[Closed] millimeters from doom!

But should I complain about this road layout to the highways people?

When I'm king I'll decree that we just stop building cycle infrastructure - just stop completely  for 5 years, 10 years, whatever it takes..

During that time we'd have a national debate - involve all the stakeholders in roads and the public realm - what should cycling infrastructure be? Who is it for? How should it built? Importantly - who is qualified to build it.

We don't see example of engineers free-styling their way through the design of a motorway slip road, or a railway junction or an airport runway. Why are people just riffing it with cycleways? Bad designs make all cycle infrastructure dangerous because theres no consistency  - you don't even get a consistence approach down one mile of road let alone all over the country.

I'll then decreee that the money saved over the last 5 years will be spent, in addition to the planned spend for the following 5 years only on putting right bad design and impelemtation - no new infrastruture til the existing is right.

Then I'll resign as king and someone else can have a go.

Bad designs make all cycle infrastructure dangerous because theres no consistency

... and then you get "why aren't you in the bike lane?!" yelled at you. Um, because it's shit and dangerous?

Too right, both of the above. I rarely ride that way, but in future I’ll use the (very wide) pavement, where I’d get a proper view of the road.

That’s a really shit layout and zero thought has been given to cyclists

Are there any guidelines they should be following or is it complete freestyle?

Hmm. This is one of those infinitesimally rare occasions when I'm not actually 100% behind the biker....

Have I misunderstood?

There was a cycle lane, you were making progress along it in heavy traffic. There was a keep clear painted section designed to allow drivers to turn right when traffic was chocca. Someone was turning right, across that section.traffic was chocca.

Who are you trying to lay the blame at here?

Going off the bit where he says ‘it was no-ones fault’ I’d hazard a guess that he isn’t blaming anyone. Hth.

Car was crossing a marked lane, so should have been sure it was clear before crossing.

Which is very easy for me to say sat on my arse on the sofa looking at your photos. In reality cyclists need to spot those risks and deal with them, no use being 'dead right'. Well done for being so understanding.

The reason I blamed the road layout and none of the road users, was beca... oh , you do have to spell it out for some people, don’t you.. The van (and the queueing traffic) was blocking my view, the van and the queueing traffic blocked the view of the turning car.. I think, I subconsciously may have expected something when I saw the Keep Clear, pretty sure it can’t have all been reaction. But still, it ain’t right that I have a lane “designed” to allow me to make progress and yet...
But nice that a hero has turned up. Wouldn’t be STW without it.

But nice that a hero has turned up. Wouldn’t be STW without it.

Is that me? I've been whacked in very similar circumstance and was sorry for the car driver, but the rules of the road are clear - you have to give way when crossing a lane. Agree the layout could be much better designed to make this clear to the car driver or protect you, but it was your right of way.

Edit-burko73 put it so much better than me. ⬇️👍

Thing is the car wouldn't have crossed the second lane of a dual carriageway at that point without making sure there wasn't a car coming, why should it attempt to cross the cycle lane whenthere could be a bike coming?

It prob just wasn't part of the car drivers thought process. She prob didn't think/ realise/ see that there was a bike lane (2nd carriageway) there.

Its a shame but common that people just aren't looking out for bikes and the infra is so poor that it might as well not be there.

Is that me?
No, sorry, further up the thread.

No worries 😁

The Keep clear is not to allow a car from the main road to turn into the side road. it is to enable a vehicle in the side road to turn right onto the main road (its too far along for the former). Anyone know why they use keep clear rather than proper yellow boxes? is white paint cheaper?

However even without the keep clear the risk still exists if the van driver is just courteous enough to leave space for crossing traffic.

Isn’t the fault here that the keep clear box only benefits those pulling out of the side road to join the main carraigeway? There is no keep clear box for cars turning right, as was faced by the OP. That car in the photo is sort of on the wrong side of the road, to enter the side street, and would face oncoming traffic?

I can understand that if there is a van parked up to the keep clear then, in theory, it shouldn’t be be possible to turn right off the main carraigeway into the side street as there wouldn’t be clear road, especially if someone was pulling out of the road. Unless they performed a cheeky jink across the keep clear box then swapped lanes on the side street.

I guess the car inmy incident took the same route as that Toyota. When there’s a big line of traffic sat there, why wouldn’t someone turn right? Hardly any drivers are going to think, ‘I’ll wait for the traffic to move off, in case there’s a cyclist on the cycle lane’. In reality, like.

