Pedestrian crossing incident

[Simon Mason]

"Colin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On my commute to work I pass a pelican crossing on a busy main urban road. This morning as I
> approached the crossing, pedestrians began to drift across.

They should fine people who walk when the red figure is lit, like they do in some other countries.
Otherwise, what's the point of having the damn things?

--
Simon Mason Anlaby East Yorkshire. 53°44'N 0°26'W http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

 

[Geraint Jones]

"Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote: ( They should fine people who walk when the red
figure is lit, like they do ) in some other countries. Otherwise, what's the point of having the
damn ( things?

I always thought that the point of the little red man was to be a red light that conscientious
cyclists could catch from the corner of the eye as they cycled through a pedestrian crossing, to
make their subsconscious make them worry about whether they had inadvertently run a red light. I do
not know why pedestrian crossings do this to me more than traffic lights: it might be how close they
are to the road, or how high up they are, or it might just be a few particular sets of crossing
lights that are misaligned and catch the corner of my eye every time.

 

[Marc]

Bob <[email protected]> wrote:

> What a whinger!!! You should obey the highway code, I am a cyclist of almost 50 years experience,
> in all traffic conditions.

A pity you didn't spend less of that fifty years cycling and more brushing up your reading skills!

 

[Tony W]

"Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> They should fine people who walk when the red figure is lit, like they do in some other
> countries. Otherwise, what's the point of having the damn things?

Then you get the stupidity of being booked for crossing on a red light in Downtown Stockholm at 5 am
on a Sunday morning when there is nothing moving on the roads.

Getting booked took 10 + mins. During that time no MDG (or anything else for that mater passed.

Bjorn the Plod was very nice about it -- and I never heard any more about
it.

T

 

[Colin Blackburn]

Geraint Jones wrote:
> Colin Blackburn <[email protected]> wrote: ( panda wrote: ) > what is a MDG? ( )
> Motorised Death Greenhouse
>
> Ahem. "Mobile".

I prefer motorised, since they are. I think mobile is just a bit too loose and could encompas a
human-powered conservatory just about to plunge over a cliff.

Colin

 

[Tony Raven]

Tony W <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Bjorn the Plod was very nice about it -- and I never heard any more about
> it.
>

Reminds me of a very friendly policeman in Oz who apologised for having to ticket me and suggested
that as a tourist I should ignore the ticket and they would not follow it up. OTOH a friend who for
years ignored the roadside cameras in Germany was one day pulled aside at immigration, provided with
a long list of outstanding fines and offered the choice of paying his fines or getting on the next
plane home.

Tony

 

[Bob]

Elucidate Marc, I'm afraid your cryptic contribution has no relevance, why do I need to brush up my
reading skills to make a contribution to this NG?

--
______________________________________________
+--------+ ¦ Bob © ¦ Growing old disgracefully! +--------+
______________________________________________

Take out NOSPAM from the address to reply.

"Marc" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Bob <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > What a whinger!!! You should obey the highway code, I am a cyclist of almost 50 years
> > experience, in all traffic conditions.
>
> A pity you didn't spend less of that fifty years cycling and more brushing up your reading skills!

 

[The Mark]

Geraint Jones wrote:
> "Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote: ( They should fine people who walk when the
> red figure is
lit, like
> they do ) in some other countries. Otherwise, what's the point
of
> having the damn ( things?
>
> I always thought that the point of the little red man was to be a red light that conscientious
> cyclists could catch from the corner of the eye as they cycled through a pedestrian crossing, to
> make their subsconscious make them worry about whether they had inadvertently run a red light. I
> do not know why pedestrian crossings do this to me more than traffic lights: it might be how close
> they are to the road, or how high up they are, or it might just be a few particular sets of
> crossing lights that are misaligned and catch the corner of my eye every time.

