Why do some drivers stop in blue cycle boxes at traffic lights

[microfight]

I was just wondering why some drivers stop in cycle blue boxes at traffic lights and seem to totally ignore that they are there for a reason thus making it more dangerous for cyclists to cycle?

[Macaroona]

Because they are twatheads.

HTH

[mayorquimby]

same reason some cyclists break every red light they see or pull out in front of you.
Same reason some drivers don't indicate or know how to drive around a round about.
They're either ignorant or inconsiderate twats

[Northernlurker]

In my city it's usually because they're twats driving taxis.

[paisleyII]

because there are rarely any cyclists that use the bloody boxes as they ignore the red light and carry on regardless

[microserf]

if you are my dh yesterday: because you genuinely didn't see it and ended up accidentally having a huge argument with your wife about it in the middle of the intersection.

bless him, he was confused by roadworks around the lights.

we usually respect the blue box. i am surprised when others don't.

[GollyHolightly]

Because they like to get six inches ahead of everyone else. Like that makes any difference when they get to the next set of traffic lights 100 yards down the road.

[Northernlurker]

paisley- that's bollocks quite frankly. The majority of cyclists obey red lights.

[mayorquimby]

not in dublin they don't anyway. it's very much the minority of cyclists who obey traffic lights unless to ignore them will immediately endanger their lives.

[mdowdall]

Cyclists are cunts. The lot of 'em.

[PlanetEarth]

Because car drivers think they are more important than cyclists...

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Er, not in London they don't either. I commute in every day and 99.999% of cyclists ride right through. In fact on Wednesday two stopped beside me at a light and I was very close to winding down the window to congratulate them for being the only cyclists in 4 years of driving into London that did.

[Northernlurker]

I repeat the majority of cyclists stop at red lights. Not every cyclist but the majority.

Mdowdall - really nice statement there. I'm a cyclist so are my daughters so thanks for that.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Where are you seeing this that you know what the majority do? I see hundreds of them every day. I have no axe to grind, it makes pulling away from lights easier if there are no bikes in front of you. But in my experience, which is as valid as your experience, you're wrong.

[Northernlurker]

And in my experience which is as valid as your experience you're wrong. I am talking about a majority, you are talking about '99.999%' which is plainly nonsense.

[mayorquimby]

"I repeat the majority of cyclists stop at red lights. Not every cyclist but the majority."

In your opinion.
From my experience I'd say the exact opposite, but neither of us are going to change our minds based on the arguments presented thus far so it's not really worth debating.

[mdowdall]

I walk my dog along a lane which runs by the river near me. It started out as a foot path but now also allows cyclists. Almost to a man, every cyclist that goes past refuses to slow down, often missing me or the dog by inches and I regularly end up getting in shouting matches with them. Like I say, cunts.

[eurochick]

Sometimes it's because you are already there when the lights change. Or the lights change and it's one of those 50/50 go through or stop decisions and you stop slightly into the box because if you didn't the person behind would have ended up in your boot. I'd never do it intentionally but there are a multitude of reasons why people do it (including being a twat, of course).

[Northernlurker]

Mdowdall that's a mixed use path then. They have as much right to be there as you do. If you kept to the side their speed wouldn't be a problem would it? How do you get in to a shouting match if they speed past anyway?

[mdowdall]

And another thing. Any, and I mean ANY middle aged man who wears those tight lycra shorts should be jailed indefinitely.

[Northernlurker]

Ah now that I will agree with

[mdowdall]

Northernlurker - totally agree the have rights like me. Live and let live I say. But I go there so I can let my dog off the lead to run around. They approach at high speed and dont give me chance to grab it out of their path and then start effing and blinding when they end up nearly running into it. At which point a slagging match ensues.
I cycle myself along the river and ALWAYS slow down for people as it is quite a narrow path.

[mdowdall]

To be fair, the female cyclists are much more friendly. Often they cycle in pairs with their hubs and look embarassed by their husband's acting like twats.

[microfight]

Mdowdall, would it be better if they were cycling really slowly? Is it the speed that makes them 'cunts' charming expression BTW! And while we're on the subject of generalising about groups of people, do you pick up after your dog because every dog owner I have ever seen NEVER picks up after their dog and that therefore makes ALL dog owners cunts!

[Northernlurker]

I have to say I don't think mixed use paths are an appropriate place to let a dog off a leash. I am certainly not a high speed cyclist - dd3 on the back, shopping on the front and my ample behind in the middle - but still it is very hard to go very slowly on a bicycle - and sort of defeats the point of using one! Dogs on leads are fairly predictable. Dogs off leads are a nightmare.

[Riveninside]

I shall tell dh to stop being a cu nt and get a car straight aeay. He can then add to the gridlock and make your journey even slower