"bicycle" in bus lane - £30 fine (quite funny)

[thomas]

Soo, this popped up on my subscriptions this morning. It's a motorbike being pulled over for using the bus lane, but he was seeing if he could get away with it has his V5 bike registration said he's riding a "bicycle" not motorbike

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6cXE7cdLF8


I'm sure a few people will complain, but I don't have an issue with having motorbikes in bus/bike lanes....and I thought it was quite a good idea

 

[very-near]

It begs the question - should electric cycles be allowed into the ones where they also restrict access to motorcycles ?

 

[LOGAN 5]

I know that bus lane!

You wouldn't think motorbikes in bus lanes were a good idea if you had to cycle in the rush hour up the A23 red route bus lane through south London. High speed undertaking, close overtaking and the ASLs full of motorbikes.

 

[thomas]

I know that bus lane!

You wouldn't think motorbikes in bus lanes were a good idea if you had to cycle in the rush hour up the A23 red route bus lane through south London. High speed undertaking, close overtaking and the ASLs full of motorbikes.

Well, I've had more problems on the road with taxis and buses, so I'd rather remove them.

 

[Arch]

It begs the question - should electric cycles be allowed into the ones where they also restrict access to motorcycles ?

Yes. As far as I'm concerned, if you have to pay VED on it and have insurance, it's a motorbike, electric or electric assist isn't a motorbike provided it's within the statutory range of power etc...

My mate and colleague stopped a lad trying to scoot his moped through the footpath in the nature reserve this morning - he claimed it was ok because it was switched off. She still made him turn back. If he'd got off and walked with it, that would have been ok (I suspect he was scooting so that he could just fire up the engine when he was past the centre). Still at least he didn't ram us like the car driver did when we tried to stop him driving through.

 

[very-near]

Yes. As far as I'm concerned, if you have to pay VED on it and have insurance, it's a motorbike, electric or electric assist isn't a motorbike provided it's within the statutory range of power etc...

My mate and colleague stopped a lad trying to scoot his moped through the footpath in the nature reserve this morning - he claimed it was ok because it was switched off. She still made him turn back. If he'd got off and walked with it, that would have been ok (I suspect he was scooting so that he could just fire up the engine when he was past the centre). Still at least he didn't ram us like the car driver did when we tried to stop him driving through.

How do you know it is within the statutory power range. I clocked my colleague @ 19mph on friday up a slight upward incline on his wisper 905SE and he wasn't pedaling at all.

 

[summerdays]

He was all very polite and calm about it all. Testing out the theory and prepared to take the fine.

 

[thomas]

He was all very polite and calm about it all. Testing out the theory and prepared to take the fine.

Yep, the fine was £30, so not the end of the world. If he'd started mouthing off the video wouldn't of been up my street. I think some police officers would have seen the funny side and just warned him

 

[marinyork]

I don't have a problem with motorbikes using bus lanes. What I find much more odd is the vast variation in bus lanes with different hours, some 24hrs, some allow motorbikes, some don't even allow bicycles. More consistency is needed imo. It seems to be yet another London cycling issue rolled out to the rest of the country.

 

[Arch]

How do you know it is within the statutory power range. I clocked my colleague @ 19mph on friday up a slight upward incline on his wisper 905SE and he wasn't pedaling at all.

Then maybe you need to have a word with your mate. You seem to have a bit of a downer on electric bikes. Jealous because they don't need tax etc?

 

[very-near]

Then maybe you need to have a word with your mate. You seem to have a bit of a downer on electric bikes. Jealous because they don't need tax etc?

I think that it it is wrong to exclude motorcycles from low emission VED rates when clearly there are many on the road which would qualify for this.

I think electric bikes should be classified in the same way as mopeds are. this would then allow the technology to move forwards to match petrol powered scooters in performance, and thus offer a real alternative in inner cities where pollution at road level from passing traffic is an issue. Most scoots are 2 stroke total loss engines and do make a bit of a stink.

His bike doesn't need tax, but the battery is £500 to replace, and he pays £90 per year to insure it even though he lives a little way out in the sticks.

 

[fossyant]

The OP's reference was riding a full on moped, although with a big battery........ so can he hold it above his head...eh...... that is no bike, although I could wee on his chips on my road bikes with just leg power.....(so could lot's of us.......)

Sorry that was a battery Scooter..... sad excuse.... just like a Toyota Prius....... ?

Battery pedal cycles....... well .....no rating from me...if you need one, then really don't ride a bike....your health isn't too good.... please.... these vehicle drivers have a habit of knocking us off.... crash impact survivability.... ? (Oh god am I a cynic now ?)

 

[tdr1nka]

I would have told him/her to sod off. I am sure you would have something to say if you were turned around on your bike because you may start cycling on the pavement or jump a red light. Sounds like a right officious little nerk to me.

Don't think this is any worse than my being a local resident who has to keep reminding/pointing out to local youth that they need to push their microbikes & scooters thru the local park rather than ride them or scoot them with their feet.
It's about simple courtesy.

The analogy is more like you were caught freewheeling on the pavement and were asked to dismount.

 

[thomas]

I would have told him/her to sod off. I am sure you would have something to say if you were turned around on your bike because you may start cycling on the pavement or jump a red light. Sounds like a right officious little nerk to me.

Surprise surprise, you exaggerate everything.

 

[tdr1nka]

Balance and braking tend to be the problem when scooting as you don't get that much momentum.