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Today, in the car, I had the car behind me decide to jump a red light.
As in I stopped at the red light. The guy behind me stopped, paused, then decided he would drive round me and go through the red light.
As an aside, would you like to guess which car he was driving?
Ambulance?
X5
Deffo a German one
I had this once. Real WTF moment. Had to double check and hadn’t become confused and stopped on a green light 😂 Yes, it was a BMW 😀
I've had it at temporary lights for roadworks, I've stopped as the lights go red, the car behind has already pulled over to the other lane and carries on past me and through.
Not always German cars though.
Happened to me plenty. Didn’t think to note the car manufacturer on any of the occasions.
would you like to guess which car he was driving?
I'll also hazard a guess it was a BMW.
Admittedly I dont know entirely what BMW stands for but I can guess what the W is referring to.
I've also had this, idiot decided to get around me even though I was 2nd in the queue was to drive on to the pavement.
I'm sure the extremes of driving are what's getting worse, not the general middle of the rust driver.
I do it loads of times.
Edit : I think I do it more since getting the BMW.
Audi every time
It’s not a new trick either. I had someone go into the back of me back in 96, he said afterwards that he thought I was going to go through it, even though it was already on red.
Not a German car that time though, it was a Montego iirc
Well I did not know that….
Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH
The acronym BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH, which roughly translates to the Bavarian Engine Works Company. The name harks back to the company's origin in the German state of Bavaria.
Some kind of car with very poor brakes?
Gotta be an Audi or a Range Rover. Although an increasing amount of mouthbreathers around my way seem to be driving Volvos, weirdly.
Honda Jazz? Always up to no good those pensioners.
I’ll also hazard a guess it was a BMW.
As it happens, it was a BMW. I know the anecdote does not mean data, but it’s a funny coincidence…
The car in front… was it a Toyota?
Close following Rljsrs has been a thing for about 25 years down here in London. I'm always aware of what's being me on approach to traffic lights. I reckon about 20% just drive straight through.
Yep seen that too.
it's gonna be black or white
a mercedes or bmw
maybe 4x4 with blacked out windows.
did I get the colour right? lolol
We all know it’s red light plus one car.
Happened to me last week where somebody swerved around me in to a left only lane just to get by me and go straight. Ended up behind them at the next set of lights. It was an Audi
Had it happen to me on a narrow bridge with single file traffic controlled by lights that occasionally seem to pause on ed ( I think it might change timing to cope with the very one sided commuting numbers)
The driving god wheel span as he pulled out, got himself into a little tank slapper. Bounced off a wall and ended up pointing the wrong way, came back across the bridge and drove off so technically he actually jumped two reds as he cam back through.
Had it on the road bike. Lights change to red as i approach to turn right. So i unclip and brake. Murdered out merc cls uses the straight on lane on my left to undertake me, tjen swing right into the road i was takimg.
Scared me abit as i heard the auto box kick down as nobber booted it
Had it at yellow box junction on roundabout too. This is a big F U to me and, when the lights chamge, everyone trying to circulate round tje roundabout as it was light controlled amd box junctioned, he got away with as the jam crept fwd before the lights cycled, and he was in a blue fiesta st.
Not a BMW, since they went all pensioner in their styling the Audi is the car of choice for your light jumping, undertaking, double space parking type.
Of course though this question would be no fun if it doesn't turn out to be something like a Nissan Leaf.
Had it on the road bike. Lights change to red as i approach to turn right. So i unclip and brake.
One of the nearest misses I've ever had was stopping for red lights on the bike. Guy behind me could clearly see I was slowing as it's a slight uphill to the lights and he floored it past me. I gesticulated at him and he slammed the brakes on at the opposite side and got out the car, looking to cross back over. Thankfully, traffic going across the junction was too heavy for him to run back over and assault me and eventually he got bored and drove off - sadly the way that I was planning on going so I changed my route.
In enough of a hurry to jump the lights but nothing so urgent that he couldn't stop to get into a fight on the way...
I'm always very wary of stopping at "just turned red" lights now, it seems quite standard for at least a couple of cars to go through on amber and "just red".
