Journalist Sophie Wilkinson has penned a column for the Evening Standard outlining why she believes cyclists should be allowed to ride through red lights (so long as they give pedestrians priority)...
📻Soapbox: “Let cyclists skip red lights (so long as they give pedestrians priority)”
by @sophwilkinsonhttps://t.co/zdOyrXW8UN— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) August 17, 2023
She writes...
I find it is far better is to jump lights — which is why I say make it legal for cyclists to jump red lights and so much more in order to maintain our safety.
As I always give pedestrians right of way, the only life I risk by jumping a red is my own. Turning left at a junction? I believe it is far safer to do so before the vehicle behind gets the same idea and pulls me under its wheels.
And why shouldn't a bike go through a set of green pedestrian lights when there are simply no pedestrians in sight?
Thoughts?
We wouldn't be the first place to allow it. Cyclists in Paris are allowed to at some junctions (much to the surprise of my visit last year, armed with my very British confusion and willingness to wait in a queue, as legions of Lime bike hirers nonchalantly sailed past me and safely through junctions). Likewise it's permitted in some other cities on the continent, while in Idaho cyclists must come to a full stop before proceeding and must yield to other traffic.
> Should cyclists be allowed to ride through red lights? Campaigners split on safety benefits
Last year, Colorado adopted new legislation meaning at a stop sign, cyclists are required to "slow to a reasonable speed" and give way to any motor traffic or pedestrians at the junction before proceeding. On encountering a red traffic light, they have to stop at the junction and give way to any vehicles or pedestrians there before continuing on their way – even if the lights haven't changed.
What do you think? Do you always stop at red lights? Would you like to see a change to the law? Would it make things safer? We'll round up some reaction to the piece next...
"Why I skip red lights": Journalist makes the case for cyclists riding through reds (so long as they give pedestrians priority)https://t.co/9vfrjViSVNpic.twitter.com/BWfSN4wvx0
— road.cc (@roadcc) August 17, 2023
Just a few comments on this one... let's get cracking and hopefully we're all done in time for tea...
Sriracha: "Of course it is safer for the cyclist to make the left turn before the adjacent HGV does the same. But I don't think having cyclists jump red lights is the answer. Longer term I'd like to see separate lights for cyclists (like the little ones you see in France) that would go green ahead of the main lights, anywhere where there is a cycle box/ASL (which need to be the norm, not the exception)."
Rendel Harris: "While I'd be happy for cyclists to be allowed through red lights in certain situations - left turn on red for example – I think it would be an horrendous mistake to allow them to run reds on pedestrian crossings. Just last night I was watching our bikes outside East Dulwich station whilst Herself picked up some shopping, in five minutes I saw at least a dozen cyclists run through the red at the pelican crossing whilst pedestrians were on it; at least half of them were riding in excess of 20 mph (it's at the bottom of a hill) and had to swerve around people crossing.
"If this is the way people behave when it's totally illegal, I can't see any improvement occurring if it was made legal. Any legislation to allow any leeway for cyclists at lights must remember the hierarchy of road users and have pedestrian safety as its #1 priority."
neilmck: "In France there will be a little sign with arrows on the traffic light telling you which directions you can go on red. Whether or not there are these signs depends whether or not there is a cyclist working in the local town hall (this can also be determined by looking at the width of the cycle lanes).
"I commute 50km by bicycle everyday in Paris and I generally go through red lights in the outer Parisian region where there is very light traffic and no pedestrians, however I would never do so (except at a signalled junction) in central Paris (there is just too much happening to be safe)."
Kerry Palmer: "It's been legal in some States in the US since 1982... and most of the evidence found it's safer."
Fair few Facebook comments, I'd suggest without actually reading the article in question, missing out completely the idea Sophie suggested it become law... and instead just piling into one great big anti-cycling bingo round. Gives 'em something to do at lunch, I guess...
Morgoth985: "Seems to me that a lot of the objections to the going through red lights idea are along the lines of 'don't break the law, it will just encourage drivers to do the same'. But if it was a change to the HC then it wouldn't be breaking the law.
"Granted, it would be giving some road users a right that others don't have, which might annoy the 'have nots', but too bad, that's actually the idea, and wouldn't be the only instance. [edit: I meant the extra right is the idea, not the annoyance, although who knows, maybe that would be worth it too!]"
I'm not sure what to say about this, to be honest...
Good potential for comment section punning, I guess...
(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
It's been one of those weeks for the sport of cycling...
On Tuesday, former Team Sky and British Cycling doctor Richard Freeman was banned from all sports for four years by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) for violating its rules by taking possession of Testogel for unnamed riders.
Then, last night, Jumbo-Visma, the team that has won both Grand Tours so far this year and the last two editions of the Tour de France, announced that a rider on their books had been suspended after an out-of-competition doping test came back positive for a diuretic medicine.
Not that you'd know it from the team's website, where news of Ben Tulett's signing from Ineos Grenadiers and the team time trial success at Vuelta a Burgos is all that's deemed worthy of mention.
Michel Hessmann is the rider involved, the team announcing the news only on social media in a post with replies disabled. The German was part of the line-up that helped Primož Roglič win the Giro, having finished third at Tour de l'Avenir last season, and was last week competing in the road race in Glasgow.
"It concerned an out-of-competition control on 14 June in Germany. The detected product is a diuretic medicine. We await the results of further investigation. Michel has been suspended by the team until further notice," Jumbo-Visma's short social media statement read.
Drama after yesterday's Tour du Limousin sprint, British rider Lewis Askey bearing the brunt of Benoît Cosnefroy's ire...
A close call! There was drama today at the finish of stage two of the Tour du Limousin, as Luca Mozzato won his first career victory in a hectic bunch sprint!
Watch all the action over on GCN+ 👉 https://t.co/8FSJcLL3Gx (territory restrictions apply) #tourdulimousin#gcnracingpic.twitter.com/PTykwrXbqe
— GCN Racing (@GcnRacing) August 16, 2023
Askey later explained he had gone to see the Frenchman to explain what had happened from his viewpoint, adding that they had shaken hands and there is "no bad blood".
Cosnefroy gave his side of the story too... "You have to look at the last 150 metres. It's the game to put me in the box, but from there to put me at the feet of barriers... It's his job to put me in the box, if he does it — there's no problem, but between putting myself in the box so that I don't pass and putting me at the feet of barriers, there is a difference.
"We already take enough risks on the bike, we are often afraid for our lives, and when you see yourself touching the barrier feet, I can tell you that it's scary. The team worked superbly, so I wanted to look for the win and I felt that I had it surely in my legs. no more fear at the finish, that's just it."
Some reaction to Sophie Wilkinson's column now...
There are plenty of people placing the emphasis of the discussion around the need to still give way to pedestrians crossing and not put those on foot in danger.
100% but with one rule: always stop at the light first.
— Transit 🇭🇰 Jam (@Transit_Jam) August 17, 2023
Robin Hawkes replied to Jeremy Vine's tweet: "The 'pedestrian priority' part of this is what most troubles me, as I simply do not see it happening so often in practice."
Another reply suggested it could "increase risk unnecessarily".
It makes sense as it’ll be easier for motorists to pull away at junctions.
I’m all for it. However, at present it’s against the laws of the HC.
We can’t on one hand lambast motorists for ignoring the HC then on the other, champion cyclists for doing the same.— SCK1970 (@StuartKaye6) August 17, 2023