Motorbikes in Cycle Lanes

clarkey cat

It doesnt bother me as long as I am given right of way - ie. if them being in the cycle lane slows me up then this would annoy me.

How about you?

Gazzaputt

Nope it isn't for them to use full stop. Pain in the backside when they use them.

cyclingpast

clarkey cat wrote:

It doesnt bother me as long as I am given right of way - ie. if them being in the cycle lane slows me up then this would annoy me.

How about you?

I wouldn't be happy with a car in in the cycle lane, so I'm not happy with a motorbike or moped in the cycle lane either.

DonDaddyD

It isn't illegal for a car or motor cycle to be in or use the cyclelane/super highway. But it annoys the life out of me when they do.

Especially motorcycles as I have to back off to avoid their exahust pipe fumes.

nyanza

Nope it isn't for them to use full stop.

Not quite. Cars lorries, motorbikes, whatever can use lanes marked with a dashed line. It's annoying when they do use them, but technically it isn't an offence.
A cycle lane with a solid white line is a different matter though..

Certainly in London, I've noticed more motorbikes in any kind of cycle lane since bus lanes were opened up to them - it was a signal for a free for all.

clarkey cat

the dashed/continuous line is my understanding too. However, even with dashed lines pedal cycles have right of way - is that correct?

gtvlusso

They should not be there - legally or morally!

Motorcyclists in cycle lanes really annoys me, shows that some motorcyclists really need to man up.

asprilla

nyanza wrote:

Certainly in London, I've noticed more motorbikes in any kind of cycle lane since bus lanes were opened up to them - it was a signal for a free for all.

Can someone clariy if all bus lanes are opened up to them, or if it is just the signposted ones?

Origamist

nyanza wrote:

Nope it isn't for them to use full stop.

Not quite. Cars lorries, motorbikes, whatever can use lanes marked with a dashed line. It's annoying when they do use them, but technically it isn't an offence.
A cycle lane with a solid white line is a different matter though..

Certainly in London, I've noticed more motorbikes in any kind of cycle lane since bus lanes were opened up to them - it was a signal for a free for all.

Other vehicles can use/encroach into an adivsory cycle lane as it is indeed not an offence, but 140 of the HC adds a proviso:

Do not drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a broken white line unless it is unavoidable.

Now the bit in bold might come into play in a criminal or civil court if a motorist/motorcyclist collided with a cyclist in an advisory cycle lane.

We have cycle lanes on my route (CS7) that have no edge markings whatsoever and I am unsure as to their status.

jamesco

Asprilla wrote:

Can someone clariy if all bus lanes are opened up to them, or if it is just the signposted ones?

Definitely not all of them - the local council rag for Ealing, London, mentioned that motorcycles are no longer allowed to use the bus lanes in the borough.

keyser__soze

I find motorbikes cutting in and out of cycle lanes - usually at pace - one of the most dangerous things about my commute. Nearly been taken out several times. Almost as dangerous is idiots in larger vehicles weaving into the lanes either just because they're being dozy or when they're trying to undertake a vehicle turning right and don't check their mirrors or ensure they're actually properly past the cyclist they're overtaking. I saw a hybrid almost get taken out by a car on the NKR last night - he didn't quite overtake the bike then just swerved in to within a foot of the kerb. Had the rider been two or three feet further forward he'd have been taken out.

Origamist

Asprilla wrote:

nyanza wrote:

Certainly in London, I've noticed more motorbikes in any kind of cycle lane since bus lanes were opened up to them - it was a signal for a free for all.

Can someone clariy if all bus lanes are opened up to them, or if it is just the signposted ones?

Red route bus lanes were opened to motorcycles in 2009 as part of a trial promised by Boris in his mayoral manifesto. The trial was extended after the it was decided more monitoring was needed.

There should be signs indicating which vehicles can use bus lanes, be they on red routes or not. Some bus lanes do not allow cyclists for example.

If you're interested: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/ ... -lanes.pdf

asprilla

Origamist wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

nyanza wrote:

Certainly in London, I've noticed more motorbikes in any kind of cycle lane since bus lanes were opened up to them - it was a signal for a free for all.

Can someone clariy if all bus lanes are opened up to them, or if it is just the signposted ones?

Red route bus lanes were opened to motorcycles in 2009 as part of a trial promised by Boris in his mayoral manifesto. The trial was extended after the it was decided more monitoring was needed.

There should be signs indicating which vehicles can use bus lanes, be they on red routes or not. Some bus lanes do not allow cyclists for example.

So it's only bus lanes with signposts indicating that motorcycles can use them.

Cheers.

kurako

Origamist wrote:

We have cycle lanes on my route (CS7) that have no edge markings whatsoever and I am unsure as to their status.

Since a cycle lane is marked with a white line (either dashed or continuous) I'd guess that the sh!tty blue paint you refer to has no legal status. Unfortunately that doesn't stop dicks from saying stuff like 'you should be in the cycle lane'. God how I hate CS7!

cjcp

DonDaddyD wrote:

It isn't illegal for a car or motor cycle to be in or use the cyclelane/super highway. But it annoys the life out of me when they do.

I admit that I don't know if that's right or not, but, if it is, doesn't that kinda defeat the purpose of spending thousands of pounds of painting the road bright blue? Also, if they aren't allowed in the bike lanes with a solid white line, why should it matter whether there's blue paint to the left of that solid line or not?

