http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-33446899
Good or bad, it highlights powers some LAs have...
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
"Paris to let cyclists skip red lights"
(10 posts)-
Posted 10 years ago #
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If you are on segregated facilities then it might make sense (no danger of cars following you through a red), although Paris traffic is so busy that for most of the day, I cannot see anyone doing this. The only advantage here would be to shut up those that say all cyclists do it anyway...
Posted 10 years ago # -
It's not really skipping red lights though is it? Additional lights for cyclists only, to allow right turns or straight through and only on certain junctions. Sounds like a great idea to me.
Posted 10 years ago # -
There are places where you can turn left (well right because of driving on the other side of the road) on red so long as you give way to pedestrians. In fact I thought this was the case in France (obviously I am wrong).
(Weren't we talking about this the other day on some other thread?)
Posted 10 years ago # -
Drivers turning right, and pedestrians get a green at the same time, but the drivers MUST cede priority to the pedestrians. Got to be able to trust your drivers of course, but it's a system they're used to in France.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Typical headline writers! "Paris to operate bicycle-specific traffic lights" just doesn't have the same zing, does it <rolls eyes>.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Having been in Paris a few times in the last year I can honestly say that lots of drivers do not stop for pedestrians even though they are meant to. Drivers can go through most reds to turn right (like in the USA) but are meant to give way to people crossing on the green man.
Posted 10 years ago # -
"Drivers can go through most reds to turn right (like in the USA) but are meant to give way to people crossing on the green man."
Hmmm, not according to any guide I've read before driving in France, nor what I saw in any of the many times I've driven in France (though granted this wasn't in Paris). For example the guide below states that driving through a red is an offence (but notes most Parisians drive through them anyway, so it's not legal, but is heavily practiced...):
"The sequence of French traffic lights ( feux) is red, green, amber (yellow) and back to red. Amber means stop at the stop line; you may proceed only if the amber light appears after you’ve crossed the stop line or when stopping may cause an accident. Traffic lights are often suspended above the road, although most are on posts at the side, with smaller lights at eye level for motorists who are too close to see the main lights (an excellent idea).
In Paris and other cities there’s a two-second delay after one set of lights changes to red before the other set changes to green, to allow time for those who don’t care to stop at red lights or cannot tell the difference between red and green (a significant proportion of Parisian drivers). You can be fined around €300 and penalised four licence points for driving through a red light.
An amber or green filter light, usually flashing and with a direction arrow, may be shown in addition to the main signal. This means that you may drive in the direction shown by the arrow, but must give priority to pedestrians or other traffic. Flashing amber lights are a warning to proceed with caution and are often used at junctions at night, in which case you should be very careful and observe the priority signs (see above). Occasionally you will see a flashing red light, meaning stop or no entry, e.g. at a railway crossing."
Posted 10 years ago # -
Cheers for that WC, I suppose like here when the police don't give a shh then more and more people will break the law and it becomes a norm. Folk were doing this in full view of the cops when I was there!
Posted 10 years ago #
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