More than half of all cyclists jump red lights at a pedestrian crossing outside one of London’s busiest hospitals, a study by The Telegraph has found.
Two rush-hour traffic counts near St Thomas’ Hospital, on Westminster Bridge Road, found hundreds of cyclists weaving between pedestrians on pavements and riding in the wrong direction.
The worst incidents included a teenage cyclist mounting the pavement and screeching to a halt inches from two children, while other cyclists were reading mobile phone messages, riding without holding their handlebars, or performing wheelies.
Many pedestrians using the crossing on the bridge over the Thames were elderly or had limited mobility and were visiting the hospital.
Families of pedestrians killed following collisions with cyclists said the footage should encourage ministers to back commitments to introduce tougher new laws to protect the most vulnerable road users from cyclists who flout road rules.
The study comes two weeks before the Lords holds a debate on “safety and regulation issues involved in the use of pedal cycles on the road network”.
The Telegraph conducted a two-hour count from 7.45am for the morning rush hour into central London, and then another two hours from 5pm heading out of the city.
In total,1,032 cyclists were required to stop at red lights outside St Thomas’ Hospital after pedestrians had pushed a button requesting traffic stop to let them cross safely on Aug 29.
A total of 559 cyclists – 302 in the morning and 257 in the evening – ignored the lights. That means 54.2 per cent failed to stop, with cyclists slightly more likely to flout rules in the morning when many were travelling to work. Forty-eight cyclists avoided red lights by riding on the pavement.
Vondonklewink on
Yes, they mostly behave like cunts. This sub is always very defensive of cyclists and generally anti-car, so I expect this comment will get nuked. But as someone who is on the road basically every day, I can say that cyclists are very often the most inconsiderate and outright dangerous road users.
I always see them skip red lights, skip zebra crossing with pedestrians on, ride on the pavement at speed, hog and entire lane to prevent overtaking, filter traffic in very narrow spaces and lash out by hitting a wing mirror when they can’t fit through. I see them ride three abreast, they hardly ever use hand signals to indicate a turn, cut in front of vehicles travelling faster than them.
In the more extreme cases I have seen cyclists actually plough into the side of cars, seemingly on purpose, opting to not use their brakes because they feel the car driver has done something wrong, like cut them off at a junction or stop too abruptly in front of them. I guess their thinking is the damage to the car will cost more than the damage to their bike, and they have no insurance liability, or any culpability at all without having identifying number plates.
Before you all label me a cager with a two ton weapon or whatever, I do cycle too, and I have motorcycles. I try to always adhere to the highway code, though. Something I imagine most cyclists have never read.
badgersruse on
As a cyclist l disagree with the cyclists that go through groups of pedestrians or ride aggressively on the pavement. That is just wrong.
However, l will jump the light when there are no pedestrians in order to avoid the clouds of diesel fumes when the traffic sets off. (I don’t live in London so clouds of diesel fumes are still a thing here).
I really wish there was a distinction drawn between these two behaviours… they are very different levels of wrong.
Repulsive-Side-8165 on
I absolutely detest bike riders, but going through red lights is pretty low down on the list for me. They usually go when it’s safe and it makes them get out of the way of cars and clears the front of traffic.
friendlyfernando on
Usual cyclist behaviour, rules are for everyone else except them
Redditgoeswahhh on
Meh I think it’s all in context. Who cares if bikes safely cross quiet traffic lights, it has nowhere near the consequence of a car. That said if they ride poorly with no awareness of other users id agree it’s dangerous.
LuinAelin on
My main problem with cyclists isn’t the cyclists themselves but how they make other drivers behave.
Got stuck behind one, driving slow because I couldn’t overtake as cars were coming in the other direction. The car behind was furious and driving dangerously because of it.
The only time I have issues with the cyclists themselves is if they don’t use the cycle lane or cycle road.
_HGCenty on
Go to the continent, especially the Netherlands, and you’ll see it can be so much worse.
At least most of the London cyclists jumping red lights at pedestrian crossings will try and avoid you as a pedestrian.
Had one incident in Amsterdam of a Dutch cyclist going downhill on the pavement of one of their very steep arch bridges, with only one hand on the handlebar because the other hand was carrying a large luggage suitcase (definitely not carry on) to the side of her bike and seemingly unable to operate the brakes. **I** had to jump into the road to avoid a collision.
millyloui on
So many run through red light pedestrian crossings – cunts . Looking at you Boris Johnson who did it when I was crossing outside London Bridge station – he missed skittling me by millimetres. I was nearly knocked over by his aftershave, never mind the Santander bike as he flew past .
Minimum_Bear4516 on
Why not take a look across the pond for some ideas.
Ebike over 25kph – need liability insurance.
Run a light and a cops around (which they actually are at times) get a fine.
Act like a t*at with cops around get a fine and a good talking too! Get a few, lose the bike. (you actually need cops around patrolling for public good though, with is a bit of an issue). – Same should go for cars too they are literal weapons. Just not enough cops out patrolling old school full stop, no fear of consequence at all.
Get stopped for bike inspection – given a fine for unsafeness and confiscation for lack of insurance in the case of ebike over 25kph.
ebike over 25kph is for over 18 or 15-17 moped licence or under 18 with a car licence. (i.e a clue and something to lose).
Under 18 and dont have the above, its now an auction sale with proceeds for the state coffers.
…Honestly this article sounds like a warm up for the gov’ asking for mandatory test and MOT of bikes…completely about the safety ofc, nothing to do with tax revenue.
cock-a-doodle-doo on
I don’t really ride bikes. But in my view red lights should mean ‘give way’ regarding bikes. There’s no reason for them to wait and hold up traffic.
AnotherGreenWorld1 on
As a cyclist this winds me up … I nearly got taken out by a cyclist who powered through a red the other day … he hadn’t seen me passing through my green on a crossroads. I shouted at him to observe the red light but he told me get fucked and called me a cunt and cycling off before I could knack him.
There’s loads of new cycle lights in our city too and cyclists due cycle through them I’ve seen so many near misses with pedestrians and traffic.
12 Comments
Article text –
More than half of all cyclists jump red lights at a pedestrian crossing outside one of London’s busiest hospitals, a study by The Telegraph has found.
Two rush-hour traffic counts near St Thomas’ Hospital, on Westminster Bridge Road, found hundreds of cyclists weaving between pedestrians on pavements and riding in the wrong direction.
The worst incidents included a teenage cyclist mounting the pavement and screeching to a halt inches from two children, while other cyclists were reading mobile phone messages, riding without holding their handlebars, or performing wheelies.
Many pedestrians using the crossing on the bridge over the Thames were elderly or had limited mobility and were visiting the hospital.
Families of pedestrians killed following collisions with cyclists said the footage should encourage ministers to back commitments to introduce tougher new laws to protect the most vulnerable road users from cyclists who flout road rules.
The study comes two weeks before the Lords holds a debate on “safety and regulation issues involved in the use of pedal cycles on the road network”.
The Telegraph conducted a two-hour count from 7.45am for the morning rush hour into central London, and then another two hours from 5pm heading out of the city.
In total,1,032 cyclists were required to stop at red lights outside St Thomas’ Hospital after pedestrians had pushed a button requesting traffic stop to let them cross safely on Aug 29.
A total of 559 cyclists – 302 in the morning and 257 in the evening – ignored the lights. That means 54.2 per cent failed to stop, with cyclists slightly more likely to flout rules in the morning when many were travelling to work. Forty-eight cyclists avoided red lights by riding on the pavement.
Yes, they mostly behave like cunts. This sub is always very defensive of cyclists and generally anti-car, so I expect this comment will get nuked. But as someone who is on the road basically every day, I can say that cyclists are very often the most inconsiderate and outright dangerous road users.
I always see them skip red lights, skip zebra crossing with pedestrians on, ride on the pavement at speed, hog and entire lane to prevent overtaking, filter traffic in very narrow spaces and lash out by hitting a wing mirror when they can’t fit through. I see them ride three abreast, they hardly ever use hand signals to indicate a turn, cut in front of vehicles travelling faster than them.
In the more extreme cases I have seen cyclists actually plough into the side of cars, seemingly on purpose, opting to not use their brakes because they feel the car driver has done something wrong, like cut them off at a junction or stop too abruptly in front of them. I guess their thinking is the damage to the car will cost more than the damage to their bike, and they have no insurance liability, or any culpability at all without having identifying number plates.
Before you all label me a cager with a two ton weapon or whatever, I do cycle too, and I have motorcycles. I try to always adhere to the highway code, though. Something I imagine most cyclists have never read.
As a cyclist l disagree with the cyclists that go through groups of pedestrians or ride aggressively on the pavement. That is just wrong.
However, l will jump the light when there are no pedestrians in order to avoid the clouds of diesel fumes when the traffic sets off. (I don’t live in London so clouds of diesel fumes are still a thing here).
I really wish there was a distinction drawn between these two behaviours… they are very different levels of wrong.
I absolutely detest bike riders, but going through red lights is pretty low down on the list for me. They usually go when it’s safe and it makes them get out of the way of cars and clears the front of traffic.
Usual cyclist behaviour, rules are for everyone else except them
Meh I think it’s all in context. Who cares if bikes safely cross quiet traffic lights, it has nowhere near the consequence of a car. That said if they ride poorly with no awareness of other users id agree it’s dangerous.
My main problem with cyclists isn’t the cyclists themselves but how they make other drivers behave.
Got stuck behind one, driving slow because I couldn’t overtake as cars were coming in the other direction. The car behind was furious and driving dangerously because of it.
The only time I have issues with the cyclists themselves is if they don’t use the cycle lane or cycle road.
Go to the continent, especially the Netherlands, and you’ll see it can be so much worse.
At least most of the London cyclists jumping red lights at pedestrian crossings will try and avoid you as a pedestrian.
Had one incident in Amsterdam of a Dutch cyclist going downhill on the pavement of one of their very steep arch bridges, with only one hand on the handlebar because the other hand was carrying a large luggage suitcase (definitely not carry on) to the side of her bike and seemingly unable to operate the brakes. **I** had to jump into the road to avoid a collision.
So many run through red light pedestrian crossings – cunts . Looking at you Boris Johnson who did it when I was crossing outside London Bridge station – he missed skittling me by millimetres. I was nearly knocked over by his aftershave, never mind the Santander bike as he flew past .
Why not take a look across the pond for some ideas.
Ebike over 25kph – need liability insurance.
Run a light and a cops around (which they actually are at times) get a fine.
Act like a t*at with cops around get a fine and a good talking too! Get a few, lose the bike. (you actually need cops around patrolling for public good though, with is a bit of an issue). – Same should go for cars too they are literal weapons. Just not enough cops out patrolling old school full stop, no fear of consequence at all.
Get stopped for bike inspection – given a fine for unsafeness and confiscation for lack of insurance in the case of ebike over 25kph.
ebike over 25kph is for over 18 or 15-17 moped licence or under 18 with a car licence. (i.e a clue and something to lose).
Under 18 and dont have the above, its now an auction sale with proceeds for the state coffers.
…Honestly this article sounds like a warm up for the gov’ asking for mandatory test and MOT of bikes…completely about the safety ofc, nothing to do with tax revenue.
I don’t really ride bikes. But in my view red lights should mean ‘give way’ regarding bikes. There’s no reason for them to wait and hold up traffic.
As a cyclist this winds me up … I nearly got taken out by a cyclist who powered through a red the other day … he hadn’t seen me passing through my green on a crossroads. I shouted at him to observe the red light but he told me get fucked and called me a cunt and cycling off before I could knack him.
There’s loads of new cycle lights in our city too and cyclists due cycle through them I’ve seen so many near misses with pedestrians and traffic.