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Cyclists going through red lights. Localised colour blindness?

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Recently I've been walking through town quite regularly in a morning. There's some very bizarre behaviour I've noticed by some cyclists in one very specific place.

There's a crossing (shown here) after Shoreham street crosses St. Mary's road, every time I get to this crossing and the lights are red (for road traffic) I am met with one or more cyclists coming from Shoreham street (South) crossing over St.Mary's road, the majority of whom sail straight through the red lights.

When it happened this morning and a midle-aged chap on a Brompton passed inches away from me, I kindly informed him it was a red light.

"No it's not" he yelled back in reply.

 

The oddest part of this daily occurrence is that they could easily use the cycle lane on the right (highlighted in green) and avoid breaking the law. They continue to go through the red light though (blue route). Is it some trick of the light, does the morning Sun make the green light look illuminated rather than the red?

Or is it just ignorance and laziness?

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The absolute madman

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//I've noticed by some cyclists//

I would say a sizeable minority jump red lights!

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I can't explain it, although I'm glad you used 'some' :-)

 

The green line makes no sense though, surely that cycle path on the other side is for bikes coming the other way? To allow them to travel the 'wrong way' on the 1 way street. If you're going to correct way you should use the main carriageway.

I've no idea why he'd say "no it's not" though, from streetview it looks like the lights would apply to a cyclist coming off the cycle path.

 

Then again

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.373755,-1.468105,3a,75y,138.64h,83.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGLqerUD0xP9s0p1TarUnhw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

Looking here at the cyclists coming out of Shoreham Street South, it's possible that they can't even see the lights until they're in a position where it's not safe to stop...

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.3738339,-1.4679977,3a,75y,63.04h,90.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sLpm_2LspYHB5n3o2_ANuUw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The lights themselves have filter thingies over them.

 

But I think you can see the red light

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.3735992,-1.4680797,3a,75y,10.96h,74.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1stW8B-JDWIVwlZB-GkwDnHw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

From the exit of the cycle path, although it's not clear when it would actually be safe to exit that cycle path to continue across...

 

Possibly the whole thing is just badly though out and isn't working for anyone.

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Could it be that the cyclists get a green light on their cycle path which allows them to cross St Marys and go up Shoreham whilst cars are red lighed? It seems the bike lane has it's own individual traffic light here

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Could it be that the cyclists get a green light on their cycle path which allows them to cross St Marys and go up Shoreham whilst cars are red lighed? It seems the bike lane has it's own individual traffic light here

 

That's interesting, I'll cross the road and have a look at that tomorrow. Regardless, when they reach the pedestrian crossing, if the light is red they should stop, rather than cycle between crossing pedestrians.

 

---------- Post added 25-04-2018 at 15:39 ----------

 

I can't explain it, although I'm glad you used 'some' :-)

 

The green line makes no sense though, surely that cycle path on the other side is for bikes coming the other way? To allow them to travel the 'wrong way' on the 1 way street. If you're going to correct way you should use the main carriageway.

It didn't occur to me that the path might be directional. Looking at the bike symbols on it I'd say you might be right.

 

I've no idea why he'd say "no it's not" though, from streetview it looks like the lights would apply to a cyclist coming off the cycle path.

 

Then again

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.373755,-1.468105,3a,75y,138.64h,83.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sGLqerUD0xP9s0p1TarUnhw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

Looking here at the cyclists coming out of Shoreham Street South, it's possible that they can't even see the lights until they're in a position where it's not safe to stop...

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.3738339,-1.4679977,3a,75y,63.04h,90.02t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sLpm_2LspYHB5n3o2_ANuUw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The lights themselves have filter thingies over them.

 

But I think you can see the red light

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.3735992,-1.4680797,3a,75y,10.96h,74.41t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1stW8B-JDWIVwlZB-GkwDnHw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

From the exit of the cycle path, although it's not clear when it would actually be safe to exit that cycle path to continue across...

 

Possibly the whole thing is just badly though out and isn't working for anyone.

 

I'm going to have a look from that point of view tomorrow.

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Would it be safe for them to stop at that point?

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Would it be safe for them to stop at that point?

 

You mean at the red light?

Yes, also some cyclists do indeed stop there.

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Could it be that the cyclists get a green light on their cycle path which allows them to cross St Marys and go up Shoreham whilst cars are red lighed? It seems the bike lane has it's own individual traffic light here

 

According to the OP some cyclists do stop.......

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Could it be that the cyclists get a green light on their cycle path which allows them to cross St Marys and go up Shoreham whilst cars are red lighed? It seems the bike lane has it's own individual traffic light here

 

That's interesting, I'll cross the road and have a look at that tomorrow. Regardless, when they reach the pedestrian crossing, if the light is red they should stop, rather than cycle between crossing pedestrians.

 

So on that green light the cyclist could cross the road and then ride right past the crossing and all the people using it on the pavement/cycle path.

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