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

Colin Rosenstiel · March 30th 06, 12:46 AM posted to uk.transport.london

In article , a@b
(Martin Underwood) wrote:

Neil Williams wrote in message
:

Colin Rosenstiel wrote:

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.

Depends what you mean by "carves up". If the cyclist has to
emergency, brake, sure. If you mean they continue a committed
overtake then pull, in after the bell was pressed, I don't have a
problem with it. Would, you otherwise propose that a bus (which can
typically travel at up to, 30mph in a city) should always follow
behind cyclists (most of whom are travelling at a much slower speed)
and never overtake? If so you, are being unrealistic.

The problem is modern road layouts which put the cyclist on the left
hand side of the road. Normally this is a sensible thing to do, but
it becomes a problem when the vehicle that is planning to turn left
or to pull over to the kerb to park (eg a bus at a bus stop) has to
cross the cycle lane. Normally, anyone planning to turn left would
position themselves in the very left-hand lane, but this option is
not available where there is a cycle lane (which powered vehicles are
prohibited to use in normal cirumstances).

The solution is to discontinue the cycle lane (with an implied give
way sign where it ends) for X yards before any junction or bus stop,
to give left-turning traffic to move over to the left kerb.

No. The answer, implemented somewhat inconsistently in London and
elsewhere, is advanced stop boxes for cyclists.

But none of the places where I have found problems with bendibuses as a
cyclist involve them turning left anyway.

They're a general menace (nothing cycle-specific) turning right at
Cambridge Circus because they block the road completely at times. The
RMs never did that.

--
Colin Rosenstiel