Campaign for lottery funded cycle lanes

[BSRU]

Ahem down here in London we have some excellent cycle lanes that speed up journey times and are safer than mixing it with cars and lorries.

They happen to be called bus lanes because buses are also allowed to share them. They are extremely popular with every sort of cyclist and seem to escape the downsides you fear. They are wide enough, enforced and maintained to the same standard as the rest of the road. We could do with more in all our towns and cities. Without the taxis of course.

But the important difference is they are not physically segregated.
I'm all for more bus lanes

 

[StuartG]

Do you cycle with me on my route every day Stuart? No.
I stand by what I said.

Defying statistics with anecdotes is not a place to go. Substituting cyclist for motorcyclist and you could be writing for the Daily Mail ...

 

[ianrauk]

Defying statistics with anecdotes is not a place to go. Substituting cyclist for motorcyclist and you could be writing for the Daily Mail ...

I speak from experience Stuart, my statistics.

 

[jonesy]

Defying statistics with anecdotes is not a place to go. Substituting cyclist for motorcyclist and you could be writing for the Daily Mail ...

You still haven't provided any evidence that allowing motorcyclists in bus lanes makes them safer...

 

[StuartG]

I speak from experience Stuart, my statistics.

My experience of cycling in SE London is probably longer than yours. So does that make mine more impressive?
(Which for the record means I get more close passes from cyclists than motorcyclists. It just these two groups are the ones less likely to kill me.)

I just keep saying - your arguments are used by other road users against cyclists - and when they do I'm with you!

 

[StuartG]

You still haven't provided any evidence that allowing motorcyclists in bus lanes makes them safer...

For the very good reason that allowing them into (very) few bus lanes was done to assess and hopefully balance the risks to cyclists and motorcyclists. I am not aware, so far, that motorcyclists have been responsible for a significant numbers of KSI to cyclists. Correct me if I am wrong. Till then why exclude?

 

[jonesy]

Still relying on personal experience, aka 'anecdote'. Now, I wonder if anyone has done an evaluation of what happened when motorcyclists were allowed in the bus lanes...?

 

[StuartG]

Still relying on personal experience, aka 'anecdote'.

Do you have any evidence for this?

 

[jonesy]

"The effect of permitting motorcycles into bus lanes has been assessed
after 10 months of implementation. This analysis period is the minimum
where any reasonably large effects can be ascertained. This has identified
that motorcyclists appear to be less safe since the scheme has been
introduced. There were no changes in the safety of cyclists and
pedestrians that could be directly attributed to the motorcycles being
permitted access to the bus lanes."

Assessment of TfL’s experimental scheme to allow motorcycles onto with-flow bus lanes on the TLRN
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/MIBL-report-2010.pdf

So, while there didn't seem to be a safety problem for cyclists and pedestrians (although there is an annoyance and perceived safety problem), ironically it is motorcyclists whose safety was compromised by allowing them into bus lanes...

 

[Roadrider48]

Nooo !

I for one do not want seperate cycle lanes. They cause me inconvenience and extra journey times, and increase the risk of an accident. They also cause drivers to resent my being on the road even more.

Basically (seperate) cycle lanes make the already safe (relatively) part of the journey slightly safer (ie the pootling along on the straight part) but increase the risk on junctions as now every side road, driver entrance is now a give way or (worse) cyclist right of way if you dare, or worse still, each junctioin becomes a huge detour up to a "safe place to cross"', probably accompanied by a "cyclist dismount" sign.

And if i then dare to remain on the road, I'll get beeped, harrassed, (wrongfully) arrested even.

And don't get me started on the painted lines cycle lanes, forcing me into the gutter, or right out into the road if I don't want an even-closer pass.

Cycling on the road is fine, and where (we) cyclists belong

Be wary of what you wish for, you might just get it.

(Rant over, carry on.... )

I agree about the painted cycle lanes. They force you to ride over all the drains and potholes.(if you stay in them of course)

 

[bicyclos]

I don't need a cycle lane for my journey's to and from work or anywhere I travel by bicycle. I feel naturaly comfortable venturing out onto the roads and don't give it a second thought. If I did and it concerned me, I would move away from cycling to work and buy a motorcycle again, but I don't need to. I would feel very restricted if I had to travel by a given route than have the freedom to change my course and direction and follow my nose when needed. I think money spent on educating new drivers in tests and changes in the law regards cycling accidents etc would be more beneficial so we can all get on together in a more tolerable way. These are my own personal feelings how I feel in general and have in the past come into conflict with the odd irrate driver. I have had more confrontations while driving a motor vehicle than cycling.