Cars in bus lanes

HJ Simpson

I was cycling in this moring through Mount Argus/Harolds Cross I was in the bus lane and heard a car coming up fast behind me. Had to pull out around a large pothole and looked over my shoulder and seen it was not a taxi. I made my way to the right hand lane to do a right hand turn at the canal just as I did a garda stepped into the bus lane and stopped the car.

Is it wrong to be happy about this?

kenmc

not at all. rejoice that the muppet was caught. wish there were more. hopefully he'll tell his friends too!

fish-head

Sounds like a grade A, certified 100% eejit.

blorg

I've had (non-taxi) cars hoot at me when I've been in the bus lane (instead of an off-road cycle lane) - between Foxrock and Leopardstown on the N11 in particular comes to mind. Really beggars belief.

mikemac

HJ Simpson wrote: »

Is it wrong to be happy about this?

There is a god after all

blorg wrote: »

I've had (non-taxi) cars hoot at me when I've been in the bus lane (instead of an off-road cycle lane) - between Foxrock and Leopardstown on the N11 in particular comes to mind. Really beggars belief.

Is that a 24 hour buslane? I don't know the area.
If it isn't, can you see why they do it? I'm not trying to start an argument, I don't know the area but I can see why it happens

Edit: I’ve read here it’s unsafe so far enough if it’s not usable.
Just wondering about the bus lane

blorg

micmclo wrote: »

Is that a 24 hour buslane? I don't know the area.
If it isn't, can you see why they do it? I'm not trying to start an argument, I don't know the area but I can see why it happens

It's a 24 hour bus lane; I've had it happen in other non-24 hour bus lanes during the hours of operation. Sometimes the cars doing it are turning left and seem consider that this allows them use the bus lane for 100s of metres, from the last junction- often though they just seem to be the type that considers they have a god-given right to skip the traffic.

EDIT: Yes, as you say the cycle-lane in that section is not the most usable.

penexpers

Whenever a car that shouldn't be in a bus lane comes up behind me, I take the middle of the lane and slow down to crawling pace.

Gavin

penexpers wrote: »

Whenever a car that shouldn't be in a bus lane comes up behind me, I take the middle of the lane and slow down to crawling pace.

Don't think I'd really agree with this. I just cycle as usual and tend to pay no attention. Why bother get involved ?

davidsatelle100

penexpers wrote: »

Whenever a car that shouldn't be in a bus lane comes up behind me, I take the middle of the lane and slow down to crawling pace.

I'm in this category aswell, slow them to a crawl.

stuf

Verb wrote: »

Don't think I'd really agree with this. I just cycle as usual and tend to pay no attention. Why bother get involved ?

but you do have zen-like serenity from riding a fixie

I would tend to take my road position as normal although one of the big problems with the bus/cycle lanes is that they tend to be very potholed because of the bus traffic which means it can be awkward holding a sensible line in them. I would tend to go for an outside line to get round a pothole or sunken drain and I would definitely take my priority road position from drivers whether in a cycle/bus lane or normal road.

Danbo!

Verb wrote: »

Don't think I'd really agree with this. I just cycle as usual and tend to pay no attention. Why bother get involved ?

It entertains the law abiding drivers sitting in the queue beside them.

I know when i'm sitting in traffic and someone cuts up a bus lane and tries to jump back into the queue up ahead it really annoys me.

liamo

penexpers wrote: »

Whenever a car that shouldn't be in a bus lane comes up behind me, I take the middle of the lane and slow down to crawling pace.

Verb wrote: »

Don't think I'd really agree with this. I just cycle as usual and tend to pay no attention. Why bother get involved ?

Agreed. I wouldn't ever place my bike and my body in the way of a motorist with the express intention of p*ssing him off.

youcancallmeal

stuf wrote: »

I would tend to take my road position as normal although one of the big problems with the bus/cycle lanes is that they tend to be very potholed because of the bus traffic which means it can be awkward holding a sensible line in them. I would tend to go for an outside line to get round a pothole or sunken drain and I would definitely take my priority road position from drivers whether in a cycle/bus lane or normal road.

I cycle the route OP is talking about and that bus lane in particular has a really bad surface. Lots of random dips and potholes in the road!

Gavin

stuf wrote: »

but you do have zen-like serenity from riding a fixie

I'm just singlespeed, no zener here ! I get angry cycling, enraged, like the Incredible Hulk I am.

stuf

Verb wrote: »

I'm just singlespeed, no zener here ! I get angry cycling, enraged, like the Incredible Hulk I am.

flip that hub

blorg

I reckon there is at least a semi-zen thing going on with singlespeed

72hundred

penexpers wrote: »

Whenever a car that shouldn't be in a bus lane comes up behind me, I take the middle of the lane and slow down to crawling pace.

I do this too, mostly because the left side of bus lanes are horrible to cycle on and just dangerous, combination of bad manholes, storm drains, wheel buckling potholes (/caves!), ped's stepping out, cars jutting out etc. etc.

So if I left the car by I'd be stuck between his bumper and yet another buckled wheel.

(...also its a little out of spite :P)

72oo

stuf

blorg wrote: »

I reckon there is at least a semi-zen thing going on with singlespeed

the tails of you going about wickla fixed last night are just jedi sh!t never mind zen

Civilian_Target

blorg wrote: »

I've had (non-taxi) cars hoot at me when I've been in the bus lane (instead of an off-road cycle lane) - between Foxrock and Leopardstown on the N11 in particular comes to mind. Really beggars belief.

Haha, when cars do this to me, I generally pretend to act as if they're telling me there's something wrong with my bike. Which means I stop, in the middle of the road, thank them, check the back of my bike, "realise" there's nothing wrong, then go on, in a position where they can't pass.

72hundred

Civilian_Target wrote: »

Haha, when cars do this to me, I generally pretend to act as if they're telling me there's something wrong with my bike. Which means I stop, in the middle of the road, thank them, check the back of my bike, "realise" there's nothing wrong, then go on, in a position where they can't pass.

Haha brilliant - giving that a go some time!