Question – If there is a cycle lane available to use am I legally supposed to use it?

I will always use a cycle lane (not that there are many about) as long as it doesn’t slow me down. I have a 22 mile commute so I’m not messing about. The road in question is a straight, wide, 1 mile stretch of 60mph single carriageway. The cycle lane is separate to the road by a large strip of grass. To get on to it I have to go around a roundabout on the pavement which is probably a designated cycle lane too, crossing 3 roads in the process and waiting for traffic each time. One of these crossings involves going up the road 100 yards to the crossing just to come back down again.

I always get honked while cycling on this stretch mainly by Lorries which is annoying as the road is very wide and its very early in the morning so no problems overtaking. I also tend to hug the curb and do the best I can to let people past – being a car driver I know it can be frustrating if you can’t overtake but there really isn’t an issue on this road.

Anyhow I can just about cope with the honking but this morning a car clipped me with its wing mirror which almost sent me flying and royally pissed me off. He/she clearly meant to do it – if not to actually hit me then just get as close as pos. I tried to chase them but it was uphill.

Bottom line is I don’t actually care whether it’s illegal or not – I’m using the road – I think I just needed to rant as I was knocked off for the first time last month after 15 years of trouble free cycling (ironically I was in a cycle lane when I was knocked off!)

registration of the twerp?- police

i dont believe you are obliged to use a cycle lane

No, you’ve got as much right as a car driver to be there.
Although bearing in mind that being 100% in the right could still result in you being 100% dead, isn’t it possible to take a short cut across a verge or something to get on the cycle lane?

Use of cycle lanes is not compulsory and will depend on your experience and skills, but they can make your journey safer.

Nope. As you say, use them if they are practical.
Did you get their registration plate?

Question – If there is a cycle lane available to use am I legally supposed to use it?

Nope, also entitled to be on the road too. Whether I’d personally want to mix with 60mph HGV’s is another story though. That’s part of the reason why I gave up road biking and took up MTB. Not only is it more fun, but also I’m now totally in control of my own accidents.

Another case of public money totally wasted on poorly thought out cycle lane design if you’d rather mix with the heavy traffic than use the cycle lane I’d say.

If you got the reg its leaving the scene of an accident and the police will look into it.

Nope, however if you are in Germany I believe that only people with the equiavlent of a BCF race licence can ride on the road, all others hvae to use the given cycle lanes!

I normally wouldn’t ride in a cycle lane, as they are full of C*** that will cause punctures, crashes and people park in them!

If you got the reg its leaving the scene of an accident and the police will look into it.

Only if there’s injury or damage to property will they look into it, and then without witnesses it’s only ever going to be a ‘your word v their word’ and very unlikely to get anywhere.

Unfortunately I didn’t get a plate as by the time Id finished wobbling and decided I was going to stay on the bike he/she had disappeared out of reach of my front light. God I wish I had though.

Nice to know I’m in the right – clearly the path is safer but bloody mindedness will keep me using this road I think- so more fist shaking to come. It’s a shame there isn’t another way out of town as after I get off that stretch the route is lovely and I barely see another car all the way to work.

I predominantly mountain bike too – use the winter commute to keep fitness up during the winter grot as well as saving a bit of cash.

Wordnumb +1. Reoprt the fecker.

Had a run in with local plod & and another cyclist when I worked in Preston a few years ago and occasionally commuted by bike – heading out of town towards Kirkham on the Blackpool road it’s dualled with a 50mph limit, there’s only a pavement on one side of the road and it’s designated as a shared use path, heading away from Preston at this point it’s downhill so cranking it it was perfectly possible to hit 30mph plus on the road bike. Got pulled by plod, when the cyclist flagged them down, for riding on the road and told legally I should be riding on the cyclepath. I then pointed out the Highway Code bit Wordnumb links to, the fact that a 6 foot wide pavement is not a suitable place for two cyclists heading in opposite directions, along with pedestrian traffic as well and also that the local highways mob had recently swept the road and all the debris had been deposited on the pavement, making a puncture a distinct possibility and thus a puncture at speed would likely result in me losing control and ending up spread across the road anyway; therefore my reasoned judgement was that it was safer all-round for me to ride on the road with the cars and that was what I was going to do.

Never had any issues with drivers on that stretch of road and heading in to Preston I would use the cyclepath – uphill = low speed = not suitable to be mixing with the cars.

if you got the reg its leaving the scene of an accident and the police will look into it.
Only if there’s injury or damage to property will they look into it, and then without witnesses it’s only ever going to be a ‘your word v their word’ and very unlikely to get anywhere.

