jezzyjj Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I far too often see cyclists run multiple red lights on Langsett Rd and Infirmary Rd. They do it because they're lazy and don't want to stop and start again. Although OOD will tell you that it's not true and they do it because it's safer. Despite your dislike of such behaviour and some of it certainly is lazy, there was some research done on traffic accidents regarding cyclists in London recently. A surprise discovery was that men were far less likely to get killed at traffic lights than women. The reason being because women didn't jump lights as often, they were more likely to be killed by a left turning vehicle. I believe this year, six out of the eight cyclist deaths have been female. Occasionally I will skip around a traffic light junction on pavement, not because it is quicker, but because it is safer. Or because the traffic lights simply won't change for cyclists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bargepole23 Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Despite your dislike of such behaviour and some of it certainly is lazy, there was some research done on traffic accidents regarding cyclists in London recently. A surprise discovery was that men were far less likely to get killed at traffic lights than women. The reason being because women didn't jump lights as often, they were more likely to be killed by a left turning vehicle. I believe this year, six out of the eight cyclist deaths have been female. Occasionally I will skip around a traffic light junction on pavement, not because it is quicker, but because it is safer. Or because the traffic lights simply won't change for cyclists. To be honest, I'm struggling to think how it can be safer. Can you explain one scenario where that would be the case? I'm asking the question as someone who has been training and racing on a road bike since 1983, and commuting by bike through Sheff for 10 years, so I'm as pro-cycling as you will come across. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewheeldave Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Despite your dislike of such behaviour and some of it certainly is lazy, there was some research done on traffic accidents regarding cyclists in London recently. A surprise discovery was that men were far less likely to get killed at traffic lights than women. The reason being because women didn't jump lights as often, they were more likely to be killed by a left turning vehicle. I believe this year, six out of the eight cyclist deaths have been female. Link here- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8296971.stm In 2007, an internal report for Transport for London concluded women cyclists are far more likely to be killed by lorries because, unlike men, they tend to obey red lights and wait at junctions in the driver's blind spot. This means that if the lorry turns left, the driver cannot see the cyclist as the vehicle cuts across the bike's path. The report said that male cyclists are generally quicker getting away from a red light - or, indeed, jump red lights - and so get out of the danger area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattleonard Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Link here- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8296971.stm So what it's saying is that the men are safer because they go through the red lights than the women who wait in the drivers' blind spots? So, both the men and the women concerned have missed a fairly obvious third option. Anyway, it doesn't count, cos it's London ;-) ---------- Post added 02-07-2015 at 13:31 ---------- Admittedly, I suspect it is probably a scenario where cycle lanes do more harm than good. The women could be where they are because of a cycle lane, when in fact they'd be better off in the centre of the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteM01 Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Occasionally I will skip around a traffic light junction on pavement, not because it is quicker, but because it is safer. Or because the traffic lights simply won't change for cyclists. Safer for you, but less safe for pedestrians around the junction...you are just passing some of the risk on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzyjj Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 So what it's saying is that the men are safer because they go through the red lights than the women who wait in the drivers' blind spots? So, both the men and the women concerned have missed a fairly obvious third option.The fact that where you naturally wait on the road is a blind spot for some drivers is an issue. The fact that even if seen, drivers still turn left on you is another problem. The fact that cars often wait in the ASL which is designed to help prevent such deadly incidents is also a problem. So what is the obvious third option Matt? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squiggs Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 The fact that where you naturally wait on the road is a blind spot for some drivers is an issue. The fact that even if seen, drivers still turn left on you is another problem. The fact that cars often wait in the ASL which is designed to help prevent such deadly incidents is also a problem. So what is the obvious third option Matt? The option that doesn't seem obvious to some, like the suicidal fool who swore at me for stopping, in the cycle lane, behind the HGV. He wanted to go and wait under the passenger cab door. I didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattleonard Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 The option that doesn't seem obvious to some, like the suicidal fool who swore at me for stopping, in the cycle lane, behind the HGV. He wanted to go and wait under the passenger cab door. I didn't. Yep, and even stopping behind the HGV not in the cycle lane. That way you don't get left-hooked by the HGV behind either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smilersarah Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 a little off topic but i cant believe what i have just seen a cyclist with not one!! not 2 but three kids under 5 on a bike on busy abbeydale road, one kid on the back in a seat, one on some sort of crossbar contraption and the other on a seat in front of the handlebars:loopy: bloody mad if you ask me and so no wonder cyclists get animosity, poor kids it doesnt bear thinking about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkey69 Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Maybe its not such a surprise that cyclists are seen as scum on the roads of South Yorkshire. Even the Police are getting in on the act, Today i was cycling past the law courts at Snig hill. There are roadworks taking place at the moment so the four lanes are reduced to two, with cones denoting the opposing lanes. Never the less two Police vans coming up behind me blasted their horns for me to move out of their way. I am sorry but i had nowhere to go, except getting off my bike and mounting the pavement on the opposite side of the road!. After all the road works only go on for maybe four / five hundred yards, they might have been on a emergency call, but there were no sirens / blue lights flashing. so I was I supposed to know, or anyone else for that matter?. They did tear off up towards the old co-op, so its a possibility. But it was dangerous coming up behind a cyclists and blowing their horns when they where two yards behind my ear!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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