RLJ (Red Light Jumping). (The definitive bikeradar thread)

I guess people perceive the dismount as being a legal way of getting through?

And I guess it's perceived as a lesser infraction by many than just riding through.

If people are going to RLJ I guess I'd prefer they did make themselves look stupid by half dismounting/etc rather than just riding right on through.

I saw a guy on a scooter do this today. Jump off and push his scooter across the junction through a red light.

Agree. It's a weird halfway house between knowing you're doing something naughty and wanting to be able to argue your way out on a technicality.

@croft, @mattired, @Greenbank,
when you jump a red you know it's illegal. I try to be courteous about it (if a pedestrian is crossing I'll slow and let them continue on), but I understand the police will pull me over for it. But I'm okay with that.

I don't know why the various proponents of the other ways of jumping a red light feel the need to try to weasel out of it's illegality. It is illegal. Come to terms with that fact and then ride your bike through a red light instead of pushing/wheeling/walking it through...

I don't know why the various proponents of the other ways of jumping a red light feel the need to try to weasel out of it's illegality. It is illegal.

It may be illegal. It's never been tested so no-one is quite sure what the wording translates to in reality.

I guess people perceive the dismount as being a legal way of getting through?

There's nowt illegal about dismounting to pavement, crossing as a pedestrian pushing bike then re-starting journey when clear of the junction.

I agree the halfway house looks dafter than rlj.

rlj while doing this \/ #alldaylong

Agree.

They look like more of a dick than just riding through (both methods look like dicks though).

I thought the specific offence was crossing the stop line after the light had changed. In which case dismounting to walk over/around that before getting back on and riding across the junction should be legal, right?

Am sure that'd be fun to test in court.

It's only on this one junction that stays red for about 5 minutes, seems daft to sit and wait when you can walk across with the bike and be at work rather than waiting 5 minutes and being 15 minutes late instead of the usual 10.

I thought the specific offence was crossing the stop line after the light had changed. In which case dismounting to walk over/around that before getting back on and riding across the junction should be legal, right?

In a strict interpretation of the law, yes.

But what if the Police stopped you and gave you a fine for it anyway?

Your hope then is that it goes to court to appeal and the judge interprets it the way you interpret it rather than saying "well, the stop light/line applied to you on the road, and trying to be clever to circumvent it doesn't wash we me sonny, appeal rejected".

Sure, you might get away with the specific offence of RLJing but if witnessed the Police can just pursue an reckless/dangerous/inconsiderate cycling offence for cycling through a junction at a time when the light was there to prevent you.

It's to propel your bike across the line. The definition of propel is vague and untested so pushing could be illegal.

I'm with Corny on this one. Of the eight light controlled junctions I encounter on my 12 mile commute, I routinely jump at two. I see some people doing the I know this is wrong so I'll make an attempt to get off a bit move. I just make the unprotected right turn when it's safe for me and others, accepting that one day I might get a talking to or a fine.

Jumping the one I mean would actually be quite risky, I go straight ahead but it's a staggered junction. Getting off gives you a pedestrian island in the middle to do half the road at a time and avoid the inevitable queue of busses and idiots blocking it. I don't bother out of rush hour as it's less busy and the timings seem different.

apologies for bringing the push bike across junction thing up again, know it's legally a grey area. But have seen it a couple of times on my commute, mostly up through wandsworth and putney, and it feels like such a cop out, most do it not to be safer, but quicker. And if you want to be quicker on your journey, just ride through the junction goddamnit and jump the light righteously..

Why is propel vague?

If you walk your bike are you not propelling it?

Even if you ghosty it and run across next to it you've still propelled it.

What if you pick it up and carry it?

Follow that logic, however, and it's hard to see why pushing your bike wouldn't also fall within the term 'lead or drive any horse, ass, sheep, mule, swine, or cattle or carriage of any description' given that a bike is a carriage. And if that's the case then it's illegal to push your bike along the pavement...

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This thread seems to be generally propelled along by debates on the meaning of the word propel.

The British way of doing it

I would suggest that's what you should bring up if you ever get collared for walking your bike on the pavement.

Saw some tool riding the superhighway today who was slapping the backs of cars at each intersection and rlj'ing the whole way. Belm alert!

Don't want to get into the armchair lawyering (especially with a lawyer) but isn't that covered by the full wording of s72 of the Highway Act 1835:-

“If any person shall wilfully ride upon any footpath or causeway by the side of any road made or set apart for the use or accommodation of foot passengers; or shall wilfully lead or drive any horse, ass, sheep, mule, swine, or cattle or carriage of any description, or any truck or sledge, upon any such footpath or causeway; or shall tether any horse, ass, mule, swine, or cattle, on any highway, so as to suffer or permit the tethered animal to be thereon.”

One would assume that riding a bike is covered by either the 'ride' part or the 'drive' part of the second clause. But pushing a bike along the footway is neither 'ride', 'drive' or 'lead'.

The law for red lights and stop lines specifically mentions 'propel a vehicle' over the stop line, but s72 of the Highway Act doesn't use 'propel'.

I had a word with the pigs and quorn PCSOs up here when working with them fixing/tagging bikes. They say they're not too fussed about pavement riding/pushing/RLJing if it's done in a safe and considerate manner, not just blasting down a path full of kids or straight through a junction on the phone or whatever. Discretion they called it, almost made them seem like actual people. Was lulz when the big shouty one shouted at kids on bikes, their eyes all went "oh shit" then he asked if they wanted their probably stolen bike tagging to prevent theft and if they wanted me to fix it for free.