Is it just me or is there actually more and more people jumping the red lights? Recently, I have witnessed a situation when the traffic was just slowing down as the lights have changed, when a car driver only stopped briefly to make sure there was no one coming from other directions and just went for it leaving everyone around stunned sitting at the lights. Be careful out there.
Well I did notice two cars in Epsom last week jump a very very very red light passing two cars that had stopped at the white line as they did so (it was a two lane road). They didn’t seem to be driven like stolen, rather that they hadn’t seen or didn’t think that the red applied to them in some way…
I think though this is just a matter of perception and witnessing a particular event, I doubt it is significant of a wider trend…
Almost hit by white van in Westminster Bridge Road this morning that came through a red light on the right as I was passing under the railway bridge.
Yes there is much more of this. Yes I do blame cyclists for creating the culture of making red lights optional. I see motorcycle couriers run red lights more and more.
Depends on the area, but I usually have a quick check before pulling out from a green.
When you see someone push through on a red, which has been red for a count of 3!, you do wish you had a helmet cam on and there was a way of grassing them up to the popo.
I’ve even see someone swerve round the car in front which has stopped on the red, and push through.
I might of grazed past the occasional red, esp in the wet, but I know I’m doing it.
Really, I’m a cyclist and i don’t jump red lights. Am I still to blame?
I blame the person jumping the red light and no-one else.
I saw two cars jump a red light on southwark bridge road this morning, it turned amber a good 100 metres away so they both put the pedal to the metal and went through on red at about 50mph. I tend to see at least one red light jumping car/van a day on my short commute - usually trying to speed up to get through on amber.
No. Like you I am a cyclist who does not go through red lights. We are not to blame for making it acceptable to ignore them. How can we be?
Exactly my point - you were saying cyclists are to blame. They’re not - red light jumping cyclists, drivers, bikers etc are. Maybe I’m being pedantic but I get sick of being told ‘cyclists jump red lights’, it’s no more true that ‘bikers ride dangerously fast’ or ‘truckers kill prostitutes’ - some do, some don’t and it’s not right to tar everybody with the nobber brush.
Personally, I blame ambulances, they’re always jumping red lights
Dont get me started on ambulances! 
Least it wasn’t just me that thought I’d missed the email from TFL saying red lights were optional yesterday.
I’ve seen a big increase in this, particularly in a couple of places, and always double check before pulling away from green traffic lights.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F_EOdcHwF8
Funny, in it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M3bof_mMJc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSkIv7DWkO0
R
The element people seem to have forgotten is that YELLLOW means stop!
AMBER means‘Stop’ at the stopline. You may goon only if theAMBER appearsafter you havecrossed the stopline or are soclose to it thatto pull up mightcause an accident
I do feel that increased cycle traffic has created a “if they’re doing it why can’t I” on the part of more London drivers, people adhere to ‘social norms’ or convention more readily than Rules/Law.
Which only really come in to play if there’s a consequence and as we all know there is none, bar those few junctions that have functioning red light cameras… Which of course are of no consequence to cyclists.
On a junction the other week, I was a car bully it’s way to the front down the right handside, drive through the red lights and turn left.
It is getting really bad out there, I know always approach junctions with care and look both ways.
This is a direct result of the government removing Police traffic officers from the road and trying to police the road by cameras. Increase in revenues, but an increase in very dangerous road behaviour.
Absolutely agree
An Addison Lee driver decided to stop in the middle of the road today and let his passenger out, he was so far towards the centre of the road cycles and motorbikes went up the inside. You couldn’t even see the door open as it was a slidey affair. The passenger just walked straight out into the traffic. I stopped in time but had a bike go into the back of me. There just seems to be retards everywhere at the moment.
When he drove off he jumped the red at Bank station just for good measure.
Addison Lee, if you really want to drive like a ****, come work for us.
Apparently the “cycling czar” wants to prosecute everyone that goes into cycle boxes too… looks like there could be some surprise tickets turning up on people’s doorsteps.
Here’s hoping that the same demand to stick to the rules is applied to ALL road users fairly eh
Kevsta has it spot on - regular patrols by traffic cops would not only get some of the repeat offenders & unlicensed drivers (i’m sure they are often the same people) off the road but it might make people think twice about driving/riding like knobs.
I’m not even convinced that policing by camera does increase revenue - a bike cop riding up and down my commuting route could probably raise enough in fines to cover his wages & bike upkeep in a morning.
A lot of offenses have been decriminalised, so the the council run CCTV network can catch people who offside “keep xxxx” bollards, bus lanes etc.
A nice little earner for what was originally for criminal offences not civil.
I saw a car overtake a line of five other cars yesterday morning (in a 20 zone) then cause havoc by going through the width restriction bollards on the opposite side to avoid queuing :crazy:
There is a balance though, tosser in a BMW in front of me decided to overtake the car in front of him and tear off fast down a residential road with cars parked on either side.
Just happened to be a police biker coming the other way who did a very quick turn around.
Needless to say, he was well and truly pulled over 