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

I have nothing against RLJing in general, and very occasionally do it myself on quiet streets, or in the wee hours etc. But do it less after seeing a guy on a Boris bike take out a schoolkid.

Trouble is that most people that do it are tools who ride with no awareness of their surroundings. It can be safe to jump a red (sometimes safer than not) when you know exactly what you're doing. The vast majority that do it though don't, and are usually just sheep following the person in front of them. And don't seem to realise that if your view of a crossing is obscured, you should at least slow down.

Laws are there to stop the stupid from hurting themselves and others. They just ruin it for the rest of us. It's like drugs.... JK. Kinda.

I've spoken to quite a few people who commute by bike and tell me they never stop at reds. Then tell me I'm crazy for not having brakes. Irony.

My general rule lately is if i'm unsure i stop, I only go when i'm 100% sure its safe.

I think the fact that this thread exists and that people compare RLJ to driving your car drunk underlines the stigmatic relation this city has to cycling.

please, explain.

There is red light jumping and there is red light jumping.

I note that you don't mention red light jumping though.

Do you have something to hide?

Have you gents considered red light jumping in this scenario?

Red Light Jumping?
I don't do it.

Red light jumping?
Nope.

Red Light, jumping?
Nope.

Red. Light. Jumping.
Nope.

ever?
everever?
evereverever?

Red light *h*umping?

What if the red light was on the head of a shark?

then surely it's Happy Days

Red light jumping?
Nope.

Red Light, jumping?
Nope.

Red. Light. Jumping.
Nope.

Would you stop for every red light in a red-light district?

Are you saying that you never ever ever even get mildly cheesed off that you've built up a good speed

I never build up a good speed, my speed is always bad, bad to the bone.

^ This

But then again most things is safer in the US because there is generally 3 times as much space on any given street.

That's not true; by most comparisons, the US does worse in road safety than most European countries, certainly worse than the UK (although there are of course some considerable variations within the US). Just the fact that there's more space doesn't necessarily make it safer; it can cause people to have less awareness of risk.

However, while I've been meaning to catch up on it, I'm not aware of the current data that one might compare between London and NYC. That would be an interesting one. I'm sure someone's done it somewhere.

It's English culture to get worked up but do nothing about it.

Why would anyone want to do anything about getting worked up?

I never build up a good speed, my speed is always bad, bad to the bone.
I can vouch that it is indeed b-b-b-b-bad.

Bad argument ed, red light jumping doesn't slow the journey of those behind.

It's more about looking like a complete cunt than the act itself.

I can vouch that it is indeed b-b-b-b-bad.

It's bad, it's wheely, wheely bad.

It's bad, it's wheely, wheely bad.

so basically you're saying that you ride like the lovechild of jonathan ross and michael jackson?

I think the fact that this thread exists and that people compare RLJ to driving your car drunk underlines the stigmatic relation this city has to cycling.

Well I was going to compare it to rapists, people promoting racial hatred and theft ('everything I take is replaced by insurance, I'm actually helping people get new stuff' being something a burgler once said to me)...

Also it could be you have a far stronger feeling about drunk driving...

Anyway my point is you need to see things from other people's perspectives, if you can't then maybe you should follow the law?

Have you read any Nietzsche?