Greater Manchester Police (GMP) this week launched Operation Considerate, an ongoing campaign to encourage all types of road users to show each other consideration. The operation began with two events geared towards raising awareness of the rules around advanced stop lines (ASLs) at traffic lights.
In the morning, officers were outside the Palace Theatre on Oxford Street in the city centre, carrying out ASL checks and educating motorists and cyclists who failed to use the lines correctly. Later in the day, police and representatives from DriveSafe, Greater Manchester’s casualty reduction partnership, were in Piccadilly Gardens to provide an ASL demonstration using a life-sized mat.
ASLs provide an area for cyclists to wait in front of traffic when the lights are red, ensuring they are more easily visible to motorists and have space to move off when the lights turn green. Drivers shouldn’t enter ASL boxes when the lights are on red – although if the traffic light changes from green to amber and they cannot safely stop before the first line, they may cross it, but must then stop before the second line.
Inspector Paul Rowe of GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit explained that a lot of motorists don’t appreciate what the ASLs are for.
“We were outside the Palace Theatre this morning and we stopped both cyclists and cars. A number of cars, including taxis, were actually encroaching into it, so they were stopped and they were all advised. Really it’s an engage and educate programme at the moment.”
The intention is to educate motorists and cyclists about ASLs at certain junctions around the city centre for two weeks. This will then be followed by enforcement work. Drivers who enter an ASL box when the lights are on red are liable for a £100 fine and three points on their licence. Cyclists who cross the second stop line while the traffic signal is red are liable for a £50 fine.
Explaining the philosophy behind Operation Considerate, Greater Manchester’s Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Jim Battle said:
“Everyone has a right to feel safe on the road – pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. We all share the road and we all need to obey the rules that help us get safely from A to B.
“Advanced stop lines provide an area of high visibility for cyclists and visibility is critical to cycling safety. GMP will be urging motorists to obey the rules of ASLs and reminding cyclists to maximise their visibility using bike lights and bright clothing – especially now the nights are getting darker.”
The launch of Operation Considerate has been timed for the week before the clocks go back, a time of year when there tends to be an increase in incident numbers.
Free sets of bike lights are available for University of Manchester students and anyone stopped for cycling in the dark without lights will be given a smaller pair to get them home after first being instructed to invest in some of higher quality.
During the morning’s ASL checks, which began at 7.30am and spanned peak commuter time, nine cyclists were stopped for having no lights on their bikes. Rowe emphasises the importance of having lights fixed to the bike, pointing out that some people rely solely on lights attached to helmets or clothing which may not be seen if they turn their head or body.
As well as the ASL demonstration, the Piccadilly Gardens event also saw Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) offering free maintenance checks to cyclists who brought their bikes along, as well as providing advice and information on free training courses and cycling safety. There was also an opportunity for people to have their bikes marked and registered free of charge.
Operation Considerate will be promoted on Twitter under #OpConsiderate and is fully endorsed by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).
39 thoughts on “Advanced stop lines the focus as Greater Manchester Police launch Operation Considerate”
Quote:During the morning’s
Which is all very well, but how many cars/taxis/motorbikes did they “advise” during that period for encroaching on ASLs? Because in my (purely anecdotal, I know) experience, every time I stop at an ASL there is some other motor vehicle in there with me.
Is Operation Considerate going to go the way of all those other road safety initiatives which interpret their mission as “lets make sure the cyclists are visible” so as to be seen to be fair and not picking on motorists…?
Quote:During the morning’s
9 cyclists without lights in between 0730 and sunrise at 0745? After that surely cyclists aren’t required to have lights.
drfabulous0
Correct, bicycle lights are meant to be on sunset to sunrise, as are car sidelights. Road law also uses the expression “hours of darkness” for motor vehicles and their headlamps, which starts from half an hour after sunset.
I wonder if they’ll stop any cars that don’t have their sidelights on.
Fails to get to the heart of
Fails to get to the heart of the matter that ASLs are a horrible concept
they’re not deep enough, and
they’re not deep enough, and drivers would be far less likely to breach them if there weren’t any repeater lights on the other side of the junction as they would hold back to see the only lights at the stop line
Paul_C wrote:they’re not deep
If there weren’t any repeaters then cyclist wouldn’t be able to see the lights change either…
Cops don’t know what they are
Cops don’t know what they are for either as I see them stopping in them as well. Should be a zero tolerance approach – FPN + points on license. At same time they can fine the drivers and for driving and dialling as most have phones glued to their ears and hands.
