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My observation of your observations and other observations like it is that the observer chooses a narrow definition of "jumping the lights" that suits their own
by bennyelv 6y ago
My observation of your observations and other observations like it is that the observer chooses a narrow definition of "jumping the lights" that suits their own biases.
Specifically, the issue is with Amber lights. The highway code says:
AMBER means ‘Stop’ at the stop line. You may go on only if the AMBER appears after you have crossed the stop line or are so close to it that to pull up might cause an accident
Observing car driving habits in London, an average of 2-3 cars break this rule every time a light cycles from green to red. This behaviour is legally the same as jumping the light on red. Cyclists are far less likely to break this rule (they're slower across the junction and are aware that that puts them in danger from the other lights going green).
If you factor in all those cars into your assessment, you'll probably find that cyclists are not worse than cars at obeying the law around traffic lights.
- zimpenfish 6y agoI'm going with your definition of "jumping the lights" because that's what I was taught many years ago. I'd also include "people who enter a controlled junction with no clear exit" since they end up beyond the red light without being able to move - that's the situation at our local supermarket. Normally end up with a bus in the bus lane and 3-4 cars sat in the junction across the pedestrian crossing on every light change at peak time.
- foobarian 6y ago> or are so close to it that to pull up might cause an accident Well there is your loophole big enough to drive a truck (lorry?) through even on an amber light!
- bennyelv 6y agoExcept if you observe a junction for a short while you'll see that in general people drive through even if there is no chance it would cause an accident. /devils advocate The loophole for a cyclist is that they could swing their leg off the bike and magically become a pedestrian, cross the stop line, get back on, and legally ride away across the junction regardless of lights. Given that swinging your leg off the bike makes no reasonable difference to anything, why get annoyed if they don't bother with that part? Isn't it just like claiming a general exemption on all amber lights because doing anything might cause an accident?