Thing is the car wouldn’t have crossed the second lane of a dual carriageway at that point without making sure there wasn’t a car coming, why should it attempt to cross the cycle lane whenthere could be a bike coming?

Wouldn't or shouldn't? It would be unusual for vehicles to be stationary in lane 2 of a 4 land undivided c/way* with moving traffic on the left, so I'd say that a similar situation could occur (in fact I've seen it)! If you were on a such a road with a long queue in Lane 2, and driving up the inside in lane 1 (perhaps towards a filter lane) it would be prudent to be alert for crossing traffic which may not have seen you. The error is the crossing vehicles but error happen.

*2lanes each way with no barrier in the middle is more comparable than a true D/Cwy as the point of the barrier on a D/Cwy is to stop cross over.

Looks like Waterlooville?

Not a lot of fun riding along there. We lived just round the corner from there for a while and easy to get a 'moment' passing those side roads. Doesn't help that the traffic along there can be a little fast vs the 30 limit too (although not so much for you earlier).

Cowplain, so almost the ‘ville 🙂

Bloody cyclists, don't even pay vehicle exice duty

Similar road lay out.

No keep clear.

Car in the queue flashed another car to turn into junction.

I planted a road rat in their passenger window and smashed the windscreen.

Matey started going on about me paying for the damage to his car as my bike hung off his wing mirror till k pointed out he had crossed. A marked lane . The blood drained out his face.

Nothing else was mentioned.

Few years ago now. Thankfully Bupa paidd for my neck physio. Police said if it ever happened again just lay on the floor till they arrive.

Filtering on a motorbike, filtering on a bicycle - same thing applies:

If there's a gap in stationary or very slow moving traffic, it's normally for a reason. Any gap like that should ring alarm bells and as the most vulnerable road user (as a cyclist or motorcyclist) the only way to stay safe is to put your safety in your hands, as soon as you start trusting other road users, you're done. The fact that you had the right of way matters less when you're laid on the road, or worse.

Me? My 'spidey sense' is very well honed after years of commuting on motorbikes (50k plus miles) so if I was filtering either side of the stopped traffic, I would have spotted the gap, slowed and checked it before proceeding.

There is guidance certainly in Scotland for cycleways. They are actually pretty good. trouble is no one builds to them. I had a big online argument with someone about the new stuff on leith walk. It does not meet the standards. He obviously had had a part in designing it and claimed it was safe and met the standards. It is neither so most folk ignore it

If they were actually built to the standards ie 2 m wide, noton pavement, separated fronm the road by a kerb or other barrier with priority at junctions they would be good

Note the hierarchy - on pavement is the lest good option

TRANSPORT.GOV.SCOT "https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/14173/cycling_by_design_2010__rev_1__june_2011_.pdf"

It's amazing a gap was left these days. It's normally drive up to the bumper, eyes at 12 o'clock. Sometimes you can't do right for doing wrong. It was the car driver's fault but luckily you had a good attitude and didn't plough straight on, so lessons learned and no damage done.

What this clearly needs is the cycle lane to have to give way at every Junction to turning or joining traffic.

That'd fix it.

Someone was turning right, across that section.traffic was chocca.

Who are you trying to lay the blame at here?

Cross out "bike" and put "car." You're driving along and someone coming from the opposite direction turns right across your path. Who's at fault?

Anyone know why they use keep clear rather than proper yellow boxes?

Because every **** and their mother either ignores box junctions or doesn't understand them?

In any case, the rules for both are different. You're perfectly at liberty to sit in a box junction if your exit is clear but you can't get to it. Like, as a totally random example, wanting to turn right across oncoming traffic.

Nah , The' Keep Clear ' box needs lengthening 3 fold. So the trffic is clear to move in and out of the sideroad unhindered . This would also effect a better line of sight for Dez when hes riding his bike , as he would have more clear air proir to the junction.
The driver would have more time to see a cyclist earlier as the would appear sooner.

Wont happen as there is no money to pay for paint, no dim witted people in road planning actualy ride bikes, and the traffic , for the most part, ignore Keep clear zones and yellow boxes

Rubbish road layout I agree, which invites incidents like this. When I've been undertaking along that kind of cycle lane I am very steady and cautious, especially approaching a junction like that, and especially when I've seen that the "keep clear" is empty for someone to turn across. Like the OP, it enables me to stop in time.

If I haven't seen and judged all of that then I wasn't paying attention and/or riding too fast for the traffic condtions.

During that time we’d have a national debate – involve all the stakeholders in roads and the public realm – what should cycling infrastructure be?

Of the sort which has been carried out in Greater Manchester?