Gotta be an Audi or a Range Rover. Although an increasing amount of mouthbreathers around my way seem to be driving Volvos, weirdly.
Tesla round here nowadays. Might as well announce "Get out of my way, I'm saving the planet doncha know!"
Entitled sanctimonious ****s
Everyone seems angry on the roads at the moment. There's a pedestrian crossing near me where drivers accelerate hard at the amber light but mis-judge the distance, so actually go through it several seconds after it's turned red at about 40-50 mph (30 limit).
It's so routine that I expect it to happen, which is a depressing thing to say about a pedestrian crossing. It's slightly exacerbated by cars parking on the zig-zags, but I don't think that's an excuse.
Entitled sanctimonious ****
Like I said, everyone seems angry at the moment and they take their anger out on vulnerable road users. What sort of person gets wound up by an electric car?
You'd think in the days of ANPR and static speed cameras all over the shop, RLJ cameras would be more prolific. I wonder if there's a good reason why they aren't?
In enough of a hurry to jump the lights but nothing so urgent that he couldn’t stop to get into a fight on the way…
Weird, isn't it.
What sort of person gets wound up by an electric car?
Someone who thinks they're revolting?
A friend of mine, in pre-ANPR days, once pulled out to drive past a row of parked cars to discover that the row of parked cars was in fact, not parked, but instead queueing for a set of lights, which in another weird turn of events, were turning green as said friend arrived at them and executed a rather embarrassed and fairly hasty hard left turn in front of the row of surprisingly not parked cars before they started moving off.
Ford Escort 1.3, FWIW.
About 20 cars, so I'vemy friend has got the OP's jumper beat.
Tesla round here nowadays. Might as well announce “Get out of my way, I’m saving the planet doncha know!”
That's interesting - where do you live? Hardly see any Teslas round here.
Round my way the Audi A3 is probably the knobber's car of choice, closely followed by the white van. Although the electric motocross bike seems to be making a bid for recognition amongst the real nuisance crew
What sort of person gets wound up by an electric car?
If they get too angry they could be up on charges.
My daughter is learning to drive at the moment and there is a popular part of town where learners are taken. All, and I mean all, the light controlled cross-roads have pedestrian barriers on the corners and they are all damaged or down. Frequent reports of amber gamblers/red shredders hitting the green permitted traffic. I tell her to count to three after the green signal, just in case. It’s mad, had a few close calls myself passing through.
I recently got a Citroen C4 Picasso.
It's the most relaxing car to drive ever.
Supremely comfortable, quiet and wafty and only has a non dab radio so no Bluetooth phone calls, just classic FM.
I just waft around at the speed limit almost oblivious to the frustrated tailgating behind as I am cocooned in my bubble of serenity
Park Square roundabout in Sheffield is nightmare for RLJs. Seems to be everyone booting it to her through a set of lights only to be stopped at the next. Idiots.
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<div class="bbp-reply-author d-flex align-items-center flex-wrap"><span class="bbp-author-name">Cougar</span>
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<div class="bbp-reply-content p-0">What sort of person gets wound up by an electric car?
Someone who thinks they’re revolting?
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<div>I'll guess, was it an unmarked police car??</div>
But the thing is, they have got there first. So it's quicker, innit? Obviously.
If they get too angry they could be up on charges.
Potentially.
I had this happen to me at temporary lights on the A9 heading south once. Very sattisfying when one of the cars in the queue behind flicked on the blue lights, shot out and then pulled the entitled knobber over. It was ace as we all drove past 😀
They were in a white BMW fwiw
You’d think in the days of ANPR and static speed cameras all over the shop, RLJ cameras would be more prolific. I wonder if there’s a good reason why they aren’t?
ANPR, and speed cameras are easy retrofit though aren't they - you just bolt to an existing pole or whack a pole up and bolt in place - needs power and data connection and off you go with no real disruption to traffic.
