http://bethlehempolice.blogspot.ca/#!/2012/04/press-release-city-honors-two-citizens.html

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7AVC1YCcO0&feature=player_embedded[/video]

Ossum work from the bus driver !

Yay. Nice bus driver for a change.

Top stuff.

Why was the guy cycling down the middle of, what seems quite a wide, lane?

Well done that man.

I thought that, I guess he has the right to use the whole lane, but that seemed like taking the mick.
Still was good observation from the bus driver to spot it in his rear view mirrors

I guess he was tryng to prevent being smeared up the big feckoff concrete wall to his right as some arse tried to overtake without leaving enough space, though I admit it ddin’t quite go to plan – what with some arse trying to overtake without changing course at all 😉

Why was the guy cycling down the middle of, what seems quite a wide, lane?

Because it’s safer.

Why would it be so much effort to move into the other lane to overtake?

Why was the guy cycling down the middle of, what seems quite a wide, lane?

Because its not wide enough for cars to pass safely, so you ride in the middle to make them change lanes properly, rather than squeeze past alongside other traffic. Its the same technique you should use at pinch points/traffic islands to avoid been squeezed. Also, from the end of the video it would appear the signs encourage cyclists to do this on the bridge.

It looks like the black car overtook the silver car in front, and then when the bus pulled out round the cyclist, the black car swerved back into the inside lane and booted it to undertake the bus, but being close to the bus would have obscured his view. The car was alongside the bus at impact so the bus probably only stopped when he realised the driver was leaving the scene.

I don’t see how it is safer. Looked like it wasn’t for him…

Why was the guy cycling down the middle of, what seems quite a wide, lane?

seemed like taking the mick

so he didn’t get squeezed into the high concrete walls?
lane isn’t wide enough for cars to safely pass without changing lane

Why was the guy cycling down the middle of, what seems quite a wide, lane?

Watch the end of the vid and a sign comes up to say cyclists can use full lane 🙂

The car would have hit him wherever he was in the lane, at least in the middle he is more visible.

It appears the video has been edited to miss out the last few seconds, I wonder if the bus cut up the car (who was accelerating in the previous view) causing it to swerve into the nearside lane.

Obviously this would turn the bus driver from hero into a possible antagonising factor, although he still did well by stopping the car.

It appears the video has been edited to miss out the last few seconds, I wonder if the bus cut up the car (who was accelerating in the previous view) causing it to swerve into the nearside lane.

I wondered about that too
As you can’t see the bike’s position from the “zoomed-in backwards shot” it’s not clear whether the bus moved out really late or not (wasn’t indicating as it passed out of shot though, I don’t think)
My guess is that car went to undertake, and that’s good enough for a hangin’ , surely ?

What is glaringly obvious is the late lane changes and shit observation of the cars that were in the 1st shot 🙄

My guess is that car went to undertake, and that’s good enough for a hangin’ , surely ?

I’m not sure if its a general rule in all states, and whether its just freeways, but you can pass on both sides in the USA.

Why was the guy cycling down the middle of, what seems quite a wide, lane?

Jeez and I thought this was a CYCLING forum.

spooky, that certainly appears to be general “rule” in california

regardless, weaving at late notice (if that’s what it was) is 🙄

My guess is that car went to undertake, and that’s good enough for a hangin’ , surely ?

possible i couldn’t quite work out what happened at that point

undertaking is the norm in US – not sure what rule would be on a 2 lane highway but on multilane is positively encouraged

Why not stop it with the arrogance Graham?

I am guessing you will advocate his cycling well beyond the half way point of the lane?

Uh oh. Bold, CAPITALS and an amusing meme. I am in trouble.

I am guessing you will advocate his cycling well beyond the half way point of the lane?

I don’t understand what difference it makes where he is in the lane when there’s a whole other lane, which is exactly where you should be overtaking regardless of the cyclists position?

Especially when there’s signs explicitly advising cyclists to take the middle of the lane.

I do.

I am guessing you will advocate his cycling well beyond the half way point of the lane?

yes he drifts off centre of lane a bit – its a bridge could be windy or could be he got what he deserved

cynic-al – Member
I do

Al, he’s not even flirting – never mind proposing

cynic-al – Member

I don’t see how it is safer. Looked like it wasn’t for him…

thats right. Despite it being explained to you many times you don’t see it.

1) you are more visible in the centre of the lane – you are in the central part of the drivers vision not the periphery

2) a car driver has to overtake properly – they cannot attempt to squeeze past you without changing lanes

3) it gives you room to escape to the inside if someone does come too close.

