to want to throttle cyclists who run red lights?

[Millionprammiles]

Just that really. Am sick of dd being narrowly missed when crossing at a green man (outside a primary school ffs) . Small children are especially at risk as cyclists can't see them when they're coming up on the inside of cars, so they assume its clear.
Not one cyclist has stopped to apologise.

I can't take a licence plate number. Unless one of them actually hits her I'm guessing the police won't be interested in looking at CCTV. Which is why cyclists continue doing it, day after day.
I think I'm in danger of running after one of them and pushing him off his bike.
(And yes its always been a male cyclist).

[LancashirePudding]

YANBU. This happens frequently where I live. It's so selfish and unnecessary, not to mention dangerous.

[CockacidalManiac]

I had this recently; bloke cycled across when I was crossing the road on a red light. I shouted at him, he gave me the finger. If I'd have caught him, I'd have dragged him off his fucking bike.

[MaidOfStars]

I shout at them. They often look bemused, as if traffic lights don't apply to them.

(Not all cyclists, obviously).

Last week, I had the joy of a MAMIL try to throw himself under my wheels twice. At one set of lights, he came up on the right then turned left in front of me. At the very next set, he came up on my left (I was indicating to turn left), and went across me straight ahead. Idiot.

[wasonthelist]

What's a MAMIL ?

[Lottapianos]

You're not unreasonable in the slightest. Same for cycling on pavements. Arrogant tossers. I do shout at them sometimes but I honestly don't think it does much good - I usually get ignored or a 'yeah yeah' type response. I know that being a cyclist must be bloody scary but that doesnt justify dangerous behaviour

[DustyBustle]

middle aged man in lycra.

[Millionprammiles]

Dd is learning some choice words unfortunately as I do shout at them. Generally the response is 'what's your problem'.

Have no idea what my problem is. Do go ahead and run over my child, I don't mind in the slightest.

[acasualobserver]

Some drivers run red lights ... drive under the influence ... text at the wheel. But it's much more fun to demonise cyclists and there will be lots here keen to join in.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

Some cyclists are dicks.
Some drivers are dicks.
Some pedestrians are dicks.

[nancy75]

Very few drivers run red lights, lots of cyclists do. Working in C London I always found the cycle couriers the worst, they actually swear at people crossing the road when it's a green man! There is a part of the street that I used to work in where cyclists come off the road on to the pavement (illegally) to avoid a traffic junction/lights every morning I would have the same cyclists screaming get out of the fucking way as I had the cheek to walk on the pavement

[OliviaStabler]

I rarely see cyclists stop at a red lights. I am shocked when some of them do.

Some time ago I saw an elderly woman and a slightly younger woman crossing when the green man was showing. A cyclist came tearing along and went through the red light and nearly hit them as he had mistimed (by the look of it) how fast they were crossing. He came to a screeching stop and, his response when one of the pedestrians told him he was cycling dangerously? He just kept shouting F* Off over and over again at them. Charming.

And no, not all cyclists are like that, but this is to highlight that a few are very reckless.

[Millionprammiles]

acasual - I've been crossing with dd at the same pedestrian crossing, outside a primary school, 5 days a week, on average 48 weeks of the year, for two years now.
Not once has a car gone through when we've been crossing on a green man. On average a cyclist goes through on a green man and narrowly misses dd once, sometimes more, a week.
Demonsing? No. Just logical stats.

One of the main deterrents to car drivers is the fear of being identified and prosecuted. Without a licence plate cyclists remain anonymous. With no fear of being caught, the only deterrent is a moral compass. Sadly many cyclists have none.

[TheNaze73]

YANBU. It boils my piss too. Sunday mornings, riding three abreast in their Lycra. Bunch of cocks

[Lottapianos]

'Without a licence plate cyclists remain anonymous.'

It seems daft to me that cyclists are allowed to be in charge of a vehicle which is capable of causing hurt and damage, and not have to be registered or insured or prove that they are competent in any way. And yes, knowing they can be identified may make some of them think twice before behaving like they own the place

[Crabbitface]

acasualobserver

But drivers are absolutely identifiable and accountable. Cyclists are not - and that is my major issue with cyclists. I am very much of the opinion that there are some people who are dicks and who will drive/cycle/walk/skate/ride in selfish, antisocial and dangerous ways. BUT in most cases drivers can be held accountable for their actions. Cyclists wearing helmets and sunglasses and on bikes with no identifying features are not - and when they do damage other people's property there is no financial recompense as there is when careless drivers damage other cars.

Very recently, on our local sustrans path a deranged woman cyclists took great umbrage to the fact that she had to slow down for a family with children...so she just didn't. Then when someone had the audacity to shout after her she turned around and rode at full speed back at them, knocking a woman to the ground. Then she cycled off with no impunity. Bikes should have license plates.

[TrueBlueYorkshire]

It's mainly poor people and chavs in city centres who do the red light/footpath thing.

Where I live even kids ride on the road, but the drivers are courteous so it isn't unsafe for them to do so.

[Crabbitface]

It's mainly poor people and chavs in city centres who do the red light/footpath thing

Eh .... No it's not - it's mainly dickheads- regardless of whether they are poor or on a £10,000 bike trying to impress their pals on strava.

[MaidOfStars]

WTF? Chavs and poor people??

[TrueBlueYorkshire]

Crabbitface has enhanced my view that most of the rubbish people complain about is just antisocial behaviour. If it was a walker who was rude on the path you would have the exact same problem. If you didn't live somewhere, where everyone was antisocial I can guarantee, most of these problems wouldn't even pass your mind.

[Crabbitface]

Oh No - did I engage with a goady fucker? Shoulda known better!

[acasualobserver]

Demonsing? No. Just logical stats.

Biggest cause of mortality for under 16s? (Give me the logical stats.)

[Crabbitface]

Biggest cause of mortality for under 16s? (Give me the logical stats.)

www.ncb.org.uk/media/1130496/rcpch_ncb_may_2014_-_why_children_die__part_a.pdf

I don't think the car v. cyclist argument is particularly helpful when discussing dangerous cyclists. It's kind of like saying "I ate a bad apple, how can I stop my apples being bad?" and someone saying "Well oranges go bad too!".

I would be interested to hear what you think about making cyclists more identifiable?

[Hedgehogparty]

I'd want to throttle ANYONE who jumps red lights - not just cyclists.

Where I live, motorists jump them all the time, they don't seem to care about being identified or not. There's a particular junction where I have seen cars drive through red lights one after the other. one day I counted 5 cars in a row. Thats near a school.

I'm a cyclist and a motorist.

[SoupDragon]

Some drivers run red lights ... drive under the influence ... text at the wheel. But it's much more fun to demonise cyclists and there will be lots here keen to join in.

And how is that at all elevant to a thread complaining about a cyclist going through a red light at a crossing and nearly hitting a child?

He was a cyclist, not a driver so it is a little pointless bringing drivers into it.