The highway code says cyclists must stop at red lights, and so I do.
The Highway Code
The Highway Code
However, there are cear situations where it makes no sense for a cyclist to stop at a red light, and the fact that this doesn't seem to be taken into account by the law is frustrating. The situations I encounter are these:
1) I am turning left at some lights. There is a cycle lane on my current road that continues onto the road to the left.
2) I am going straight on across the cross part of a T-junction. Again, there is a continuous cycle path along the road.
In neither of these situations do I need to leave a cycle lane. Thus, in neither situation can my route conflict with the legal flow of traffic. It simply does not matter whether cars are joining from the right, or coming from my current road. Thus, the lights are irrelevant, and should be ignored. Who agrees with this analysis? Is there any way to lobby for these situations being clarified in the law?
Cheers,
Q
The Highway Code
The Highway Code
However, there are cear situations where it makes no sense for a cyclist to stop at a red light, and the fact that this doesn't seem to be taken into account by the law is frustrating. The situations I encounter are these:
1) I am turning left at some lights. There is a cycle lane on my current road that continues onto the road to the left.
2) I am going straight on across the cross part of a T-junction. Again, there is a continuous cycle path along the road.
In neither of these situations do I need to leave a cycle lane. Thus, in neither situation can my route conflict with the legal flow of traffic. It simply does not matter whether cars are joining from the right, or coming from my current road. Thus, the lights are irrelevant, and should be ignored. Who agrees with this analysis? Is there any way to lobby for these situations being clarified in the law?
Cheers,
Q