Do you like riding a bicycle? I do, it’s good exercise, a good way to meet people and it’s great fun. I’ve been privileged to undertake some fabulous bicycle trips, including a 306 mile journey from my home through the English countryside, all the way to Prenton Park. A wonderful uplifting journey of discovery.
I’ve done a lot of cycle commuting in my time, most of it in Central London where I often use Boris Bikes. Cycling in London is a great way to get about, and for some it’s a great way to get yourself killed too. I’m not talking about the many tragedies that make the news, though these stories are of course very sad.
No, I’m thinking about all the idiots who jump red lights on their bicycles. In my experience gathered from several years of cycle commuting I’ve come to an uncomfortable conclusion. London cyclists are the most inconsiderate, lawless road user group out there. When I started to commute I figured it would be taxi drivers, or HGV drivers, or maybe white van man. But nope, it’s my fellow cyclists, and their stupidity infuriates me. Why do so many cyclists feel it’s OK to jump the lights and then feel so angry when we are cut up on our roads? Would as many cyclists do this if we had to display some kind of registration, thus making it easier for the police to dish out £1,000 fines when we choose to endanger ourselves and others?
Don’t get me wrong, I think much more needs to be done to educate motorists and other road users to share the highway more respectfully, and to punish them when they don’t. But most cyclists I know are soft and squishy, and have a tendency to bend and break when hit by another vehicle. Jumping the lights feels like asking for trouble to me.
If you are a cyclist, don’t make yourself a target. And if you don’t care about yourself or your fellow road users, think of the kitty.
I’ve come to work today on my bike. I don’t cycle for exercise. I cycle because I love the sensation of rolling, which is also why I had a scooter for 20 years, and still go for the Sunday papers on my rollerblades.
The first responsibility of everyone on two wheels must be self-preservation. You need to know before you start, that you WILL fall off at some point, and a lot of luck rides on whether you get to walk away from accidents. I read yesterday of Charlie Duff coming off her bike at lights in London. Luckily she only had some bruising.
Cycling to work this morning, I used the pavements, where they were empty, to avoid being in amongst the traffic. When on the road, I always stop at lights. This can also annoy car drivers, as I’m obviously slow to move off, but I do so in order to retain the moral high ground. In an environment where everyone on the road has a pointed opinion from their own perspective, it’s vital that we all agree on common standards. If we’re going to occupy the same piece of tarmac, it is essential that we all follow the same rules of the road, so that everyone knows what to expect from other vehicles.
Every cyclist who goes through a red light undermines my position on the moral high ground, and tells drivers that the rules don’t apply to us. Doing this puts all other cyclists in danger.
Thanks Stephen. Personally I’m not so interested in the high ground, moral or otherwise. This however, matters. “If we’re going to occupy the same piece of tarmac, it is essential that we all follow the same rules of the road, so that everyone knows what to expect from other vehicles.” Like it very much.
Cheers – Doug
Clumsy clipless here.
I fell off my bike yesterday because I’m a total red light stopper, it was slippy and I’m an idiot with new SPDs. I see loads of cyclists in London everyday jump the red lights. All types of cyclists jump the lights. So many that my Brazilian colleague thought it was legal when he first moved here.
Worryingly I saw a woman in rush-hour traffic with no helmet (ok, personal choice) with a baby in a child-seat behind, again, no helmet on the child, I was fuming; and then she jumped the lights at a dangerous junction. Unbelievable.
I nearly collided with a courier on a fixie a few weeks back when he jumped the lights. I had right of way and couldn’t see him coming through a car, he was too busy jumping the lights and being cool to look past the car. He swore at me. Nice.
Meanwhile I’m sporting more lycra than your average superhero, lights, shoes and helmet. However plenty like me jump the lights, cut up cars and generally make a nuisance of themselves. I’m a nuisance too no doubt, but I don’t do it on purpose. I just believe I shouldn’t have to cycle in the gutter all the time.
When I first moved to London everyone was jumping the lights so I thought I would too. Mistake. Not only is it stupid but like you say Doug it gives a sense of unfairness. Let’s face it, car drivers are going pretty slow in London and the fact I’m a lot faster already irks them, let alone not having to stop.
Obviously I’d jump the lights if there was a safety reason to do so, just like you would in a car. My greatest wish is that pedestrians would stop stepping out without looking. I think they assume they would hear if something was coming? Either way, they terrify the life out of me.
Stephen, you shouldn’t be on the pavements, you naughty cyclist!
Doug, I take it you have seen this about the boss of Addison Lee: http://road.cc/content/news/56999-addison-lee-chairman-airs-his-opinion-london-cyclist-deaths
I personally think it’s a PR stunt and although I totally agree with you, Doug, on following the rules of the road I still don’t want to be seen siding with him. After all, I’m a novice cyclist. I have to start somewhere and London should be safe enough for newbies and tourists – but that’s just my opinion…
Hey Miss Clipless, I feel your pain. Been there – done that 🙂
I think the wearing or not of a helmet should be a personal choice. I find it odd that someone who chooses to jump the lights would choose to wear a helmet, after all they clearly don’t care much for themselves. What is odd is that there is a small child in the case you saw, that feels pretty reckless to me.
You absolutely should not have to cycle in the gutter – that is dangerous. A way of being seen is through riding assertively (not aggressively).
The road is a shared surface, and I just wish different road user groups would see that and look out for each other more.
Coming a bit late to the party here (sorry!), I can only offer this in defence of why *some* jump red lights
====FULL DISCLOSURE: I have never jumped a red light in my life====
Some people do it because in their eyes it’s a safer place to be. This might sound crazy, but when you consider that when the lights turn green a HGV may roll over you, then that’s why people do it.
Of course, there are better ways of dealing with the problem. One is to always make eye contact with a HGV driver so you know that they know you’re there. The other is to not bother fighting to get to the front of the queue at the lights (I rarely do). Another is to provide cyclists with some sort of priority.
In London I think it’s also culturally ingrained in some as “this is what you must do to survive”. I’m always amazed when I go to London for work at the amount of red light jumping. Out here in Somerset you never see it.
I know the arguments and as I said, sometimes it is right, just as going through a yellow in a car is sometimes safer – especially if there’s another car rammed up your exhaust (or as a cyclist, your back wheel). I also have never seen the amount of red light jumping anywhere but London – but having said that, even in Bristol, there’s not as many cyclists. There’s always going to be some. Last night’s highlight was a girl in headphones with bags of shopping on her handlebars. Sailing through the reds like she was invincible. Not my choice!
Thanks for more feedback. Like the eye contact thing, I try really hard with that and for sure it helps, and like Robert I don’t try to fight my way to the front of the queue. The priority thing sounds interesting…
I like the way Charlie describes Miss soon to be dead as ‘sailing’ through the lights. And I see a lot of that too. Maybe we need two threads here, jumpers and sailors 🙂
Cyclists: Please remember that when turning into a road, pedestrians have priority if already crossing: Rule 170.
Don’t;
i) fail to indicate
ii) scream ‘get out of the way’
iii) maintain a dangerous velocity
iv) swear at the lawful pedestrian and shake your head knowingly
A useful reminder list – thanks