I don’t agree that drivers
I don’t agree that drivers don’t know that they are not allowed to stop in ASLs. Most drivers I see who encroach don’t drive up to the cyclists stop line. They park themselves with the front half of their car in the ASL and the back half on and behind the car stop line.
This is exactly the same behaviour my dad used to point out to me before ASLs where a lot of cars would stop on or past the stop line at traffic lights for no obvious reason. The difference now is that they are taking safety space away from more vulnerable road users.
Perhaps GMP could start by
Perhaps GMP could start by encouraging their own officers to not roll into the ASL boxes and then enforcing the rules when they’re not doing a special operation.
I’ve just dropped my kids of at school and got two pictures of cars parked on zigzags, does that sound like a city where the police have a history of rigorous enforcement? It’ll take months to get people driving considerately not just a fortnight.
GREGJONES wrote: It’ll take
Aye. Let’s just not bother with any kind of safety initiative then.
ASL’s: shaped and positioned
ASL’s: shaped and positioned exactly the same size as a HGV’s blind spot, and encourages cyclists to go up the inside of traffic.
zanf wrote:ASL’s: shaped and
I commented earlier in the thread regarding the Ludgate Circus fatality, that I found myself riding through that junction yesterday. I almost always ride with a camera when I go into central London in case “something” happens, but it’s also useful to just look at my own riding for self improvement.
Anyway, with the common criticism of the ASL box, I thought this was worth sharing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31xnyE7Mi-8
The corner I’m approaching is sadly the one where the accident happened, next to the restaurant Leon. I criticise myself because normally with the lights having been red for awhile I would take the lane and joined the single car queue. However, I think I let myself get boxed in by the taxi to my right, and I had a cyclist tailing me who was a bit… random (the chap I’m happy to let fly past).
So I follow the filter lane and with the taxi in the left lane showing no indicator, the temptation is there to just carry on. However, this being central London, the taxi of course doesn’t indicate until after it pulls away. I’m used to that and the spider sense reacted on automatic well ahead of the risk.
Now if the taxi had been a HGV the driver would probably have left an even larger gap in order to make the turn. The bigger the gap, the safer it can appear and the greater the temptation.
It’s easy to see how such a design guides and even tempts cyclists into a dangerous position.
I might be wrong, but it
I might be wrong, but it seems to me that over the last year motorists here at least (in London) have suddenly started paying attention to ASLs in a way they never did previously.
At junctions I’m familiar with I find myself watching so I can say ‘see, typical rule-breaking motorists, ignoring the ASL’ only to find vehicles actually stopping where they are supposed to, which they didn’t do _at all_ up to a year or so ago.
Whether ASLs do any good anyway is another question.
there’s a fair few ASLs in
there’s a fair few ASLs in Cambridge where there’s no repeaters on the far side and the view of the lights for cyclists is awkward.
Generally with stop lines a lot of drivers are awful anyway. I was taught whilst learning to drive that you should stop at a point where you can still see the white line front of your vehicle. Many drivers seem to stop with their wheels at the line, or even slightly across, ASL or not.
I don’t know why some people
I don’t know why some people SEEM to be trying to defend cyclists with no lights, if you have them and they work, there is no excuse for motorists not to see you.
As for the law requiring lights to be on from sunset to sunrise, if conditions dictate it, surely it makes sense to be illuminated regardless?
Totally agree that a lot of motorists are oblivious to the laws of the land, but the same can be said for cyclists.
Unfortunately, as I’ve said before, we are never going to have 100% compliance from road users, the best I can come up with is to ride as defensively as possible, by treating EVERYONE else as a total numpty.
tourdelound wrote:I don’t
Not defending it at all, personally I have hub dynamos and my lights are always on. The point is that an organisation as corrupt and ineffective as GMP stopping and dealing with 9 people legitimately within the 15 minutes in which it’s any of their business is stretching my suspension of disbelief too far.
Motor vehicles are allowed to
Motor vehicles are allowed to be in ASLs when they have to stop should the lights change to red – this only applies when carrying on through the junction would be more dangerous than stopping. But this is part of the confusion. Some drivers though are unaware of what an ASL is for and will creep forward over the line while waiting at a red. Others will see the lights change and then slowly roll into the ASL.
