My normal commute is out from town but sometimes, like yesterday, I ride towards town with all the other cycle commuters.
If you think other riders are riding badly, you should go and talk to them, I reckon.
I hollered at 6 riders yesterday who'd run red lights. I also made a point of catching up with, patting on the back and chatting to two guys.
It's always going to be difficult because nobody likes being preached to / told they're wrong but I think you have to have a go.
Be super friendly about it but say something. Shout something if you have to, even if it's only "red light!" Best to avoid "red light *!#*" as that's not very constructive.
Anyone agree? There is a dearth of comments to these threads. Leggy, any do-gooding on your commute?
7 comments:
What was the response you got from the six people you spoke to?
There were three guys who drifted through the lights at the end of Priory Lane all together, though other riders were waiting. I shouted "Red light guys!". They paused. I said "you just can't do that". They continued.
Another guy came past me through a red light. I caught him up, patted him on the back and said "you have to stop for those". He looked sheepish and said "cheers". He was very friendly.
The other two were just shouts because the riders were going the other way. They both kept their heads down and carried on.
I've ticked people off in road races before for throwing gel wrappers away, which is a not dissimilar sort of situation. It never goes down that well, but that doesn't stop me doing it. I figure if enough people mention it, perhaps the culprits'll start to think it's not OK after all.
With a bit of luck, the same might apply to red light jumping.
definitely the best way to approach the matter......
be friendly about it without pissin em off too much and they might begin to take heed !!!
do it with a smile, even better.
Dave
A cycling friend of mine brought your name to my attention at the weekend - I hadn't heard of you before. Low and behold if I didn't ride behind somebody with your kit on this morning. They jumped 3 red lights at the bottom of Holland Park! Practice what you preach guys.
Not practical, I'm afraid. Several reasons. 1) I doubt that telling someone is going to be any better than leading by example. 2) People are not receptive to approaches by strangers and will tend to react defensively - however friendly you are. A fist in the mush is not something I'd care to invite 3) Chasing after someone, even if to spread the word, is going to do little for your own peace of mind 4) Numpty is as numpty does. That's what they are and there's not much you can do about that. 5) RLJ is only one aspect of numpty riding, there are so many others that to be consistent you would end up preaching all the journey - not a comfortable idea. 6) Darwin rules, OK?
But anyway, no matter that I won't be joining in the education program you are suggesting, I applaud the sentiment and wish you luck spreading the message.
Gotta say that sometimes it's safer to go through reds when there's nothing coming. I'm not talking about blasting through a string of pedestrians crossing, but I'm afraid sometimes I just like to get across a junction before the melee of traffic begins rushing across as soon as the lights flick to amber.
Obviously this is controversial and if everyone did it we'd have more problems than it solves but when cars and other motorists block ASL boxes and motorcyclist jam themselves into cycle lanes so it's impossible to get past I'm afraid, wrongly or rightly, I feel more justified.
I know 2 wrongs don't make a right, but escaping the "whacky races" that often ensue the lights changing is often safer than getting cut up/mown down...
I do what I have to, to put distance between myself and the traffic
Post a Comment