Motorcycles in cycle lane:what are we going to do with them?

bikeboon

Whereas a few month ago police used to fine the motorcyclists in dedicated cycle lanes (Lower Thames St was a particular black spot), now they seem to choose to turn a blind eye.

The question remains: what needs to happen for the police/the mayor to act?

A different but related topic:

http://lcc.org.uk/articles/transport-fo ... -permanent

Thoughts? Opinions?

Headhuunter

I just jump more red lights to equal things out....

Blue Meanie

Says 'Bicycle' on the tax-disc :-)

t4tomo

pull i front of them at the lights and set off really slowly. Smile very nicely at them whilst carrying this out - they'll get the message.:D

dizzydane

I'm not complaining yet.... But the lot on my route are pretty considerate and decent...

There is one cyclist who throws a strop and the motorbikes in the mornings and he just makes my ride way more entertaining!!!

Drfabulous0

Round my way most bikers, and motorists for that matter seem so intent on using the cycle lane that the rest of the road remains relatively clear, so I just go up the outside.

keyser__soze

bikeboon wrote:

Motorcycles in cycle lane:what are we going to do with them?

Nuke them from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Freshfunkmeister

I ride a motorbike and cycle, using the same route ( Epsom to Lambeth ) each time and I have never once encountered any issue with motorbikes when cycling and bicycles when motorbiking. Like every road user there are are always idiots out there, rega\rdkless of their choice of transport. I am still amazed though and the number of cyclists who don't wear helmets and have no rear lights in the dark !!

madtam

I'm not sure I have a particular issue with motorbikes in cycle lanes as long as they are sensible and courteous, rather than idiots. They have many of the same issues as cyclists so maybe we can give them a bit of licence.
Having said that I did knock one of his bike when he road into the cycle lane in front of me. It was a kid on a scooter/moped that decided he wasn't waiting in the slow moving queu amd would just wizz up the inside on the "empty" cycle lane. This would be the lane I was happily freewheeling along in and he hadn't checked. Unfortunately I didn't have time to react when he started to pull across and I caught his front wheel as it came across the front of me. It was enough to knock him off course and into the car in front and then down into the road. Fortunately I was fine, he was also fine but a bit shaken, his bike had a broken idicator and some cracked plastic, and the car had a bit of a scratch. I decided that as I was fine I wasn't going to make an issue of it and left him and the car driver to sort out there damages.
My guess is that at least he will be a bit more careful about using cycle lanes in future.

The Rookie

Highway code
140
Cycle lanes. These are shown by road markings and signs. You MUST NOT drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a solid white line during its times of operation. Do not drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a broken white line unless it is unavoidable. You MUST NOT park in any cycle lane whilst waiting restrictions apply.

If it's a broken line it makes it much harder for the Police to take any action!

corshamjim

Many cycle lanes (the ones without solid white lines) are 'advisory' which means it's not actually illegal for cars etc, to use them. IIRC, some bus lanes allow motorcycles and some don't too which just adds to the confusion.

I can't say I've noticed a problem myself, but then I don't often use cycle lanes anyway. As other posters have said, most motorcyclists would be considerate and those that aren't shouldn't be on the road let alone the cycle lane anyway.

mark1964

I'm convinced that here in Bristol, which has had motorbikes in bus lanes since the mid 90's, that it has resulted in an increase in cycle lane abuse. I'm off the bike at the moment, recovering from a stomach op but last night on my way to the bus stop, I noted at least three bikers who blatantly rode along a mandatory lane and into the ASL on red. They either don't know the rules, or can't be bothered to follow them. Their thinking seems to be something like this:

"I must get to the front. Oooh, look at that empty cycle lane.I'm allowed in bus lanes, so f*** it, I'll use that lane"

In the 'cycling city', motorbikes almost NEVER get stopped for riding in cycle lanes or abusing the ASL. Unfortunately, as I understand it, then plod must actually witness the event in order to stop/ticket them. So it's a 99% get-away-with-it scenario that encourages abuse. And the next thing you know is that the Motorcycle Action Group will start campaigning to allow motorbikes in cycle lanes and the ASL. My own experiences of bikers in the ASL is that I was once sworn at by some guy for not allowing him into the box (which was half it's size at the time due to roadwaorks) and cut up by another idiot who executed a right hand turn, from the left hand side of the ASL.

