Long Tail backs and Solid centre white line.

[Santa-2512]

Thank you, I believe we are on the same page philosophically. I recognise your greater experience.

I’m not sure I actually back off on approaching a green light but I certainly make a decision on the approach (which might have to change if something new appears) and then (normally) stick with it.

If I get stopped on the other side (of the lights!), I hope I’d be able to clearly articulate my reasoning and I hope the cop would see the logic. So far, so good…

I wouldn't say it's greater experience,

its just years of riding, driving , training courses & learning, observing, and failing

I've had my fair share of near misses, mistakes, bollockings , and accidents, on and off road

I put my hands up and freely admit, I lobbed a bike down the road due to my own stupidity, and rode into the back of a stationary car, I still blame him to this day though

There are people on here , who make my riding look like moped 101, I'm not in there league, I'd love to be that good, sadly i dont think i ever will be,

 

[Northern jock]

I started reading this thread, moved to speed reading then skipping large parts of it.

I think I now know what the conversation must be like in a parked up traffic cop car.

I'm just grateful I don't have to spend 8 hours a day trapped in this conversation.

 

[Santa-2512]

I started reading this thread, moved to speed reading then skipping large parts of it.

I think I now know what the conversation must be like in a parked up traffic cop car.

I'm just grateful I don't have to spend 8 hours a day trapped in this conversation.

It should be right up your street

All that free time and campfires to sit round

 

[snelly]

It should be right up your street

All that free time and campfires to sit round

After the fourth or fifth doughnut the suger rush should be cutting in priming them for action;

 

[Daffy]

Thing is, we all know we should stop at an Amber and we all should look at a green light and expect it to change and thus anticipate a stop - But, if after all that, it changes when you are 6 ft from the line and you’re doing 28mph (cos you were expecting it to change) then you’ll go straight through or slam on the brakes and stop over the line - that was my point really - my issue was about when it’s appropriate to brake which may be different to mr plod who is sat at a red light opposite.

The fact is we’ve all crossed the line on an amber light, it’s just part of being on the road..

 

[FatAl]

I've never issued a ticket for going through on amber, only red.

https://www.motoringoffencesolicitors.co.uk/road-traffic-and-driving-offences/signs-and-signal-offences/failing-to-comply-with-signals/#:~:text=Failing%20to%20co

 

[FatAl]

I started reading this thread, moved to speed reading then skipping large parts of it.

I think I now know what the conversation must be like in a parked up traffic cop car.

I'm just grateful I don't have to spend 8 hours a day trapped in this conversation.

you would be very disturbed at some of the conversations in a parked up police car

 

[richardbd]

You’re obviously struggling with the sums here.
Your reaction time is finite, and greater than no time at all.

If you are travelling at any speed at all, even 1mph (yes, I am being deliberately ridiculous) you will travel some distance before you start to brake, and it will take some further distance to stop. If the light changes when you are nearer to the white line than the sum of those distances, you will cross the white line. There is no alternative.

You may cross the white line trying to stop, or you might say “too late, keep going”. But you will cross the line.

The writers of the HC clearly recognise that fact. It is why traffic lights have an amber light.

I'm not struggling with anything. The HWC is clear. An amber light means stop at the stop line.

Whether a bod chooses to obey it, ignore it or flexibly interpret it is a matter of individual conscience and prevailing circumstances at the time.

The key point about approaching traffic lights is to have your vision up sufficiently that you will know how long they have been whatever colour they currently are. That should inform your riding plan, as you anticipate what is likely to happen next (and when) and adjust your speed and position accordingly...

 

[Steve398]

I'm not struggling with anything. The HWC is clear. An amber light means stop at the stop line.

Whether a bod chooses to obey it, ignore it or flexibly interpret it is a matter of individual conscience and prevailing circumstances at the time.

The key point about approaching traffic lights is to have your vision up sufficiently that you will know how long they have been whatever colour they currently are. That should inform your riding plan, as you anticipate what is likely to happen next (and when) and adjust your speed and position accordingly...

I’ve seen traffic lights in some other countries with countdown timers, I found them very useful.

 

[SBD]

The Highway Code says “amber means stop if it is safe to do so”. Not “amber means stop”. I quoted the actual wording in post 81.

My point has been consistently to state that the distance from the line at which it is no longer safe to stop (as you will inevitably cross the line) depends on how fast you’re going when the lights change. Even if you’re driving reasonably and carefully, and anticipating that the lights might change.

If you are travelling at 30mph, your stopping distance (per the HC) is 23m therefore you need to be doing less than this when 23m from the line.
At 17.2m from the line you to be doing less than 25mph
12.3m, less than 20 mph
8m, less than 15mph
4.6m less than 10mph
And at 2m from the white line, you must be doing less than 5mph in order to be able to stop, bearing in mind that the traffic light is still green, but could go amber without warning.

