Bus lane fine - being on the dividing line on a motorbike
Bus lane fine - being on the dividing line on a motorbike
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Discussion

ollieM2C

Original Poster:

99 posts

100 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
Looking for some advice, here... I've been given a bus lane fine while riding my motorbike in London, however it's clear from the pictures that I don't cross the line but I do drive on it. Is this still an offence or can I legitimately appeal against the fine?

Pegscratch

1,872 posts

137 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
If you're "on" the line does that not leave a good bit of you in the bus lane?

Roofless Toothless

7,567 posts

161 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
Sounds like a typical VAR decision.

caziques

2,842 posts

197 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all

I would be arguing the line was part of the roadway, not part of the bus lane. Therefore driving on the line is not driving in the bus lane.

gavgavgav

1,569 posts

258 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
I;ve always taken it that you need to cross the line to be out of the lane your supposed to be in. Arguably you can't straddle it on a motorbike.

gavgavgav

1,569 posts

258 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
Roofless Toothless said:
Sounds like a typical VAR decision.
Actually, Hawkeye

ollieM2C

Original Poster:

99 posts

100 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
I've appealed the fine, let's see how generous Southwark Council are feeling.

markyb_lcy

9,904 posts

91 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
gavgavgav said:
Roofless Toothless said:
Sounds like a typical VAR decision.
Actually, Hawkeye
If it was Hawkeye, the whole of the tire (ball) needs to be over the line.

But this is council revenue-led enforcement so I wouldn’t expect the rules to be so clear or fair.

Good luck OP.

silverfoxcc

8,405 posts

174 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
Have you enquired on the 'Council thread' on pepipoo.com

They have a good base of dealing with council tickets,


ollieM2C

Original Poster:

99 posts

100 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
silverfoxcc said:
Have you enquired on the 'Council thread' on pepipoo.com

They have a good base of dealing with council tickets,
thanks will check it out

Starfighter

5,347 posts

207 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
With checking the TRO for the bus lane in question. Not all are signed correctly and some permit use by motorcycles.

Roofless Toothless

7,567 posts

161 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
gavgavgav said:
Roofless Toothless said:
Sounds like a typical VAR decision.
Actually, Hawkeye
Either way, I can't believe they're serious. wink

4rephill

5,167 posts

207 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
caziques said:
I would be arguing the line was part of the roadway, not part of the bus lane. Therefore driving on the line is not driving in the bus lane.
As I understand it:

The edge of the bus lane is defined by the left hand edge of the wide, solid white line.

The wide solid white line is a lane separator, to create a safe zone between buses and other traffic, in order to help avoid contact with external mirrors, and other parts of vehicles.

The lane next to the bus lane is defined as being from the right hand edge of the wide, solid white line, to the centre-line of the road.

Regardless of width, the white line is still a solid a white line - Which basically means that you should not cross it, or allow part of your vehicle to straddle the line, just the same as a solid white centre-line.

By riding down the wide white line, using it as an improvised/unofficial "Motorcycle lane", the OP is most definitely allowing his vehicle to"straddle" the line.

Yes he can argue he wasn't actually riding in the bus lane, and possibly avoid a fine.

By the same token, the authorities could report him to the police for straddling the line, which could result in points on his licence, and a fine.


oyster

13,733 posts

277 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
ollieM2C said:
Looking for some advice, here... I've been given a bus lane fine while riding my motorbike in London, however it's clear from the pictures that I don't cross the line but I do drive on it. Is this still an offence or can I legitimately appeal against the fine?
OP, would you have ridden in that position if a bus was actually occupying the lane? If a bus were in the bus lane travelling faster than you, would your road position impede it in any way?


Actually got me thinking. If you drive/ride a car, lorry, motorbike, cycle in such a way that you hit a pedestrian on the pavement whilst your wheels remain on the road (by way of some part of your vehicle hanging over the pavement), are you guilty of riding/driving on the pavement?

konark

1,238 posts

148 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
4rephill said:
Regardless of width, the white line is still a solid a white line - Which basically means that you should not cross it, or allow part of your vehicle to straddle the line, just the same as a solid white centre-line.
Problem is many bus-lanes are only in operation for short periods of time, but the white line is there all the time. Can you cross it outside bus-lane hours?

markyb_lcy

9,904 posts

91 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
konark said:
4rephill said:
Regardless of width, the white line is still a solid a white line - Which basically means that you should not cross it, or allow part of your vehicle to straddle the line, just the same as a solid white centre-line.
Problem is many bus-lanes are only in operation for short periods of time, but the white line is there all the time. Can you cross it outside bus-lane hours?
Logic says “yes” otherwise how would you use the normal running lane the bus lane becomes?

Out of hours bus lanes are ace for getting past dawdlers. Barely anyone uses them, although my understanding is that if they are a running lane, they should be the default lane and the other lane only used for overtaking or in busy traffic.

Boosted LS1

21,200 posts

289 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
I always drive in 'out of time' bus lanes. It get's me past the dawdlers without the need to speed up or be reckless. I merge in sensibly at the end of the lane.

meatballs

1,140 posts

89 months

Thursday 5th March 2020
quotequote all
4rephill said:
As I understand it:

The edge of the bus lane is defined by the left hand edge of the wide, solid white line.

The wide solid white line is a lane separator, to create a safe zone between buses and other traffic, in order to help avoid contact with external mirrors, and other parts of vehicles.

The lane next to the bus lane is defined as being from the right hand edge of the wide, solid white line, to the centre-line of the road.

Regardless of width, the white line is still a solid a white line - Which basically means that you should not cross it, or allow part of your vehicle to straddle the line, just the same as a solid white centre-line.
I don't think a solid white bus line has the same meaning as a solid white centre line legally. There's often a solid white line on the left hand side of carriageways to show the edge but they don't have any legal significance right?

Vickers_VC10

6,759 posts

234 months

Friday 6th March 2020
quotequote all
Straddling a double solid white line is enough to get you done in the eyes of the law transposing that to this , I would imagine you'd be hard pushed to convince them you were not in the wrong...

Draw an imagine centre line up through the middle of your tyres how much if you and/or the bike is either side this also matters .