Cyclist-pedestrian-cyclist

On my daily commute there's an annoying junction where the lights stays
red for eternity.

Since I'm turning left, instead of waiting for the green light, I get
off the bike, walk the bike around the bend on the pavement, and if the
road I'm crossing into is fairly clear, I manage to set off on the bike
again before the light has gone green.

Really seems to **** of some motorists. Why is that? Is it illegal? Is
it inconsiderate? I mean, it's not illegal to walk you bike on the
pavement, is it? If I had my bike parked on the pavement next to that
junction, and then joined the traffic on the other road, nobody would
complain. So why do they complain when I do that?

Timo wrote:
On my daily commute there's an annoying junction where the lights stays
red for eternity.

Since I'm turning left, instead of waiting for the green light, I get
off the bike, walk the bike around the bend on the pavement, and if the
road I'm crossing into is fairly clear, I manage to set off on the bike
again before the light has gone green.

Really seems to **** of some motorists. Why is that? Is it illegal? Is
it inconsiderate? I mean, it's not illegal to walk you bike on the
pavement, is it? If I had my bike parked on the pavement next to that
junction, and then joined the traffic on the other road, nobody would
complain. So why do they complain when I do that?

Ignore them. Be guided by your own conscience. It's similar to using
the right lane and going 450 degrees around a roundabout to turn left,
thus avoiding the queue in the left lane - in your car - nothing illegal
there either.

--
Matt B

Timo wrote:
On my daily commute there's an annoying junction where the lights stays
red for eternity.

Since I'm turning left, instead of waiting for the green light, I get
off the bike, walk the bike around the bend on the pavement, and if the
road I'm crossing into is fairly clear, I manage to set off on the bike
again before the light has gone green.

Really seems to **** of some motorists. Why is that? Is it illegal? Is
it inconsiderate? I mean, it's not illegal to walk you bike on the
pavement, is it? If I had my bike parked on the pavement next to that
junction, and then joined the traffic on the other road, nobody would
complain. So why do they complain when I do that?

Knickers to 'em. That's half the point of cycling to work in the first
place is to avoid traffic queues. They're just jealous. I bet if asked
they'd prefer you to stay on your bike than add another car to the
queue in front of them.

Anyway you're more polite than me, if it's a quiet corner (i.e. no
peds) I'd have hopped the curb, ridden across the pavement and manualed
back into traffic.

I remember a piece of road with about 4 sets of lights with a short
(0.5 mile) distance between them. They'd always be a queue at each
light, I'd undertake up to the light, cross on green, the queue of cars
would overtake me, just in time for the next red light where we would
repeat the process again. You'd see drivers almost loose it after the
third time they would have to overtake me.

Laters,

Marcus

Timo Wrote:
On my daily commute there's an annoying junction where the lights stays
red for eternity.

Since I'm turning left, instead of waiting for the green light, I get
off the bike, walk the bike around the bend on the pavement, and if
the
road I'm crossing into is fairly clear, I manage to set off on the
bike
again before the light has gone green.

Really seems to **** of some motorists. Why is that? Is it illegal? Is
it inconsiderate? I mean, it's not illegal to walk you bike on the
pavement, is it? If I had my bike parked on the pavement next to that
junction, and then joined the traffic on the other road, nobody would
complain. So why do they complain when I do that?

Jealousy and frustration bourne from the fact that their mode of
transport forces them to wait in huge queues all day. People just like
whinging.


--
MichaelB

"Timo" wrote ...
On my daily commute there's an annoying junction where the lights stays
red for eternity.

Since I'm turning left, instead of waiting for the green light, I get
off the bike, walk the bike around the bend on the pavement, and if the
road I'm crossing into is fairly clear, I manage to set off on the bike
again before the light has gone green.

Really seems to **** of some motorists. Why is that? Is it illegal? Is
it inconsiderate? I mean, it's not illegal to walk you bike on the
pavement, is it? If I had my bike parked on the pavement next to that
junction, and then joined the traffic on the other road, nobody would
complain. So why do they complain when I do that?


This sounds exactly analagous to the US laws allowing a motorist (or a
cyclist) to make a right turn through a red light, after stopping and
waiting for cross traffic to clear. Reduces congestion and makes life easier
for everyone.

Since you're reducing the number of vehicles waiting at the junction, not
breaking any laws, and not interfering with anyone's forward progress, I
suspect that "some motorists" just need to get a life.
--
mark

"Timo" wrote in message
oups.com...
Since I'm turning left, instead of waiting for the green light, I get
off the bike, walk the bike around the bend on the pavement, and if the
road I'm crossing into is fairly clear, I manage to set off on the bike
again before the light has gone green.

Really seems to **** of some motorists. Why is that? Is it illegal? Is
it inconsiderate? I mean, it's not illegal to walk you bike on the
pavement, is it? If I had my bike parked on the pavement next to that
junction, and then joined the traffic on the other road, nobody would
complain. So why do they complain when I do that?

Do you actually hear them complain? What do they say?
--
Pete

Yes, I've seen people actually taking the trouble to slow down and
lower the window just to shout
obscenities at me - on several occasions.

Timo wrote:
On my daily commute there's an annoying junction where the lights stays
red for eternity.

Since I'm turning left, instead of waiting for the green light, I get
off the bike, walk the bike around the bend on the pavement, and if the
road I'm crossing into is fairly clear, I manage to set off on the bike
again before the light has gone green.

Really seems to **** of some motorists. Why is that? Is it illegal?

Strictly speaking, yes it is illegal. It's not the walking with it on
the pavement that breaks the law, it's going through a red light with it
even though you're walking and not riding.

Is
it inconsiderate? I mean, it's not illegal to walk you bike on the
pavement, is it? If I had my bike parked on the pavement next to that
junction, and then joined the traffic on the other road, nobody would
complain. So why do they complain when I do that?


Jealousy, I reckon. It may be technically illegal but I bet that most
of them don't know that.

--
Andrew

Timo wrote:
Since I'm turning left, instead of waiting for the green light, I get
off the bike, walk the bike around the bend on the pavement, and if the
road I'm crossing into is fairly clear, I manage to set off on the bike
again before the light has gone green.

Really seems to **** of some motorists. Why is that? Is it illegal?

AIUI, yes it is. If you pick the bike up and carry it then it's OK.

Personally I've recently come around to thinking that cyclists ought to
be able to treat red lights as give way signs, but in this case
disagreeing with the law doesn't encourage me to break it.

I mean, it's not illegal to walk you bike on the
pavement, is it?

Again, yes. Strictly speaking you should pick it up and carry it,
although case law means that you should be able to get away with pushing.

--
Danny Colyer (my reply address is valid but checked infrequently)
URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/
Subscribe to PlusNet URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/referral/
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Danny Colyer wrote:
Timo wrote:

Since I'm turning left, instead of waiting for the green light, I get
off the bike, walk the bike around the bend on the pavement, and if the
road I'm crossing into is fairly clear, I manage to set off on the bike
again before the light has gone green.

Really seems to **** of some motorists. Why is that? Is it illegal?


AIUI, yes it is. If you pick the bike up and carry it then it's OK.

Go on then, I'll bite :-) So why is it illegal, and so why does the
highway code suggest doing it in similar circumstances?
http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/03.htm#62