Traffic rules

[cat-i]

 

Do you stop at red lights or stopstreets?

 

[FanieFiets]

Always Red lights. 99,8% Stopstreets.

[linnega]

It is impossible to always stop at red lights as some only change when over 200kg is on the mat.  Afraid I don't weigh that much even with both bikes.

 

Also, it is safer when commuting to avoid stopping and unclipping in traffic.  The most dangerous and vulnerable time is while you are clipping in and getting up to speed.  As a result, I do whatever is safest for me - if that means going through a red light then so be it.  Stop's I always stop at unless they are badly designed and should be a yield.  Also very seldom stop at traffic lights or stops where I am turning left - there is no reason why these cannot be treated as yields at best.

 

[cat-i]

 

Also' date=' it is safer when commuting to avoid stopping and unclipping in traffic.  The most dangerous and vulnerable time is while you are clipping in and getting up to speed.  [/quote']

 

please explain "dangerous and vulnerable"?

 

[goofs]

Also' date=' it is safer when commuting to avoid stopping and unclipping in traffic.  The most dangerous and vulnerable time is while you are clipping in and getting up to speed.  As a result, I do whatever is safest for me - if that means going through a red light then so be it.  Stop's I always stop at unless they are badly designed and should be a yield.  Also very seldom stop at traffic lights or stops where I am turning left - there is no reason why these cannot be treated as yields at best.
[/quote']

 

Linnega i stop and clip in and out all the time. Perhaps you just need to practice a bit more.

 

Whats constitutes a badly designed stop, position, appearance ??? and using the criteria you decide,  do you also apply this when travelling in your car.

 

[goofs]

Linnega to assist you on how to ride on a public road, you can read it up on the link below. (you can thank me later)

 

http://www.arrivealive.co.za/pages.asp?mc=cycling&nc=bicycling

 

[IanJ]

 

Linnega i stop and clip in and out all the time. Perhaps you just need to practice a bit more.

 

 

Yes Linnega, go practice more. You obviously haven't been cycling for long enough .

 

[TheLegend]

also people will jump at me i always do what i want in traffic, mostly not obeying red lights. but thing is, i stay on the right side of the rode, give clear signals to the motorists (eye contact best so you know each is aware of the other). i live in europe and fines here for crossing a red light are high and usually enforced by police. so before going over a red light u always to check for the police. but no matter how i ride i always let it go smoothly and never endanger others! i ride criss cross through traffic but the cars can go on as they inted.

i actually also don't mind red cars going over stops or red lights as long as they are as aware of the situation as possible and don't endager others or making taffic/people stop  that sucks (pedestrian, cyclist,.. always have to be taken care of, they are the weaker!). traffic is supposed to go as smoothly as possible. look at each other, give clear signs and communicate and off you go. i work as a cycle messenger and in five years i only had one accident because of me going over a red light. yes, my fault! bu the women in the front car saw me coming, didn't know what to do and instead of just driving on she slammed the brakes and i flew in through the back window. if i learned? yes! i still do as i please but reduced the risk and try only to make "the move" when 99% sure (100%) is impossible...

 

[T-Bag]

Stop? For what?

 

A waiste of training time if you ask me!! 

[FanieFiets]

Linnega - Personally I feel safer unclipping and stopping than running over a red light and dodging the traffic!

 

T-bag -  Dink jy gaan bietjie meer oefentyd verloor as 'n trok jou trap!

(PS het jy nie prison break gekyk nie? T-bag is die sicko, freaky ou)

[Icycling]

I know I should not ask this, but in every accident on SA roads where people are killed their is an investigation.

 

 

 

What I would like to know is howmany Cyclists have been killed by jumping red traffic lights (real cyclists not just people on bike) - probably non. How many cyclists have keen killed early in the morning stoped at red lights by drunk drives - I know of at least one.

 

 

 

My point is if a cyclist has jumped a red light he has made dam sure that it is safe to do so!

[cat-i]

 

 

My point is if a cyclist has jumped a red light he has made dam sure that it is safe to do so!

 

I agree with you, Icycling, the cyclist should make damn sure that it is safe ... but that is only half the story. Even if it is safe to do so, disrespecting traffic rules may cause motorists to disrespect cyclists.

 

I don't want motorists to take their frustration about other cyclists out on me

 

 

[FanieFiets]

Icycling - The the reason for a right light is that it is an intersection and the the light is GREEN for the other person. How can you know it is safe jumping the right light when the other car can be doing 80 km/h and isnt in sight yet.

 

Laat my dink aan 'n stupid ding wat sommige mense in die aand met karre doen. As jy in die aand ry en naby 'n stopstraat kom sit jy jou ligte af. Jy kan dan die ander kar se ligte sien en as jy niks sien nie dink jy dis fine om die stopstraat te jump. Wil nie eers dink wat alles verkeerd kan gaan nie.

 

Maar dis net ek.

[Witrot]

Probably true Icycling

BUT not always! Know of 2 incidents where cyclist skipped red lights that caused accidents allthough themselves where not involved in the crash.

Rather obey the rules. Better safe than sorry. I found if you time your riding well you can keep your speed more or less and obey the rules by using the cars to cross intersections and still get some good exercise in.

[TheLegend]

 

My point is if a cyclist has jumped a red light he has made dam sure that it is safe to do so!

 

absolutely (hopefully)

 

[Icycling]

FanieFiets - that is a retorical questions - if you cannot see far up a road where there are lights, ie their is a for example a bend just before the light. The the cyclist cannot make dam sure that it is safe to go, can he?

 

 

 

I am not say it is a good thing to jump red lights stop streets etc. All I was asking for was the stats on deaths by cyclists disobeying the law. And mentioned I also know of cyclist who have been killed by motorist disobeying the law while the cyclist is stoped at a red light. This happened at the intersection of main road Cape Town and the road taking you to Ou Kaapse weg in Lakeside some years back.