Filtering in Cycle Lanes?

[mcgrimes]

Big no no? I see it done quite often and am unsure about the legality of it.

[the_lone_wolf]

Cycle lane bounded by broken line = advisory - use it if you want but if you have an accident I doubt you'll get much sympathy

Cycle lane bounded by solid line = compulsory - it's illegal to enter it

[mcgrimes]

I thought that was the case, broken line allows you to cross if required to do so and a solid really is a no go.

[the_lone_wolf]

I thought that was the case, broken line allows you to cross if required....

I think the exact phrase is "...if it is necessary and safe to do so"

Presumably if you cause an accident in doing so it wasn't safe, and you'd be hard pressed to convince a judge that it was "necessary" to filter to the front of the queue

Also bear in mind that even if the cycle lane is advisory, entering the Advanced Stop Line box for cyclists is an endorsable offence...

[simesb]

Most are between the kerb and the traffic - I wouldn't filter in those if I could help it. Despite what TLW saying being true, many drivers seem unaware of the rules. Too much chance of a left hook IMO, but YMMV.

[mcgrimes]

YMMV?

Way i see it, is i'd rather filter down a cycle lane which seems a bit of a grey area, than down the other side of the line marking the centre of the road which as far as im aware is illegal?

[the_lone_wolf]

YMMV?

Way i see it, is i'd rather filter down a cycle lane which seems a bit of a grey area, than down the other side of the line marking the centre of the road which as far as im aware is illegal?
Only illegal to ride down the offside of traffic if any part of you vehicle crosses a solid white centre line or you take the mick with oncoming traffic...

[mcgrimes]

Ah right good stuff. Benefit of riding down a cycle lane would be that people should expect some traffic there atleast, or so i would hope.

[simesb]

Also bear in mind that even if the cycle lane is advisory, entering the Advanced Stop Line box for cyclists is an endorsable offence...

Yes and no. The highway code actually says that if you cannot stop by the first line but you can by the second then you should. So only endorsable if you are witnessed stopping, otherwise you can claim the lights changed when you were too close. (nobody round here seems to pay the slightest bit of attention to stop lines whether they have an ASL or not)

Way i see it, is i'd rather filter down a cycle lane which seems a bit of a grey area, than down the other side of the line marking the centre of the road which as far as im aware is illegal?

I would suspect you would be more likely to be busted for deliberately using the cycle lane than filtering on the outside. And, IMO, it is more dangerous to filter on the inside.

[mcgrimes]

Well i have a helmet camera, so filtering to the front of a cycle box is pretty illegal for me.

Think im gonna pick up one of those high vis vests aswell.

[the_lone_wolf]

Ah right good stuff. Benefit of riding down a cycle lane would be that people should expect some traffic there atleast, or so i would hope.

Our survey says...

http://www.ukgameshows.com/atoz/programmes/f/family_fortunes/bygraves_duhduhh.jpg

Yes and no. The highway code actually says that if you cannot stop by the first line but you can by the second then you should. So only endorsable if you are witnessed stopping, otherwise you can claim the lights changed when you were too close.
Well yes, if you have to be pedantic...:rolleyes: Given the topic title it should be pretty obvious my comment was made in the context of filtering up the side of traffic and stopping in the box...

[mcgrimes]

Well yeah in part it was, however, 2 of the cycle lanes (the majority) in my daily commute dont actually lead up to lights, or a junction. One however, makes for great access to an unused lane due to parked up traffic turning 2 lanes effectively into 1.

Ive just uploaded a vid onto youtube showing my daily commute (todays)

[Sosha]

Would choose the RHS over cyclelanes any day of the week - overtaking rather than undertaking & cycle lanes are for cycles. Unless it's Gridlock in London then I'd still be giving way to peddlers.

[ethariel]

Still like to see someone take the issue to court, the ASL is designated as a Bicycle only area is it not?

So why does it say Bicycle on my tax disc?

Prolly get done for wasting court time but surely its worth a try sometime?

[mcgrimes]

Well svengalie on YouTube tried driving through a bike and bus lane and got a fine for it, as on the tax form it says 'motorcycle' or something similar.

[the_lone_wolf]

Bicycle is derived from the Greek "Bi", meaning two, and "kyklos", meaning circle or wheel


Therefore a motorcycle is both a bicycle, and a mechanically propelled vehicle - so not allowed to use ASL boxes


Why this is a difficult concept to grasp is beyond me though...:confused:

[simesb]

the ASL is designated as a Bicycle only area is it not?

So why does it say Bicycle on my tax disc?

The ASL is for pedal-cycles, not all bicycles.