I have an urge not to stop - even at red lights.....

[2manyoranges]

There. I've said it.

I know it undermines the Law. I know that it pisses off car drivers. I know it is BAD.

But does anyone else have that 'red mist...I am riding hard and have been riding hard for 20 mins and I just can't stop, I just can't....'?

...it's a weird internal 'I just can't stop' kind of thing. I was tanking along tonight in the dark - good streetlights, many flashing lights on the front of my bike, and a hulking great 4WD pulled out of a car park straight into the bus lane I was riding. And I could have stopped. I could. But the 'keep going' feeling was right up and I hoped he would see me and stop, which he did, and although he had freaked me out, he did pause. But he might not have done, and then my 'drive, drive on...' would have been very foolish. Am I alone in this? I just CAN'T seem to get used to .... stopping .... and then starting again ....

 

[novocaine]

It doesn't "undermine the law" its completely and utterly against the law and for good reason. There is no excuse for it and the urge to just keep going is quite frankly ridiculous. You are not a toddler on a push along wanting to see what happens, so to be somewhat rude, stop it and grow the **** up and consider that your actions have consequence and not just to yourself but to those around you, yer you might get hit, but the person doing nothing wrong on a green light doesn't deserve to hit you, or but for the grace of chosen diety manage to stop in time not to.

Sorry if this seems a bit rude, but having been at the site during and following what can and does happen on a daily basis thanks to "cyclists" who ride beyond the laws of the road it really really really pishes me off and amazes me that the collect "we" seem to accept it. One last point not relates to the safety aspects of this, If we want respect on the road we have to earn it and this sort of crap completely erodes it, not just for you but for all of us, 1 bad apple and all that.

 

[2manyoranges]

No it's not rude to say what you have said...

....it's endemic in London and I developed the habit there....

...actually helpful to have a stern reproach.

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Best trick you can learn on a bike? Stay alive mate. Peace

 

[ishaw]

I've seen too many cyclists being mopped up by ambulances for the very reason you've suggested to say anything other than stop at red lights. It's not worth the risk, ever.

 

[Frankenorange]

It doesn't "undermine the law" its completely and utterly against the law and for good reason. There is no excuse for it and the urge to just keep going is quite frankly ridiculous. You are not a toddler on a push along wanting to see what happens, so to be somewhat rude, stop it and grow the **** up and consider that your actions have consequence and not just to yourself but to those around you, yer you might get hit, but the person doing nothing wrong on a green light doesn't deserve to hit you, or but for the grace of chosen diety manage to stop in time not to.

Sorry if this seems a bit rude, but having been at the site during and following what can and does happen on a daily basis thanks to "cyclists" who ride beyond the laws of the road it really really really pishes me off and amazes me that the collect "we" seem to accept it. One last point not relates to the safety aspects of this, If we want respect on the road we have to earn it and this sort of crap completely erodes it, not just for you but for all of us, 1 bad apple and all that.

Very well put. I was unable to be this restrained in my choice of words.

 

[slackboy]

stop at red lights.

I'll admit to riding through pedestrian lights on red when it's clear.

I'll also occasionally ride though those 4 way junctions when all the green men go on, stopping cars from every direction .

In both cases I'll be doing it at walking speed.


Running red lights and taking chances with cars, not a chance.

 

[greencat]

No it's not rude to say what you have said...

....it's endemic in London and I developed the habit there....

...actually helpful to have a stern reproach.

I know it's in endemic in London, and that baffles me deeply - because anyone who spends some time in London, sees plenty to discourage running red lights. In my 8 years there, I saw several very near misses and one accident - and been in nearly a couple myself (by trying to go through once Amber had been on more than a second or so). The lights in London seem to be highly tuned. Once it's off Amber, the other party is going to go - and often foot down, pedal to the metal. There is no discretionary time, no wiggle room, no I'll just slip through... Once I tried it near Marble Arch - imagine trying to get across 4 lines of traffic all just given the go signal. I made it across just.

One accident I saw in Bethnal Green - the cyclist went through on red, a car (travelling too fast no doubt) swerved to miss it and crashed into the traffic island. It was the most sickening smashing sound.

Another time I was out for a Sunday run near east Ham, and crossing a road with the traffic light on green for pedestrians. I got halfway across when I saw a car racing towards me at 50+mph, and I thought this guy isn't stopping (actually seems to be accelerating) and I can't make it across in time. They slowed a little as they went through their red light, but I'd have definitely been hit if I hadn't stopped. The guy driving also looked shocked, he clearly hadn't seen me at all. It was a truly terrifying life before my eyes moment.

After that experience, I wait until cars have actually stopped before I cross a crossing. I sometimes see the annoyance on drivers' faces, but there's no way I'm risking a repeat of it.

Don't do it, mate.

 

[d8mok]

As someone who rides on the road a lot I find it baffling why you’d increase the danger to yourself even further. It’s bad out there anyway.

Roads are worse than ever for cyclists and jumping lights only makes motorists hate us more than they already do.

 

[benjabbi]

Why? It's not a race, stopping won't kill you, not stopping might. @novocaine puts it better than I ever could and I fully agree with what he's said. Idiotic, irresponsible and just plain stupid! I'd hope you wouldn't do it in a car so why do it on a bike? If it goes wrong you'll lose and someone has to go through the trauma of seriously injuring or even killing you, having done nothing wrong themselves, not to mention the trauma to your family. All because you 'can't stop' FFS ridiculous! I think you ought to have a stern word with yourself and change this mindset, it could very easily go drastically wrong!