Bus Lane Boris

[LOGAN 5]

I think the decision to allow motorbikes in bus lanes is wrong. I regularly use the A23 Croydon/Streatham/Brixton stretch into Central London which is one of the experimental lanes. I try to keep a cental position in the bus lanes to stop close overtakes by buses and taxis. However, the bikes just buzz past really fast and really close irrespective of my positioning. If I'm avoiding pot holes or drain hole covers that leaves very little room to avoid getting in their way.

Just the other day i saw a motorbike swerve to undertake a cyclist pulling back into his lane at a busy junction.

Motorbike and cycling accidents will increase as a result of this decision.

I'm not anti motorbike as I've ridden them for many years and have always been in favour of using bus lanes until recent years when I've seen how irresponsibly most motorcyclists use them around cyclists- particularly in London.

 

[MERV]

Motorbike and cycling accidents will increase as a result of this decision.

I would have thought so.

 

[Keith Oates]

It seems that the new Mayor is behaving in a manner that many people were afraid would happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[zimzum42]

Why did we even need a London mayor?

Exactly, this is the option I voted for in 2000, and have spoilt my ballot ever since.....

 

[spindrift]

Johnson was elected by the motoring-lobby -supporting Evening Standard. He's just paying back his masters. Expect more rank capitulation, broken promises and lies.

 

[simon l& and a half]

I think the decision to allow motorbikes in bus lanes is wrong. I regularly use the A23 Croydon/Streatham/Brixton stretch into Central London which is one of the experimental lanes. I try to keep a cental position in the bus lanes to stop close overtakes by buses and taxis. However, the bikes just buzz past really fast and really close irrespective of my positioning. If I'm avoiding pot holes or drain hole covers that leaves very little room to avoid getting in their way.
.

Brixton Road was the example I had in mind, and Logan 5's experience will have been shared by many. If I'm doing 24mph then, fine - I'll move to the left, they'll come round, I'll tag on the back, leaving ten yards of so for the wreckage to dissipate if a car turns across (which they do). If I'm travelling with Mrs L that's a whole different thing. We're four feet or so from the kerb because the state of the road beside the kerb is poor, and we're being passed by cyclists and motorcyclists at the same time. It's not good, but it would be worse if Mrs L didn't have yours truly giving out '**** off and die' signals to motorcyclists trying to squeeze between cyclists - which happens.

With respect, ZZ, neither you nor I are the future of cycling in London. Whichever Mayor can take us for granted - we can hold our own. It's Mrs L, the man on the Brompton or the fat boy on a full suss MTB that we need to think about.

 

[historyman]

especially seeing as how Ken done so much for TfL.

. You mean how he increased prices massively, made buses slower, lied about the congestion charge? I'm no Borisophile but the worsification of transport under Ken is hard to deny.

 

[simon l& and a half]

. You mean how he increased prices massively, made buses slower, lied about the congestion charge? I'm no Borisophile but the worsification of transport under Ken is hard to deny.

idiot

 

[gambatte]

I take it this is BUS LANES only? I noticed a couple of posts mentioned cycle lanes.....

A couple of years back Sheffield council started to allow this, but the bus lanes only. It seems to work ok - You still see the odd bike/scooter in the cycle lanes and past the ASLs tho

 

[LLB]

I take it this is BUS LANES only? I noticed a couple of posts mentioned cycle lanes.....

A couple of years back Sheffield council started to allow this, but the bus lanes only. It seems to work ok - You still see the odd bike/scooter in the cycle lanes and past the ASLs tho

Yes Bus lanes only, not Cycle lanes.

 

[Aperitif]

There are too many cars in cycle lanes to let motorbikes in there too...

 

[LLB]

There are too many cars in cycle lanes to let motorbikes in there too...

It could be argued that cycle lanes have no place on the roads and pavements as they encourage segregation and give car drivers the idea that cycles shouldn't be on the roads with them.

 

[zimzum42]

I'd agree with that, hardly ever use the useless, glass strewn shitty bits of green paint....

 

[Aperitif]

100% agreement with that and it has infuriated me no end (fuddy duddy alert) that a council pays top dollar to get roads resurfaced and flat - a la France for example...and three weeks later another crew turn up and stick a layer of green chippings onto a previously smooth surface (avoiding all lettering, therefore creating a 'bump') and then blasting a path of dull red everywhere else that a cyclist may ride.
Certainly makes the tyres and inside of mudguards look good but for what reason? Motorists are really that dumb that they cannot assimilate road graphics in black(tarmac) and white(conventional signeage)? See if you can spot this in another country.
We as a nation have been 'had' by the idiots at the local authority's safety wheel - and there's no going back.
But, back to Boris - please add unnecessary expense to your list.

 

[tdr1nka]

From reading the posts it seems to me that the real problems would ivolve inexperienced(lower cc)motorbikes and inexperienced cyclists coming into contact and not much else.

I returned to cycling after a long period of motorbike riding and my experience, and that of many motorcycling frieds is the danger of filtering down the outside of stationary traffic and getting right hooked.
To put mototorcycles in the bus lane is in theory a good idea for motorcycle safety but I feel would not be quite so good, as pointed out by Simon, in areas where all lanes are already seriously congested.