Motorcycles allowed in Bus Lanes - an early report

[PeckhamRose]

Motorcycles in Bus Lanes, TfL report.

The main thing is it was successful, and the fear cyclists had of being in jeopardy were unfounded.

However, there were a few more accidents involving motorcyclists being hit by vehicles turning left across the bus lanes, without looking before turning to see if there was anything coming.

We all need to take more responsibility and look out for one another. And do a First Aid course!

[omniprescient]

Being a cyclist as well as a motor cyclist I'm all for all two-wheeled road users being able to access all the bus lanes (not just the TfL ones as is the case at the moment) and I never considered that motorcyclists would present any significant danger. I could never understand why taxis are allowed to use them but motorcyclists were not. If it were up to me taxis would be banned from bus lanes during the morning and afternoon rush hours. They invariably contain only one passenger - why do they get special treatment?

[Ladymuck]

I think buses should be banned from bus lanes.

;-)

[PeckhamRose]

To the comment above the one above, many boroughs and towns in England allow bikers in all bus lanes.

Richmond does, too, as well as Westminster itself allows us in some of them.

There must be a motorcyclist on the council in Newham as we are also allowed at the front of the traffic with the cyclists on the green bit; something we do anyway everywhere else! (Well I do, anyway.)

[taper]

I'm a little dubious about the no impact on cyclist finding. Seems counterintuitive. But then I've never had a run in with a motrcylist yet in a bus lane, so perhaps it's right. One alternative I'd wonderd about was whether motorcylclists might be restricted to the outer half of the lane only.

[nutty]

Real problem is that allowing motorcyclists only in red-route bus lanes is confusing. I've already been done once for being in a bus lane that wasn't a red route (approaching waterloo bridge) when I understandably thought it was red route. Roads leadin up to it are....

If it's fine for red routes why not everywhere else.

[PeckhamRose]

Wellthat's what we all want to know, and to change, nutty. All bus lanes have signs at the beginning of their stretch that show icons of what can and can't ride in them. And then you turn left say, and the bus lane sign has a motorcycle on it so you can, then you turn another corner and all of a sudden you can not. It's utterly ridiculous, and it's only constant pressure by such groups as Motorcycle Action Group who managed to persuade the mayor of the sense in allowing us in TfL lanes. Each borough has their own rules. All London should have two rules only: 1) Drive on the left and 2) (thanks to James May) Don't be a prat! So join MAG if you are not already a member.

[Sandperson]

PeckhamRose Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Newham as we are also allowed at the front of the

> traffic with the cyclists on the green bit;

> something we do anyway everywhere else! (Well I

> do, anyway.)

I wish you wouldn't, it's not for you.

[DaveR]

I'm with Sandperson on that one - motorcycles in bus lanes is a completely different issue from motorcycles in cycle lanes/boxes, and you do yourself no favours by treating them as one and the same.

[TheArtfulDogger]

Personally I want to actually see Red Buses in the M4 Bus lane, which makes a mockery of it's own title (Coaches, Taxis and Motorbikes, but not one london bus ...)