Of the sort which has been carried out in Greater Manchester?

Hold your horses. I'm not king yet.

Hi OP, absolutely agree - that looks like another one of those 'waste of paint' cycle lanes. I don't know anything about the mechanism or efficiency of complaining to the local council but perhaps it could add a voice to other concerns.

Also really enjoying your prediction of the 'I would have avoided that crash because I'm better at bike riding' posts coming true.

(FWIW, I would have bunny hopped the car, yo)

To answer the question, what would I have done differently, if I was in that situation I would seen the gap and just assumed that someone would have tried turning across it without checking beyond the van (or even being aware there was a cycle lane). So I would have slowed or stopped completely before crossing it. Definitely a rubbish road layout, but assuming every other road user is an idiot never hurts.

The think is if yo do not reflect on incidents like this and try to work out what you could have done better you never improve your safety. DexB has plenty of form tho on near miss moans and refusing to listen to any suggestions or to reflect in any way. For what its worth I would have been walking pace filtering and would have been watching the junction. I might well have been ignoring the cycle lane and be in the middle of the road

Dreadful layout but it sounds like you had the right approach which is never trust a gap in traffic.

Bit like never using the gate in a field as that's where the booby trap and mines will be!

In the case of two car lanes instead of a cycle lane and car lane, the car pulling across would be at fault if they hit a car coming up on the inside lane (assuming that car was driving reasonably) and in principle a cycle lane is just another lane of traffic, so you might say car is at fault BUT as a vulnerable road user I’d always exercise extra caution – in the same way I’d watch for cars pulling out of junctions – in this case I’d treat the junction as if the road markings didn’t exist, that is not assuming priority, and watch out for queuing cars leaving gaps as it usually means someone might be coming in / out of the gap.

So, probably drivers fault, but knowing that won't keep you safe from it happening again.

I'd like to think that I wouldn't have trusted that junction one jot when vision was obscured by a van. But.

It's very easy on the Internet to think at the speed of typing and go "yeah, I'd have done this that and the other instead." Maybe you would, maybe not, but regardless of how good you are at cycling / driving / pedestrianing, on the roads things can readily go sideways in an instant. Sneeze at the wrong time and you might need a spatula to recover what's left.

In the case of two car lanes instead of a cycle lane and car lane, the car pulling across would be at fault if they hit a car coming up on the inside lane (assuming that car was driving reasonably) and in principle a cycle lane is just another lane of traffic, so you might say car is at fault BUT as a vulnerable road user I’d always exercise extra caution – in the same way I’d watch for cars pulling out of junctions – in this case I’d treat the junction as if the road markings didn’t exist, that is not assuming priority, and watch out for queuing cars leaving gaps as it usually means someone might be coming in / out of the gap.

So, probably drivers fault, but knowing that won’t keep you safe from it happening again.

100% agreed with all of that apart from, it's absolutely the driver's fault. It's a shit road layout fo sho but the cold hard truth is that drivers aren't looking for / expecting people on two wheels.

Victim blaming is a very bad thing, but it's no use being right when you're dead.

The think is if yo do not reflect on incidents like this and try to work out what you could have done better you never improve your safety. DexB has plenty of form tho on near miss moans and refusing to listen to any suggestions or to reflect in any way. For what its worth I would have been walking pace filtering and would have been watching the junction. I might well have been ignoring the cycle lane and be in the middle of the road

I'll have a vowel please, Carol. And a consonant. And another vowel.

A bit of paint on the road does not help me to feel safe. Going past junctions still makes me flinch. Going past junctions where I can see my vision is obstructed and the vision of other road users who might be turning right of me is also obstructed makes me more than flinch. Is it my 'right' to carry on at constant pace regardless - maybe. Do I - hell no! I always slow down, just because I like being alive.

It would be interesting to know what we collectively would all do in that driver's situation - stopped in the opposite lane wanting to turn right with a load of drivers behind us but our view of the cycle lane obstructed by the stopped van. How many of us (in real time behind the wheel, not with the benefit of hindsight and behind a keyboard) would refuse to turn right and hold up the traffic behind you until the van had moved on and a smaller vehicle was stopped there. Hand on heart I wouldn't. I'd be going for it albeit slowly.

How would you redesign it? Making the keep clear box bigger would just move the issue a few feet. Of course the cheapest solution would be to remove the cycle lane and reset the cyclists expectation to filter with abandon.

