London Banter - View Single Post - Anti-bike signs on Bendibuses

Colin Rosenstiel · March 29th 06, 01:28 PM posted to uk.transport.london

In article . com,
(Neil Williams) wrote:

Colin Rosenstiel wrote:

In a wide main road like Euston Road, a bendi-bus pulls in
regardless of cyclists riding where they should, close to the kerb.

So long as it doesn't side-swipe them in doing so, I fail to see the
problem. Buses stop in bus stops. This is to be expected, and it
doesn't do any harm for other road users to assist them in doing so.

It carves cyclists up by pulling right in front of them to a stop. They
should of course let the cyclist pass the bus stop first but they don't.

They are then almost impossible to pass safely.

It is impossible to pass a stopped or left-turning bus (of any type)
safely on the left. There is always a significant chance of it
disgorging passengers or turning onto you. The right is the correct
place to pass, if appropriate. If the driver pulls out onto you while
doing that, he is an idiot.

If you try to pass on the right the bus pulls out into you. Most
cyclists don't have time to pass 18m of bus while it's stopped.

The sign on the bus is only reinforcing that point.

In which case why only on the 73 and some 29s? The routes are not even
run by the same company.

I suggest you try it sometime instead of pontificating.

I have done on a few occasions, and (while it didn't involve bendies)
spent a few years regularly cycling on Oxford Road in Manchester,
which has rather more buses than the Euston Road. I was only knocked
into once by a bus that pulled in a bit soon in that time; he was duly
informed of his error.

My preference is not to use that bit of Euston Road at all, as I don't
need to in the other direction. But that involves a walk under Camden
Town Hall.

--
Colin Rosenstiel