N
Ningi
Guest
Tony Raven wrote:
> Ningi wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Well, my experience of cycling from Waterloo to Bank several times a
>> week is that at least 75% of cyclists go straight through red lights.
>> If the same numbers applied to cars, then 75% of the time, a car
>> arriving at a red light should jump it. This isn't even remotely the
>> case. I can't actually remember when I last saw a car jump a red,
>> whereas I find it a rarity when I see a cyclist, other than me, who
>> stopped for one.
>>
>
> That would accord with my experience with cars. Lights go red, three
> cars carry on, fourth car stops, rest have to stop behind it. With
> cyclists and the same percentage you would see 10 cyclists approach, 3
> cross on red, fourth stops, next three cycle past stopped cyclist to
> cross on red etc. So with a 75% disobedience rate for both you would
> see three out of all the cars approaching the red light carry on but 75%
> of all cyclists.
>
Well, I've just had a rather nice Italian meal with plenty of
Montepulciano, so I'll take this further
You're making the assumption that the cars behind the one that stopped
would all have preferred to run the red light. I don't think this is
supportable. It's just as plausible that the 4th car decided not to run
the light because it was no longer safe, and the subsequent vehicles
would have made the same decision.
Always tough trying to guess what people are thinking.
As a general point though.. Cars running red lights tend to do it as the
light is changing to red. Many cyclists will run a red light regardless
of the colour when they actually arrive at the signal. I think these
are significantly different behaviours.
Pete
> Ningi wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Well, my experience of cycling from Waterloo to Bank several times a
>> week is that at least 75% of cyclists go straight through red lights.
>> If the same numbers applied to cars, then 75% of the time, a car
>> arriving at a red light should jump it. This isn't even remotely the
>> case. I can't actually remember when I last saw a car jump a red,
>> whereas I find it a rarity when I see a cyclist, other than me, who
>> stopped for one.
>>
>
> That would accord with my experience with cars. Lights go red, three
> cars carry on, fourth car stops, rest have to stop behind it. With
> cyclists and the same percentage you would see 10 cyclists approach, 3
> cross on red, fourth stops, next three cycle past stopped cyclist to
> cross on red etc. So with a 75% disobedience rate for both you would
> see three out of all the cars approaching the red light carry on but 75%
> of all cyclists.
>
Well, I've just had a rather nice Italian meal with plenty of
Montepulciano, so I'll take this further
You're making the assumption that the cars behind the one that stopped
would all have preferred to run the red light. I don't think this is
supportable. It's just as plausible that the 4th car decided not to run
the light because it was no longer safe, and the subsequent vehicles
would have made the same decision.
Always tough trying to guess what people are thinking.
As a general point though.. Cars running red lights tend to do it as the
light is changing to red. Many cyclists will run a red light regardless
of the colour when they actually arrive at the signal. I think these
are significantly different behaviours.
Pete