I understand that But would the Police not be interested that the Driver didn’t stop, so how would the Driver know there’s no Damage or Injury ?

i believe the driver could be done for driving without due care and attention at the very least…but seeing as the OP didnt catch the number plate, the best he can do is hope they drive past him again at some point, and if he recognises the car he could take the reg down then and report them…

I also tend to hug the curb

Why ride in a dangerous fashion?

I used to get this sort of thing (not actually hit, I must say!) a fair bit on my old commuting route – s’why I used one of these:

(http://www.7dayshop.com/photo-video-supplies/still-video-cameras)

Despite the dickheads who think you’re “looking for trouble” by using one, for incidents like this it’s very useful.

And no, you don’t have to use a cycle lane, and you can guarantee those who think they know where you should be riding never get their fat arses out of their cars and onto a bike!

I understand that But would the Police not be interested that the Driver didn’t stop, so how would the Driver know there’s no Damage or Injury ?

Yes of course the driver should have stopped, but without injury or damage to property then in my experience the Police would not even be remotely interested.

i believe the driver could be done for driving without due care and attention at the very least

Again how? Your word v theirs? Not a chance I’m afraid. To secure a conviction you’d need to show proof beyond reasonable doubt.

If you got the reg its leaving the scene of an accident and the police will look into it.

“Only if there’s injury or damage to property will they look into it, and then without witnesses it’s only ever going to be a ‘your word v their word’ and very unlikely to get anywhere”.

I had a near miss last year due to a driver not watching where they were going. Phoned up the police with the reg and they actually took it very seriously (or at least appeared to) and said they would be having a word with the driver.

Phoned up the police with the reg and they actually took it very seriously (or at least appeared to) and said they would be having a word with the driver.

Yes the Police have to be seen to be taking everyone seriously, but do you think for a minute that they actually followed this up?

They didn’t in my girlfriends case when she was actually knocked off her bike and injured her elbow. She had the registration of the driver (who didn’t stop), a witness, and the police said that they would speak to the driver. Three weeks later they still hadn’t managed to. Too busy catching people speeding I suppose.

I also tend to hug the curb
Why ride in a dangerous fashion?

It was only a matter of time.

Why ride in a dangerous fashion?

To be honest (and its each to their own on this of course) I have always been sceptical about the theory of trying to dominate the road. Mainly due to the amount of trouble free miles I’ve done riding close to the curb. I prefer to try and do my best to not antagonise motorists as they are potentially lethal to me and there is certainly no way I am going to “dominate” them in their metal cages.

I’ve never been touched before by a driver trying to get through a tiny gap as some people say can happen. They sometimes come close but as long as Im not touched Im fine with this. There was plenty of room this morning and I think it was more a case of “I think I know the rules, you lot piss me off, this is one occasion when I think I’m in the right, I’m going to be an a*s hole”

They didn’t in my girlfriends case when she was actually knocked off her bike and injured her elbow. She had the registration of the driver (who didn’t stop), a witness, and the police said that they would speak to the driver. Three weeks later they still hadn’t managed to.

That’s interesting – whereabouts are you?
Hampshire Police would almost definitely follow up. (Well, my mate who I play football with would “have a word” anyway! (joke))

I’d follow up with the cops on it – and get your girlfriend to make an injury claim.

i believe the driver could be done for driving without due care and attention at the very least

Again how? Your word v theirs? Not a chance I’m afraid. To secure a conviction you’d need to show proof beyond reasonable doubt.

that’s true as i should have mentioned… 😳
one possible solution to this is to use a camera like DezB suggested, but i wonder how much use this would be on catching actual evidence as the camera would be facing forward and its most likely that a cyclist would get clipped or hit by a vehicle passing from behind or side so the camera could potentially miss the actual impact (or have i missed the point?)….but it’s still better than nothing

That’s interesting – whereabouts are you?

Greater Manchester and about 2 years ago. We did chase the police up but was told that there had been no progress. Not really into the whole claims culture so we didn’t follow this route up. Only a minor injury – no lasting damage.

There should be a lot more prosecutions for this sort of thing, but the police in many regions really can’t be bothered.

This article makes for interesting and depressing reading. The cyclist (a criminal barrister who writes the Cycling Lawyer blog) did eventually get a prosecution, but my god the hoops he had to jump through.

http://www.ctc.org.uk/file/public/feature-road-rage-response.pdf

No, you’ve got as much right as a car driver to be there.

