19 March 2013

Adding to the cyclist debate [With poll]

19 March 2013 | By Barcham

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Loxmyf has sent us in this video of a cyclist turning around a corner at a dubious time.

Have a cyclist going through a red light. Coulter Drive and Southern Cross drive Monday 18 March 2013.

Time for another poll Rioters!

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Jono6:41 am 22 Mar 13

Aeek said :

melon1234 said :

Postalgeek said :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8NX_gR8AaA — THIS ONE

I wonder whether old mate filming realised that it was also illegal to undertake the u-turn at that intersection (“A driver must not make a U–turn at an intersection with traffic lights unless there is a U-turn permitted sign at the intersection”).

Stupid people, stupid thing. Natural selection here we come.

Maybe the Vid was a NSW driver, its the other way there. Aren’t National road rules great?

You seem to be saying that the U-turn at traffic lights law is different in NSW. Do you have a source for that?

This is what’s in the current version of the NSW road rules on the NSW RTA web site:

40 Making a U-turn at an intersection with traffic lights
A driver must not make a U-turn at an intersection with traffic lights unless there is a U-turn permitted sign at the intersection.

Seems pretty consistent with the national road rules to me – in fact it seems identical.

chewy148:10 pm 21 Mar 13

KB1971 said :

chewy14 said :

KB1971 said :

Obviously a different one to you, on the far left you can see the glow of the traffic lights facing the rider, they are red.

Um, that’s exactly what I just said.

Sorry, misread and blended the two posts together……please forgive me?

There’s no apologies needed on a cycling thread. Just like the cyclist in question, pretend you didnt see it and carry on.

KB19717:44 pm 21 Mar 13

chewy14 said :

KB1971 said :

Obviously a different one to you, on the far left you can see the glow of the traffic lights facing the rider, they are red.

Um, that’s exactly what I just said.

Sorry, misread and blended the two posts together……please forgive me?

chewy147:06 pm 21 Mar 13

KB1971 said :

Obviously a different one to you, on the far left you can see the glow of the traffic lights facing the rider, they are red.

Um, that’s exactly what I just said.

KB19716:52 pm 21 Mar 13

chewy14 said :

vg said :

KB1971 said :

what_the said :

I get the lights not registering when you’re on a bike, it’s done it before when I’ve been on the motorcycle. However I’m yet to see a cyclist stop and wait before going through a red light. It’s usually slow down, check for oncoming traffic and straight through the red light.

You are not looking very hard then, when I am waiting at the traffic lights on the corner of Alinga St and Northbourne Ave I always see other riders doing the same thing. It is actually rare for a cyclist in this area to run a light if they are travelling on the road.

This comment doesnt apply to the ninga single speeders, uni students and hipsters who cross on the footpath.

I did actually see a copper bail up a couple of chicks for riding without helmets in Garema Place the other day.

Again I say it, no evidence of an offence. Nothing showing a cyclist traversing a red light, just an assumption since another light turns green.

If there is evidence then please give it a run in the Magistrates Court. On the above you’d be out n your ass in 10 seconds

What video are you watching?

The cyclist Is travelling from the right. The set of lights on the left facing right are clearly red. Unless that isnt illegal anymore?

Obviously a different one to you, on the far left you can see the glow of the traffic lights facing the rider, they are red.

chewy146:06 pm 21 Mar 13

vg said :

KB1971 said :

what_the said :

I get the lights not registering when you’re on a bike, it’s done it before when I’ve been on the motorcycle. However I’m yet to see a cyclist stop and wait before going through a red light. It’s usually slow down, check for oncoming traffic and straight through the red light.

You are not looking very hard then, when I am waiting at the traffic lights on the corner of Alinga St and Northbourne Ave I always see other riders doing the same thing. It is actually rare for a cyclist in this area to run a light if they are travelling on the road.

This comment doesnt apply to the ninga single speeders, uni students and hipsters who cross on the footpath.

I did actually see a copper bail up a couple of chicks for riding without helmets in Garema Place the other day.

Again I say it, no evidence of an offence. Nothing showing a cyclist traversing a red light, just an assumption since another light turns green.

If there is evidence then please give it a run in the Magistrates Court. On the above you’d be out n your ass in 10 seconds

What video are you watching?

