Paige

Where I live the traffic lights are actuated by sensors in the pavement.The other day I was stopped at an intersection and no cars were behind me but there was a car across the street.I figured when he got the green light I would also.Not so! He got the green light and mine stayed red.At that moment I decided I will stop for the light but if there are no cars behind me and traffic is clear I will go through the intersection.

Chris L

I have the same problem with sensors as a lot of my rides are at around 5 or 6 am when there is nobody around to set them off. I usually stop first anyway, and if it becomes apparent that the sensor will not work, I then go through very carefully after making sure there is nobody around.

Chris

LittleBigMan

I agree.

Yet I am reminded of that cartoon showing a skeleton with cobwebs sitting in front of a computer terminal, with the caption,
"Is the system back up yet?"

If a light refuses to acknowledge me, I do a ridiculous dance. Right on red, ride a few dozen feet, look both ways, do a u-turn, and proceed through green.

Imagine my frustration when a motorist pulls up to where I was waiting and the light changes, with me now facing another red...



Aren't traffic light supposed to make intersections safer? :confused:

Chris L

For whom?

cycletourist

This is 'guilt by association'. I could rant for hours about that, but I won't.

RE: inoperative traffic light

That argument won't fly in Branson, MO. If the light won't change, you are expected to GET OFF THE BIKE, at which point you fall under pedestrian rules, walk your bike to the nearest sidewalk and then cross the street as a pedestrian. ..stupid.

RE: idiot LBS owner.

The owner of my local LBS used to run a weekly group ride. I quit going (and so did my usual riding partner) because at a certain point in the ride the LBS owner would actually lead the group up the WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD for two blocks to the next left turn because he didn't want to wait for the light to change so we could cross the street. I'm amazed no one got killed. Thankfully this ride fizzled due to poor leadership.

As/400

Hello, as my first post to this forum, again. hello.

I just wanted to chime in on red lights. I LOVE red lights! they force me to practice my balence by stoping without touching the street. that itself is more fun then running the red in the first place. there is no hurry, just have fun.

Matadon

I don't like them because they are always at the base of hills -- and only turn red after my computer is telling me that I'm in danger of breaking the 40mph speed limit.

Chris L

Red lights can be a good thing in summer in Queensland. Especially when you drink as much water as I do.

CarFreeSnarf

Big problem with car-cyclist relations is the fact that in our car/road dominated society, where everything is set up so drivers can get around from work to stores to whatever enslaving institution, it is impossible to have any real harmony, b/c it's not set up that way at all. I don't think it's important either. To most people in their cars, bikers (and pedestrians) are just in the way. They can't help but think that way. When you are in your car you feel like you're the boss - it is your little haven and escape where you can listen to your music or just get to where you need to go. NOthing can stop you.

I think trying to make ourselves look all nice so traffic laws aren't created is pointless. A key is to develop a society that doesn't have a transportation system that requires millions of cars for each and every person to buzz around in just to go get a jug of milk.

Unfortunately we don't live in that, and most people don't understand **** to what the Cmasser is talking about, so we have to make our way around. And we don't give a **** about image b/c we are making our way around. And when I am riding my bike, for leisure or for a commute, I am not going to stop and wait 10 min. for all of the traffic to go by just so I can be on the right side of the road. Nope. Sometimes I need to be riding on the wrong side b/c I want to keep going. I'm careful. I look out for myself. I've rode nothing but a bike since I was five. People yell at me but I don't care anymore since I never see them again. All you have to do is look out for yourself and try to take backroads.

I may sound a little out of it and that's probably b/c it's 12:30 am.


Chuck
littlesnarf@juno.com

Chris L

Hey, I resent that. I'm the boss when I'm on my bike. Unlike most car drivers, I actually have the freedom to take the scenic route occasionally.

I don't believe it necessarily does require this. I seem to do OK by driving 0km per annum. It's no requirement, the real reason people drive is because they are too damn lazy to do anything else. This is a message cycling advocates need to learn - nobody is forced to drive. They make that choice by where they choose to live, work etc.

Neither do I for that matter. Unfortunately, whatever message critical mass ever had is lost in all of the publicity it generates. You're never going to convince people to give up their cars or urban planners to accommodate cyclists that way. If what you posted is the way you behave, that might explain some of the problems you have had.

swekarl

I guess most of us can relate to that. I used my bell so heavily that the plastic thing that hits the metal bell eventually broke!

PapeteeBooh

My main problem is the car driver abuse. There is not a single week that passes without some jerk screaming at me "Get off the road, you F* idiot" or worse when I go on the main road.

There are all roads that I have to be on and am entitled to by law and I always use an excessive amount of lighting (i.e. three red LED, one white LED + a good front light) and ride perfectly well on the side etc. Hearing such abuse stresses me out every time and angers me (I contracted the habit of screaming abuse back but this has little effect but to make me feel marginally better).

Chris L

I have become immune to abuse now. Comes of over 3 years commuting on the Gold Coast. I just ignore them. It's something about treating them with the contempt they deserve...