Advanced cycle stop lines, good idea?

Advanced cycle stop lines, good idea?

Author
Discussion

HertsBiker

Original Poster:

6,300 posts

270 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
I've seen these more and more, but am yet to see the point. Prove me wrong, I'd like to understand how inhibiting other road users benefits cyclists. Why is the advanced stop line on all lanes at a traffics light when I could be on the left most only, and still serve a good purpose. Btw I am a cyclist, a biker, and a car driver so don't think I have an axe to grind, I just feel we should discuss these things like adults. On a narrow road it is very frustrating for a car driver to sit behind a queue of inept drivers who are too scared to overtake a cyclist. On my MTB it is annoying to be followed by a car who can't work out how to overtake safely. It's not hard! On my motorcycle it's just bliss, except when the car drivers make a mess up of a simple overtake. Grrr. I will use cycle tracks when they are available, and I don't claim they are full of glass like a lot of the light weights. One of the joys of cycling is when I can wave a car past, when I can see round a corner that they can't. Makes me feel good to help the traffic flow. I have nothing to gain from misleading them, yet all benefit. I never wear headphones, that's just selfishly moronic. Why does it need to be so difficult to get along, we're all human and if we look out for each other it'll benefit everyone.

wemorgan

3,578 posts

177 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
ASR: what they are intended for and how they are used seem to be quite different.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/asl...

Mr Gear

9,416 posts

189 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Because positioning yourself in front of a car a junction instead of to the left of them means they can't turn left across you. It's about visibility too.

iva cosworth

44,044 posts

162 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
However much I dislike the boxes reserved for cyclists at the front of the traffic light queue,

they have to be a good thing in London when as many as 20 can be stopped.

Better to have them all,mainly,in front than squeezing down the sides of an HGV.

In a typical A24,A3,Balham,Clapham queue literally 100 cyclists can pass you in 1 minute.

Dammit

3,790 posts

207 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
The intention was plainly good, the execution is sadly very poor (in the main).

Intention: make cyclists visible in front of motorised traffic.

Execution: make cyclists squeeze down the left hand side (i.e. the left hand side), and they are almost totally ignored by motorcyclists who block access for the bicycles to get in.


jamieduff1981

8,022 posts

139 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
What would be inherently wrong in cyclists coming to a halt behind the motor vehicle in front?

I'm unconvinced that sending them all to the front so that frustrated or impatient motor vehicle drivers need or want to overtake them again is the safest way to go. I am assuming that minimising overtakes has to be in everyones' best interedts?

Urban Sports

11,321 posts

202 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
Why should cyclists be given a priority above motorists when they don't even pay road tax?

It's absurd!

rolleyes

henrycrun

2,448 posts

239 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Road Tax ? Which century are you in ?

saaby93

32,038 posts

177 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
It's mixed up thinking
It encourages cyclists to squeeze through traffic to get to the front, who wouldnt?

Without them wouldnt many cyclists take up their position behind traffic theyve caught up and move off together when the lights change

oh maybe not spin

Mound Dawg

1,915 posts

173 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
I always stop at the line so cyclists can pull up in front.

Tonight I did just that and a cyclist passed me on the inside, swung in front of me then rode straight through the red light...

As a cyclist myself, this really pissed me off, not because he nearly got wiped out by an innocent motorist driving correctly through a green light but because I know that when I'm on my bike, car drivers will assume that I'm like him and treat me accordingly.

Dammit

3,790 posts

207 months

Friday 25th July 2014
quotequote all
jamieduff1981 said:
What would be inherently wrong in cyclists coming to a halt behind the motor vehicle in front?

I'm unconvinced that sending them all to the front so that frustrated or impatient motor vehicle drivers need or want to overtake them again is the safest way to go. I am assuming that minimising overtakes has to be in everyones' best interedts?
If the bikes were evenly spaced through the queue, in-line with the vehicles, nothing.

That rarely happens in reality though- drivers ignore the "tyres on tarmac" position they get taught when learners, and nose-to-tail, which means cyclists end up positioned between the lanes, which is dangerous if the driver then put the foot down hard.

I'll in general move to the front of the traffic queue and wait in the ASL, simply because it's there really I suppose.

That said, if it wasn't there I'd still make my way to the front, that's human nature I think.

It's also convenient to be able to pull away swiftly as it gives you a better chance of making it through the next light

Urban Sports

11,321 posts

202 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
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henrycrun said:
Road Tax ? Which century are you in ?
Same one as you?

7mike

3,005 posts

192 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
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HertsBiker said:
One of the joys of cycling is when I can wave a car past, when I can see round a corner that they can't. Makes me feel good to help the traffic flow. I have nothing to gain from misleading them, yet all benefit.
Just another pov; I'm 100% responsible for my actions therefore I'll hang back until I decide it's safe to overtake. No offence to the cyclist (or horse rider) who means well but tbh, I don't know you or what you can see ahead & I'll make my own decisions thanks.

Negative Creep

24,942 posts

226 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
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Generally seen as motorbike stop boxes arund these parts

G600

1,479 posts

186 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
quotequote all
7mike said:
HertsBiker said:
One of the joys of cycling is when I can wave a car past, when I can see round a corner that they can't. Makes me feel good to help the traffic flow. I have nothing to gain from misleading them, yet all benefit.
Just another pov; I'm 100% responsible for my actions therefore I'll hang back until I decide it's safe to overtake. No offence to the cyclist (or horse rider) who means well but tbh, I don't know you or what you can see ahead & I'll make my own decisions thanks.
Just what I was about to say, there's no way I'd trust someone I don't know enough to pull onto the other side of the road blindly.

gavsdavs

1,203 posts

125 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
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The visible thing makes sense - I hadn't considered that.
Unfortunately they do end up being used by bicycles who want to get to the front and to block cars getting past them (probably for their own safety considerations), but cars accelerate faster than bicycles from a standstill.

I'm sure it's not being done to favour the bicycle over the car, but that's what the net effect is. Cars are forced to travel at the speed of the bicycle until they all get out of the main lane. When there are 5-6 of them abreast in front of you, that takes a while.

I would put bigger left hand lanes in wherever possible, even by sacrificing a car lane if that's possible - permit bikes to get to the front by their passage to it being free, but I do object to a bicycle coming down my left, then swinging out to being slap bang in front of me because there is a slower cyclist on the left they want to pass.

A single car lane (without parked cars or cyclists in it) with a bike lane beside it - will move better than a tight, dual lane road in the same space. Safer for cyclists. Keeps cars and bikes more separated. No jostling in and out of lanes by people wanting to game the inside lane to lights.

Antony Moxey

8,014 posts

218 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
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Urban Sports said:
Why should cyclists be given a priority above motorists when they don't even pay road tax?

It's absurd!

rolleyes
Change the record dimwit. It wasn't funny the first time you tried be clever.

Randy Winkman

16,013 posts

188 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
quotequote all
Urban Sports said:
Why should cyclists be given a priority above motorists when they don't even pay road tax?

It's absurd!

rolleyes
Because they are on the road by right - that's why they don't pay.

saaby93

32,038 posts

177 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
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Someone could make good money running a PH petshop

Norwegian Blue?

standards

1,117 posts

217 months

Saturday 26th July 2014
quotequote all
Urban Sports said:
Why should cyclists be given a priority above motorists when they don't even pay road tax?

It's absurd!

rolleyes
Only it hasn't been Road Tax for some time and several models of car pay none anyway..