If I encounter a motorbike attempting to get into the lane behind me, which happens occasionally, I do enjoy a verrry slooooow ride along it , stopping just over the white line of the ASL, leaning over towards any cars so that there isn't any room for them to get in. As far as I'm concerned, I'm just using a cycle facility quite legally - they are the ones committing a traffic offence.

Daz555

I occasionally ride on a couple of roads which have had cycle lanes squeezed into them resulting in no filtering room left down the centre. In such circumstance when traffic is locked up I have progressed along the cycle lane when on my motorbike. I have seen other bikers do the same when I'm cycling in similar circumstance and I have no problem with that. I cycle into Bristol every day and on my route I have not yet seen a motorcyle in a cycle lane whilst traffic is actually flowing - if I did this would certainly wind me up.

Show me someone who says they obey all road rules all the time and I'll show you a liar. I think as long as we are curteous we can all get along and take a little bit of a liberty from time to time with no-one being hurt. We should also consider that from a legal perspective, not all cycle lanes are equal and I doubt any of us have a complete handle on which ones are which on every route we ride.

With my cyclist head on, motorcycles are the LEAST of my concern - falling way behind other cyclists for example.

squired

I don't have a problem with it. I'd be more worried being involved in a crash on a motorbike than on a bicycle, and I think most people on motorbikes ride sensibly because they know how risky being an idiot can be.

Motorcyclists stopping in the ASL box can sometimes be annoying though. Personally, I don't see why motorcycles can't occupy the right side of the box and cyclists the left. That is normally fine. What does bother me is when I'm stuck behind a line of motorcyclists spanning the width of the box and have no choice but to wait and breathe in the fumes they are pumping out. I have seen various cyclists arguing with motorcyclists, with the latter adamant that they are permitted in the box.

Pufftmw

The other night on Lower Thames St (as previously mentioned) I came up behind a moped at speed and shouted at him "This is a bicycle only lane!". I was amazed when he pulled into the next lane and allowed me to go past...

I was, however, followed by another motorbike :roll:

I regularly "advise" scooters/motorbikes in ASLs that its an area for bicycles only

Teddy Westside

Pufftmw wrote:

I regularly "advise" scooters/motorbikes in ASLs that its an area for bicycles only

I tell them the day they start pedalling their bikes is the day they are allowed to be there.

mark1964

I don't like them in cycle lanes/ASL for good reasons:

1) It encourages others. As a cycling community, do we really want the cycle lanes/ASL clogged up with motorbikes?

2) The ASL is designed with slow moving cyclists in mind. Motorbikes have a lot of power & can accelerate fast, often quicker than cars. So why would they need to use a safety reservoir for slower bicycles?.

3) Motorbikes in the ASL increase the risk to cyclists. as stated before, one guy cut me up deliberately :evil:

This happened to me in Bristol:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jfMmw3XnxQ

The left hand lane is strictly for left turning only but that didn't stop this guy trying to reach the ASL :evil:

4) Motorbikes are ridden at high speed on motorways etc where they face a higher risk. Why do they feel 'at risk' when they come across a traffic jam and so filter all the way to the ASL on red, assuming the box to be free (that's what the bloke who swore at me did. I was in the ASL and hidden by WVM behind me).

I believe a study by the Dept of Transport a few years ago concluded that motorbikes were too big to use ASL's.
Anyway, referring to my last post, I managed to catch this guy on my phone while walking to the bus stop.
I don't think they should be in bus lanes either (worrying but amusing clip):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUWZXse8Aeo&feature=plcp&context=C4cad650VDvjVQa1PpcFNZKKX1TUSJQVOuVl_CLgSGwjZFGIlsB74%3D

gtvlusso

As a 'former' and if I can spring for the new GSXR1000 - current, motorcyclist, I find it very embarrassing when motorcycles use the cycle lane.....The correct way to ride is to filter on the right of the traffic - however, it would appear that allot of bikers are a bit scared to do this and opt for the safety of the cycle lane - which is totally stupid.