Random additional anecdote - a very good friend had almost exactly the same incident on Southampton Road just down the hill from that in Cosham/Paulsgrove going past the QA. Only he bullseyed the windscreen. Ambulance attended complete with a TV crew from one of those crap docu real life programmes. An impressively inflated valuation report from a local shop for his absolute shed of a bike (as in an extra couple of naughts added to the value turning a skip find into a mint vintage retro classic) and some whiplash and he was a TV 'star' and had a deposit for a house. But (enters the world of victim blaming especially about a very good friend) I have never met anyone who when he cycles or drives has such poor anticipatory skills. There is a reason stuff like this keeps happening to him (on bike and in a car) and it's not bad luck.

For what its worth I would have been walking pace filtering and would have been watching the junction. I might well have been ignoring the cycle lane and be in the middle of the road

Worth absolutely zero. You are hilarious.

How would you redesign it? Of course the cheapest solution would be to remove the cycle lane and reset the cyclists expectation to filter with abandon.

alot of the time this would be safer than herding them into unsuitable positions - give the cyclists accountability.

At junctions like the above , at T junctions and at traffic lights where there is a right turn as an option. - all places i want to be on the other side of the car - but you do and cars are honking at you to get back in the cycle "lane"

you know paint a lane up the left hand side of a truck at a set of lights or a T junction - wheres the inexperianced cyclist going to think the safe space is ....

or they put in a 'cycle lane ' 5mtr either side of a T junction. Paint 2ft of the road red and paint a little clown bike picture at each end
Probably costs £3250 all in , and is worser than doing nothing. they encourage bikes to the kerb area , encourage close passes as the bike is in its 'lane' , and do not really remind cars that Dexb might be blasting up the inside screaming 'STRAVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA'
whilst listening to SOAD on his DJ cans

and DezB makes my point again

do you really think yo can learn nothing from all these near misses you keep on having?

At junctions like the above , at T junctions and at traffic lights where there is a right turn as an option. – all places i want to be on the other side of the car – but you do and cars are honking at you to get back in the cycle “lane”

Doesn't always work, I agree that's the lesser of two evils, but I was ****ted by a car being flashed out of a junction on the right. 🙄 No injuries apart from to my pride and bike. It was a few years ago, the weather was minging, it was dark and I was distracted by being miserable.

Let's be careful out there.

So TJ[i]again[/i], did you read the last line of my original post? If you did and understood it, you would realise I know you and people like you are out there, heroes of the road, never making a mistake, never having any cars make mistakes around you and educating us all with your greatness. So your post is wasted. Yes. Of course I ****ing reflect on what I've done, what's happened to ME and MY OWN experiences on the road over the past 30 years of commuting. Otherwise I probably would be here. What I'm saying is the bollocks you spout as someone who wasn't there, and never has ridden the same places as me, who isn't me, is what is wasted and why you are hilarious to me.
And as someone who argues a point and never changes their mind, as someone who as the reputation to all on STW as a poster who will stick to their own view without any acceptance of what others are saying (eg. the last line of my original post), maybe a little self-reflection is in order.

You can't expect the local authority to redesign that layout, it's a standard and very common one. I bet there's something about it in the Highway Code to the effect that drivers need to look out for filtering cyclists and filtering cyclists need to look out for drivers. Put it down to experience; you will be more circumspect next time.

Accidents like this happen time after time in those Russian car crash vidos - drivers steam through junctions assuming it's their right and not anticipating other drivers getting things wrong.

The cycle lanes on Leith are a really bad joke. Much safer to cycle on the road!

Of course I **** reflect on what I’ve done, what’s happened to ME and MY OWN experiences on the road over the past 30 years of commuting.

You've been on here long enough, do you ever reflect on the fact that posting up some incident where you nearly get totalled will inevitably descend into a road safety seminar chaired by TJ? 🙂

Indeed, which is why I put that last line on the OP!! 😆

NO road safety seminar from me - just a suggestion of things to consider.

I have seen you moan about near misses numerous times DezB and you shoot down everyone not just me who would make any suggestion about it. You seem to feel you have nothing to learn from anyone. I know damn well I have plenty to learn about road safety from here and I learn from both mine and others experiences

constant reflection and constant learning with the humility to understand you can learn from others is the key

for example I never used to use the centre line for filtering. I now do sometimes because of what I have learnt from others on here
eidt: or as another I took advice from folk on here about how to deal with a nasty junction. thats after 50 years of urban cycling most days - I know others can help me be a better and safer rider

Im sorry but im missing something here.

