Hi all, i know these questions have probably been asking to the death so apologises in advance. Today was my first commute in on the bike and i whilst stopped in a small queue of traffic a bike filtered past on the left in the dedicated bus lane (outside Salford uni if any locals are reading). These are lanes have cameras and are the buses. Is this normal practice and will this probably result in a ticket? Second one, coming home last night in the car and queuing on a right hand slip road (as always in Manchester) again bike filtered past on the left hand side of traffic. Would this normally be best practice? Cheers.
A lot of bus lanes allow m/c & taxis. They do in Sheffield. What do the info signs say before the lanes?
Info signs are just for buses, taxis and bicycles, not the first time I've seen this happen too as there is a long stretch before this area that most bikes filter in the bus lane too.
Ah just checked Manchester Council rules seems m/c not allowed....bit backward imo Some lanes only operate at certain times...maybe the bike was outside those times or he knows where the cctv is lol....
Definitely agree there, plus is only a 20 mph stretch too. Didn't make too much difference though as there as only 3 cars plus me in the queue anyway.
Re your second question, I'm not sure what the IAM would say, but personally I find on a normal single lane road that filtering down the middle is your best bet. You've got more room and just need to judge your progress relative to the amount of space vs oncoming traffic. Having said that, when you've got junctions to some degree you can get round the traffic any way you like, wherever there's space. But as always with filtering, eyes on stalks and expect every car to pull out or change lane on you without indicating.
Well I just had my first filtering related incident on my way back from a ride out in Kent... Red light at a two lane intersection (Westway joining Scrubs Lane in London). I filter between the two (static) lanes and position myself at the front of the queue in the right lane. There's a moped already there and not enough space to line up exactly next to him so I'm a foot or so back and at a slight angle, but clear of the car to my left and the car behind me. Totally standard. Only after about 30 seconds, and way before the light goes green, suddenly my bike gets shunted forward and over - I get my left leg down and JUST stop it toppling and crushing me between it and the car to my left. If I was three inches shorter I doubt I'd have been able to stop it going over. The car behind (old BMW, two young rastas) had just driven forwards for no apparent reason and hit me. I was right on the edge of toppling over with the bike so waved at him to reverse back so I could get upright again. Guy really hadn't worked it out Stood the bike back up, got off and had a look for damage... Amazingly he had driven into my much maligned (I was maligning it literally 30 minutes earlier) exhaust protector. So consider myself very lucky. Dude said 'Sorry brother, I thought I heard a motorbike. But was looking down, hadn't seen you' *facepalm* Car must have been an auto and he crept forwards without having looked up, must have been on his phone. Didn't take details, my exhaust protector isn't worth it One reason why maybe my baffle-less Yoshi'd RR6 is actually a safer bike to ride in London. There's more danger from other drivers not being aware of you than there is from an absence of rider aids.
You cannot beat a Racefit when filtering, If you think someone has not seen you, a quick blip of the throttle and you have got their attention
Sad to hear @dmc12 , but happy to hear of the fortunate outcome. You will go down as the first guy in history to say that ankle bracelets have redeeming qualities!!