Red Light cameras (AFAIK) all use inductive loops under the road to sense the vehicle. So you actually need to dig the road up as well as fit the cameras. At a typical crossroads you'll have 4 cameras to install too (so 4x the cost). Potentially with extra hassle whenever you resurface etc. They don't catch amber gamblers, and some will even make it through on red (1s or 2s tolerance?) so the number of drivers caught is probably relatively low to offset against. Some (all?) will also do speed but if the traffic is slow moving will rarely catch anyone so that won't help get payback. All in all the motivation to install them will be low unless there is clear evidence of a problem, i.e. either repeat accidents from RLJs or congestion problems being exacerbated by RLJs. Then of course if the RLJs are pesky cyclists you'll not catch them with a camera!
Potentially
Cougar is winning best electricity joke, currently.
Well that's me doomed. A boomer with a(admittedly old) BMW and a white van. Voted for a pro Europe candidate, actually ride a mountain bike regularly,and have no qualms about people aspiring to nice cars. Oh, and have often voted for a damn good Tory candidate.
I feel like a vulnerable minority on here...
Red Light cameras (AFAIK) all use inductive loops under the road to sense the vehicle.
Ah, I didn't know that.
They don't have to be on all four lights though. I'm thinking deterrent rather than revenue earner - people do it because they know they'll get away with it.
This just reminded me of a similar(ish) incident recently. Sitting at a red, car pulls up behind, then reverses and angles slightly like they are planning a fancy start in an F1 race. Sure enough they take a flier as soon as amber appears.....except they never really "go for it". I just pull away as per normal (diesel Mondeo estate with 2 kids in the back and a bike mounted on the back too, not a flying machine) and they sit in a really awkward position on the wrong side of the road and just behind me, not gaining nor losing ground - very, very odd behaviour. Eventually pulls in (too close) behind and some time later overtakes in a wide, quiet 40mph limit.... doing all of 45.
For the record - bog standard Fiesta around 2 years old with a man and woman both in their 50/60s in it.
People are weird.
Cougar is winning best electricity joke, currently.
Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
People are weird.
Some folk are simply godawful at driving and should never be let loose in a ton or two of metal.
With the best will in the world, you can't compensate for abject lack of spatial judgment or awareness, the whole fragile-child-ego-in-a-suit-of-armour thing, inability to allow for other drivers' mistakes, ability to retain mental focus on task at hand, etc. etc.
Flaperon
Free Member
Everyone seems angry on the roads at the moment
This! Not really sure why. There seemed to be a big decline in driving standards up in the North East over lockdown, people abandoning indicating etc completely, cutting corners at junctions etc and it doesn't seem to have improved as traffic's returned to the roads.
Friday afternoons seem to make folk especially evil - we were in the car as a family from about 4 last Friday heading over to the NW and there were enough shabby overtakes, inconsistent speeds on the M6 and just general idiocy to make us notice.
I've got no problem with people jumping red lights if there's nobody around or it's safe to so, cyclists especially, but also drivers. As long as they face the music if spotted by old bill. 'If a tree falls in the forest etc". I do it on the bike if safe, but wouldn't personally do it in the car unless an emergency as I need my license for work. What I do have a problem with is this "IT'S MY RIGHT OF WAY" mentality. There's a pedestrian crossing near the park where I go running and over the years I've probably had about five instances of nearly getting run over on it. Usually slammed the brakes on at the last minute followed by angry beetroot-face screaming behind a closed window. Twice there's been angry words with the logic being that when the crossing first came in to view for them there was nobody on it. Therefore THEY HAD RIGHT OF WAY and I shouldn't be there.
Both of these things seem to stem from the same issue, being that a large amount of people simply cannot think for themselves and will blindly follow rules real or imagined, whatever the consequence. Be it mowing down a pedestrian on a crossing because I HAVE RIGHT OF WAY, or sat there like a frightened rabbit at an empty red light whilst an ambulance is on fire behind them with all the sirens blaring...
Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
That really amps up the competition, though.
That’s interesting – where do you live? Hardly see any Teslas round here.
I'm between Nottingham and Derby. There aren't that many of them, but they tend to be driven poorly, which makes it more obvious.