Your filtering through traffic. Come to a junction where the traffic is stopped that you are filtering past and amazed that a turning car has not seen you and is trying to make the turn (while the van is stopped)

That’s nuts. If your filtering you don’t have right of way your moving into a space that should be clear. You’ve not made sure its clear so its your fault.

I get that your in a cycle lane but at the end of the day its paint on the road. No point being right and dead? Why don’t people understand his?

Another hero ^^ cheers for the contribution.

WELCOME 🙂

Tbf Dez, it does sound like you were just passing the junction at normal speed, and not particularly being too aware of your surroundings.

seosamh77

careful now - you don't want to be another know nothing internet hero!

Another hero ^^ cheers for the contribution.

This is a forum. And you have form. Your last line of the op is not going to stop people commenting on their approach to an incredibly common junction design and scenario.

Glad typing and bothering to upload and post photos helped get the incident off your chest but being snippy at responses is casting you not other posters in a poor light.

Good advice, I'll stop 😀

andybrad, you're definitely wrong I'm afraid. The cycle lane is a continuous carriageway that the car crossed without giving way to DezB. There are no stop or giveway marks on the bike path. You're correct about the right but dead thing though, you have to look out for yourself as a vulnerable road user.

Yes you should complain, road layouts should be inherently safe. Really though the only way for that to be safe is for drivers to be used to giving way to cycles, and I don't envy anyone who would be trying to achieve that in this country.

But you know the heroes are right, it's a totally predictable event and if you've got 30 years of commuting experience I'm sure you'll know that. Even going down a bus lane this happens to me all the time, despite there being every chance for the vehicle giving the flashes while I'm coming up the clear lane or those turning right to avoid it.

Let's be clear though to those saying "It's undertaking and you're not allowed" though that this is the exact intention of bus and, to a lesser extent perhaps, cycle lanes, and clearly you're not going to be passing traffic unless the traffic is slow moving/stationary, when the highway code is quite clear that passing on either side is acceptable for all vehicles.

Prompted by this I have just reported an issue on my regular ride. It is down to selfish driver's not wanting queue and using a cycle lane instead. Reported here for my local council. https://www.bristol.gov.uk/streets-travel/tell-us-about-a-road-safety-concern No idea if anything will get done (I have a hunch) but maybe if we all report these things there is a chance.

“It’s undertaking and you’re not allowed”

On a bike it's not undertaking, it's filtering if you are on a bike in the traffic lane. And is allowed.

If you are in a cycle lane, you aren't undertaking or filtering, you are in a bike lane, its purpose (or atleast should be) is to separate you from the traffic.

It is only common sense that you slow down when you come to a junction, and check what's happening before preceding through at full pace.

On the bike, I basically live by 1 rule, self preservation, it supercedes everything else!

"No point being right and dead."

Somebody please convince me the eventual conclusion of this line of thought isn't commuting by car instead.

If you are in a cycle lane, you aren’t undertaking or filtering, you are in a bike lane, it’s separate. But it’s only common sense that you slow down when you come to a junction, and check what’s happening.

Agreed but experience in more bike friendly countries suggests this could largely be avoided if the roads and priorities were completely reworked and cultural changes took place...

Just occurred to me - the reason why the "You should've/I would've done this" responses bug me - it's because I'm not coming here saying "Look what happened! Why did this happen!? I dun understand!" - It's bleeding obvious I know what and why it all happened! Coming along afte the event and telling me what I already know is just dopey. I've even said what I'd do different in future...
But anyway, feel free and I won't get bugged no more.

convince me the eventual conclusion of this line of thought isn’t commuting by car instead

Never!

There's loads of guidance for cycle infrastructure.  Unfortunately highways designers see the guidance as the highest/best, rather than the minimum requirement.   And there is no requirement to follow any of it.

I blame Sustrans for the entirely shite state of UK cycle infrastructure.  Their desire to create a "national cycle network" of blue signs at the turn of the millennium, meant miles of shoddy and poorly thought out (I hesitate to use the word "designed") infrastructure was hastily installed, and is now referenced as high quality design.

I agree that we should stop building all infrastructure for a period until some sort of national minimum standard is developed, and can be integrated into highways design manuals in such a way that makes derogation from the standard very difficult. If you cant fit a full sized cycle lane in, then maybe there isn't space for one at all?

Shoot me down if you like but....

Isn't this very similar to the dutch infrastructure we all rave about? IE. the cycle lane has priority over the side road as it should do if the cyclist is to make progress? The obvious alternative would be to have the cycle lane give way to the minor road which is rubbish.

