Use of Bus Lanes

prestonbob

Can cyclists use all bus lanes or only those specifically signed/marked 'bus and cycle' lanes?

gkerr4

just use 'em

you don't have a licence plate on your ass do you? - they have camera's on some of those lanes!

be careful though - don't pick a fight with a bus - you won't win

oh - and welcome to the forum!

prestonbob

I have been using them without any probs on my daily commute until this morning when a pretty aggressive bus driver started to have a go at me - passing me REALLY close and then slowing down in front of me - It's about 300m uphil and I wasn't hanging about - prob doing about 15/17 mph so not inconveniencing him esp at 7am in Preston!
Just wondered where I stood legally - it does say bus lane but unfortunately not bus and cycle!

davelakers

prestonbob wrote:

I have been using them without any probs on my daily commute until this morning when a pretty aggressive bus driver started to have a go at me - passing me REALLY close and then slowing down in front of me - It's about 300m uphil and I wasn't hanging about - prob doing about 15/17 mph so not inconveniencing him esp at 7am in Preston!
Just wondered where I stood legally - it does say bus lane but unfortunately not bus and cycle!

Welcome Bob.

Whereabouts in Preston are you riding? Any other possible route you can take?

prestonbob

Hi - it's the Fishergate Hill up towards Preston station.
If I don't use this route, I'd have to stay on the main ringway road as my route is from Penwortham to Logridge and there's really no alternative to going through Preston city centre.

davelakers

prestonbob wrote:

Hi - it's the Fishergate Hill up towards Preston station.
If I don't use this route, I'd have to stay on the main ringway road as my route is from Penwortham to Logridge and there's really no alternative to going through Preston city centre.

I see what you mean now. I used to live on Hartington Road and work in Ribbleton. That was always a decision for me, which way to cycle. I ended up using ringway as I was sick of the near misses and abuse from buses up Fishergate Hill. Besides if you up Fishergate Hill how do you go through town without going the wrong way down Fishergate, or riding on the pavement?

phreak

I usually use the bus lanes when commuting around London. Havn't been shouted at for using them thus far.

1892

If I remember correctly it says in the highway code that cycles can use bus lanes, bus drivers are among the worst drivers on the road with taxi drivers

grayo59

I think the blue sign designates what can use them - nearly always a picture of a bus and a cycle and usually taxi and m/cycle too, here in Bristol. We all seem to get along ok.

NWLondoner

I always use them In London.

Most bus drivers give me plenty of room.

The main danger is idiot (bendy drivers) who overtake then suddenly pull into a bus stop. Had that happen to me on Edgware Road the other week in the pouring rain.

keenanjd

Cyclists are permitted to use all bus lanes in Preston including Fishergate hill, I have an email from Lancashire County council that confirms this.

lakesluddite

Get the licence number next time, and report the twunt for using his 3 ton vehicle as a weapon - to the bus company and Lancs plod.

pilot_pete

keenanjd wrote:

Cyclists are permitted to use all bus lanes in Preston including Fishergate hill, I have an email from Lancashire County council that confirms this.

If that is the case, gather your evidence (dates, times, licence plate numbers, bus number, operator name etc). If you have helmet cam video all the better. Then call the bus operator and ask for a name/ email for the individual responsible for driver quality/ safety. Follow this up with a written statement addressed to this individual. Keep it polite and factual. State what you were doing, what happened and emphasise any safety issues you observed (did you have to brake sharply, take evasive action, crash etc?).

If this has happened on more than one occasion it could be a rogue individual taking the law into his/her own hands, or it could be a cultural issue amongst drivers within the operator, or even wider than that. By highlighting the issue and giving specific details of incidents will allow the operator to trace and even to review dashcam footage from on the bus (which I would guess just about all operators have now) will give you the best chance of making change.

If the outcome is not satisfactory or the behaviour continues, escalate it. Keep the comminucation with the bus operator and inform them before you escalate - being completely reasonable like this gives you the upper hand and them the chance to re-consider and perhaps take further action.

I personally would offer to run a cyclist safety chat with their drivers - meeting a vulnerable road user face to face in their depot, hearing about and seeing pictures of my loving wife and kids at home and then explaining emotions and vulnerability and even better than that getting them out on some push bikes and letting them experience being passed by their boss in a bus on that road and then going back to chat about how they felt would make a huge difference.

