Imagine you are pedalling along a one-way, three-lane trunk road in central London at rush hour. You come to a halt at a set of red lights, as do the hundreds of agitated, overheated, mobile phone-distracted drivers behind you. Ahead the road branches into two, but before it splits it is joined by four new lanes swinging in from the right.

To get to where you have to go, you – the lone cyclist – need to be in the centre-left lane. You can’t be sure, but probability dictates there is at least one tattooed chav of subnormal intelligence in the queue behind you, three taxi drivers, two articulated lorries, a bendy bus and five or six Top Gear fans who think now is a good time to make like the Stig.

Now, here’s the question. Do you: a) wait like a lemon for the lights to turn green, trusting that no one hits you as the phalanx of traffic surges forward; b) jump the red light without checking nothing is coming from the right; c) jump the red light after making sure there is nothing coming from the right?

If you’re a conventional middle Englander you will have plumped for “a”. That’s because everyone from middle England always obeys the law – unless, perhaps, it’s got something to do with a speed limit. If you’re a reckless chav, on the other hand, you will have gone for “b”. City cyclists, however, know instinctively that “c” is the way to go.

By jumping the light after checking that nothing is coming, you harm no one and put yourself well ahead of heavy vehicles behind you. You are well out from under their tyres and immediately more visible. In short, by breaking the law you have dramatically reduced your chances of an agonising death by crushing.

There are other rules that cyclists who value their lives will – and should, in my view – continue breaking. We are not fans of those prissy little cycle lanes that measure about 1½ft across. Much better to assert yourself by claiming a proper position in the road. It forces drivers who want to pass to overtake properly rather than trying to squeeze through and push you into the kerb or a pothole.

And speaking of being assertive, we Lycra louts reserve the right to shout and gesticulate angrily at you at any time during rush hour. We do this not for fun but because you nearly killed one of us 100 yards back.

Do you agree? Email your views to ingear@thesunday times.co.uk or post your views below

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