Need to know if I was in the wrong

[Unknowingcyclist]

New member, not sure what forum this would be best in.

Ok, I annoyed a HGV vehicle today and need to know whether he was justified:

I was on my commute, cycling at the side of the road in a bus lane. There was a bus around 10m or so in front of me and a HGV in the regular lane beside it. The lights turned red and the bus as it slowed moved maybe a foot to the left leaving no space to pass. The lights always take a while to change, it's a cross-road so first pedestrians cross, then the perpendicular traffic. To get to an advanced stop line I walked while still sat on my bicycle between the two vehicles. The HGV dirver started hammering his horn at this point.

Was what I did illegal or a bad decision? I acted to avoid having a bus behind me as well as in front when the lights began moving again.

 

[PocketFrog]

IMO not illegal but you have put yourself in a really vulnerable position between two behemoth vehicles should the lights have changed. That's probably why the HGV driver was upset because he wasn't to know that you know the sequence of the lights and that you knew you had all the time in the world to get in front of the bus at the ASL.

Personally I would have stayed behind the bus until the lights changed - I don't focus on the ASL as the target.

 

[Brandane]

Not illegal, but you probably made the HGV driver a bit nervous by moving up his nearside in the narrow space between bus and HGV.. He was most probably not local and therefore wouldn't have the benefit of your local knowledge that the lights stay red for long enough for you to get to the ASL.. If the space was wide enough to walk the bike through, why not ride it? Or if you're going to get off and walk, why not use the pavement? Personally I would have waited in the traffic, or used the pavement (walking the bike, of course ).

Edit.... Must type faster!

 

[Banjo]

Not illegal but defo unwise.No way would I squeeze up the gap between two large vehicles waiting at lights. I think the HGV driver was venting his frustration at a cyclist putting himself in danger close to his wheels.

You may have felt uncomfortable with a bus in front and behind you but in that position you could have occupied the center of the lane making the bus behind wait until you felt it was safe to move over and allow it to pass.

Stuck in the gap between the lanes if the traffic moved off you would have been in a dangerous spot with no control of the situation.

good post as it reminds us all of the dangers of large vehicles in traffic.

 

[numbnuts]

It's not a move I would have done IMO

 

[Arjimlad]

I would say no problem if you know the lights aren't going to change and you are filtering through to an ASL, which is after all set aside to give cyclists a safer start when the traffic moves off again. Obviously, going down the inside of an HGV is not always safe!

Welcome to the forum too

 

[Scoosh]

Unknowingcyclist and to CycleChat !

You've come tot the right place to have a thousand opinions and thoughts on your question !

Most folk here want to encourage cycling and safer cycling - which is why PocketFrog has replied as he has. I'd agree and add that one of the BIG issues in cycling safety these days is cyclists going up the left hand side of a large vehicle - bus, concrete mixer, artic - especially if they are turning left. This is such a dangerous and potentially fatal action that most of us would always recommend staying back (it's only 1 vehicle's length ...) and being safe, rather than trying to squeeze a little bit further - and getting squished for our efforts.

In this case, I would have stayed behind the first bus, near the middle of the lane, so the second bus could see me very clearly and wouldn't be able to try to squeeze past, had he a mind so to do. You are entitled to your own lane and other vehicles should not be attempting to push you into the gutter or onto the verge.

HTH and Ride Safe !

 

[Boris Bajic]

Welcome to these pages and top marks for asking.

I agree pretty much with what's been said so far, although no two junctions are completely alike so I may not have the correct image in my mind.

Some thoughts:

1. Brandane's point about local knowledge is critical. I do think some of us assume that because we know the sequencing, others might too.
2. It is cheering (although not for you at that moment) that an HGV driver was aware of your presence and thought to warn you.

It is unpleasant to be honked by an HGV when you're within a metre or so of its horn, but no harm was done. Squeezing between two heavy vehicles (or to the nearside of one) carries far more threats than benefits in most cases.

Welcome again.

 

[Unknowingcyclist]

Thanks for the advice everyone, just to clarify a point to Brandane and anyone else who may have misunderstood. I didn't dismount from the bike and walk between the vehicles. I stayed on the bike and walked while still seated on it so I could go more slowly and be able to control the bike better.

 

[MrJamie]

Welcome

I'd guess he was frustrated at you taking risks, you never know if one of his colleagues has had something bad happen. There are some videos online showing how limited a HGV driver's visibility is around their vehicles, so it seems a good chance he was more concerned with your safety than you holding him up etc.

It's also worth noting that light phases can change, there's one I use regularly at an offset crossroads. It used to let the main road run, then stop traffic to let the side roads go, but for some reason they changed the lights so when the right turn lane went green, oncoming traffic wasnt stopped anymore, just side road traffic which nearly caught me out.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Thanks for the advice everyone, just to clarify a point to Brandane and anyone else who may have misunderstood. I didn't dismount from the bike and walk between the vehicles. I stayed on the bike and walked while still seated on it so I could go more slowly and be able to control the bike better.

Are you sure your saddle is the correct height?

 

[400bhp]

Pfft - no fancy edited video and no blaming the HGV driver (with number plate)?

This is a rubbish thread.

 

[sabian92]

TLDR

Don't do it again, it's monumentally stupid. He was actually looking out for you.

Seriously, people get crushed doing that.

 

[buggi]

OMG do not do that again. Pm me your email and I'll send you some stuff on lorry blind spots. Never ever go up the inside of a lorry. Its not illegal but its possibly the worse move you can ever make on a bike. Just because some idiot at the council paints a bike lane doesn't mean its safe.

 

[buggi]

Watch and learn...
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=wzL0Kyk4m-8&desktop_uri=/watch?v=wzL0Kyk4m-8