I have made my point on one occasion whilst climbing Filton Hill in Bristol - a motorcyclist decided to use the dedicated cycle lane even though there was plenty of filter room down the centre of the dual carraigeway. However, because of a bus and a lorry being in the left lane, the cycle lane was a tight fit and he decided to try and roll through slowly which severely impacted my climb; I was on one and going like a nutter - as such, I squeezed by him, gave him a load of abuse and he wobbled into the back of the bus, caught his handlebar and fell off.....IMHO he should not have been on a motorbike.

As the amount of car traffic on our roads increases, people will switch to motorbikes and scooters to pay less vehicle duty, lower their fuel costs and move through the traffic quicker - however, this does not mean that they should be allowed near a motorbike - in fact, I would now say that the motorbike test needs to be allot tougher.

Daz555

mark1964 wrote:

I don't think they should be in bus lanes either (worrying but amusing clip):

Motorcycles in bus lanes saves lives, simple as that - as with cycling the biggest danger for a motorcyclist is other heavier vehicles and so the separation of bikes from cars and lorries is very worthwhile. It also helps with spreading a consensus that bikes and scooters are a better way to get about our cities than cars - which they are. It is a shame that the approach taken by cities like Bristol has not been taken up in every city in the UK.

This is a completely separate issue to motorcycles in cycle lanes etc of course.

gtvlusso wrote:

I would now say that the motorbike test needs to be allot tougher.

No problem with toughening up the motorcycle test - particularly around the area of scooters and CBTs. However, if we want to make motorcycling safer then tougher tests for car, bus and lorry drivers is the way forward.

mark1964 wrote:

4) Motorbikes are ridden at high speed on motorways etc where they face a higher risk. Why do they feel 'at risk' when they come across a traffic jam and so filter all the way to the ASL on red, assuming the box to be free (that's what the bloke who swore at me did.

Motorways are about as safe as it gets for a motorcyclist.

mark1964

madtam wrote:

I'm not sure I have a particular issue with motorbikes in cycle lanes as long as they are sensible and courteous, rather than idiots. They have many of the same issues as cyclists so maybe we can give them a bit of licence.
Having said that I did knock one of his bike when he road into the cycle lane in front of me. It was a kid on a scooter/moped that decided he wasn't waiting in the slow moving queu amd would just wizz up the inside on the "empty" cycle lane. This would be the lane I was happily freewheeling along in and he hadn't checked. Unfortunately I didn't have time to react when he started to pull across and I caught his front wheel as it came across the front of me. It was enough to knock him off course and into the car in front and then down into the road. Fortunately I was fine, he was also fine but a bit shaken, his bike had a broken idicator and some cracked plastic, and the car had a bit of a scratch. I decided that as I was fine I wasn't going to make an issue of it and left him and the car driver to sort out there damages.
My guess is that at least he will be a bit more careful about using cycle lanes in future.

I'm afarid this is a common occurence with me. Pootling along in cycle lane only to suddenly have a motorbike swerve into the lane in front of me. I've had plenty of near-misses, but yet to have a collision. If I do, I'll be sorely tempted to insert my U-lock somewhere

In the centre of Bristol at rush hour, you can always see motorcyclists taking advantage of the cycle lanes, even the mandatory ones, which annoys me as it demonstrates no respect for other road users space and it's not really about safety, more just convenience. If the time comes when the motorcycle lobby campaign to be able to use cycle lanes for safety (I believe they tried campaigning in Australia), then the real question should be why on earth are you riding a motorbike in the first place?.

Coming from a motorcycling family (Dad, Uncles ridden them, cousin has one) I'm not keen on them. In fact, I would venture to say that the motorbike is probably one of the most dangerous forms of transport ever invented. Take the speed of a sports car and marry it to the maneuverability of a bicycle. Add a pinch of (typical) male macho bravado and you have essentially a guided missile on wheels.

Daz555

mark1964 wrote:

madtam wrote:

....essentially a guided missile on wheels.

Yep.

The finest mode of transport ever invented (yeah ok, probably second behind the bicycle).

I'm up to about 130,000 miles on motorcycles and still yet only one "brown trouser" moment to my name - when a car emergency stopped on a motorway slip road for no reason at almost the same time as I was doing my "lifesaver" over my shoulder to check for traffic as I was joining - I stopped - *JUST*. :shock: