Safe Speed Forums

Once again, cycling to work in central London, I was appalled to find the pedestrians at a crossing - where a green light was telling them to cross, and all the vehicles had stopped - hesitated until I glided to a standstill on my bicycle before the halt line.

My experience is that pedestrians do not expect cyclists to behave as the rest of the trafficand obey the Highway Code which is the appalling bit

Lately in London there is a movement to remove the red lights and other control/safet elements in favour of a "shared space" style environment whereby all road users whether on wheel or on foo look out for each other, with the interests of the most vulnerable (pedestrian) being paramount.

Apparently this new traffic management philosophy works well on the Continent with less urban clutter, improved average traffic speed and fewer pedestrian deaths/injuries,

It would indeed be ironic of moves towards a "shared space" in London were delayed because cyclists were seen to be the "unreliable element"

Bicycle riders a road users do deserve special careand attention because they are more vulnerbale than the metal clad motorist. At the same time they owe a duty of care to pedestrians, and to obey traffic signals which clearly give right of way to them. Otherwise as a class - cyclists risk being disregarded as "stake holders" in the whole road safety debate.

Which means I am talking to all those bike riding Spam that pedal through a pedestrian ligthsor crossings whilst pedestrians are still on them. IN the interests of the majorit of law abiding cyclists - get smart or get off your bike and buy a white van!

At least then we'll know where our real enemies are!

CW reader in letter wrote:
Once again, cycling to work in central London, I was appalled to find the pedestrians at a crossing - where a green light was telling them to cross, and all the vehicles had stopped - hesitated until I glided to a standstill on my bicycle before the halt line.

My experience is that pedestrians do not expect cyclists to behave as the rest of the trafficand obey the Highway Code which is the appalling bit

Lately in London there is a movement to remove the red lights and other control/safet elements in favour of a "shared space" style environment whereby all road users whether on wheel or on foo look out for each other, with the interests of the most vulnerable (pedestrian) being paramount.

Apparently this new traffic management philosophy works well on the Continent with less urban clutter, improved average traffic speed and fewer pedestrian deaths/injuries,

It would indeed be ironic of moves towards a "shared space" in London were delayed because cyclists were seen to be the "unreliable element"

Bicycle riders a road users do deserve special careand attention because they are more vulnerbale than the metal clad motorist. At the same time they owe a duty of care to pedestrians, and to obey traffic signals which clearly give right of way to them. Otherwise as a class - cyclists risk being disregarded as "stake holders" in the whole road safety debate.

Which means I am talking to all those bike riding Spam that pedal through a pedestrian ligthsor crossings whilst pedestrians are still on them. IN the interests of the majorit of law abiding cyclists - get smart or get off your bike and buy a white van!

At least then we'll know where our real enemies are!

Otherwise as a class - cyclists risk being disregarded as "stake holders" in the whole road safety debate.

With all the posts on here about pedestrians (and I paraphrase here) having carte blanche to walk out into the road without looking this puts a different perspective on interaction between different road users.

The cars stopped. The pedestrians were scared of the cyclists. Hmmm...

Well said, that man. Not all white van drivers are idiots though, although I know what he means...