Cycle paths...who has right of way at junctions?

ChrisLS

...along the cycle lane near where I work there are fifteen junctions that I have to cross within about a quater of a mile. Two are road junctions and the rest are factory exits and entrances. Yesterday as I was crossing one of the factory entrances a van pulled from the road,as I was crossing one of the entrances. We nearly collied. My fault? Who has right of way?

BentMikey

Neither of you have right of way, but the van, almost certainly had priority if you're talking about a pavement or off road cycle path. If this were the Netherlands, then chances are you'd have priority, but it'd be easy to confirm from the road markings.

For the most part, using the road is much better than using cycle paths/lanes.
http://www.londonskaters.com/cycling/sa ... -lanes.htm

Eat My Dust

I'd imagine as you were already crossing that you have right of way.

I had a similar inident last week when a courier van pulled out of a road as I was exiting a cycle lane, I was already on the road way before she had even got close to the road end, she didn't look and pulled straight out into the road. I had seen it coming so wasn't overly concerned. She however was not happy. The funny thing was she was the courier who delivered my bike from Wiggle!!

Eat My Dust

BentMikey wrote:

Neither of you have right of way, but the van, almost certainly had priority if you're talking about a pavement or off road cycle path. If this were the Netherlands, then chances are you'd have priority, but it'd be easy to confirm from the road markings.

For the most part, using the road is much better than using cycle paths/lanes.
http://www.londonskaters.com/cycling/sa ... -lanes.htm

I don't usually disagree with you BM, but there's no way the van had right of way! If you are already crossing a junction and a vehicle pulls into the same junction, how does the vehicle have right of way?

Shadowduck

Not sure about the right of way, but I agree with BentMikey that you're generally much better off on the road. People just don't expect something to be coming along the pavement (or what they perceive as pavement) at 15 - 20 mph and so don't allow for it - right of way doesn't do you much good when you're under a van after a SMIDSY.

If you're not already in a junction, you can be pretty confident that the cycle path doesn't have priority. Yet another reason to ignore the accursed things.

BentMikey

Eat My Dust wrote:

I don't usually disagree with you BM, but there's no way the van had right of way! If you are already crossing a junction and a vehicle pulls into the same junction, how does the vehicle have right of way?

You could be right, but I'm was assuming he was just before the junction and not actually in the road already.

In any event, I wouldn't like to rely on my priority in this sort of case, because it's all too well known how few drivers know about or obey this rule in this situation, be it for pedestrians or cyclists.

ChrisLS

...I was crossing the junction...and thought the priority was mine. I am now only using cycle lanes when it makes my journey safer...I ride in Belgium from time to time and there, ofcourse, the cycle lane has priority...

BentMikey

Cool, I understand. Would you be willing to spot the map on google maps and link it here? That way we can get a much better idea of what happened.

ChrisLS

...Mikey, I would, but struggling with the technology! It was an entrance to gated factory, not a road junction...

BentMikey

I can have a go for you - let me know the road name, and that of any nearby junction roads, and I'll put up a satellite view.

ChrisLS

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en ... 4&t=h&z=15

...Mikey, it's on Elizabeth Way just before the roundabout, but does not show on this map you can see it on satellite...I think I had the right of way as I was commited to the manouvre. He saw me and just drove straight at me, to prove somekind of a point maybe...anyhow a lesson learned, and I stayed cool...

whome

AIUI, if you are crossing a side road or factory entrance while on a shared path or pavement cycle path you do not have right of way. You are effectively turning on to the road so have to give way to anything already on the road. I can see complications if (as EatMyDust suggests) you are already crossing when the vehicle turns in. Note as another vehicle user, you probably are expected to be aware of traffic that might turn in.

If you are a pedestrian, you do have right of way over traffic turning in when crossing a side road (though most people seem to ignore this) and AIUI pedestrians are not expected to understand traffic rules/behaviour. Mind you, vehicles should always treat pedestrians as having right of way.