4) it keeps you out of the dirt and rubble in the gutter

Why not stop it with the arrogance Graham?

Here is a fellow cyclist being run down by a impaitent ****t in a car,
and it seems the main drift is “how dare this man impeed the progress of the great God car, how dare he use the road”.

Shrugs and walks off, shaking head..

Walks off from thread too…let him argue to himself 😆

Cycle on the pavement or choose the dual-carriageway between 2 concrete walls?

Having driven a lot in the States and seen the (lack of) quality of their driving – I’d take the pavement.

May I suggest putting the speculation and handbags away just for a moment and reading the article, maybe?
It has little nuggets like…

The juvenile offender has been the first in Bethlehem, and perhaps the state, to be charged under a new section of Pennsylvania law that provides additional protection for cyclists on our roadways.  The section took effect at 12:01 a.m. on the date of the crash.  The section is, in pertinent part:

§ 3303. Overtaking vehicle on the left.
(a) General rule.–The following rules shall govern the overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction, subject to the limitations, exceptions and special rules stated in this chapter:
(3) The driver of a motor vehicle overtaking a pedalcycle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left of the pedalcycle within not less than four feet at a careful and prudent reduced speed.?

In addition, the juvenile offender has been charged in Northampton County Juvenile Court with:
§ 3742(a) – Accidents Involving Death or Personal Injury (M2)
§ 3334(a) – Turning Movements and Required Signals

Then resume the debate with a smattering of “facts”.

Pfft. You can prove “anything” with “facts”.

…Pennsylvania…

…Bethlehem…

…Northampton…

Regardless, it was truly an international affair.

You can **** right off with your facts, the world needs more pointless arguments

forgot to say earlier

Jamie, 😉

Hey, I didn’t quote it all! Or even repost the link!!! Wouldn’t even dream of trying to be “definitive” on here 😉

TJ you are answering a point that I have not made. Please read my point and don’t misrepresent me.

Graham, I think people here are ROAD USERS, most cyclists, many drivers…perhaps some are capable of reaching a balanced view?

If I were the cyclist, I think I’d have taken a look at the traffic, jumped off and pushed it down the pavement.

But the chap’s allowed to use the road, so why shouldn’t he? The law is there to protect that right. If we all looked at traffic like that and said “Nah, not today,” we’d basically be forfeiting that right ourselves. Then we’d be pedestrians. Which I tried, and its ok, I don’t want to insult any people who walk. Or people who can’t either, if you can’t walk that’s fine too. Basically, walking or not walking is acceptable to me. I don’t mean I tolerate it, I mean its not something that I make judgements of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ against. If you’re walking or not walking, then keep at it. Unless you decide to stop/start walking, respectively. I won’t be found to be dismissive of people’s rights to change their mind about how they choose to apply Newton’s laws of motion.

I wonder if peeps would feel the same if it was the m25, motorist “a” pootling along in inside lane, car rear ends him and drives off, because car”a” wasnt going fast enough, al because car a was allowed to go slower than the other traffic and use the middle of the lane.

Which vehicle is playing the bus in this scenario?*

*Are buses allowed on motorways?

That situation was completely retarded, the law is giving these idiots a false sense of righteousness and security.

If you cycle in the middle of the lane the car directly behind you can see you yes, but when it swerves to avoid you the car behind then has you appear from knowhere.

That cyclist should never have been on that road, they should make the pedestrian walk way open to cyclists, far better to have a collision between a pedestrian and cyclist than a cyclist and a speeding car, I say this simply because of the speed that the cars are moving at on that road and how busy it is, when reality meets fantasy and delusionment, it doesn’t give a **** about the law!

The motorist should indicate and move out past the cyclist, a following vehicle should be driving at a safe distance to be able to do likewise.

an easy method would be to create a new cycle lane on the right.

1) you are more visible in the centre of the lane – you are in the central part of the drivers vision not the periphery

2) a car driver has to overtake properly – they cannot attempt to squeeze past you without changing lanes

3) it gives you room to escape to the inside if someone does come too close.

4) it keeps you out of the dirt and rubble in the gutter[quote]

the risk is a car will drive into the back of you who has not seen you and they have no room to squeeze past so you get rear ended.
When this happens the fat you can be better seen will have failed, they wont have time to overtake, you dont escape and the rubble is irrelevant

I do this sometimes but that does not look like a place I would do it but I cant really tell how wide each lane is tbh

It all depends TJ and the fact they got hit would tend to suggest it did not work this time.
YMMV and every situation is different and I would do what is safest in that situation. I am not sure middle of the lane of a fast moving section of dual carriageway is the ideal place tbh even if I am allowed