'Special' red light jumping!

Darwin has to be waiting for this guy...

Not only does he go for it while our light is still red, he actually shouts and gestures at the cars *legally* driving through the other way!

As I said, special.

(Music by Kevin MacLeod)

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• bicycle
• Cycle
• bike
• commute
• Edinburgh
• POV.1
• headcam
• red
• light
• jump
• stupid

[Tzimnewman3]

I think someone should take his license. Oh I forgot you don't need a license to ride a bicycle and there can never be one due to childrens bikes, etc.

Most of the time there is need of such a margin compared with the pulling of power compared with a car. Its better to be ahead then behind some car which wants to pass through the lights quickly. Just have to take each situation as it comes.

If pedestrians are crossing then stop if its empty then its ok. Don't freak out over small things.

[EdinburghFixed]

Perhaps, if this was "just" a pedestrian crossing! But it's the joining point of a 50mph dual carriageway (cars from the left) with a five lane trunk road...

In any case I agree with what you're saying, that each situation is different (a good motto to ride by)

[urbanmanc]

He was shouting and gesturing because the lights controlling the traffic from your left had gone to red and the car ran the stop light.

He was doing what many cyclists do, wait till the conflicting signals turn red then proceed in order to give themselves some 'safe room from the vehicles behind them, it's common practice .. well done that man.

[EdinburghFixed]

Crap.. there were already 3 bikes at the front of the queue so he was hardly needing safe room from the cars already stuck behind us!

I'm not totally against bouncing red lights in every circumstance, but riding in front of oncoming traffic "for safe room" is a total contradiction.

The white line for that traffic stream is a long way back, the car could easily have crossed on amber and the light turned red by the time we see him enter from left.

Faster yes, safer no... special yes!

[urbanmanc]

Your lights turned to amber as the final car from your left was in the box junction, he ran his stop light and I suspect the car in front of him also did, imagine if that was a cyclist, he would have been run down from traffic in your lane.

The front biker was in a safe position by the barriers and dependant on local knowledge he felt it necessary to be in that position either because of past experiences or for personal gain, his manoeuvre is often a safer option dependant on location.

[EdinburghFixed]

I hear what you're saying, but I just don't think that riding into the oncoming traffic (whether it's jumped the red or not) is safer than sitting back.

What if the car had swerved and hit someone?

If the car had been a cyclist, he would still have got through the junction before any of our traffic could have reached him (assuming we started from the line).

If the cyclist was afraid of the traffic, he could easily have sat in front of us - I overtook him either way.

[Wasabi4Concrete]

I don't mind cyclists, I just hate the irresponsible and arrogant ones.

[BillKenn]

because we should be better than that. obey the rules of the road, cycle positively and safely and don't antagonise car drivers unneccessarily. I cycle a lot and I cycle within the rules and it's not uncommon for me to get a barrel load of abuse second hand, just because some other cyclist has had a go at drivers and I'm being lumped in with the 'bad' crowd.

[jimbo80982]

@psteverific for cyclists , i see what you mean. If the traffic was gridlocked then it is a great advantage but if you were just waiting on some light then why?

[jimbo80982]

@EdinburghFixed heh if only po po saw it that way eh?

[TheGoogelfag]

thats just stupid, he should have been going over 30 mph so if he hits a car he will burn a hole in it and come out unharmed.

[psteverific]

Although I have no problem with cyclists filtering to the front at a red (in fact, I support it, the faster we all get to where we are going, the better) I really don't think it is any safer.

It increases the chance that the first motor vehicle in the line will be trying to pass you in or just past the intersection, which is when it is most difficult to keep an eye on what is behind you.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this

[foggy460]

It's people like him that give cyclists a bad name.

[ScottishPoliceVideos]

@NaceLunk It's there to warn road users that the light is going to change to red.

[szita2000]

@urbanmanc

What is this "The front biker was in a safe position by the barriers and dependant on local knowledge he felt it necessary to be in that position" cr*p ?

If there is a red traffic light, the highway code says you must stop with your vehicle at the light. which means the line of the light. not 10 m behind the light, not even 2 foot behind the light.

OBEY THE HIGHWAY CODE ! imagine how dangerous roads would be if car dirvers would feel that they need to stop, or jump a light...

[n325aej]

car jumped red light,

[battlestarone]

and this is why you should be made to carry insurance.

[NaceLunk]

I will never understand the purpose of orange light when changing from red. Why do you need a warning that it's about to turn green? It's not the end of the world if you lose a couple seconds when it turns to green because of sloe reaction.