Is stopping at red lights now optional?

Ibrahim5

The funny thing is that some people say that cyclists go through red lights, as though motorists never do.

prowla

Is stopping at red lights now optional?

...only if you're a cyclist!

prowla

In mytown the council have taken to replacing roundabouts with one-at-a-time traffic lights, so I can understand why people race through on red.

Emmia

Ibrahim5 said:

The funny thing is that some people say that cyclists go through red lights, as though motorists never do.

As a non car owner who walks alot, cyclists (and illegal privately owned escooters) are the biggest law breakers that I see, jumping red lights, speeding across crossings with pedestrians on them, travelling on the pavement... 

Driving standards (especially car drivers) have also nosedived since the pandemic.

EssexHebridean

prowla said:

Is stopping at red lights now optional?

...only if you're a cyclist!

That will be a “bad cyclist” thank you- there are a good number of us who obey the laws of the road exactly the same as we would if we were in a car, and who fully understand that a red or amber light means stop! 

Absolutely no cause to try to derail the thread into cyclist bashing IMO. 

Emmia said:

Ibrahim5 said:

The funny thing is that some people say that cyclists go through red lights, as though motorists never do.

As a non car owner who walks alot, cyclists (and illegal privately owned escooters) are the biggest law breakers thag I see, jumping red lights, speeding across crossings with pedestrians on them, travelling on the pavement... 

Driving standards (especially car drivers) have also nosedived since the pandemic.

BIB - really? An interesting one - and perhaps you being a non regular driver means you simply don’t see the level of casual law breaking out there from motorists. As a pedestrian, cyclist and car driver I unquestionably see far more care drivers routinely breaking the law - from speeding (trying to drive at the correct speed in either a 30 or a 50mph area almost invariably earns you a good tailgating from the car behind) to close passing of cyclists, ignoring pedestrian crossings with pedestrians waiting etc. I agree that generally speaking cyclists should be on the road not the pavement - however in some situations this is simply unsafe, and the only option is to transfer to the footpath and either get off and push or, if conditions allow to travel slowly and carefully in a low gear ensuring that you give priority to pedestrians.  Absolutely 100% agree on the menace that is e-scooters however, there really needs to be far more enforcement against them. I’d also suggest that e-bikes now need a significant tightening up of legislation around them as many are capable of travelling at very high speeds in comparison to a regular pedal cycle. 

Back on topic though - I haven’t noticed any significant increase in frustration from other drivers when I had stopped at red lights - I think it is something that has always existed to some degree. In terms of general standards of driving, IMO they dropped appallingly when traffic returned to the roads post pandemic - I’ve always assumed a combination of those who shielded and so barely drove for an extended period, combined with those who had the roads far more to themselves while others were using them so much during the lockdown periods etc, enjoyed the experience, and now do feel they should have to share! 

Grey_Critic said:

If you read my comments.

1 - If we were to be pedantic then no but that criteria applies to many of the topics/posts.

2 - I suggested a way in which application of the rules (Law) that if spplied could possibly save money for such as the NHS etc by reduction of accidents and so save insurance companies money.

Rest assured that some of us DID read your comments and also agreed with what you actually said, rather than what the quoter tried to suggest you had via their edit to your post. It has been pointed out previously that selective quoting in this way is against good forum etiquette and that “<snip>” can be used to indicate that a quoted post has been edited.

Norman_Castle

Car_54 said:

Norman_Castle said:

It also seems that you now don't have to wait at a zebra crossing if the crossing pedestrian is no longer directly ahead of you.

 

You don’t (and never have). The law says the pedestrian has precedence. That doesn’t mean you have to wait until he has crossed completely.

Are you sure? I've always waited until a pedestrian had fully crossed the road. I don't remember being taught to do this but it was how all drivers treated crossings.

Rule 19

"Zebra crossings. Give traffic plenty of time to see you and to stop before you start to cross. Vehicles will need more time when the road is slippery. Wait until traffic has stopped from both directions or the road is clear before crossing. Remember that traffic does not have to stop until someone has moved onto the crossing. Drivers and riders should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross and MUST give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing (see Rule H2). Keep looking both ways, and listening, in case a driver or rider has not seen you and attempts to overtake a vehicle that has stopped."

The above states drivers must give way to pedestrians on a crossing, it doesn't say only when ahead of you in the lane you are in.

Crossings with central islands are treated as two separate crossings. I've looked online and the only information I can find is rule 20,

Rule 20

"Where there is an island in the middle of a zebra crossing, wait on the island and follow Rule 19 before you cross the second half of the road - it is a separate crossing."

The fact that crossings with central islands are treated as separate crossings needs defining suggests crossings without central islands should be treated as a single crossing and drivers should wait until the crossing is clear.

Norman_Castle

[Deleted User] said:

Another possibility is that the junction is complex and someone is looking at the wrong light, thinking they can go.

Possible on some junctions but not the ones mentioned above.

Norman_Castle

prowla said:

Is stopping at red lights now optional?

...only if you're a cyclist!

Apparently not,

prowla said:

In mytown the council have taken to replacing roundabouts with one-at-a-time traffic lights, so I can understand why people race through on red.

Norman_Castle

Emmia said:

Driving standards (especially car drivers) have also nosedived since the pandemic.

I nearly mentioned that in the first post but wondered if it was just me thinking it. A few posts on this thread have said the same.

diystarter7

Zinger549 said:

diystarter7 said:

Hi

The simple answer is no!!

The thread title is misleading and could confuse the already less skilled/confused that may read these threads and think its now optional when clearly it is not!  



Thanks

I really don't think someone is going to start driving through red lights because of the title of this thread.

Hi



Since you posted here others are now talking about some cyclists, battery scooter riders already see it as "optional" as they have seen many jump the red lights which is illegal!! (you see the confusion this title is causing?)


When I read the headline, I thought, hold on, really, are we going/considering USA style of highway code.  Are we getting the American way of driving regrading  red lights where you can turn right on a red light at many junctions where allowed!! 

 I bet you many that read these threads today, and over  years to come will see my concerns
"

""Is stopping at red lights now optional?"   

I hope you can now see my concerns as I thought the UK was heading for this option reading the title. I don't know about you but many times I just read the title and move on and often apply this rule to forums and online news media and if I had not read the context, I would have been wondering, if some riders do it as detailed above and are we heading to USA style, ie turn right on a red light????  (I hope you can now appreciate my point and those that thumbed up you)

NB: CAUTION ADVISED AS THE QUOTE AND THE LINK BELOW  APPLIES TO THE USA & NOT THE UNITED KINDOM

Turning Right on a Red Light - Orlando Forum - TripAdvisor

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk › ShowTopic-g34515-i1...

10 answers

Yes you can turn right on a red light unless it says otherwise. We've always found the driving pretty straightforward in the States.

=============++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Personally, if a thread like this is  ie non-money saver allowed on these forums, the title I would have given it to stop any confusion is:

WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE IGNORING RED LIGHTS RULES? ?

Thanks