If you approach it from the angle that they are professionals and this is about improving their already excellent skills rather than a disgruntled cyclist rant and argument about 'who's right', I reckon they would buy in and become safer around cyclists. If they don't, and they have an enlightened boss (driving standards manager etc) it would raise an interesting point regarding their suitability. A safety culture has to be developed and individuals need to buy in. If they don't and think they are above it, they are the dangerous ones.

Alongside this, it may be worth speaking to the Highways Officer at your local council - if there is indeed a letter stating that cyclists can use that bus lane, it might be that the signage could be improved to make sure bus drivers are not under the illusion that cyclists should not be there. Again, evidence of a problem is required otherwise it will deemed not to be. See if you can find other cyclists with similar stories.

I know, it's a lot of effort. But if you want change you have to make it happen within the system that exists. My wife is on our local council and I, through her position am pushing hugely for change regarding cycling in our town. We are slowly but surely starting to make progress.

Good luck

PP

Silly Old Hector

Totally agree with this - improves lives for all.

danieljwaterhouse

prestonbob wrote:

Hi - it's the Fishergate Hill up towards Preston station.
If I don't use this route, I'd have to stay on the main ringway road as my route is from Penwortham to Logridge and there's really no alternative to going through Preston city centre.

Careful, I use this route daily and only last week got put over a taxis bonnet claiming he hadn’t seen me when turning! I’m always lit up like a bloody Christmas tree!!

Thankfully I was able to hobble the bike back together and a very nice fella at Lesuire lakes sorted it out in time for me to catch a train home!

Hate taxis, hate buses (except when leaning on one at lights!)

sungod

danieljwaterhouse wrote:

prestonbob wrote:

Hi - it's the Fishergate Hill up towards Preston station.
If I don't use this route, I'd have to stay on the main ringway road as my route is from Penwortham to Logridge and there's really no alternative to going through Preston city centre.

Careful, I use this route daily and only last week got put over a taxis bonnet claiming he hadn’t seen me when turning! I’m always lit up like a bloody Christmas tree!!

Thankfully I was able to hobble the bike back together and a very nice fella at Lesuire lakes sorted it out in time for me to catch a train home!

Hate taxis, hate buses (except when leaning on one at lights!)

the op posted this in 2008, their last post was also in 2008

this thread needs reburying

dannbodge

I use all the Bus lanes in Portsmouth when on my bike.
I'll ride in the middle of them until I get a bus coming, at which point I'd move over.

Myself and my wife have both found that bus drivers are one of the worst (if not the worst) for close passes. Regardless of whether in a bus lane or open road

thefd

sungod wrote:

danieljwaterhouse wrote:

prestonbob wrote:

Hi - it's the Fishergate Hill up towards Preston station.
If I don't use this route, I'd have to stay on the main ringway road as my route is from Penwortham to Logridge and there's really no alternative to going through Preston city centre.

Careful, I use this route daily and only last week got put over a taxis bonnet claiming he hadn’t seen me when turning! I’m always lit up like a bloody Christmas tree!!

Thankfully I was able to hobble the bike back together and a very nice fella at Lesuire lakes sorted it out in time for me to catch a train home!

Hate taxis, hate buses (except when leaning on one at lights!)

the op posted this in 2008, their last post was also in 2008

this thread needs reburying

Yeah I agree it needs to be buried...oh hang on now it as the top again!

sungod

maybe we could keep it there long enough to rival the brexit thread

shimanobottombracket

Has anyone noticed any improvements regarding the OPs issue since then? Maybe the general manner of driving has got even worse? Would be interesting to hear from peoples experiences.

kingdav

I'm quite impressed by London bus drivers these days, I'm commuting down the bus lanes daily. Occasionally I get a close pass or an overtake right before a bus stop pull in but that is rare. Most of the time I see some really considerate positioning, they clearly know how inexperienced cyclists operate and make allowances. I see them leaving good gaps in jams, slowing up and passing when safe when there are slower riders in front as well as waiting for riders to come through before setting off.
A few weeks ago on a very cold morning in Brixton I pulled up along side a bus at a red light, the driver wound down his window. I thought "oh no", thinking there was going to be some sort of confrontation, but he just told me he thought I was mad being out in the cold and we had a cheery chat.
I live in hope that one day the antagonism between motorised and human powered traffic will evaporate and try to do my bit by not jumping lights, having a bit of consideration for my impact on others and making a point of thanking those who show the consideration to me. Sadly it feels to me like the tide is still going out when it comes to private car drivers.