- News
- Reviews
- Bikes
- Accessories
- Accessories - misc
- Computer mounts
- Bags
- Bar ends
- Bike bags & cases
- Bottle cages
- Bottles
- Cameras
- Car racks
- Child seats
- Computers
- Glasses
- GPS units
- Helmets
- Lights - front
- Lights - rear
- Lights - sets
- Locks
- Mirrors
- Mudguards
- Racks
- Pumps & CO2 inflators
- Puncture kits
- Reflectives
- Smart watches
- Stands and racks
- Trailers
- Clothing
- Components
- Bar tape & grips
- Bottom brackets
- Brake & gear cables
- Brake & STI levers
- Brake pads & spares
- Brakes
- Cassettes & freewheels
- Chains
- Chainsets & chainrings
- Derailleurs - front
- Derailleurs - rear
- Forks
- Gear levers & shifters
- Groupsets
- Handlebars & extensions
- Headsets
- Hubs
- Inner tubes
- Pedals
- Quick releases & skewers
- Saddles
- Seatposts
- Stems
- Wheels
- Tyres
- Health, fitness and nutrition
- Tools and workshop
- Miscellaneous
- Tubeless valves
- Buyers Guides
- Features
- Forum
- Recommends
- Podcast
red traffic light.jpgMan fined £220 for cycling through red light
A man was ordered to pay £220 this week for cycling through a red light, prompting the Institute of Advanced Motorists to call for bicycles to be allowed to ride through some red lights.
32-year-old Jurjys Renins was fined £220 for failing to stop at a red signal in Norwich city centre, as well as a £22 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.
Police district commander Superintendent Dave Marshall has urged cyclists to stop at red lights for their own safety, particularly if going straight at crossroads.
Denmark cyclists allowed to turn right at red lights
He told the Eastern Daily Press: “This is a significant issue. It’s extremely dangerous because vehicles travelling through green lights don’t expect to see cyclists going through ahead of them.”
Supt Marshall said the offence also causes “a lot of upset between motorists and cyclists.”
However, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) told road.cc though all road users should respect the law, the UK should consider allowing cycles to proceed through certain red lights, as Denmark has done.
Bicycles turning right on red was found not to increase collision rates after a two year trial on 33 Danish junctions, and the movement will become legal from 1 September on those junctions.
Martin Woodhouse, Norfolk and Norwich branch secretary of the IAM, said of cyclists jumping lights: “They are breaking the law but perhaps we should be looking at amending the interpretation of the law to make it safe for them to do so in certain circumstances.
“Cyclists going through red lights are probably more of a danger to themselves than anyone else. If they have a collision with a car, it’s them who is going to come out of it worse off.”
Norwich Cycling Campaign secretary, Margaret Todd, said there needs to be more enforcement for all traffic offences, not just for cyclists.
“We think there has been a drop in traffic enforcement. We don’t think cyclists should be treated any differently,” she said.
Laura Laker is a freelance journalist with more than a decade’s experience covering cycling, walking and wheeling (and other means of transport). Beginning her career with road.cc, Laura has also written for national and specialist titles of all stripes. One part of the popular Streets Ahead podcast, she sometimes appears as a talking head on TV and radio, and in real life at conferences and festivals. She is also the author of Potholes and Pavements: a Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network.
Latest Comments
- VIPcyclist 28 sec ago
Whilst I was reading this I was thinking : sounds familiar, yep, that's right . Then I read the bit about being referred for a fitness to drive and...
- Dnnnnnn 13 min 35 sec ago
I'm unclear how simply considering the views of people who travel through an area is voting for rat-runs. No need to explain though.
- David9694 1 hour 12 min ago
When you don't know for sure what the whinge would be if this work was postponed to January, but you know there would be one:...
- biking59boomer 1 hour 53 min ago
Sadly the cyclist hate in this country seems to have worsened of late. Dangerous motoring combined with anti-cycling officialdom in some places is...
- Rendel Harris 1 hour 53 min ago
Spartan response to Philip II of Macedon ("If I invade Laconia you shall never rise again!" Spartan response: "If.") I think, a century after...
- Cyclo1964 4 hours 25 min ago
Brilliant 🤣
- joules1975 7 hours 19 min ago
Fair enough, but to describe the tool required for the lockrings as 'niche' when its a readily available in various forms from dozens of...
- Secret_squirrel 8 hours 13 min ago
Disappointed that the not even in the land of the free do they shoot or jail bike thieves.
Add new comment
38 comments
It *really* winds them up if you slow on amber and then stop for the red light, too - most motorists think that's when they should be accelerating...
The danger is that's when they do accelerate. And they're looking at the lights rather than the cyclist who's stopping for the amber. It's one of my pet fears, so I'm an amber gambler.
I never stop on amber as I can't be certain the car behind me is stopping. Therefore ( with no brake light) it would be unsafe to stop.
When I am a car driver I am reluctant to stop at amber as drivers behind could crash into me. I make a habit of rolling forward as I intend to stop, lights or roundabouts, or give way signs. As a cyclist I would be even more wary of stopping with following traffic. But at least you can be very close to the kerb.
If it's a pedestrian crossing, but everyone has finished crossing and it's obvious that no-one else is going to cross, I see no reason not to just continue riding (excluding the fact that it's a red light, of course).
It's not just Denmark. This very august publication reported on Paris coming to the very same conclusion
http://road.cc/content/news/157275-cyclists-paris-allowed-ignore-red-tra...
£220 for cycling through a red light? In North Wales you can paralyse 2.75 cyclists for that!
That was my first thought before I even read the article! (just the headline)
Pages