Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Cyclists who jump red lights
I grew up in the Netherlands, so learned to ride a bike early. I rode in traffic and on cycle paths all through my childhood years. Since I was 16, I've been riding motorbikes. So whilst this next blog entry might come across as car-driver-who-is-anti-cyclist, trust me, I know exactly what it's like to ride in traffic.
So it continues to amaze me how many cyclists breeze through red lights and then get terribly annoyed when motorists going through green lights pilot 2-ton metal boxes into them. It's not a country-specific disease I've decided. I dodged these buffoons all the time back in England, and I'm having to do the same trouble here in America. Being a cyclists and motorcyclist, I just can't understand what is going on in these people's heads. Is their brain malfunctioning so badly that death is the better option to waiting 30 seconds for a green light?
And on the same subject, why do the police always talk to the wrong person? The yellow-bibbed chap who nearly adorned the bonnet of my car this morning did so in front of a police car. The very nice (but very misguided) officer duly stopped me and gave me verbal about being more careful. He was oddly unreceptive to the concept that my light was green, giving me the right of way, and the cyclist had jumped a red light. No - apparently it's my responsibility not to hit people who break traffic laws and cycle out in front of me. It's very similar to the current pro-pedestrian bias that I see now. But that's a topic for a different blog entry.
So it continues to amaze me how many cyclists breeze through red lights and then get terribly annoyed when motorists going through green lights pilot 2-ton metal boxes into them. It's not a country-specific disease I've decided. I dodged these buffoons all the time back in England, and I'm having to do the same trouble here in America. Being a cyclists and motorcyclist, I just can't understand what is going on in these people's heads. Is their brain malfunctioning so badly that death is the better option to waiting 30 seconds for a green light?
And on the same subject, why do the police always talk to the wrong person? The yellow-bibbed chap who nearly adorned the bonnet of my car this morning did so in front of a police car. The very nice (but very misguided) officer duly stopped me and gave me verbal about being more careful. He was oddly unreceptive to the concept that my light was green, giving me the right of way, and the cyclist had jumped a red light. No - apparently it's my responsibility not to hit people who break traffic laws and cycle out in front of me. It's very similar to the current pro-pedestrian bias that I see now. But that's a topic for a different blog entry.
// posted by Chris @ 09:52 0 Comments Links to this post 
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Going green
Do you know what the Green Wave is? Most cities have them.
It's the speed at which you can get through all the lights on a particular route on green. Typically the Green Wave speed will be slightly above or below the actual speed limit, but if everyone did that speed, the street would flow like the bowels of someone who's had a dodgy curry. Instead of course, people zoom along, changing lanes, desperate to be first at the next red light, more like an intestinal blockage.
But why does the Green Wave work? Simple - if you drive too fast, you'll get to the next set of lights before they go green and you'll be stuck waiting on red. Drive too slow and you miss the next green cycle completely, arriving too late and once again sitting looking frustrated at the red light.
The speed limit on 7th East near where I live in America is 45mph. The Green Wave speed is an unpublished 48mph. In the Netherlands where I used to live, there were published Green Wave speeds on some roads.
So go green - find the right speed and, traffic allowing, you'll see much fewer red lights.
It's the speed at which you can get through all the lights on a particular route on green. Typically the Green Wave speed will be slightly above or below the actual speed limit, but if everyone did that speed, the street would flow like the bowels of someone who's had a dodgy curry. Instead of course, people zoom along, changing lanes, desperate to be first at the next red light, more like an intestinal blockage.
But why does the Green Wave work? Simple - if you drive too fast, you'll get to the next set of lights before they go green and you'll be stuck waiting on red. Drive too slow and you miss the next green cycle completely, arriving too late and once again sitting looking frustrated at the red light.
The speed limit on 7th East near where I live in America is 45mph. The Green Wave speed is an unpublished 48mph. In the Netherlands where I used to live, there were published Green Wave speeds on some roads.
So go green - find the right speed and, traffic allowing, you'll see much fewer red lights.
// posted by Chris @ 17:18 1 Comments Links to this post
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