Very close pass by bus.

[d87francis]

This afternoon I was overtaken at considerable speed by a double decker bus less than a foot away. It happened as I was cycling up quite a large hill (not very quickly), in a cycle lane with a solid white line. At the top of the hill I tapped on his window, when he was at a stop, and asked if he could give me more space next time; to which his response was there was oncoming traffic so he was unable to give me any more room.

I've put in a complaint to stagecoach who owned the bus (thankfully I got the reg no.), cc'ing in their head office to make sure I get a response. However, this got me thinking:

If it's a solid white line cycle lane, as in technically a separate lane which vehicles must not enter, do the highway code rules apply on overtaking?
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/travelandtransport/highwaycode/dg_070314
or is it looked at like a dual carriageway where so long as we are both within our lanes there is nothing wrong with his close pass?

I must admit I'm getting used to close passes in Oxford, the roads are quite narrow, heavy with traffic and there are lots of cyclists.

 

[Ian Cooper]

to which his response was there was oncoming traffic so he was unable to give me any more room..

To which the response is: "Well you have no business overtaking me then!"

What is so hard about the concept of a safe overtake or no overtake at all?

 

[sabian92]

I THINK (but don't quote) that solid line = you can't enter for any reason, where as a dashed line you can if there's good reason to (people outside my college think throwing their demon spawn out is a good one... it isn't).

Drivers see the line as a barrier - they're safe if they're not over the line. Ride on or outside the line in future to give yourself some escape room. I do it all the time - sod what the driver thinks, what he thinks doesn't matter if you're dead.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

Where is the camera evidence?

I had something like this on Westminster Bridge,was riding primary due to pedestrians in the bike lane,saw bus driver was having grief trying to overtake me so I dived into the cycle lane where I could and slowed.Ironically I passed the bus a little further up the bridge.

 

[d87francis]

I THINK (but don't quote) that solid line = you can't enter for any reason, where as a dashed line you can if there's good reason to (people outside my college think throwing their demon spawn out is a good one... it isn't).

Drivers see the line as a barrier - they're safe if they're not over the line. Ride on or outside the line in future to give yourself some escape room. I do it all the time - sod what the driver thinks, what he thinks doesn't matter if you're dead.

Cheers, I was mainly trying to pre-empt whatever reply I get from Stagecoach, which I'm wondering if they will claim as it's a separate lane it doesn't matter. I tend to take primary on a lot of roads around here, but don't on that hill as it's quite long and most traffic gives me enough room. I think the problem today was that there was a bus coming from the other direction, meaning that the bus behind me should have waited but didn't and decided to squeeze me instead.

Here's a picture of where it happened courtesy of google streetview, it's not a pleasant place as you're boxed in against a wall with lamp posts in the cycle lane (which I'm campaigning to have moved onto the top of the wall!).

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

Looks lovely but horrendous for a bike commute.

 

[Ian Cooper]

Here's a picture of where it happened courtesy of google streetview, it's not a pleasant place as you're boxed in against a wall with lamp posts in the cycle lane (which I'm campaigning to have moved onto the top of the wall!).

I wouldn't get near that bike lane on a bicycle. I'd say anyone who did would be taking a big chance of ending up a greasy smear on that wall. If I had to take that road, I'd take primary all the way up there and I wouldn't budge no matter how steep it was nor how slowly I had to go to climb it, and no matter if the devil himself was honking at me.

All joking about bike lanes being 'suicide lanes' aside, that is as close as you can get to a dictionary definition of a suicide lane. Whoever decided that should be a bike lane needs to be taken out, put up against a wall and shot. Why aren't local cyclists petitioning the government to have it removed?

 

[gambatte]

^^wot he said +1^^
it doesn't conform to guidelines. They'll probably say, "it conformed when installed"
Yeah? Well now they've rethought the guidelines and its lethal
For me a very strong secondary. Strong primary with oncoming.

 

[Alien8]

This is why one of the best things cyclists can do is get a can of grey paint and paint-out any cycle lanes they come across.

 

[gambatte]

I'm waiting for one of those 'Bansky' style installations.
Next to one of these crap cycle lanes, straddling the main carriageway. A white stick figure broken bike and a white stick figure man or white police CSI style outline, surrounded by bright red blood.

 

[sabian92]

Cheers, I was mainly trying to pre-empt whatever reply I get from Stagecoach, which I'm wondering if they will claim as it's a separate lane it doesn't matter. I tend to take primary on a lot of roads around here, but don't on that hill as it's quite long and most traffic gives me enough room. I think the problem today was that there was a bus coming from the other direction, meaning that the bus behind me should have waited but didn't and decided to squeeze me instead.

Here's a picture of where it happened courtesy of google streetview, it's not a pleasant place as you're boxed in against a wall with lamp posts in the cycle lane (which I'm campaigning to have moved onto the top of the wall!).

Jesus, that cycle lane is horrific. One inattentive driver and you're picked up with a sponge.

Can you avoid that road? I'd avoid it unless you really had to use it and only then would I use it by riding up the middle of the lane.

Do you know of anybody who's been injured or killed using it? I wouldn't be surprised if there was a few.

 

[400bhp]

Jesus, that cycle lane is horrific.

+1
I just don't see the logic in it. The road looks narrow enough as it is.

 

[CopperBrompton]

I'd definitely be in a strong secondary position there, with a tactical wobble into primary if anyone is approaching too fast from behind. That's a classic example of a cycle lane being actively dangerous.

 

[400bhp]

Thinking a little more about it-it's an Excuse Lane isn't it.

Drivers can use the excuse that the cyclist wasn't in their lane if something happens.

Terrible-the persons or person who decided that a solid white lined cycle lane there should be made to cycle that bit twice daily in rush hour.

 

[Jdratcliffe]

^^wot he said +1^^
it doesn't conform to guidelines. They'll probably say, "it conformed when installed"
Yeah? Well now they've rethought the guidelines and its lethal
For me a very strong secondary. Strong primary with oncoming.

+ 1 stupid planning if any!