Before I begin let me just point out that I have alternated my commute to work for the last 4 years between my CG125, my FZ6 S2 and my road bike, a Specialized Allez 2010 so I am well aware of the **** cyclists have to put up with and the **** they get up to.
Yesterday morning I was given some abuse from what I can only describe as an irate hippy female cyclist. I came off Waterloo bridge heading towards Alwdych but was stuck at the lights on an ASL (Green cycle box), There were 4 cars ahead of me when the lights turned green but due to the slow moving traffic (road works at Aldwych) I ended up on the ASL when the lights turned red - it didn’t stop a dozen cyclists running the red light though…The hippy woman appeared from behind me and began shouting at me, saying the box was for cyclists only and that I was breaking the law - she proceeded to take pictures of me and my motorbike on her mobile phone, not sure what she plans to do with the pictures/video. I calmly tried to explain to her how I ended up in the ASL but she was having none of it.
The amusing thing is she then positioned herself in front me to block my path but at the same time was blocking the pedestrian crossing and also technically jumping a red light! She also failed to photograph the cyclist who ran the red light as we were waiting.
I personally think ASLs are flawed, where a road has two lanes, the left lane should be the only lane with an ASL, but that’s another topic.
I’m just wondering if there is anything she can do with those photographs to incriminate me and if so do I stand a chance of defending myself against photographic proof?
Cheers for that blu! The look in her eyes seemed like she was possessed…I imagine she could be one of those people who write complaint letters on a daily basis.
Can’t imagine the police would give the photo a second look before binning it.
I always try to avoid riding into the asl except when I get caught out like you did or when I’ve filtered down the outside of traffic to find the first car in the line is slightly over the line and I need to push in front to be safe.
I see loads of people (cars, motorbikes and scooters) who treat the first line as if it isn’t there and I reckon that’s out of order - the line is there for a reason and it’s not going to affect your journey much sitting 2 metres further back at the lights.
An interesting point is on the near side of any ASL is a broken white line, were cyclists are supposed to enter the ASL. However, on a recent (LB organised) Bike Safe event one of the rozzers pointed out that a cyclist crossing the white line to entre the ASL has technically jumped the lights. This rozzer took great delight in telling us that one morning he issued tickets to multiple bicyclists for such actions.
Oh and don’t use the fact that our tax discs say bicycle on them - that don’t wash
No, this is broken white line is near the kerb (cycle lane) and is there to allow cyclists entry to the ASL - but it’s not for powered vehicles to my understanding.
Sorry for any misunderstanding.
Were’s bloomin Broady when we need him to clarify this?
Don’t worry about this Fabio. According to the Highway Code:
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)]
As her photos can’t show what you were doing when the light turned red they are meaningless. At least the cyclists o nthe A24 have no w learend that Boris’s blue stripe is meaningless and have stopped shouting at bikers that encroach on it.
The other interesting thing is that only cycles in the cycle lane may proceed into the cycle box. So if they enter any other way, they too are committing an offence.
