Cyclists and Red Lights . . Why do they do it, they should read the Highway Code . .

On the way to work this morning, I had the misfortune to run into one of those people on bikes who think Red Lights don’t count for cyclists and that they can ride through them no matter what, and he also believed that he has a cyclist has the right of way at all times, even over cars,   though they have the exact same right of way as any other vehicle on the road, be it petrol/diesel/horse/pedal power.

As far as I am aware and can remember from my Highway Code the only time when someone has the right of way over other road users is “Yield to the Driver on the Right” rule

This is the rule that controls most intersections when drivers arrive at an intersection simultaneously.

For instance, you come upon a stop sign at the same time as another driver in a cross street and he is on your right. You yield (give up) the right of way to that driver by letting him go first. If you reach an uncontrolled intersection at close to the same time, the vehicle who actually reached the intersection last is the driver who must yield the right of way. If you reach the intersection at the same time, the driver on the left should yield the right of way.

Now I fully understand this rule and adhere to it, now looking at my picture below (the red mark shows my line of travel on to Chester Road from Dayhulme Road East, the green line represents the cyclist’s route along Chester Road traveling across the intersection of the roads.

Now just so you are aware this junction is controlled by Traffic Lights and I was on Green and turned onto Chester Road behind a number of other vehicles, but due to congestion was stopped literally where the red marks stop, here i waited until the traffic moved again, it was at this point the cyclist appeared out of nowhere and shoot across the front of my path of travel, moving from the right side of my car to the left side, without any signalling of his intentions at all, resulting in my having to break violently to avoid hitting him.

Chester Road 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When i moved forwarded I wound down my window and informed him he was lucky that I hadn’t hit him and to watch where he’s going in future , this resulted in him telling me that I was in the wrong and that he had the right of way, to which I informed him in no uncertain terms that the light was green and he had infact gone through a red light, he still said that he’d had the right of way and went on about i should concentrate of driving and not smoking my cigarette and using my Bluetooth (how he knew I had Bluetooth I have no idea).

Anyway after a few minutes of roadrage he cycled off and no doubt went through god knows how many other red lights on the way to work  . . .

I have no problems with cyclists as long as they like me, follow the rules of the HighWay Code particularly rules 69 and 71

Rule 69 of the Highway code relating to cyclists

You MUST obey all traffic signs and traffic light signals.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD reg 10(1)

Rule 71 of the Highway code relating to cyclists

You MUST NOT cross the stop line when the traffic lights are red. Some junctions have an advanced stop line to enable you to wait and position yourself ahead of other traffic (see Rule 178).
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 36(1)

I’ve now installed my in car camera again, in the hope that if he does it again, I can report him to the Police for dangerous driving.

 

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