Was The Cyclist Right?

[Janjo]

There were some temporary traffic lights on a straight but narrow road. I was in a car at the lights when they turned green. I went through the temporary area where there were roadworks and met a cyclist coming towards me who had gone through the red light on the other side. The road was so narrow that it was difficult to pass the cyclist easily.
I was wondering if the cyclist was in the right to go through the red light knowing that the road was really narrow and being able to see that cars and himself would have difficulty passing.
If there had been a lorry on that stretch then they would not be able to pass each other.
I think if I had been the cyclist at the red light I would have waited for the green light rather than risk being squeezed.
What do others think?

 

[oldbobcat]

I'm not familiar with the traffic rules in your part of the world, but around here, as he was in the road, he would have been expected to follow the rules of the road. Sadly, too many cyclists believe the the rules of the road and good sense don't apply to them. Many pedestrians, too. Many motorists, too. I encounter them every day whether I'm on foot, driving, or biking.

Good on you, though, for your good sense in dealing with this.

 

[kylerlittle]

He did wrong. If the cyclist had actually studied the road law he would clearly see that he is subjected to follow all traffic rules just as other vehicles are. A bike is not any different than any vehicle because it has wheels.

 

[Catsyo]

Legally speaking, he was wrong like everyone said. If he did that around here while cops were around, I bet they may have pulled him over. I actually saw a cop pull a cyclist over yesterday afternoon, though I didn't see what they did. A lot of people act like bikes aren't subject to the same laws as cars but they definitely are.

I probably would do the same thing you said if I were riding in the situation. I've heard people say they go through red lights/stop signs in order to maintain momentum but I don't think that's a very good idea when construction is happening. It's better to be defensive in situations like this. You might have to wait longer for the green light but you definitely are safer. A few minutes added to your trip is worth making it there okay.

 

[Corzhens]

That passing the red light is the disease (sorry for the word) of the drivers here. In a traffic stop, all the 2-wheeled vehicles are in the front as if in the starting gate of the racetrack. Once the light turns green, there they go. One time there was a biker that was too fast on the draw. He didn't see that one vehicle was trying to catch the red light.. bingo! The car hit the biker.

That incident was a sorry sight but it happens all the time because both parties erred. Just a few seconds of waiting may cost a life.

 

[BikeBikeBikeBike]

Depends on your traffic laws, however I don't see any situation where running a red light would be acceptable.

 

[gavinfree]

In most jurisdictions, cyclists are expected to follow the rules of the road like cars and trucks. I can't imagine a situation where, even with road work, the road would be too narrow for a cyclist to squeeze around a car. That person was still in the wrong nonetheless. It's something that a lot of people do as cyclists, and they're never right in doing so.