Red Light Surprise
Yesterday as I approached a light on Mass Ave it turned red. The cyclist ahead of me rode blithely through it. I came to a complete stop. That was apparently a very unexpected move to the cyclist behind me…
Should this really be that much of a surprise?
However, this is why I sometimes signal when stopping at a red. Of course then the cyclist would be confused about what I’m doing with my hand… right before crashing into me just the same.
ok the link didn’t post, see Boston Cyclist’s Union site for article
http://bostoncyclistsunion.org/uncategorized/boston-bikes-update-and-the-question-of-enforcement/
That happened to me, with the consequence of one very very expensive campagnolo carbon brake lever broken. Fortunately the cyclist was fair and didn’t asked me to pay (something I was specting).
This seems to be very much an Anglo-Saxon thing, like wearing silly plastic hats. During eleven months of daily cycling in the Netherlands, with thousands of bikes on the streets at peak hours, I witnessed only one very minor collision: front wheel spokes tangled in someone’s rear mudguard; no damage; both cyclists remained upright.
Personally, I don’t bother with the slowing-down signal which I learnt for my driving test in 1967 (forearm flexed up and down from the elbow with palm pronated). Hand signals ceased to be part of the UK driving test some time in the 1980s, so I doubt whether many people nowadays would know what it meant. Instead I just slow down gradually when coming up to lights and hope that anyone behind me will have the sense to do likewise. Our self-styled Vehicular Cyclists are very proud of “taking the lane” to slow down motor vehicles behind them – for their own good, naturally – so they can hardly object if I do the same to them.
If they do object, magisterial calm is very disarming: also feigned surprise that they would even so much as think of running a red light. And if they run into the back of my 21kg Finnish Army bike, then I think I know which party is likely to come off worse.
In most European jurisdictions a vehicle which runs into one ahead of it is automatically judged to have been at fault because the driver should have been paying more attention. Likewise vehicles in front are under no obligation to alter their behaviour in respect of those behind them since they have a better view of the road conditions ahead.
Bikeyface,
How do you signal you’re stopping? Is it the arm flapping thing? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone give that signal on a bike.
Personally, I like to signal straight ahead (palm facing forward, looking like I’m pushing the air). I think I’m the only cyclist in London using this signal. It occasionally gets sarcastic remarks from the motorcyclists who’ve mistaken the advance stop area as a place meant for them. I tell them that if they don’t want to know where I’m going they can look away.
I’ve nearly got hit by other cyclists running lights for which I’m stopping. I once got knocked off by a cyclist running a red light when I was crossing a road on a cycle path (with the lights in my favour). “I didn’t see you,” he said. “There was a red light to tell you to stop,” I replied. I argue strongly for cyclists to follow road rules in this blogpost: http://invisiblevisibleman.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-no-man-is-island-even-in-his-car.html The only time I’ve knocked off another cyclist was also a result of red light jumping. She cut across in front of me to turn left while the lights were red. The lights changed, I started, she came across my path, she landed in the road. To her credit, she admitted it was her fault.
On the other hand, I often see cars going through red lights for which I’ve stopped and I’ve had a number of near misses with cars that were just going too fast to spot the traffic signals. While the red light jumping cyclist did only minor damage, all of those instances could easily, easily have been fatal.
Your lightness of touch and drawing talent, as ever, bring the situation humorously and poignantly to life, Bikeface.
Invisible
http://invisiblevisibleman.blogspot.com
This is the stop signal I use: http://bikeyface.com/2011/07/21/how-to-stop-traffic/
but usually more for unexpected stops (at red lights I assume the red light kind of signals for me, but that assumes others follow lights too)
You know, maybe I should get one of those “brake” signal generator lights that I’ve been coveting. They sense the front wheel slowing (from the change in generator current) and get brighter for a couple of seconds.
I’ve been wanting one, but have a perfectly good generator light already, and don’t NEED a new one. I sure do want though.