Richard Goodman said:Are you being deliberately obtuse or..? We weren't talking
about pavement cyclists, we were talking about peds and
cyclists on the road - crossing roads and junctions at light-
controlled ped-crossings and traffic lights. Yes, everyone
is legally bound to obey such traffic laws as apply to
them. There are indeed a few that apply to peds. But, there
could be more that apply to peds, or fewer that apply to
cyclists - only an amendment to various Acts or Regulations
by Parliament is all that is required to make it so. Are
all the existing laws right, or necessary, or sufficient?
That is the question that was being posed. At light-
controlled pedestrian crossings, and at traffic lights
_should_ pedestrians have to stay on the pavement until
they get the 'green man' before crossing? In some countries
they do, so they obviously think so. Or, alternatively,
_should_ cyclists have the right to proceed with care
across a junction against a red light - as pedestrians may
do? It may be your opinion that the first of these should
not be required and the second not allowed, and probably
you would be in the majority. On the otherhand, perhaps
there are good arguments to say that either everybody,
including peds, should be legally bound to comply with the
indications on a traffic light, or if you are going to
exempt peds from them you might reasonably allow cyclists
to proceed with caution and discretion in the same way as
peds may do.
Hi Rich
No, I wasn't being deliberately obtuse, although I do not
deny that my comment may have come across as being obtuse.
I appreciate that we are discussing pedestrians. However,
you did say that the law perhaps should be changed to allow
bike riders the same freedoms as peds are currently allowed.
I have said before on this NG that i treat myself, when
cycling, as a slow motorcyclist. As such, I don't ride on
the pavement and I do obey all the traffic laws. I'm not
being holier than thou here; I merely believe that I am
personally safer if i stop at the red lights, signal when
approproate etc.
As far as peds are concerned, I also believe that they (or
me when walking) should act sensibly. As far as I know, and
you seem to suggest this, peds are not bound by and road
crossing laws. However, it surely makes sense for them to
cross only when it's safe: when the lights, if there, are
showing the green man. In areas where there are no lights,
well, let 'em take pot luck.
I do not believe that cyclists should be allowed to proceed
with care across a junction against a red light. After all,
those lights are there for a purpose. There are present for
the safety of all road users. Having said that, there is a
set of lights near to my home that I have to traverse, quite
often late at night. These lights do not always respond to a
cyclist's presence and so I do admit to having crossed them
when the red light is showing against me.
If I were to be hit by a car in this situation I would blame
only myself. Similarly, I would blame a ped if he or she
were to march across the road when the lights were against
him or if he chose to stroll across the road [censored] nilly.
James
