Not only are you allowed to.....

  • By Stily1 on at 02:37pm 29 Dec 2011
  • Posted in: General
  • Tagged with:

Hey, all you cagers (and motor-heads on two wheels as well, for that matter)!

Not only are you allowed to (safely) enter the bicycle lane to effect a left-hand-turn, you are *expected* to. It is NOT the intent that you make your turn from an inner lane CROSSING the bicycle lane (very dangerous and presumptuous). Turned around and looked at from another angle, if you can't safely get to the curb *before* making that turn.......

wait for it........

THEN YOU CAN'T MAKE THAT TURN!

If you left it too late and there are a bunch of bicycles on the outside, well too bad, so sad, move on (in a straight line, and go fix your screwup on *your* time without making it everybody else's problem).

Replies

  • By paul at 07:38pm 29 Dec 2011

Hmm - a similar situation occurs with bus lanes and my understanding is that cars should wait in the general purpose lane until there is space then cross straight across the bus lane. Shouldn't the same apply to bicycle lanes ?

  • By Stily1 at 10:29am 06 Jan 2012

I would check your information! From the TFL website:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/redroutes/963.aspx

When can I enter a bus lane?

  • If you want to turn left within 20 metres of the junction - an arrow or a dotted white line will indicate if this is allowed

This, to me, suggests that you in fact should occupy the bus lane as a cager prior to turning left.

Before Xmas, my well lit and fluorescent clothed "other half" stayed behind a left turning car to go straight ahead - only to be knocked off his bike by a car turning left from the outside lane - I'm lucky to still have him!  ( No the car did not stop - surprise surprise - but we hope he had very expensive scratches on th car doors)

Also a problem where the motoist is exiting at a junction accross a bus/cycle lane.

They often treat the inner edge of the general purpose lane as the give way line, blocking the priority lane.

  • By Stily1 at 12:53pm 25 Jan 2012

Annoying and selfish, yes, but not in the same class of hazard, IMHO.

Post a reply

Sign in to post a reply.

Forum, rides and local