JoeyBike

Red Light Running Tutorial Video

https://www.vimeo.com/2626739

socalboomer

Is it just me or is this just plain stupid?

A: No way he could actually STOP in time going at the speed he was travelling at the beginning of the video.

B: Traffic is far too chaotic to predict when you're crossing it like that.

C: let's continue to antagonize drivers, police, lawmakers, et al by blatantly disregarding everything and everyone but our own selves.

D: He obviously thinks that he is the only one at risk in this practice - he doesn't seem to realize that a car trying to avoid him is far more likely to hit a pedestrian in a tight city intersection like that.


and did anyone notice that he wasn't wearing a helmet in the beginning of the video? Granted, I don't wear a helmet when I'm cruising around my campus, but in a city? Come on - that's just ludicrous.

/soapbox

StephenH

No, it's not just you.

MyPC8MyBrain

These guys run like NY city messengers.
They move like cats.

Their skills on a bike are pretty awesome really...regardless of their disrespect of the law.

Yeah, It's a bit too high risk for me, but they seem to handle it pretty well.

They might die, but actually you hear about more people getting whacked in the bike lanes or "taking the lane". Not sure I've heard of a messenger getting killed lately.

JoeyBike

"He" broke his helmet in half mountain biking two weeks ago and has a new one on order.

I am wearing a HELMET mounted camcorder. Plus I have two other helmets, so if I break one I don't have to ride without until I can get to a bike shop or online store.

My WebLog contains much more detailed explanations on the inadequacies of USA bike laws and some interesting links. Some states (Idaho for one) are installing "bicycle" traffic signals that go green a few seconds before the auto traffic is released - gives the cyclist obeying the law a chance to get moving and settled on his line before the SUVs rage by. I would be tempted to stop for a few lights if those signals were installed here.

https://joey-bike.blogspot.com/

Also keep in mind that a camera does not give you (the viewer) proper depth of field nor peripheral vision. That's why "Friday the 13th" type horror movies are so effective - the freak can be hiding just off camera - where the victim should be able to plainly see him but the movie audience cannot.

My videos are much more scary to watch than the actual riding. What I do only requires two things really - the ability to FOCUS no matter what, and NARROW handlebars. Riding fast as we do is not required but certainly helpful at times.

JoeyBike

If we couldn't STOP in time, we would be dead long ago.

JoeyBike

Yes! Exactly! Now you're THINKING! At least until they get it right.

Bikes are not cars. Not even close. Cyclist should not have their unique - often superior - abilities hampered by lazy, uninformed and uninterested lawmakers. Now THAT is just plain stupid in the light of air pollution and crazy price abuses by oil producers and suppliers.

Bekologist

Are you really in that much of a hurry, Joey?

I rode to work yesterday morning, and caught all the lights in over a three mile stretch by pacing it out a bit as I approached lights across town. At stopped up reds and backed up traffic, I find simple advancing on stopped traffic to the head of the line, then jump starting off the light gives a half block advantage against most motorists.

On some arterials across downtown seattle, I can get ahead of moving packs of traffic by a light phase without running any reds.

I'm mixed.

Joey's advice on how to clear intersections by maximizing sight lines is good advice regardless of signal phase IMO. but thinking of traffic signals as 'pesky' and something to be disregarded? please.

JoeyBike

The hurry is to help prevent cars from overtaking me as much as possible. I don't trust them.

Standing still with my bicycle between my legs at a red light in direct sunlight (heat index 130F) with no cross traffic in sight is indeed pesky and silly. The purpose of red lights is to improve automobile traffic flow believe it or not. If the coast is clear, I think it silly for even a car to sit there wasting gas at a red.

These things and people's opinions and thought processes will change in time. They will have to.

Bikepacker67

Thanks Joey, for reinforcing all the negative stereotypes re: cyclists.

-=(8)=-

Although I dont agree with some of the stuff in the Vids, I
can appreciate Mr. Brooks attitude and agree with just as much as
I dont agree with. Louisville KY ( a very progressive cycling city)
cycling coalitions make a very good case for running reds AFTER a
short stop and provide figures to back up the reasoning of their opinions.
I wouldn't run reds in West Palm Beach but you are begging for bad
stuff to happen to you if you dont include running them in your Philly, Pa
repertoire. Being a competent rider means being able to adapt.

J A Holman

It's true that on the bikes they were riding they could not stop if they wanted to at the demarcation they would need to had the crossing been observed last moment as untenable.

This type of riding is dependent upon faith. Faith is not a reliable starting point for any mechanical undertaking. Recommending your faith is risque, having faith yourself is par, expecting your faith in others is ignorance.

10 Wheels

You Rock Joey. Smooth Riding.
Thanks for your hard work to share the vids.

dobber

Excellent video, only thing that would have made it better would have been seeing the arse-munch getting t-boned by an SUV.

It's stupid post-pubescent antics like this that re-enforce the negative attitude of non-cyclists.

mondaycurse

I'll occasionally stop and go at a red, but much of this video sounded like "keep riding and hope that the universe makes room for you."

abirduphigh

I don't think I'm bothered so much by your type of riding, Joey, but I do have to question whether or not adhering to a strict regiment of running lights is overall beneficial to the greater cause of global harmony and cooperation between cyclists and motorists. You seem to be well aware of the dangers and regulations of riding in this fashion, so I'm not knocking you for that. I'm not strictly against disobeying motorists' traffic laws on a bicycle. I am strictly against polarizing the seperation of attitudes (and especially generalizing about the attitudes of motorists.) I believe this is the discrepency that others on this forum are expressing, and it's completely understandable. I mean isn't that what you're trying to do? Getting people to question?

randya

Love it!!

gcottay

Stupid? Why? Just so no driver does the unexpected at the wrong time, and Joey makes no errors, what could go wrong? It's not that kids would think this style of riding is great or anything.

randomgear

Man, those streets are W I D E!
Ever think of doing a how to handle trolley tracks tutorial?

EatMyA**

I though I was aware and observant, but I have to recognize skills much higher than my own.

I loved that you looked at the front wheel of the taxi, in order to determine where it was going to move next. Not everyone gets that.

Thank You for sharing

John E

... or by another bicyclist. The potential for injury to innocent pedestrians and law-abiding cyclists is very real.

Yup.

Nozzle

That video was a good mix of radical city biking skills and cager-hater propaganda. Good/bad job!

I will now refer readers to your own blog's disclaimer:
https://joey-bike.blogspot.com/2007/07/disclaimer.html

JoeyBike

Nice. There is a disclaimer in the credits of the vid too plus a verbal "You probably shouldn't do this..." in the opening commentary.

I am happy you read some of the Blog. Thanks.

apricissimus 

One big problem I have with these techniques is this:

We should all be somewhat predictable on the road, cars and bikes alike, and when you do things like hitting the gaps in the cross traffic, it's just rude to everyone else going about their business.

trekker pete

What he^^^^^ said. There was alot of good tips concerning positioning and sightlines, but when you start hitting not terribly large gaps in crossing traffic, you are gonna really piss off or worse, scare the hell out of a cager who may then do something dumb that may end up with at best some twisted sheetmetal at worst, someone injured/dead.