Cyclists who never stop for red lights

OnTheRopes wrote:

and how is a camera going to identify this red light jumping cyclist?

Probably not, and don't care.

I do care about dangerous vehicles being blasted through red lights by drivers who don't give a shit who they endanger.

jmaccelari wrote:

the argument that motorists also jump lights is daft. If they drove over a cliff...?

the cyclist would have a much better chance of landing safely:

http://m.pinkbike.com/news/agassiz-and-lacondeguy-launch-76-foot-cliff-d...

wknight wrote:

A cyclist can get 3 points on their license (even if they don't have one) for jumping a red light. Since many cyclists also own cars it would be a good place to start and even if they don't when they do apply for their provisional license it will come with 3 points

No they can't.

That would be like having your gym membership revoked for an overdue library book.

giff77 wrote:

@ ike2112
I'm going to take this one literally. So, the genuinely ignorant cyclists wear jeans? I've seen loads of 'ignorant' cyclists clad in Lycra, HiViz, helmets on hi spec carbon bikes jump lights, weave, hop footpaths and demonstrate a total lack of road craft. I've also seen plenty of cyclists wearing regular clothes demonstrate brilliant road craft. The fact of the matter is that there are a***h***s out there in control of 2 wheels or 4 wheels. When I'm out training in full kit or shopping/socialising in regular duds I do my utmost to practice good road craft as do many others on this forum. Please do not continue to strengthen the dichotomy of what cyclists wear determines their road sense or what tribe they belong to.

Couldn't agree more! Don't be so single minded and ignorant to think what people wear matters!

jacknorell wrote:

This country needs red-light cameras. And loads of them.

I honestly think that wouldn't raise safety, just funds for councils.

kie7077 wrote:

jacknorell wrote:

This country needs red-light cameras. And loads of them.

I honestly think that wouldn't raise safety, just funds for councils.

[wishful thinking]just think of all that lovely revenue that could be put into decent cycling facilities [/wishful thinking]

kie7077 wrote:

jacknorell wrote:

This country needs red-light cameras. And loads of them.

I honestly think that wouldn't raise safety, just funds for councils.

would raise safety of the 4th or 5th fine!!!! bike or car, you are a xxxxx jumping a light..... simple

kie7077 wrote:

jacknorell wrote:

This country needs red-light cameras. And loads of them.

I honestly think that wouldn't raise safety, just funds for councils.

I didn't see many red lights jumped in Colorado when I spent (a good while) time there. The cameras are common as muck there. People stop on amber.

kie7077 wrote:

jacknorell wrote:

This country needs red-light cameras. And loads of them.

I honestly think that wouldn't raise safety, just funds for councils.

as with speed cameras - that's irrelevant. You only end up paying if you're a c*nt.

andyp wrote:

as with speed cameras - that's irrelevant. You only end up paying if you're a c*nt.

...I take it you've never broken a speed limit in a car (if you've never driven a car, fair enough).

MaxP wrote:

Why does the type of bicycle make any difference as to a person jumping a red light and lying about it?

Rather silly thing say.

Exactly this, I've seen plenty of people on a high end race bike jump lights, and plenty of people on a £199 halfords special stop for them.
Doesn't matter what they ride, they are an arse if they jump lights.

MaxP wrote:

Why does the type of bicycle make any difference as to a person jumping a red light and lying about it?

Rather silly thing say.

Its far from a hard fact, but it fits my experiences. I live in the country but work mostly in the city and sometimes commute by bike, but drive around for work, so I see a lot of different sights in different situations.
There's two types of dangerous cyclist - the one who is genuinely ignorant, and the one who is a chancer. The genuinely ignorant ones are in jeans, weaving around the road, making unexpected movements across lanes, into traffic etc. They are also, in my experience, the ones more likely to be adamant they are in the right, to the point they will gesture and shout and even stop in the road to argue and make their point that apparently the world should get out of their way.
Cyclists in the sense of the lyrca-wearing road bike folks are more prone just to old-fashioned impatience. They will jump a light, or avoid a light or difficult part of their route via the pavement, in order to keep going at the pace they wish. This is not necessarily any less dangerous, but it is far less prevalent.

As an avid cyclist myself, I am more aware than most of cyclists. Just two weeks ago I nearly hit a kid of about 18 riding a mountain bike, in the dark, weaving up the middle of the outside lane of a 2-lane road with one hand on the handlebars and the other holding a backpack on his shoulder. I nearly hit or even killed him as I genuinely didn't see him until quite late, and as I moved to avoid him he weaved into my way again. I slowed right down as I was so concerned I had no idea what he was going to do next, he weaved more, looked over his shoulder, shouted at me, gave me the finger 3 times then turned off up another road.
I think the biggest problem with cyclists on the road is that the ones who are the problem, don't know they are the problem.