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Old April 15th 09, 05:55 AM posted to uk.transport.london,uk.rec.cycling,uk.transport
mileburner mileburner is offline
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First recorded activity at LondonBanter: Apr 2009
Posts: 16
Default Cyclists allowed to run red lights?


"neverwas" wrote in message
news
You have a good point. The only thing that lets that idea down in
that the number of peds killed by cyclists is very very few. Not that
I am excusing the cyclists, its just very rare. But the number of
cyclists killed by traffic is a lot higher. Hence Boris's idea to
reduce cyclist casualties.


Death is not the only form of injury. But stats on cyclist-on-pedestrian
incidents seem rare and partial because (i) there is no requirement on
cyclists to stop and give details and (ii) the police do not count them as
RTCs.

As regards "Boris's idea", the report includes

"More than a third of fatal cycling accidents in London involve cyclists
being hit by heavy vehicles turning left, Transport for London (TfL)
said."

But is that cyclists (i) who were waiting for red lights to turn green or
(ii) cyclists at large - including those trying to "undertake" an HGV at a
junction? If not (i) then the statistics are (as so often) being used to
mislead.


AIUI there has been at least one fatal accident where the cyclist is
legitimately waiting for a green light while sitting in a cycle lane. By the
placement of these lanes, the cyclist is encouraged to filter through
traffic on the wrong side. ISTM that the problem is largely due to cycling
in the gutter, alongside the traffic (esp. where there are HGVs turning).