The cyclist Is travelling from the right. The set of lights on the left facing right are clearly red. Unless that isnt illegal anymore?

tim_c4:43 pm 21 Mar 13

vg said :

Again I say it, no evidence of an offence. Nothing showing a cyclist traversing a red light, just an assumption since another light turns green.

Watch it again – in the LHS of the frame, you can see that the lights facing where the cyclist came from are red for the duration of the clip – both lights, the straight ahead and the right-turn arrow.

tuco4:34 pm 21 Mar 13

Postalgeek said :

what_the said :

I get the lights not registering when you’re on a bike, it’s done it before when I’ve been on the motorcycle. However I’m yet to see a cyclist stop and wait before going through a red light. It’s usually slow down, check for oncoming traffic and straight through the red light.

I can tell you why some cyclists are loathe to come to a complete stop, though it’s not a justification for ignoring road rules.

As a car driver, the effort required to go from a state of rest to a given speed is the pressing of a foot. The energy required by a cyclist is, obviously, significantly more.

Moreover, cycle shoe clips compound the problem because although they provide great efficiency while pedalling, it can be a hit-and-miss process clipping into them when starting off. I’m sure you’ve seen cyclists falter as they seek to clip in when starting off at lights. The prospect of that clipping process is even less welcome if you want a quick take-off, e.g. crossing a road, and you find yourself fumbling to clip into your pedals as traffic is bearing down on you.

It’s why some cyclists learn to track stand (balance without putting feet down) at traffic lights, which many find difficult. It’s not just showing off, it allows them to take off quickly through an intersection.

An analogy is to imagine that every time a motorist comes to a halt, they need to slip the car into park and turn off the engine, even if it’s waiting for a gap in traffic.

.

Stand by for the Google meltdown for Idaho Stop – the road law that helps everyone think ahead.

vg4:16 pm 21 Mar 13

KB1971 said :

what_the said :

I get the lights not registering when you’re on a bike, it’s done it before when I’ve been on the motorcycle. However I’m yet to see a cyclist stop and wait before going through a red light. It’s usually slow down, check for oncoming traffic and straight through the red light.

You are not looking very hard then, when I am waiting at the traffic lights on the corner of Alinga St and Northbourne Ave I always see other riders doing the same thing. It is actually rare for a cyclist in this area to run a light if they are travelling on the road.

This comment doesnt apply to the ninga single speeders, uni students and hipsters who cross on the footpath.

I did actually see a copper bail up a couple of chicks for riding without helmets in Garema Place the other day.

Again I say it, no evidence of an offence. Nothing showing a cyclist traversing a red light, just an assumption since another light turns green.

If there is evidence then please give it a run in the Magistrates Court. On the above you’d be out n your ass in 10 seconds

Postalgeek12:58 pm 21 Mar 13

what_the said :

I get the lights not registering when you’re on a bike, it’s done it before when I’ve been on the motorcycle. However I’m yet to see a cyclist stop and wait before going through a red light. It’s usually slow down, check for oncoming traffic and straight through the red light.

I can tell you why some cyclists are loathe to come to a complete stop, though it’s not a justification for ignoring road rules.

As a car driver, the effort required to go from a state of rest to a given speed is the pressing of a foot. The energy required by a cyclist is, obviously, significantly more.

Moreover, cycle shoe clips compound the problem because although they provide great efficiency while pedalling, it can be a hit-and-miss process clipping into them when starting off. I’m sure you’ve seen cyclists falter as they seek to clip in when starting off at lights. The prospect of that clipping process is even less welcome if you want a quick take-off, e.g. crossing a road, and you find yourself fumbling to clip into your pedals as traffic is bearing down on you.

It’s why some cyclists learn to track stand (balance without putting feet down) at traffic lights, which many find difficult. It’s not just showing off, it allows them to take off quickly through an intersection.

An analogy is to imagine that every time a motorist comes to a halt, they need to slip the car into park and turn off the engine, even if it’s waiting for a gap in traffic.

So if you wanted to turn right across traffic, and the lights won’t recognise you, and you don’t want to compromise your safety further by fiddling to clip into your pedals as you drifted in front of oncoming cars, you might decide to ride through when the coast is clear without stopping. It might not be right, but it is rational.