Though we were in Cambridge this week and driving your Tesla like a bellend is not just an East Midlands thing
had this a few times whilst on the bike, but not in the car. I can only assume that car driver was so amazed that a cyclist didn't jump a red, that they couldn't find the time to safely stop, so continued.
worst one was at a junction onto a busy main road. I wanted to turn right, in the correct position at the junction and noted a car behind. clear place comes and I pull out, get halfway across the road an the car driver decided to undertake me and swing round in front of me. there was plenty of room for him to have waited a bit, or even overtaken me on the turn, but an undertake?
I don't often shout profanities at drivers, but this was an exception.
Though we were in Cambridge this week and driving your Tesla like a bellend is not just an East Midlands thing
They're very high performance though, incredibly quick to accelerate.
Also it has an insane amount of infotainment bollocks all on touchscreens so something that you actually have to look at to navigate. Instead of looking at, oh I dunno, the *road* maybe...?
My friend was hit and killed by a RLJ on a pelican crossing.
C19 has meant delayed inquest so no one really knows exactly what happened, and probably never will
The nice thought is he jumped into the road to push a kid cycling to school out of the way as the car approached, he was a level 2 police driver so good spacial awareness. Tthe kid was hospitalised but Rob died at the scene.
Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
That really amps up the competition, though.
Positively.
I’ve got no problem with people jumping red lights if there’s nobody around or it’s safe to so
I do. Because the entire point of traffic lights is that they control junctions where it might not be obvious if it's safe to go. That's why they are used. They aren't used on all junctions. If you let people make up their own mind in all cases then it's just a free-for-all.
It's well known that people don't always make good decisions, especially when they are tired, annoyed, anxious and so on. I made a bad decision on my trip last weekend, for example, because I was in a hurry. Sure, there are times at a deserted crossroads when there's no-one about when it's probably safe. But you have to make that call - this is a safe situation - and you're not rational, your perception and reading of the situation will change day-to-day, and one day you'll get it wrong. And the other person you didn't see or who was going faster than you thought or was assuming the road would be clear is going to get hit.
The whole point of having rules is that they get stuck to. Once you start making up your own we're all buggered.
They aren’t used on all junctions
And they aren't always used on junctions
"Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
That really amps up the competition, though.
Positively."
There's a potential difference of opinion to be seen
I do. Because the entire point of traffic lights is that they control junctions where it might not be obvious if it’s safe to go.
Not true. They are usually installed at junctions when the traffic volume is so large that cars have trouble entering the main road without them.
There are several sets of lights near me where the roads worked perfectly well without them for decades when traffic volume was lower.
So just like the junctions were safe as a give way before lights were installed they are still safe to treat the lights as a give way at 3am with no traffic about.
I have been known to treat red lights as a give way when there is zero other traffic in sight and I know there is no cameras. In fact treating aed light as a give way at 3am is safer than the frequent amber gambling at peak hours.
Aren't only cyclists RLJers? (Ironic) #makingprogress
If you are in a country which allows the proceeding at caution on a red through a junction then go for it (Canada, US, some EU I have seen do far), these always give way to pedestrians or others at the junction.
In the UK, red means red even if it's 'safe' to ignore it, hell, people have trouble enough making 'safe' decisions when there aren't flexible rules!
“Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
That really amps up the competition, though.
Positively.”
There’s a potential difference of opinion to be seen
Ohm my goodness.
Meeting some resistance from yours, though.
That really amps up the competition, though.
Positively.”
There’s a potential difference of opinion to be seen
Ohm my goodness.
Watt?
They are usually installed at junctions when the traffic volume is so large that cars have trouble entering the main road without them.
Yep. So it provides some impedance to those wanting to push through.
One for me in Bristol. Years ago, I mean years ago.
Ferrari BB512 (Blue). Did'nt give a toss straight through. I was expecting the Police to be following close.... but no.
Insane.
Yep. So it provides some impedance to those wanting to push through.