The difference is that in places like the Netherlands the drivers are expecting the bike and know if they have an accident in this situation they'll be presumed at fault.

The differnce is twofold. One you almost never see it just painted on the road like that - there will be clear separation ( a the UK design guidelines state) and give way lines each side so effectively the cycleway is separated from the road

Two presumed liability means everyone knows bikes have priority

This is typical - main road, side road, its clear the cycleway has priority doe to the separation
https://www.google.com/maps/ @52.3622,4.8737139,3a,75y,7.12h,65.41t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sz1fOZxq7lBbtu5-lXUdAAw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dz1fOZxq7lBbtu5-lXUdAAw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D230.61264%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

Plus, drivers there actually do look out for cyclists. They have to as there's so many of them.

The Keep clear is not to allow a car from the main road to turn into the side road. it is to enable a vehicle in the side road to turn right onto the main road (its too far along for the former). Anyone know why they use keep clear rather than proper yellow boxes? is white paint cheaper?

Different meaning.

Keep clear applies to the direction you read it from (other rules might prohibit you from blocking it but that's slightly different), yellow box applies to traffic from all directions.

You can block a yellow box as long as your exit is clear, e.g. you stop in the middle of it at a junction when turning right but there's oncoming traffic. You can't do that if it says keep clear.

a TV crew from one of those crap docu real life programmes

Oi, I was involved in making that show (assuming it's the BBC one). We won a BAFTA and beat whatever Atenbrough made that year! Who was the PD?

Turning right from the Give Way lines or into the side road Dez? Into the side road would be a 'what are you playing at moment'. Similarly turning onto the major road the Give Way lines are there to ensure you stop and check before moving off. You were very kind all things considered.

A quick update from me. As mentioned I above I reported a dangerous road junction near me to my local council. Its dangerous because cars use the cycle lane to make two lanes of traffic for straight on and right. I suggested they at least re-paint the existing cycle lane as its worn away to almost nothing with all the cars, better yet make it a red lane, but ideally tweak the road layout. Just had a response:

The required road markings have been added to our rolling programme of repairs and will be prioritised and then programmed as budget and resource is made available.

Regards

Highways Maintenance

Quite non committal but better than nothing. Hopefully something will happen

So many cycle lanes need those sloping blocks to stop cars using them, or at least make them aware they're crossing into the bike lane.
These

My report got this response from the highways:

"We will assess your enquiry as soon as possible. We receive around 70,000 enquiries each year..." loLZ

Agreed with that last statement, Dez. Those blocks are great. Not perfect but a million times better than magic paint. Good luck getting something done.

I have a section of those on my commute and only occasionally do I have to move out in to the dual carriageway to avoid a van or par parked in the cycle lane. 🙄

OTOH, there's a section of single lane carriageway and a cycle lane approaching traffic lights. So what happens? Two lanes of queuing traffic form, fill the bike lane with stationary pollution boxes 🙄🙄 so I ride on the pavement instead.

Agreed with that last statement, Dez. Those blocks are great. Not perfect but a million times better than magic paint. Good luck getting something done.

Funnily enough, was checking reports on those, and similar things - whenever they put them in in this country, they are removed shortly after due to safety issues... yep - apparently, a pedestrian trip hazard.

I reckon this is an example of where no infrastructure is better than poor infrastructure. The lane does nothing positive, since you'd be filtering just the same, but it encourages riders to blat on like they are perfectly safe and in the right. When as the OP discovered they aren't. This is a classic 'cyclist making progress' accident - my mate got knocked off that way, and I have nearly been too. However the cycle lane lures riders into that situation. It should be erased.

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********* note: bumped thread ************
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(will anyone notice that, or will they read the first 2 posts and jump in feet first)
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At the risk of bumping a bad tempered thread 😀
I've just had an (interestingly worded) update email from the road bods:

I am pleased to confirm that the junction has already been included within one of the County Councils Casualty Reduction Programmes for further investigation as we had noted a worsening trend of injury accidents following our regular examination of the police database of recorded injury collisions.

I will ensure your comments are considered as part of our investigations. Any measures installed are likely to be lower cost in nature and will be aimed at highlighting the various hazards present to drivers.

Kind Regards

Steve Woodward
Team Leader
Safer Roads – Casualty Reduction

Nice to be thought of as a hazard to drivers. There was me thinking I was a fellow road user. Ho hum, at least they are considering the junction, even though there strangely have been no queues of traffic at that point these past few months!

Nice, but I would respond to that effect, that cyclists are road users not hazards.

Yeah, I'm considering it. That last sentence is quite weird.