In Glasgow rangers supporters never cross when there's a green man
--
Mark

 

[Tim Hall]

On Thu, 30 Jan 2003 16:15:01 -0000, "Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Colin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On my commute to work I pass a pelican crossing on a busy main urban road. This morning as I
>> approached the crossing, pedestrians began to drift across.
>
> They should fine people who walk when the red figure is lit, like they do in some other countries.
> Otherwise, what's the point of having the damn things?

To stop the hapless pedestrian having to wait for eons until some motorist decides he/she will give
way to them and let them cross.

Tim
--
fast and gripping, non pompous, glossy and credible.

 

[Marc]

Bob <[email protected]> wrote:

> Elucidate Marc,

No, I'm sorry I don't take commands.

> I'm afraid your cryptic contribution has no relevance,

How do you know if you don't understand it?

> why do I need to brush up my reading skills to make a contribution to this NG?

You don't, but it seems you might to make meaningful contributions.

 

[Danny Colyer]

Bob wrote:
> Elucidate Marc, I'm afraid your cryptic contribution has no relevance, why do I need to brush up
> my reading skills to make a contribution to this NG?

Because perhaps then you'd have noticed that in the original incident the OP implied pretty strongly
(though didn't state outright) that the light was green when he was forced to stop, and only changed
to red shortly afterwards. And then you wouldn't have implied criticism of him for jumping red
lights, or for ignoring the HC when there is no evidence that he had done so.

--
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny ) Recumbent cycle page:
http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/ "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." -
Thomas Paine

 

[Danny Colyer]

Adrian Boliston wrote:
> There is a ped crossing in town where I have to wait *ages* to cross on foot. Perhaps next time I
> will not wait for the green man and just put my hand up to stop the traffic while I cross.

I do that anyway, ped crossing or not, if there seems to be no chance of getting across otherwise.
After all, peds always have right of way.

It works. Of course, I only do it in daylight and it's important to make eye contact with the cagers
before stepping out.

--
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny ) Recumbent cycle page:
http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/ "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." -
Thomas Paine

 

[Peter B]

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]... It's like all those people who park with two wheels
on the pavement -
> they must be cyclists as well, who else drives on pavements?

Up are (sic) way they park with all 4 wheels on the pavement, but yesterday I witnessed 2 traffic
wardens blitzing pavement parkers. Makes up for the cold wind

Pete

 

[Colin]

"Bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> What a whinger!!! You should obey the highway code, I am a cyclist of almost 50 years experience,
> in all traffic conditions.

I am a cyclist of 40 years experience. Would you please point out where you think I broke the
Highway Code?

> I am fed up with the lycra clad cowboys like you,

Cowboys wear denim and leather. You're mixing your clichets.

> who ignore the basic rule - pedestrians take precedent on any form of crossing.

Would you point out what gives you the impression that I failed to give way to any pedestrians?

> If you are driving in an aggressive and intimidatory fashion which directly or indirectly causes
> an accident, its your fault.

Would you explain what makes you think I behaved aggressively or intended to intimidate?

> Ignoring traffic lights, riding the wrong way down one-way streets, riding on pavements (not
> designated for dual use), riding without lights or reflectors, using a walkman while cycling -
> these are just some of the idiotic things regularly done my many so called responsible adults
> while riding bikes.

Would you explain the relevance of that to what happened this morning, except in explaining the
ridiculous reactions of the peds?

> GET REAL.

?

> If you cannot obey the rules, then stop cycling.

If you can't say anything constructive, then GO BOIL YOUR HEAD.

Colin

 

[Peter B]

"Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Colin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > On my commute to work I pass a pelican crossing on a busy main urban road. This morning as I
> > approached the crossing, pedestrians began to drift across.
>
> They should fine people who walk when the red figure is lit, like they do in some other
> countries. Otherwise, what's the point of having the damn things?