While being over the line at a junction may technically be an offence, unless someone actually runs a red light the danger is minimal. On my old cycle commute in London I found it much safer to move forward of the ASL at the A23/A3 junction at Kennington. Technically I was committing a traffic offence by being over the line, but in reality I was not jumping the red light and crossing the junction and instead I was placing myself in a safer spot away from the motor vehicles, as well as being able to move ahead and into the bus lane before any trucks or cars came, allowing the motor vehicles to move more freely.
I came very close to getting
I came very close to getting arrested in Manchester after questioning why a police van was parked in an ASL, just at Stretford Mall.
Mostly if a car has pulled up in one i’ll generally pull in front and accelerate away as slowly as possible. Not big, or clever, but makes me feel a touch better.
PinarelloBoy wrote:I came
That would have been an interesting complaint, talk about unlawful arrest!
I would prefer it if Plod was
I would prefer it if Plod was receptive to reports of idiotic driving & followed up on reports of left hooks & close passes as well as speeding & mobile phone use.
Once again something seems to be the focus because it is easy to target, rather than being of much real use for safety.
recently I filtered through a
recently I filtered through a line of static traffic and moved into the ASL box. As the lights were close to changing the taxi behind me moved into the box alongside me. What is the point of having the bloody things if the drivers don’t observe them?
Beatnik69 wrote:recently I
I recently had a taxi drive up behind me and then drive round me and try to force me off the road when I was in the middle of an ASL. The lights were still on red, they hadn’t just changed to red and weren’t about to change to green.
As I pulled my bike away to stop it, and myself, being crushed, the taxi driver started screaming abuse out the window at me and then gobbed at me.
He drove through the red lights, across a busy junction, through some more red lights and then made a highly dangerous and completely illegal manoeuvre across some tram tracks.
The very same Greater Manchester Police that are currently buzzing their tits off at pulling cyclists for not having lights when it’s not even dark simply did not care or want to know when I tried to report this. I’d prefer it if GMP didn’t piss on the back of my leg and try to tell me it is raining, this whole ‘Operation Considerate’ is a complete pile of bullshit.
Beatnik69 wrote:recently I
Taxi drivers make up their own rules, and unfortunately the police seem happy to let them.
jacknorell wrote:
Taxi
What’s good for the goose…
I wonder if GMP in this “crackdown” will be spuriously be ticketing cyclists for the non-existent offence of “Weaving”?
farrell wrote:
What’s good
I once saw a driver knitting, so I guess it can’t be an offence.
I suppose I should add she was doing it whilst stationary at the lights. It would take some skill to knit and steer at the same time, but I wouldn’t rule it out.
recently I filtered through a
recently I filtered through a line of static traffic and moved into the ASL box. As the lights were close to changing the taxi behind me moved into the box alongside me. What is the point of having the bloody things if the drivers don’t observe them?
Can’t see how some get it
Can’t see how some get it wrong as its so obvious. However the whole traffic light design needs looking into as the current methodology is only suited to motor vehicle really.
It like leaving the traps sometimes with cars vying for space one or two feet behind you. Cyclist need a separate light a second before the green. Running red lights and slow speeds with a “give way” attitude could also work.
Op Considerate isn’t new, it
Op Considerate isn’t new, it is the much maligned Op. Grimaldi renamed & I’m awaiting an answer to figures presented at a recent cycling forum as to why, proportionate to road share, were Manchester cyclists tens of times more likely to be stopped than their London counterparts in the capital’s similar to Grimaldi operation last year & what analysis or learning GMP has taken from the huge disproportion in stops in each large urban connurbation to better inform their approach to Op Considerate.
The cops proceed into ASL
The cops proceed into ASL boxes in Leeds and Huddersfield, regardless of light colour. They park in cycle lanes too (cop vans generally) and if you pull up on a bike and ask them why, they respond with MASSIVE hostility, super-aggressively.
Try writing to the West Yorkshire IPCC and asking about road policing regarding cycling (this is an area where the commissioner supposedly signed up to the CTC Road Justice Campaign). You will be blanked.
Cops detest bike riders in West Yorkshire, so I fully expect them to in other constabularies too. I have met lots of helpful, nice cops with genuine dedication to fighting crime and disorder; why are they so vicious to bike riders?
