Something I learned saved my life this morning!

[headlamp]

Two minutes into my daily commute I am approaching a junction on the North Circular (Brent Street/Golders Green Road). Surprisingly the NCR was clear and I saw the lights were about to change to green. I am in the far right hand lane and maintaining a constant speed of 25mph. When I was about 10 feet from the white line, the lights change from red to red/amber and as always I check both right and left before accelerating. I see in the corner of my eye a car (BMW - what else?) tearing through the junction and I put my feet down, do an emergency stop, as the car passes three feet in front of me at approximately 50mph.

It is when you do the 'what ifs' that you get really scared, however I just remember back to my DAS course four years ago when my instructor drummed into me to look both ways when crossing a junction, even if the lights are green. His advice saved my life today.
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Using a mobile phone while driving a car should be made a capital offence!

[map]

Good call
Any cameras at that junction? If your side was on red/amber his must have been on red!

[headlamp]

[tintin]

This is my absolute pet hate, I can't stand people who jump the lights. It's worse at this time of the year because the schools are off and there is less traffic around so cars are going faster.

Cameras at junctions, pah!
There is one at a junction in Streatham and I see people go through on amber/red and red and I've only seen the camera go off once.

Glad you were OK, but never put your feet down, keep them on the pegs and you might have a chance of steering round something.
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The older I get the better I was

[Ava_Banana]

Did the same myself at a roundabout wednesday night, just looked to my right as I pulled away from my green lights and a mercedes came through the other way at speed. I am not entirely sure how he missed the car on my right, or my front wheel as I performed an emergency stoppie......

Scares the crap out of me, jumping red lights.

[Fallen Angel]

Lucky escape Headlamp, I can relate to the 'what-if's' feelings afterwards! It's a delayed reaction I think!

On my CBT they drummed that into me also - think they called it
the 'lifesaver-looks'

I nearly got killed in my car on 19th April when a twat in a big white Mercedes Box Van went through a red light and pumelled into my car!!!!!!!

I HATE PEOPLE THAT JUMP LIGHTS!!!!
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I have an asshole tolerance level of -10
www.cliqueyclanmcc.co.uk
www.bebo.com/fallenangelfran

[JonB]

For me this begs question. Are Traffic Light cameras more important than Speed Cameras? In my opinion Speed cameras are just an easy way of creating revenue without saving too many lives as most people speed up afterwards anyway. Traffic Light cameras can save lives as passing through a red light is a big NO NO.

To be honest I would rather see traffic light cameras than speed cameras.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[Fallen Angel]

Here, here - I'm with you 100% on that one Somerset!
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I have an asshole tolerance level of -10
www.cliqueyclanmcc.co.uk
www.bebo.com/fallenangelfran

[Milo]

I wish it was easy to record everything your instructors say and play it back at night. They come out with so many bits of life-saving advice I'm sure I must have missed some.
I wish my bike could do an emergency stoppie!
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Shaft drives rule.

[karen_moomin]

Scary stuff but it sounds like you did a good job! I have been scared a few times when things have appeared from "nowhere". I need to increase my observation skills. Thanks for the reality/safety check...hope you're ok

[Frost]

[Mr C]

when I was working in Houston Texas I was given the following advice for traffic lights

if, as you approach an intersection the lights just go to green, stop anyway because the traffic is gonna go against the red on the other road

more importantly, if, as you approach the intersection the lights go red, you'd better put your foot on the accelerator HARD - because the 18 wheeler behind you just has
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187.3bhp = 201mph

[swaffs]

@ MR C

laugh out loud moment in the office.

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

Cool!, good call. Ive had people jump reds on me. Not good. Always plan that bit further ahead, and it makes riding safer and more fun.