Author Topic: Bad Dog!  (Read 3082 times)

Pedaldog.

  • Heedlessly impulsive, reckless, rash.
  • The Madcap!
Bad Dog!
« on: 18 February, 2019, 08:07:17 pm »
I had a really long day, brightened by a short visit to the "Torscave", and got home with the need for a short ride. up the A6 and came to some roadworks. I hopped through the cones, on a RED LIGHT, something I've never done before. As the traffic behind caught me, a cyclist admonished me with "Please don't jump red lights". i was wrong, don't know why I did it, but I feel really guilty, comments or not, and will not do it again.
I rant when others do it so, please, forgive me.
You touch my Coffee and I'll slap you so hard, even Google won't be able to find you!

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #1 on: 18 February, 2019, 08:20:46 pm »
I wouldn't worry about it at all. There are occasions when it makes perfect sense.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #2 on: 18 February, 2019, 08:24:19 pm »
Wot 'e^ sed.

ian

Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #3 on: 18 February, 2019, 08:39:50 pm »
Generally at roadworks, rather than have a line of impatient motorists try to drive over me as soon as the portable light goes green, I'll ignore the light and figure out another way through (unless there's room for the cars to safely pass). It's not worth the hassle and risk that a driver will do something stupid because they've been held up for a few minutes and I can't do 0-30mph in just a few seconds.

Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #4 on: 19 February, 2019, 08:32:04 am »
Not all RLJ's are created equal.

On a busy urban intersection, then no way. I'll look on in dismay at people doing it. But at temporary roadworks? Surely making your way through the cones on the red cycle is doing those behind you a favor and will allow more people through on the green cycle?

Just make sure you don't fall into an uncovered trench!

Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #5 on: 19 February, 2019, 10:11:35 am »
Last summer there was one set of temporary lights I always jumped, using the (mostly completely empty 200m long) coned off area. I did this because the lights were set too short to allow me, at 20kph, to pass the start just as it turned green and still get to the other end before they swapped. The fact that there was an oncoming cyclist didn't appear to be relevant to drivers the other end when "their" light turned green, I presume that they just assumed I'd jumped the red.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #6 on: 19 February, 2019, 11:55:59 am »
Yeah, at temporary traffic lights for long or uphill roadworks they're likely to assume you jumped the red anyway, so you might as well do whatever's safest.

Guy

  • Retired
Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #7 on: 19 February, 2019, 12:12:55 pm »
I RLJ occasionally. I live on a road 3/4 mile long and dead straight. Seven times last year and once (so far) this year we've had temporary lights covering short sections of road while utility cos do what they have to. If I can see there's nothing coming the other way, why should I stop and wait for the green light, especially when it appears that every <something> motorist in town is permitted to sail through without slowing down?

What sauce for the tin-box goose...
"The Opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject"  Marcus Aurelius

Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #8 on: 19 February, 2019, 06:06:02 pm »
I normally don't RLJ but there is an exception. There is a particular junction near home where it's approach controlled- the lights only change to let you out if the loop in the road picks you up.

The loop in the road doesn't pick up my Trucker :facepalm:. So if there isn't a car coming up behind to trigger the lights, I can either wait indefinately or just go. Generally this only happens very occasionally when it's reallly really quiet so no real safety risk.

(There was one day I was waiting in the ASL box, the car behind didn't get close enough to the stop line to trigger the lights. Seeing a queue build up behind her, in the end I got off the bike and went and suggested she roll forward a metre or so onto the loop. She did, and her face when the lights triggered was a picture...  :D)

GC

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #9 on: 10 March, 2019, 09:01:40 am »
There's a set of lights "near" me on one of my regular ride routes at a crossroads.

I can only describe it as not quite the middle of nowhere, but in the same postcode, on a road I've ridden for 10km without seeing a car.  To avoid unecessary recumbent (or other) stops I have the habit of slowly approaching, listening and going, just as the sensors detect me and turn green in my wake.

One of these days it'll be one of those stupid Nissan Leaf things coming from the cross direction.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #10 on: 10 March, 2019, 12:24:46 pm »
One of these days it'll be one of those stupid Nissan Leaf things coming from the cross direction.

The noise they make sticks out like a sore thumb.  It's the stealth ninja Teslas you need to watch out for.

Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #11 on: 11 March, 2019, 08:21:53 am »
I mostly ride in my very rural area. If there are cars behind me at TLs for roadworks , I wave them through ahead of me when the lights go green.
The drivers always give an appreciative wave, builds up goodwill, they will hopefully be considerate next time they are stuck behind me grinding up a single lane hill.
The roads are very quiet around here, and local drivers are mostly good.  I'm so pleased I don't have to negotiate towns too often.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #12 on: 11 March, 2019, 01:20:04 pm »
I reckon temporary traffic lights are less of a problem in towns, as the inevitable traffic means you hold the drivers up less.  Urban areas are often flatter, too.

Re: Bad Dog!
« Reply #13 on: 12 March, 2019, 07:49:36 am »
Last summer there was one set of temporary lights I always jumped, using the (mostly completely empty 200m long) coned off area. I did this because the lights were set too short to allow me, at 20kph, to pass the start just as it turned green and still get to the other end before they swapped. The fact that there was an oncoming cyclist didn't appear to be relevant to drivers the other end when "their" light turned green, I presume that they just assumed I'd jumped the red.

There was one of those here going uphill from Cheltenham and despite it being a bit of a silk road for cyclists the response from the council was if we set the delay any longer the motorists will jump it anyway.

Somewhat of a professional tea drinker.