Fixed Penalty Notice

[veloevol]

Why don't you ride on the pavement then ?

I do when my 3 year old is on board.

 

[stowie]

OH COME ON! NOOOOOOOOO!

"I was late blah blah blah I don't usually do that blah blah blah"

That's the same reason every speeding, RLJ'ing, white line crossing, close passing numpty in a car uses every time they narrowly avoid killing one of us.

You are actually the boss of Addison Lee and ICMFP

Yebbut the two aren't equivalent. The RLJing, white ine crossing, close passing numpty in a car is controlling 1 tonne of fast moving machinery, a cyclist less so. I know the point you are making, but it gets my goat when drivers go on about cyclists not sticking to the highway code and them having to (not least because it isn't true). Drivers are considerably more dangerous to others than cyclists. Of course they should be held to higher standards. In the same way that I would hope the average airline pilot is held to higher standards than a cyclist as well.

I can see why the bus lane as it is isn't really good for cyclists and buses together. I wonder whether the police are there for cyclist safety - in which case they might be also useful at making sure drivers are driving carefully through the one-way system - or if it because bus drivers tend to moan their arses off.

Taking the general traffic lanes from 2 to 1 and using the extra space to widen the existing bus lane or create dedicated cycle provision would sort it out. Simple.

 

[EthelF]

At first I thought you were advocating civil disobedience...

I'm not ok with that and you're quite correct of course, here is a blatant example of RLJ which isn't helpful. I don't usually cycle in an antisocial way but that morning I was late, had overshot the previous junction and decided to take this cheeky left to get down to Tottenham Court Road.

...but then you blew it.

 

[Mugshot]

Those poor coppers must have been roasting with all that clobber on

 

[Leodis]

Those poor coppers must have been roasting with all that clobber on

They roasted, spit roasted the OP instead

 

[veloevol]

They roasted, spit roasted the OP instead

Flaccidly I'd suggest.

 

[veloevol]

From the twitter machine via @citycyclists:

Evening Standard: why are cyclists banned bus lane that avoids killer Holborn junction http://t.co/3fqata3GcF

 

[martint235]

I'm just confused and I must admit slightly irritated.

Irritated by the fact that people keep using an extremely tragic event just down the road from here to try to justify a blatantly illegal action. I am looking forward to the day when burglars start wearing headcams so they can post up on Housebreakchat.net.

Confused cos the OP repeatedly states that this is the safest route. It isn't. If you don't want to play with the big boys around there, there's a myriad of side streets, back alleys etc that criss cross the area. Oh what's that I hear you say, they are slower and longer than the route you wish to take? Oh. In that case, learn how to cycle legally and safely.


A first. I've never put someone on my ignore list before but the OP is just prime stupidity.

 

[veloevol]

I'm just confused and I must admit slightly irritated.

Irritated by the fact that people keep using an extremely tragic event just down the road from here to try to justify a blatantly illegal action. I am looking forward to the day when burglars start wearing headcams so they can post up on Housebreakchat.net.

Confused cos the OP repeatedly states that this is the safest route. It isn't. If you don't want to play with the big boys around there, there's a myriad of side streets, back alleys etc that criss cross the area. Oh what's that I hear you say, they are slower and longer than the route you wish to take? Oh. In that case, learn how to cycle legally and safely.


A first. I've never put someone on my ignore list before but the OP is just prime stupidity.

You're definitely confused if you dare to suggest I would use the death of Alan Neve to justify an illegal act.

Press ignorance now.

 

[ianjmcd]

in the words of rab c nesbitt esq you my son are a fanny and deserve the heckling your getting

 

[jonny jeez]

You've confused me and I think you've misinterpreted my post.

I think I have too as I usually agree wholeheartedly with your thoughts on riding. I read it that you were suggesting the OP was taking this route because a change in the road planning had resulted in his usual route becoming less safe.

I was countering that the change had little effect as the road was always closed to cyclists (either as a one way or as a contraflow bus lane).

I suspect I am wrong.

 

[Frood42]

Good to see the police out and about and fining you for this stupid action.
They seemed amiable, polite and were clear about their actions.

It is a bus only lane for a reason, it is far too narrow for other traffic to be squeezing past buses against oncoming traffic, especially when you have two or three buses lined up together. You also inconvenience the drivers of the buses as they cannot get away cleanly with you going up the outside of them like that, they have their own job pressures as well as having to worry about you doing something silly in an unexpected place. When you are out you should think about other road users as well as yourself.

I used to commute into Holborn regularly and never felt the need to use that bus lane, and while the other more direct route is not ideal I have not had a problem there as yet. Yes, it is a big junction with some fast moving traffic, but you don't have to use it and can plan other routes, or take action via more legal routes.

If you really think this bus lane would be a safer route (I'm not so sure) then campaign to have it changed, or campaign to have the other route made safer, but stop with the illegal actions, it adds further negatvitiy towards cyclists and will not help to change things in a positive way.

 

[Bromptonaut]

.
However I still think it is a far safer route (providing you stay behind the buses).

Trouble is they dont. Firstly, they squeeze past on the railings by Central St Martins risking being squashed. Then they try and pass stopped buses on Bloomsbury Way risking collision with oncoming traffic.

 

[veloevol]

Trouble is they dont. Firstly, they squeeze past on the railings by Central St Martins risking being squashed. Then they try and pass stopped buses on Bloomsbury Way risking collision with oncoming traffic.

Indeed but with patience I think it is still safer than tangling with HGV's on busier routes with no concessions to cycles.

 

[gaz]

I think I have too as I usually agree wholeheartedly with your thoughts on riding. I read it that you were suggesting the OP was taking this route because a change in the road planning had resulted in his usual route becoming less safe.

I was countering that the change had little effect as the road was always closed to cyclists (either as a one way or as a contraflow bus lane).

I suspect I am wrong.

I wasn't suggesting that, my post was abstract of that to the OP's and was just describing the situation and why cyclists might use it and why they can't.