Monday, April 28, 2008

Can it really be just me?

Or is there one Highway Code for motorists and an entirely seperate one for cyclists? One that expressly prohibits them from stopping at red traffic lights? Only this evening, whilst on my way home from work - but temporarily halted by a red light at an extremely busy (and yellow-boxed) "main-drag" junction - I espied such a specimen nonchalently weave his way perilously across two lanes of rapidly-moving traffic. He was heading in the same direction as me and hence his lights were well and truly on red.

So a supplementary question (and hopefully a hypothetical one!): suppose said cyclist were to collide with one of those vehicles. Who, I wonder, would be the one to get prosecuted?

Now don't get me wrong - I have a great deal of respect for cyclists: we (especially me) should be doing much more cycling for all sorts of very good reasons. But doesn't this kind of senseless and discourteous behaviour by a (I have to say sizeable) minority give the rest a bad name? At best it is mildly annoying; at worst it is highly dangerous - not least because I suspect it could well be a potential trigger for road-rage.

Sorry for this particular rant, but it literally makes me see red. That, and bikes with no lights at night.

That's it. I'm done.

M Grump
PS: it's OK - I counted to ten before engaging gear and setting off from the (by then green) lights!

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