Otherwise, what K_S said.

rjsterry

Talking of randomly coloured bits of tarmac, coming up QTR two nights ago, I noticed some small spray painted arrows labelled 'green' and 'buff'. Sure enough, the next night Highway Maintenance have been having a Make & Do day and large sections are an inch deep in brightly coloured cat litter. I half expect to see a load of pasta shapes glued to the road and sprayed silver one day.

Anyway.

I get regularly tailgated down the Viccy Embankment mandatory CL by some impatient motorcyclist or scooter rider. Slowing down and pulling out from the kerb seems to persuade them back onto the main carriageway soon enough.

Origamist

Kurako wrote:

Origamist wrote:

nyanza wrote:

We have cycle lanes on my route (CS7) that have no edge markings whatsoever and I am unsure as to their status.

Since a cycle lane is marked with a white line (either dashed or continuous) I'd guess that the sh!tty blue paint you refer to has no legal status. Unfortunately that doesn't stop dicks from saying stuff like 'you should be in the cycle lane'. God how I hate CS7!

Tell me about it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgK_YVBAvmQ

PS - another BR forum member also appears in this clip. Guess who...

Funnlly enough, the sections without edge markings are not referred to as cycle lanes by the CS team at TFL, but merely as: "blue surfacing". I think that nicely sums up their (apparent) lack of status.

CyclingBantam

It annoys me when they are in there a little but I try not to make a big deal of it. There is a very fine line in a lot of motorists heads where they think we shouldn't/are not allowed on 'their' road.

If they then see us making a big deal about them being in ours it makes it worse for us all.

Origamist

cjcp wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

It isn't illegal for a car or motor cycle to be in or use the cyclelane/super highway. But it annoys the life out of me when they do.

I admit that I don't know if that's right or not, but, if it is, doesn't that kinda defeat the purpose of spending thousands of pounds of painting the road bright blue? Also, if they aren't allowed in the bike lanes with a solid white line, why should it matter whether there's blue paint to the left of that solid line or not?

Otherwise, what K_S said.

Most of the CS7 route DDD is referring to has advisory cycle lane markings (apart from bits where it has no markings or square cycle logos!), and only a short section near Southwark Bridge has a mandatory lane.

The paint issue is interesting (well, maybe for losers like me) as a report a while back found less encroachment into cycle lanes that were coloured, IIRC.

bennj

I commute in to Manchester 3 times a week by motorcycle and cycle in the other two days.

The only places I venture into are advance stop boxes, generally to get ahead of traffic and only if it is clear to do so, as a motorcyclist using cycle lanes would be not only down right dangerous for the cyclist but also for the motorcyclist as you are less likely to be visible to other traffic, particulary buses and trucks! Best to just keep to filtering between lanes where you can see and be seen.

What does get my goat though is cyclists who don't seem to want to share the road, I regulary end up behind cyclists on my motorbike filtering at 10-12mph in between 2 carraigeways and not moving across when there is space to do so, why??

If we are all a bit more considerate and sensible with each other it would all work, wouldn't it?

prj45

Ealing council scrapped the policy based on figures showing casualties amongst all road users were higher when motorcycles are allowed to thunder up and down bus lanes (dur!):

http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-new ... 16711.html

Headhuunter

prj45 wrote:

Ealing council scrapped the policy based on figures showing casualties amongst all road users were higher when motorcycles are allowed to thunder up and down bus lanes (dur!):

http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-new ... 16711.html

I'm not surprised casualties were higher. IMO the single scariest and potentially dangerous things on the road are motorcyclists and moped riders thundering past you along bus lanes, forget buses and HGVs they're too slow to be a concern. I often find that I need to take a slightly wider path in bus lanes as they're full of potholes or there are slower cyclists on the far left, however the speed at which motorcyles approach from the rear is damn scary, they frequently fly along bus lanes at around 40mph and don't take the fact that you may pull out into consideration and end up skimming past you at 40... And I usually end up catching them at the next lights anyway. Often along OKR I end up in a deadly chase, they pass me at speed on the right, then they hit lights or traffic and have to stop, I get through, then they skim past me again and teh dance continues...

keyser__soze

Ironic one yesterday. Bus on the NKR pulls across into the mandatory cycle lane without any reason nor indication, almost taking out cyclists filtering up the inside. I stop behind, face to face with the 'Stay out of bus lanes, £120 fine". Tempted to knock some similar ones up referring to cycle lanes and instead of a fine call the driver stupid or something and slap them on offending buses.

prj45

Headhuunter wrote:

I'm not surprised casualties were higher.

I do have to add that apparently the casualties aren't higher due to cyclist/motorcyclist incidents, crashes were higher in both camps, but they weren't crashing into each other.

I do watch some motorcyclists blatting at 30 or 40 down bus lanes at which speed they must have utter utter faith that something's not going to turn across them, or pull out of a side road.

Frankly, if you behave like that you're going to get totalled sooner rather than later.

Paul E

I almost got taken out by a stupid moron on a moped pulling into the solid lined cycle lane on the embankment just after blackfriars the other day.

I also made a point of going slow another time after I had a moped behind in the same lane as the two lanes were blocked making sure no bikes were behind him, I was ahem cooling down. I have zero tolerance for that kind of thing.