Stressed Out Cop is a blogger and serving police officer in a “large metropolis”. Recently, he’s been cycling to work. Here’s what he has to say about red light jumping and cycling on the pavement:
“I do make a point of stopping at red lights but must say the majority of my fellow cyclists just carry on straight through … I think perhaps they should be allowed to treat it as a give way after all, but if they get wiped out it’s down to them.”
“I must confess I do cycle on the footway for a distance of 4 yards to access a cycle path, but would never do it if a pedestrian was there and definitely not if that pedestrian was a police officer.”
I don’t red light jump myself, I think it’s insanely dangerous, but I will admit to, on occasion, hopping on to the pavement for short distances to get around particularly gnarled up traffic (usually buses). I’ll go very slowly on the pavement and won’t use it at all if there is significant pedestrian traffic or, like Stressed, if any of the pedestrians are police officers.
Read the full post on Stressed Out Cop.
Most of my cycle commute is in fact on pavements, which are designated joint cycle/pedestrian use – other than a few hundred yards at the start and end of the journey. I never jump red lights, including pedestrian crossings, and as a driver I take a dim view of cyclists who do – something along the lines of, “Well, if you’re not going to be a lawful road user, you won’t mind if I run you down then.”