Poll: Walking through a red light
- Thread starter Llil
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I don't care about lights when I'm on foot. If there is a safe opening that'll allow me to get across without endangering anyone I take it.
It looks like I'm asking a "stupid question". That it's somehow obvious that traffic rules don't apply to pedestrians. I don't get it...
runnernda said:
In Finland you can get fined for it. I've never seen it happen though, and the fine's pretty small anyway, so I guess the police just don't bother. But it's still not something you should do.Jonluw said:
So if there's nothing seriously wrong with your eyesight or hearing, making you perfectyl capable to both hear and see if a car is within a risky distance and traveling at a risky speed that might lead to an accident if you cross the road and disobey the traffic light, why are you still so dependant on those lights if you're on foot?Llil said:
I have a reason to. I might have an appointment that I can't miss, perhaps the mother of my potential child is delivering. Perhaps I just don't feel like waiting an unnecessarily long time for an overly-catious traffic light to change. So there's plenty of reasons to choose from. Take your pick.Llil said:
A system of rules should be relied upon when it's actually needed. If it isn't, then there's no reason to rely upon it. It's that simple.
What do you mean "agreed on"? Was there some sort of meeting or assembly where all of us came together and decided that when the light is red you can't cross a road, even when there are no cars around. Because I sure wasn't invited. I've never agreed to anything of the sort, so do what kind of tangible reason do you really have for considering yourself to be "superior" to me just because you "follow the rules" even when the very purpose for those rules sometimes makes it redundant following them?Llil said:
No need to, since you're just reading too much into it. Im not angry or offended (it's pretty hard to upset me in any way or form actually), I just have a somewhat caustic and gruff demeanor which I was never presented with a good enough reason to change.Llil said:
Several reasons. First of all sitting in a car limits your senses to such a degree that you should be more careful when operating the vehicle in question. A windshield might seem useful, but it's placement and the way it is attached does limit your field of vision (especially to the sides of the car), your hearing of what goes on outside of the car is also limited.Llil said:
I.e a pedestrian with normal hearing can usually HEAR a car coming long before it is within a potentially dangerous distance. A person driving a car however can pretty much never hear if a pedestrian is close to the vehicle because the vehicle shuts out exterior sounds.
Then you have to consider the fact that cars can be driven in speeds that the average human reactiontime has difficulties in coping with.
If im running using my legs, I can most likely come to a full stop if I see an obstacle in my way well before I actually collide with the obstacle in question.
Coming to a full stop with a car going at high speed however and avoiding a collision is severely more difficult.
To summarize: a driver's senses and perception of the world outside the car is severely limited as opposed to the pedestrian. Hence it's more logical of a driver to prioritize caution and following the trafficlights than it is for a pedestrian. Along with the fact that a car runs the risk of killing people in a way that a lone pedestrain could never do even by accident.
Yes I cross if it's clear.
As far as I'm aware, it's not a rule that you have to cross when it's green, it's merely an indication that all the cars that could drive where you are crossing have red lights.
Most places where I cross regularly don't have lights, so I have to rely on checking rather than waiting to be told it's safe.
As far as I'm aware, it's not a rule that you have to cross when it's green, it's merely an indication that all the cars that could drive where you are crossing have red lights.
Most places where I cross regularly don't have lights, so I have to rely on checking rather than waiting to be told it's safe.
I feel it's more of a suggestion when on foot, just like, I'd wait until they aren't allowed to come past if I were you.
In cars it's a completely different thing saying your controling a large vehicle made of metal that can do a lot of damage, people when they cross the road don't exactly have the chance of ploughing straight through something, they do however have the chance to be ploughed through by a car.
In cars it's a completely different thing saying your controling a large vehicle made of metal that can do a lot of damage, people when they cross the road don't exactly have the chance of ploughing straight through something, they do however have the chance to be ploughed through by a car.
I cross the street when the cars aren't coming. Lights are just for convenience's sake. No, wait, scratch that - I cross the street when I'm reasonably sure I won't be hit by cars. Their absence isn't required, just a lack of speed and a sufficient distance.