You've induced a reaction here
Most drivers are habitual red light jumpers, so I find it odd the amount of anger directed towards cyclists for it. Go to any busy traffic light junction, wait for lights to turn red and there's a 50/50 chance a driver will go through. Sometimes when when the lights go amber and I drive through I think 'maybe I could / should have stopped' but then 3 cars follow me when it's definitely red! Lots of folk do it and end up blocking traffic especially road works. Personally I've had it a few times in a car stopping at red lights and the car behind pulls round to overtake and jump them. Had it at zebra crossings to where the idiot nearly took out the family crossing. Yeah it's pretty angry out there with all the drivers in a rush to get to the next traffic queue first...
Riding a bike, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. I'll generally saunter through carefully if safe. At least you've then not held up Mr Beetroot-face in his RR because you're in front of him and haven't shot off at 35mph a nanosecond after amber.
In the UK, red means red even if it’s ‘safe’ to ignore it, hell, people have trouble enough making ‘safe’ decisions when there aren’t flexible rules!
Much as I like the idea of discretionary reds like the have in the US, this is the reason I think we are too late introducing them over here.
At least you’ve then not held up Mr Beetroot-face in his RR because you’re in front of him and haven’t shot off at 35mph a nanosecond after amber.
I'm dawned if I'm going to be bullied into breaking traffic laws to appease an angry driver, and once or twice I've explained it to the driver face to face when they've felt I should have pulled out into traffic when I didn't think it was safe to do so.
Obviously if there's an emergency vehicle with blues and twos going then I'll do whatever I safely can to help them through.
The US has the left turn on red thing, but not at all junctions. They also have a system where late at night the lights just flash amber (or orange, as they call it, how dare they?) and it becomes a give-way. They also have cross-roads that have a single flashing light which can be red, making it a four-way stop, or orange making it a give-way.
Most drivers are habitual red light jumpers
Mate, that's as bad as saying all cyclists jump red lights.
I saw a nasty accident a few years go when someone went round me as I stopped for the red light that changed as I approached. They got 3/4 the way across before a large van smacked into their rear 3/4 and flipped them over! The van had been coming from my left through a series of lights and as they knew the sequence they caught their green light perfectly so were doing just under 30 when they went through. The X5 (yep, BMW) was also doing roughly 30 as they had gunned it, slid a decent distance on it's side and roof. The van driver suffered a bit of concussion as it didn't have an airbag (old Transit) but the X5 driver's wife was in hospital for a while with a few broken bones, the husband walked away with a few scratches. I had to give a statement as a witness and the driver of the X5 got banned for a few months.
The US has the left turn on red thing.
Right. Left on red would be very messy.
The first time I was in the US I absolutely soiled myself being driven back from the airport by the family I was staying with. "Well, it's red, they'll surely have seen it... any minute now they'll slow down... yup, any mome- *zoom* FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
They also have a system where late at night the lights just flash amber
I've thought we should do that for as long as I can remember. Sitting at a red traffic light on a clear crossroads at 2am quietly growing a beard to myself, what's the point? It's daft.
Best one I had was a driver in the middle of a queue for traffic lights with an obstruction just beyond. After a few full cycles, crossed into the opposite lane drove past at last 5 queuing vehicles through red light on the wrong side of the road and turned left.
It's the second time I've taken great pleasure in sending the police some dashcam footage.
I do. Because the entire point of traffic lights is that they control junctions where it might not be obvious if it’s safe to go. That’s why they are used. They aren’t used on all junctions. If you let people make up their own mind in all cases then it’s just a free-for-all
I'm with Molgrips on this one
driving your Tesla like a bellend is not just an East Midlands thing
Must be something to do with the magnetic flux density in the area.
Happened to me a few years ago on a narrow road in Painswick S Cotswolds, black Audi Q something went round me at the red in the middle of the village where it’s v narrow and straight into the front of a police car, they weren’t happy (Audi and fuzz)
I had my foot run over once while waiting at lights on the motorbike. Still kind of regret that I kept it upright rather than just dropping it on the side of the car, since they just drove off, harder to do with a handlebar sticking through your window
Bring on the robot drivers.
Cars have speed sign reading tech these days, wouldn't be hard to adapt this to recognise traffic lights. That could at least record the frequency of red lights jumped to help dangerous driving prosecutions, and people would be less likely to do it if they knew big brother was watching.