I suspect most people don’t do this…

 

[casbar]

Sorry, but stopping distances are very much a finger in the air. Get the thinking distance bit, but how do they know how good your brakes are On my airhead, I probably need more distance

 

[snelly]

Thing is, we all know we should stop at an Amber and we all should look at a green light and expect it to change and thus anticipate a stop - But, if after all that, it changes when you are 6 ft from the line and you’re doing 28mph (cos you were expecting it to change) then you’ll go straight through or slam on the brakes and stop over the line - that was my point really - my issue was about when it’s appropriate to brake which may be different to mr plod who is sat at a red light opposite.

The fact is we’ve all crossed the line on an amber light, it’s just part of being on the road..

It would'nt be so bad; but stopping over the stop line is also an offence;; fucked if you do and fucked if you don't; as been pointed out it depends if Himmler is on duty;

 

[EPG_19]

What if you were on the other side of a broken line and it went to solid, would you be breaking the law if you stayed out there as you hadn’t crossed the solid line but rather stayed out there…

I actually asked this of a police motorcyclist friend and he said you could argue that one but good luck in court.

Seriously I went through an amber traffic light years ago, it was snowing and I didn’t want to slam my brakes on as I thought I’d stop in the middle of the junction.

I pleaded guilty and sent the form back with what I thought was mitigating reasons to do so, the court replied and asked if I wanted to plead not guilty. I thought this was their way of telling me that I would be let off - how wrong I was, they well and truly screwed me, huge fine, costs and the endorsement (I said it was a long time ago).

The morale of the story is everyone likes a nice arse but nobody likes a smart arse. Do what you want but if you take a risk you should also be prepared to take the pain - personally I will pass if I can keep my tyres inside the lines but wouldn’t cross it if the traffic was stopped.

To answer Richard’s question re the tunnel queue, hell yes I would go to the front but other bikes shouldn’t as I might have to queue behind them.

Yes because you ignored the keep left before the solid

 

[SBD]

Sorry, but stopping distances are very much a finger in the air. Get the thinking distance bit, but how do they know how good your brakes are On my airhead, I probably need more distance

Fair comment. It appears that the HC uses 0.65g as a the expected decel, though actually, that’s really quite firm. It is, of course based on emergency braking and therefore more aggressive than the normal “pulling up to the lights”. I’d have to do the sums but a stoppie is probably around 0.85 - 0.9g. Depends on bike geometry and rider mass.

The charity, Brake (who generally do have an axe to grind), quote the Transport Research Lab (who do know what they’re talking about) in saying that the 0.67 second thinking/reaction time is too short for Joe (or Josephine) Average on the school run with other things on his/her mind.

Stopping distances | Brake

Find out more about the link between vehicle speed and stopping distances

www.brake.org.uk

 

[King Rat]

Fair comment. And I guess we all do. Presuming you’re travelling at or suitably below the speed limit, you will “prepare to stop”, which may well improve your reaction time and distance, but do you actually slow down every time you see a green traffic light?

In any case, the facts remain. At any speed, your stop/go decision must take place some distance before the white line, if you are to stop without crossing it. And if you have passed that point, it’s safer to maintain your speed. And that’s what the amber is for.

Yes, because there is only one way a green light is going to go, how long that is during your approach unless you saw it change you can only guess at. On approach to a light, the same as a roundabout: prepare to go, but be ready to stop. For me, that means able to stop before the junction line. yes, I am a boring rider.

 

[Tinytim]

I started reading this thread, moved to speed reading then skipping large parts of it.

I think I now know what the conversation must be like in a parked up traffic cop car.

I'm just grateful I don't have to spend 8 hours a day trapped in this conversation.

Dear God, I was just thinking the same after dipping into Page 1 out of curiosity and then fast forwarding to the last ,( at the moment) Page 6. I didn't realise motorcycling was so complex. I might pack it all in . I darent read the full thread for fear of topping messen ( Northern speak for "myself" you know )

"Fukk me Betty"

 

[Guru Gora]

Fuck me, people need to get out a ride their bikes more rather than getting a hard on over what constitutes “stationary”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Steve398]

We had a chat with an Italian couple recently about road users behaviour in Rome, he said they were special circumstances and red traffic lights there were treated more as an option… sounds about right

 

[GS2022]

to pass cyclists/agricultural vehicles travelling at around 10mph or less.

Have you seen Reg Local’s video on passing cyclists?

 

[littleade]

on my last RoSPA test I was told I could legally pass by doing the same. However, I now believe that allowance is only to pass cyclists/agricultural vehicles travelling at around 10mph or less.

Happy to be corrected.

Rule 29 refers to road maintenance vehicles, not agricultural ones

Rule 129​

Double white lines where the line nearer to you is solid. This means you MUST NOT cross or straddle it unless it is safe and you need to enter adjoining premises or a side road. You may cross the line if necessary, provided the road is clear, to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or road maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10 mph (16 km/h) or less.