Should cyclists jumping red lights be legalized?

[MicrosoftBob]

How can they tax cyclists for crossing a red light if they legalise it

[WTFH]

+1

Quite similar to the American red light turn system.

Yes, I was thinking about that. It works well for cars, the drivers know to look out for pedestrians on the crossing. The turn is allowed, but the vehicle making the turn MUST give way to others.

My concern is that some cyclists already take the p1ss and this will only make matters worse.

That would be a real concern. If the cyclist hits a pedestrian, or is hit by a car which is obeying the green light, then the battle lines would be reinforced on both sides.

[Chuck]

Cyclists don't pay attention when they go through red lights illegally. Why would anyone expect that to change if it was legal? They are a menace.

[NibblyPig]

Easier to actually fix the real reason most cyclists go through red lights, which is that they are not timed for cyclists. When you're in a car you often wait for one light to go green, and then all the lights on your route should be timed to go green at the same time so you only wait once. This happens on my way to work, so I wait for the first set then can drive all the way up to the motorway without being stopped again.

On a bike I'd hit almost every set, and often do coming in to town.

Also there are lights which are always red, and only turn green if a bus comes, despite being a bus/cycle shared path. And to take the piss, if a bus comes the opposite direction, only the lights on that side of the road go green! What a joke.

[expat]

The city that lets cyclists jump red lights - BBC News

Thoughts?

It would work better if it were not automatic to describe it as "jumping". ISTM that road behaviour often works best when people have to think and decide how to relate to other road users; if people perceive a rule that gives them priority in a situation, they will take it. If it is a matter for consensus, I find that drivers do not always decide based on perceived rights or size of vehicle.

I was interested in the observation in the article:

At the Place de la Concorde there are traffic lights; at the Arc de Triomphe - with its 12 avenues entering the bewildering Etoile roundabout - there are none. Yet the accident rate at the Place de la Concorde is five times higher than at Etoile.

Though TBH I am not certain that I agree. Etoile is big and busy but not really bewildering: it's just a roundabout. Place de la Concorde has straight stretches, corners, different lanes and forking routes, one-way and two-way sections, pedestrians crossing (not many of those on Etoile!) and many sets of traffic lights, not always obvious which will be yours by the time you arrive at it.

But I take the point: at Concorde, if you have a green (that includes the orangey one) you go; at Etoile you know it's never that easy.

[CoolCat]

One of my ex's was one of the nutty extreme pro cycling lot. However when driving a car they would regularly overtake bikes with only a whisker gap, and cut them up all the time.

Personally I would ban cycling for anyone over about 16. Just shoot them if they are caught on a bike. If we must make exceptions then they need a registration number, insurance, and passing a test.

[NibblyPig]

One of my ex's was one of the nutty extreme pro cycling lot. However when driving a car they would regularly overtake bikes with only a whisker gap, and cut them up all the time.

Personally I would ban cycling for anyone over about 16. Just shoot them if they are caught on a bike. If we must make exceptions then they need a registration number, insurance, and passing a test.

Audi or BMW driver?

[WTFH]

Personally I would ban cycling for anyone over about 16. Just shoot them if they are caught on a bike.

How about just banning Lycra on men?


If I want to see a fat middle aged bloke bulging out of his clothes, I'll look in the mirror.
I do not want to see men in Lycra.

[TykeMerc]

Should cyclists jumping red lights be shot?

Fixed the title for you.

Snipers with a good view of the junctions.
Same goes for motorways and the lane hogging owners club types.

[BrilloPad]

Cyclists don't pay attention when they go through red lights illegally. Why would anyone expect that to change if it was legal? They are a menace.

One of my ex's was one of the nutty extreme pro cycling lot. However when driving a car they would regularly overtake bikes with only a whisker gap, and cut them up all the time.

Personally I would ban cycling for anyone over about 16. Just shoot them if they are caught on a bike. If we must make exceptions then they need a registration number, insurance, and passing a test.

You both should really be on the daily fail site. You are wasted here.