GMP have also recently
GMP have also recently published this page, which highlights how difficult it is to secure a conviction for a car crossing an ASL whilst the traffic lights are red: http://www.gmp.police.uk/content/section.html?readform&s=C88FA84B7A67E59380257A5B004C3E48
The Aardvark wrote:GMP have
That’s bollocks as well! If they could be arsed they could issue a FPN without establishing burden of proof of ‘beyond reasonable doubt’.
As for this:-
Myth: Cyclists can jump red lights if the junction is clear.
Not true: The same offence is committed as a driver of a vehicle and a fine may be liable. If an ASL box is provided then cyclists may only enter the box ahead via the cycle lane not by crossing the stop line.
The very same police force informed me that if the lights failed to sense my bike I can proceed across the junction so long as it is clear and safe to do so and I cede priority to approaching vehicles.
drfabulous0 wrote:The
What the Police advised you is true, and it’s encoded in the highway code in rule #176 “If the traffic lights are not working, treat the situation as you would an unmarked junction and proceed with great care.”
It’s increasingly rare to find such junctions, but I had at least one local to me that would only trigger for cars until it was updated last year. If I used it early in the morning I’d be stuck there until a car joined me. I know that’s how the Police interpret it as well, and an experienced traffic officer will know about the different types of sensors used at junctions. A non traffic officer might need to be convinced, but I’d certainly challenge anyone if they did issue a penalty in such a situation.
‘If an ASL box is provided
‘If an ASL box is provided then cyclists may only enter the box ahead via the cycle lane not by crossing the stop line.’
I’m sure I have seen ASL boxes (full width of the lane) without a cycle lane leading into them – how does that work then?
youngoldbloke wrote:’If an
Some have a ‘Stubby’ which is a small section at the left hand side with a broken white line at an obtuse angle to the stop line through which you are supposed to enter.
If an ASL has a completely solid first stop line with no cycle lane entering then there seems to be two schools of thought, 1. That it is illegal to enter the ASL when the light is on red even if you are riding a bicycle. 2. That the ASL is improperley installed and has no legal status.
youngoldbloke wrote:’If an
There are definitely a number of those around. Technically no-one can ever legally use them. Are they just put in by councils that really don’t have a clue what they are doing, or is there some other explanation?
FluffyKittenofTindalos
Except the rules got changed and you can now enter them over the first solid line from any direction.
I would have thought the
I would have thought the picture of a bike was enough of a clue as to what they were for. Perhaps they should write the words BIKES ONLY in the ASL just to be certain.
I don’t really buy it as an excuse though, as I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been queuing behind cars that stop at a red light, then creep forwards until the light turns green. I’ve seen cars be a few feet past the stop line by the time the lights change in the past (and by that I mean the rear bumper is a few feet past the line, not just the bonnet). You can’t say that’s not understanding what a stop line or red light is for. These are just impatient, idiotic morons who really don’t understand or comprehend that there are other people on the roads and that their actions affect other people.
I’d be tempted to call many of these people sociopaths, as they clearly don’t see putting someone else’s life in danger as an issue as long as they save 10 seconds on their journey time.
I’m a driver and cyclist in
I’m a driver and cyclist in London and elsewhere. ASLs just seemed to appear and it was expected that people would telepathically know how to deal with them. Given that most UK drivers can’t even figure out what to do at a Zebra crossing (and 99% of scooter drivers overtake within the “protected” area) I think it’s expecting too much to think they can deal with anything “new” without a long period of education, which should involve signage at major junctions explaining what to do (and the penalty for failure to comply).
And regarding indicating, remember the UK, despite assuring itself that it has the “best” driver training in the entire world (as does the US, France, etc. etc) does not “require” the use of indicators when turning (or changing lanes). It’s recommended, but there is no penalty for failing to do so (except for the odd crushed cyclist, of course).
My advice to any novice
My advice to any novice cyclists is not to bother with ASLs. The prescribed route into them is up the inside of the traffic. If a car’s already in the ASL it seems to be ignored but if you put half a wheel in the wrong place you get fined.
Get in you lane in the traffic or move up on the outside of slow or stationary traffic and then get in the lane. Right in the middle where you can be seen and stay there so long as you are moving along at roughly motor vehicle speed. By which time you’re up and running and all is as it should be.
ASLs waste of time.