There is one near me which I use often. It used to be pretty good in that you'd press the button and
when there was a lull in traffic they'd change in favour of the peds. Unfortunately when a bus lane
was added the crossing was moved and the induction loop gizmo not reconnected. So know we can stand
there for ages with a perfectly clear road and just as a stream of traffic approaches the green man
lights up and said traffic is forced to stop, a **** situation for all. So there is no incentive to
use it Sunday morning, and if there was a risk of a fine we'd just cross a few metres further down
the road which isn't illegal.

But I agree with the general sentiment about pavement lemmings having had a wheel wrecked by one on
my way home from school in the days when kids cycled to school. The ped got up in tears and buggared
off and I had to use paper round money to get a new wheel. So now if one steps off the pavement in
front of me I delight in making them jump ;-)

Pete

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Thu, 30 Jan 2003 21:53:47 +0000 (UTC), "Peter B" <[email protected]> wrote:

>yesterday I witnessed 2 traffic wardens blitzing pavement parkers. Makes up for the cold wind

I can never resist shouting "book em, Danno!" - showing my age

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

[Frank]

"Danny Colyer" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Bob wrote:
> > Elucidate Marc, I'm afraid your cryptic contribution has no relevance, why do I need to brush up
> > my reading skills to make a contribution to this NG?
>
> Because perhaps then you'd have noticed that in the original incident the OP implied pretty
> strongly (though didn't state outright) that the light was green when he was forced to stop, and
> only changed to red shortly afterwards. And then you wouldn't have implied criticism of him for
> jumping red lights, or for ignoring the HC when there is no evidence that he had done so.
>

If you read Bob's message he implied criticism because: *peds always have priority at crossings* not
because Colin went through a red light. I'm not sure but I think he is right, I certainly follow
this rule, even if I do habitually ride through red lights (in the no ped situation of course ;-).

He then went onto to do a bit of ranting as old timers are prone to, but he was reasonable
and coherent.

 

[Danny Colyer]

Frank wrote:
> If you read Bob's message he implied criticism because: *peds always have priority at crossings*
> not because Colin went through a red light.

In context, the following seems pretty strongly to imply criticism of the OP for jumping red lights:

"Ignoring traffic lights, .... these are just some of the idiotic things regularly done my many so
called responsible adults while riding bikes..... If you cannot obey the rules, then stop cycling."

> I'm not sure but I think he is right, I certainly follow this rule, even if I do habitually ride
> through red lights (in the no ped situation of course ;-).

Oh, quite. I don't disagree with anything that Bob wrote. But nor do I think that it was an
appropriate response to the original post.

--
Danny Colyer (remove safety to reply) ( http://www.juggler.net/danny ) Recumbent cycle page:
http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/recumbents/ "He who dares not offend cannot be honest." -
Thomas Paine

 

[Patrick Herring]

"Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote:

|
| "Colin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
| news:[email protected]...
| > On my commute to work I pass a pelican crossing on a busy main urban road. This morning as I
| > approached the crossing, pedestrians began to drift across.
|
| They should fine people who walk when the red figure is lit, like they do in some other
| countries. Otherwise, what's the point of having the damn things?

I've often thought the pedestrian light changing to red meant "start walking now else you'll never
get across".

A friend of mine who used to be a bike courier in central London held that you should never alert
pedestrians to your presence since you could never predict what they'd do next - this was after he'd
knocked one out because she went erratic after he shouted. Best to assume they'll continue along
their current path and steer round them. I tend to agree but I also find squeaky brakes more useful
than a bell; perhaps I ought to align them after this example.

--
Patrick Herring, Sheffield, UK http://www.anweald.co.uk

 

[James Annan]

"Simon Mason" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> They should fine people who walk when the red figure is lit, like they do in some other
> countries. Otherwise, what's the point of having the damn things?

The point is to give pedestrians priority occasionally, to allow them to safely cross the road even
when it's busy. The point is not to forbid them from crossing at other times. I suppose one could
argue that there's no need for the red (pedestrian) light at all, it could just be off or green, but
then it wouldn't be so clear if it was working at all.

James