Can cars stop in bike-advance boxes?

Taxis excluded, different thread for them.

I’d like to know because I don’t drive and driving instructors i’ve asked have responded with “well, they shouldn’t”.

If a car rests in an advance box, I make a concerted effort to pull right in front of them out of principle. Of course, some vehicles may have just missed the opportunity and ended up there but others, well, they just take advantage.

What’s the rule?

IIRC correctly it goes: If a car has crossed the first bold line before the lights change they must then stop by the second (ASL). Its only an offence if they cross the first line when the lights have already changed.

EDIT:

ere it is

178
Advanced stop lines. Some signal-controlled junctions have advanced stop lines to allow cycles to be positioned ahead of other traffic. Motorists, including motorcyclists, MUST stop at the first white line reached if the lights are amber or red and should avoid blocking the way or encroaching on the marked area at other times, e.g. if the junction ahead is blocked. If your vehicle has proceeded over the first white line at the time that the signal goes red, you MUST stop at the second white line, even if your vehicle is in the marked area. Allow cyclists time and space to move off when the green signal shows.
[Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10, 36(1) & 43(2)]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070332

Holy Sheet Stoner-Batman…

Edinburgh’s just got righteous…

I’m not trying to be obnoxious but after today, the blocking of cycle lanes and possession of advance boxes is getting dangerous. It’s the only respite there is between the carnage.

TBH, I find it safer to pull up directly behind someone in an ASL or any stopped traffic really, and move off at pace with the flow of traffic.

But then I dont dither.

And Im happy to take my place in traffic as if I were a car. I think it’s rude to filter to the front, in front of say a london cabbie who has been waiting at the lights, then hold him up as he’;s only going to nip past you again. Its more relaxing to get in his slip stream and follow him through the junction in order.

But you’d only use the middle-right of the ASL box if you were turning right or needed a right hand lane, so not really blocking cars unless the road narrows ahead

They’ve done some new cycle lanes/stop boxes in Hove, I was sitting there at the lights in my van wondering why there was an extra light with a cycle image, but it wasn’t pointed at the pavement for crossing bikes.

Then it went green, and gave cyclists 10-15 second head start against the traffic. Unfortunately the over-eager track standing cyclist had done the usual ‘ride over the stop line and wait as far forward as possible’, so was left there dallying about not realising he was on a green until the main lights changed. 🙂

I can’t remember the last time I saw an ASL without a motorcycle, car, van or police car in it.

moved up to every single one on Deansgate one night in rush hour. Quite an incentive to practice sprint starts

I also have no issue pretending to be a car, quite often-particularly in box junctions-it’s the only way to be. I hold the most fear against riding in the gutter to be honest.

Also, while we’re here, what about cars-including taxis this time- obstructing cycle lanes ? Often not fully but partly. I only use them to get to the front of the queue being a middle-of-the-road-rider but some pootlers are getting queued up in dangerous positions.

Eek.

Stoner – Member
TBH, I find it safer to pull up directly behind someone in an ASL or any stopped traffic really, and move off at pace with the flow of traffic.

You know that you are in fact WRONG? 😉

Only in Scotland, I hear.

The north east also.

But I guess you don’t ride there much 😀

There’s a “north east”?

Well, knock me down with a feather 😯

Stoner – Member
There’s a “north east”?

I think it’s called “Kent”

I can’t remember the last time I saw an ASL without a motorcycle, car, van or police car in it.

My beief is that most drivers, especially those who’ve been driving for many years, don’t realise they’re not supposed to enter the ASL.

I say this because I don’t remember ever seeing an ASL when I took my driving lessons & test back in 1991, or remember seeing it referred to in the Highway Code, therefore an ASL may be a relatively new phenomenon for a lot of drivers.

Around where I cycle I have noticed motorists increasingly stopping before the ASL rather than in it, so awareness does seem to be increasing.

Motorcyclists will probably always use them as it’s a handy space to use when they’ve filtered past traffic.

what about cars-including taxis this time- obstructing cycle lanes ? Often not fully but partly. I only use them to get to the front of the queue being a middle-of-the-road-rider but some pootlers are getting queued up in dangerous positions.

They can probably ‘get away with it’ on a technicality in many instances – if the cycle lane is delimited with solid white line then it is not supposeed to be entered by vehicles, however if it’s delimited with a dashed white line then it’s advisory (?) so I don’t think the same applies (other than out of consideration/courtesy).

Aaaaah, well I’m now informed.

I think I need to learn to drive, not to own a car, but so I can make educated judgements on shite driving.

Eg:is indicating not compulsory anymore?
And: Is it.still give way from right?

Some people seem confused.

joao3v16

Motorcyclists will probably always use them as it’s a handy space to use when they’ve filtered past traffic.

When I ended up motorbiking into work, I saw all other motorbiklists using the orange box. I could understand why – we’ve been filtering to the front for 100 yrs and suddenly the front’s painted orange. Pah.

But I decided to at least start out law abiding. I filtered through traffic and stopped between the cars – no big deal, the nippiness of my bike would see me out first. A glance in the mirror showed me the line of cyclists who’d filtered behind me were now trapped between two lines of cars, and looking unhappy – they’d be in peril once the lights went green so I pulled onto the orange box, “un-corking” the trapped cyclists one of whom thanked me.

(I now stop in the orange box.)

My beief is that most drivers, especially those who’ve been driving for many years, don’t realise they’re not supposed to enter the ASL.

I say this because I don’t remember ever seeing an ASL when I took my driving lessons & test

They weren’t around when I did my test either (or at least I don’t remember ever seeing one), but the big painted bike and the solid white line seem like a pretty damn good clue to me!
If you can’t work that out, you shouldn’t have a driving license.

whenever I’m driving and pull up behind a car in an ASL I always leave a car length for them to reverse into to free up the ASL. They never do 🙁

Also see many impatient drivers edge into an ASL as they are waiting for the lights to change, then keep on edging forward over the asl stop line until they are nosing out into the junction then the lights do actually change to green and they stall or forget what they are doing and hold everyone up. Who are these idiots?

glenh 🙂

Now I feel i’m being overly considerate to drivers…

whenever I’m driving and pull up behind a car in an ASL I always leave a car length for them to reverse into to free up the ASL. They never do

Used to just roll round the front if I knew the light sequence and sit in front with the back wheel on the bumper

And: Is it.still give way from right?

You only need to give way to the right if the vehicle approaching is as big or bigger than you. Cyclist have to give way to all other vehicles.

If I’m filtering and the ASL is full I will roll in front. If the vehicle in front just drives into it I will wait behind them – I assume someone who drives like that is probably a bad driver so best in front rather than behind me.

Did you know the max speed of a bicycle in 10mph? This will explain how people can overtake you while crossing double white lines and also the fact they will try and pass you in 20s,30s and 40s while you are at the speed limit.

Waidaminit… 10mph?

Eek.

In the car I can stop in them but anything over 15mph and I skid out of the far side.