Going on Red at Traffic Lights !!!!!

[Survived-til-now]

I had the oddest experience going to work last Friday. I was a bit earlier than usual on my route into London riding down the Mile End Road (a major route into the City)and traffic was light for a change.

 

Just after joining the Mile End I came to a set of lights that I could see were changing and so slowed to a stop at the lights - to my surprise the car ahead made no attempt to slow and drove straight through, causing a car crossing at the lights to swerve out of the way.

 

Nothing odd in that I thought just inattentive driving but shortly after I came to a major intersection when again the lights changed and so I slowed and stopped - AGAIN the car ahead went straight through but while I was taking this in there was a blast of horns on my left side and two cars came shooting past on the inside of me. By now i was wondering if I had misread the lights and stopped on the wrong set but no.....

 

So I proceeded further down only to see another two cars drive through red lights... By this time I was wondering if the recent new issue of the Highway Code had included a change of law about NOT stopping at red lights and I even discussed the theory with my boss (also a biker) when I got to the office....

 

Now apart from doubting my sanity, I have never seen the like of this in over 35 years of driving/riding. There was no question of crossing as the lights were changing - these lights were all at RED and the cars involved had plenty of time to stop. I have taken a real lesson to heart and had to change my approach to traffic lights. Normally if I am at the front of traffic at the lights I am ready to move on the RED/AMBER and rolling on the GREEN so I get ahead of the queue and can pick my lane - as are many of my fellow bikers who do the same

 

From now on I am going to be a lot more cautious about being first over the lights.

[mrduck]

Did we import some of our southern California drivers over there?

 

 

[Bonkorama]

Years ago, (20?) after I had read excerpts from the HURT REPORT, a fellow biker and I were talking about what the report showed, and sometime during our conversation he said "Never be first or last thru an intersection."

 

I found that to be sound advice.

I lived by that rule since 1977.

 

In the case of filtering to the front of the line at redlights, I make an exception, but I look left and right CLOSELY to see what is going to be flying thru the red light if its gonna happen.

[BereIsland]

Wow, that's a strange coincidence, I was also in London today heading for Great Ormond Street, I stopped just before Piccadilly Circus on red and two cars shot through on red beside me, really fast, made me jump. Must have been one of those days.

Mind you, as I was leaving Great Ormond Street heading heading for Russel Square I made a left turn and stopped at the lights, trouble was I couldn't see any of the lights, just the back of the poles, oops I was on a bit of one way street, the wrong way. Like I said, it was one of those days

Steve

[russell_bynum]

Years ago, (20?) after I had read excerpts from the HURT REPORT, a fellow biker and I were talking about what the report showed, and sometime during our conversation he said "Never be first or last thru an intersection."

 

I found that to be sound advice.

I lived by that rule since 1977.

 

In the case of filtering to the front of the line at redlights, I make an exception, but I look left and right CLOSELY to see what is going to be flying thru the red light if its gonna happen.

 

I'm frequently first through the light...but you can't just sit there fat dumb and happy waiting for it to change. Like you said...you have to keep an active watch on traffic to make sure everyone is stopping. If there's any doubt, then I'll wait. Otherwise, I get on the gas and through the intersection as quickly as possible.

[Baba_ORiley]

Reminds me of one of my company's expat employees who was posted in Mexico City back in the mid-1990's. He came home to the US for a brief visit and he had to be reminded by his wife that in the US, people generally stop, and remain stopped, at red lights. He'd been used to treating red lights only as suggestions due to the climate of crime in the Mexico City at that time, coupled with his strong desire to avoid being a "sitting duck".

 

 

 

 

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[MadDuck]

Many years ago, I was in Montreal stopped on a side street to a major roadway. My light turned green and the traffic didn't even slow, four lanes leaving downtown at about 45mph. The owner of a crepes shop came out and explained that during rush hour, morning and night, the local custom is to ignore all red lights. Left the rental car in the middle of the street and had some truely excellents crepes. Of course rush hour finished before I did and a car pulled up behind me and got on the horn. One of Montreals finest was on the scene and I wondered how big my ticket was going to be, turns out that being annoying is a crime in Montreal and I was not making the objectionable noise in a residential area. Was sort of pissed about not getting where I needed to be but it all turned out well. Local customs always trumps the law.

[Ken H.]

I don't know if I can remember the last time I saw an intersection where every 'first one there' person did stop for the red light. The first one or two in the line when the light goes red always go on through it around here. It's got to the point where it's so expected that being first to a 'fresh' red light and not going through it is just about as dangerous, because the person behind you assumes you will continue and they will be able to speed up and make it through too.

[EffBee]

It's becoming more common. In fact, it's worse than just late red-light runners. Twice in the past year or so I've been stopped at a light, just waiting for it to turn green, when one of the cars up front just decides he/she's waited long enough and, since there's virtually no cross traffic and no visible enforcement around, decides to just go. It seems to startle everyone as you can see a bunch of rubber-necking going on as people check the lights, the cross-traffic's lights, etc to see if they missed something. But it settles down, the gap is taken up, and when the light turns green everyone proceeds.

 

We've allowed pragmatic and relativistic attitudes to survive in our country. "It's only wrong if I get caught," or, "I didn't hurt anyone," seem to be acceptable justifications. Of course, this also applies to how we ride. Excessive speed, even when no one's around, is part of that (guilty!).

[Green RT]

He'd been used to treating red lights only as suggestions due to the climate of crime in the Mexico City at that time

Apparently some things haven't changed. I live in México now. While most drivers heed red lights, the rules are not followed as strictly as in the US. Stop signs are merely suggestions and going through intersections after a light goes from green to red occurs much more flagrantly here. I don't think it has much to do with a "climate of crime" whatever that is. I'm not in México City. Querétaro is pretty crime free.

[notacop]

After reading all these posts I gotta say, What a bunchs Marroons! My brother was the first off the line years ago, took the front of his car off as the cross traffic didn't stop. I'm guilty as hell about being first off the line now but I'm also watching the cross traffic and move accordingly.

And yes, the view of a one way steet from the wrong way is weird.

[EffBee]

So this guy takes his friend for a drive in his new car and as they approach the first intersection, a red light, he floors the throttle and blows right through.

 

"What the hell are you doing?" the friend asks. "You're gonna get us killed!"

 

"Naw," says the driver. "My brother taught me how to drive this way. He does it all the time. Don't worry."

 

Next intersection, same thing. He never even slows down. Blows right through the red light.

 

"Don't DO that any more," says the passenger. "You're scaring the hell out of me. If you do that again, I'm gonna get out and walk home."

 

"You just don't understand," says the driver. "Really, it's fine. My brother taught me how to do it. We'll be OK."

 

At the next intersection, the light is green. The driver slows on approach and then comes to a full stop.

 

"What are you doing?" asks the passenger. "The light is green. You can go."

 

"Oh no," replies the driver. "My brother might be coming the other way."