Wrong.
You have more rights than the car driver, as a subject of her majesty you have an unalienable right to cycle on the queens highway, motorists are merely licenced and this privalidge can be revoked at any time by the state.

I’ve had this a few times recently, has Clarkson been on a soap box about it?

2nd time I caught up with the driver as he stupidly decided that the run up to a red light was the best place to fire off his mouth/horn. After a brief argument on the matter he then sped off, through the red light…………………

If it was illegal to ride anyway but cycle lanes (if available) then it would be illegal to park cars in them would it not?

Whilst you are in the right to be on the road I do question your attitude a bit

clearly the path is safer but bloody mindedness will keep me using this road I think- so more fist shaking to come

I really hope the worst that happens is you do more fist shaking but personally I wouldn’t chance it. If the cycle path is OK to use (not covered in glass/crap/people) but just a bit inconvenient then I’d have thought this one shake-up incident would have been enough to convince you your life was worth more than a bit of extra hassle each day (at least during the times you’re commuting in darkness).

Surrey Police looked into it when I got clipped (in broad daylight, in summer) by a dozy bint in a Lupo. Admittedly I had a registration number, but still, I’d be reporting it. Likely to be a regular commuter early in the morning, keep an eye out tomorrow.

Question – If there is a cycle lane available to use am I legally supposed to use it?

Nope, it’s an option only, I assume the primary target of separate cycle lanes is to allow less confident cyclists to do their journey away rom traffic.

IMO the fact that a separate cycle lane will obviously require a cyclist at some point(s)to rejoin the main carriageway and/or cross junctions just increases the risk of an incident at those points, while a cyclist on the road moving with the flow of traffic (all be it a bit slower) poses less of a risk for causing an accident…

Drivers don’t own the road.

Just make yourself as visible as you can, and consider using a camera to capture bad/aggressive driving (and importantly number plates), if it is a regular occurence…

licenced and this privilege can be revoked at any time by the state.

Though running over and killing a cyclist is unlikely to get you your licence revoked.

Though running over and killing a cyclist is unlikely to get you your licence revoked.

Unless its an off duty policeman/mason/mp/famous person

I tried to chase them but it was uphill.

Get fitter and faster, this is no excuse.

other than that, if you have the reg number then report the incident to the rozzers.

Actually that’s a point, where and how to mount a camera(s) for best coverage of potential incidents/plates?

I thought about it and there’s quite a few options:

-Helmet
-Bars
-Forwards facing on the top tube
-Rear facing on rear top tube

My own thought is that the real belt and braces setup would need something rear facing to capture the approach, Forwards facing to capture the aftermath / rapid cut in, and a helmet Cam to capture any face to face that might follow.

But that’s a lot of cost and faffing with cameras to capture something that might never happen…

Helmet Cam is the most “visible Deterent” I’d have thought…

Get fitter and faster, this is no excuse.

60mph up hill!
Not without EPO

60mph up hill!

There are some people on this forum who would have been able to get in the draft of that car; they would have sensed it coming and started pedaling faster so as the car went round they would have caught the draft. When the car stopped at lights they’d have done a massive stoppy and then tap on the window and real off the highway code.

I have always been sceptical about the theory of trying to dominate the road. Mainly due to the amount of trouble free miles I’ve done riding close to the curb.

Are you this guy?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a03Evzv4W_4[/video]

😀

I definitely think taking the Primary has its place, especially through tight spots where you don’t want people passing you.

Having said that, in your OP I would probably take the cycle path. There is no legal obligation too, but dual-carriageways have a disproportionate number of cyclist deaths on them so I avoid them where possible for my own sake, even if it means going a bit slower.

I wouldn’t have thought you needed that much video footage, and 99% of people wouldn’t pay any attention to a helmet cam or even know what one is.

And it’s not really offering you any protection, it’s just evidence if the wors happens. £20 on knee/elbow pads would be money better spent, but looks less cool and cant be posted on youtube.

I was clipped by a driver once as a pedestrian, it was proper scary. I reported it to police and independent witnesses also voluntarily reported it to the police and he got done for reckless driving.

There’s a time and a place for riding in the gutter, rounadbouts aren’t it though.

Not sure if it helped or hindered the OP though, nothing to say the driver actualy didn’t see him, in which case being in the middle of the lane would peobably have left him dead rather than just a sore (I presume) elbow.

Out of towns I’d ride out in the lane unless I heard a car aproaching, then pull in.