly Bridge (heading towards UQ) when an older lady on a touring bike with panniers cruised straight past us. Despite waiting probably 2 minutes for the light, I passed her about 1km ahead and said to her "You represent a lot of people when you run red lights - not a good idea". Not sure what her response was (was wearing headphones), but I hope she takes it in...

A1: Stop anytime other than late late at night, and then only run them if no one can see me..

A2: Let them go. Cant be aresed prosletising.

T

byron27 said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What do you do when people cruise past you when you're stopped at a
red light, patiently waiting for it to go green?

Its none of my business. Its no ones business to lecture someone on the
rights and wrongs of the road unless (a) they ask for your opinion or
(b) they are a cop, or (c) you have lived the life of a convent
monk/nun and never thought sinful thoughts or taped a show off tv.

Applying Reductio ad absurdum[1] to this position suggests that
if you saw someone repeatly running over a child in the street with
a RAV4 you would not intervene because you're not a cop, the driver
doesn't look like they're interested in what you think, and once you
borrowed a pen from work and never gave it back.

"Tops! The world needs more people like you! They really make the
world a better place for all of us!"

[1] http://www.iep.utm.edu/r/reductio.htm if you're unfamiliar with
the logic behind this.

Carl Brewer said:

Applying Reductio ad absurdum[1] to this position suggests that
if you saw someone repeatly running over a child in the street with
a RAV4 you would not intervene because you're not a cop, the driver
doesn't look like they're interested in what you think, and once you
borrowed a pen from work and never gave it back.

"Tops! The world needs more people like you! They really make the
world a better place for all of us!"

[1] http://www.iep.utm.edu/r/reductio.htm if you're unfamiliar with
the logic behind this.

err refer to previous post "common sense over laws any day".

DaveB

Carl Brewer said:

DaveB said:

On ya Suzy, same sentiments as me. Also anyone yelling at me for going
through a red light I consider safe can explain to me how they have
never broken any road rules in a car, on a bike or as a pedestrian.

Anyone who runs a red light and gets seen doing so by
anyone else is compounding the belief in the viewers that
cyclists don't play by the rules. This does "us" no favours
at all. As we're vulnerable (both physically and politically)
it is in our interests to maintain good public relations. Remember,
when you ride, you're an ambassador, not just someone who
thinks they don't have to play by the rules because it doesn't
suit them.

Won't make a difference, you'll still run 'em, but if you
get shouted at, you deserve it.

There are no ambassadors.

Not for cyclists, drivers, pedestrians, skateboarders, rollerbladers,
runners, crawlers, jumpers, whatever.

Why is it that all cyclists must see themselves as part of a great
benevolent global cyclist community?

Why do you feel represented by all other cyclists? Do you feel
represented by other drivers too? Do you shout at cars that run red
lights, or pedestrians who cross on a red?

These are serious questions, btw, I'm not just being argumentative 🙂

I don't generally run red lights. I will if there is no traffic around.
I sometimes even ride on the foot path and do a hook turn without
waiting for the green. But I don't impede or endanger others.

And I don't generally abuse people because they endanger themselves
doing things I don't agree with.

--
Nick

Carl Brewer said:

Quoted message said:

A couple of Questions:

1. Do you run red lights?

No, unless it's late at night, there's no cars and the bike hasn't set
off the magnetic trigger.

Quoted message said:

2. What do you do when people cruise past you when you're stopped at a
red light, patiently waiting for it to go green?

If it's some rebel without a cause, let 'em go - if it's someone in
a bunch ride I'm in, yell at them 🙂

If it's some generic oaf, depends on my mood 🙂
If it's Stu, I push him into the gutter.

1) I'm with Carl here. I don't even cruise through at night. Usually stop & see if the sensor works for bikes. I'll only blow through reds if in some stupid hurry like being chased by wolves or simular....

2) Most useful phrase for these types is a quick "Good On Ya!" 🙂