There are exceptions. I remember one time, it was 2 am, there wasn't a car on the road and me and my friends were standing there, waiting for the green light. The reason, of course, was that we were stoned, one of my mates had some weed on him and behind us were two cops just itching for an excuse to search us (they can only card us if we don't do anything). You could literally hear the cop thinking "Go ahead, cross the street, I dare you!"...
There are exceptions. I remember one time, it was 2 am, there wasn't a car on the road and me and my friends were standing there, waiting for the green light. The reason, of course, was that we were stoned, one of my mates had some weed on him and behind us were two cops just itching for an excuse to search us (they can only card us if we don't do anything). You could literally hear the cop thinking "Go ahead, cross the street, I dare you!"...
I don't "depend" on the lights, but I do respect general rules and guidelines. There's usually a reason for them.Housebroken Lunatic said:
I don't know, maybe I'm just the lawful type. I just wasn't expecting so many "what, why would you ever!?" -reactions.
What about other people then? Do you ever see anyone else wait for green in where you live? In here, most people don't care either, but I also see many who do.
Because the walk lights tend to not work around me. So I use the no cars around, or the proper car red light to go.Llil said:
I don't see why you shouldn't.Llil said:
If you're certain there are no cars coming your way, crossing the road is practically completely safe.
I'd say it's safer than crossing a street with traffic on a green light, seeing how that leaves the possibility of a car running the light and hitting you.
Large enough gap in traffic=Go in my books.
No ifs, ands or buts for me. I'm always cautious just because I don't want to get hit but I know my speed and rarely try to cut it close.
It's perfectly legal here in the UK.
The reason you can't do it in a car if they cut red lights and they by chance don't see someone, then they might kill them and that is then the drivers fault. If a kid crosses on his own free will he's putting his own life at risk and is not going to damage a ton of metal moving at 30mph(at least not much).
No ifs, ands or buts for me. I'm always cautious just because I don't want to get hit but I know my speed and rarely try to cut it close.
It's perfectly legal here in the UK.
The reason you can't do it in a car if they cut red lights and they by chance don't see someone, then they might kill them and that is then the drivers fault. If a kid crosses on his own free will he's putting his own life at risk and is not going to damage a ton of metal moving at 30mph(at least not much).
I have rarely paid attention to the lights on a road. What I have DO pay attention to is if I can see or hear any moving cars coming towards me. If there are, press the button and wait. Not, then go.
Mostly I don't look at the Green man/Red man, but rather at the traffic light for cars. I walk the road if the light is red.
If you are from America you are breaking all kinds of laws. Bicycles are considered vehicles just like cars, which means riding on the side walk is illegal, running a red light is illegal and crossing in a crosswalk is illegal. If you were to ride through a red light and get hit, you would be the one paying not only your own hospital bill, but the insurance bill of the person who hit you.vivster said:
It's not illegal here, so I'll almost always just walk across.
Sometimes, though, if there's a parent at the lights with their children and they're clearly training their kids to wait for the lights, I'll wait with them, so as not to disrupt the lesson being taught.
I don't drive, so the question doesn't really arise for me in that context, but regardless of the very obvious safety issue with driving straight through a red, that is illegal, and you'll likely get a driving ban for doing that.
Sometimes, though, if there's a parent at the lights with their children and they're clearly training their kids to wait for the lights, I'll wait with them, so as not to disrupt the lesson being taught.
I don't drive, so the question doesn't really arise for me in that context, but regardless of the very obvious safety issue with driving straight through a red, that is illegal, and you'll likely get a driving ban for doing that.
I'm sorry? Walking through a red light? I'm not quite sure what that means. I will cross the road when a traffic light's green if I don't see a car coming, if that's what you mean.
thank you for the lecture but i am well aware of all these laws(which apply in pretty much any country including mine)artanis_neravar said:
including a law that my drivers license can be revoked even if i wasn't going by car
good thing i don't have one right?
i cross the street when there is no one around which makes waiting pointless anyway
also i never cross the street when there is police nearby... isn't that nice of me?
