Cycling in bus lane on dual carriageway in heavy traffic

seven stars

I'm new to this game, so I'd appreciate some opinions and other points of view. Most importantly, I'd like to know whether I'm a statistic-in-waiting with my approach.

Here's what happened: Yesterday the traffic was backed up heavily on various parts of the N4 dual carriageway. At one point, a bus was going slowly because I was in the bus lane and he couldn't get past (on account of the traffic being backed up in the other lanes), so I signalled and pulled out across him, and cycled slowly between the bus lane and the first line of stationary straffic to let him past. When he'd gone past, there were a couple of motorbikes in his wake, so I waited until the coast was clear and then went back into the bus lane. But I caught up with them before too long, because the bus got stuck at one of the slip roads. Again, I ploughed on up the bus lane ahead of him. When he eventually caught up with me and was behind me, I did the same thing again to let him past, but this time one of the motorcyclists shouted something which I suspect was slightly abusive (although I couldn't actually hear it).

Did I do a daft thing?

rp

I do much the same (and did yesterday - sounds like the up hill before Kylemore Rd. slip-road joins?), but I prefer to ride between the lines of stationary cars, as there is generally more room. But you do have to look out for motorcyclists out-riding their sight lines.

carthoris

Did I do a daft thing?

No you didn't do a daft thing. You have the right of way so staying in the lane was a normal thing to do. I imagine you recognised that you were holding up traffic and moved to let them past. This was not necessary but as long as you were comfortable doing so it was was a nice display of consideration for other road users.

Passing them back again was also perfectly normal behaviour - they did pass you again afterwards right ? They pass in areas where they are faster, you pass in areas where you are faster, tis all part of the process.

seven stars wrote: »

this time one of the motorcyclists shouted something which I suspect was slightly abusive (although I couldn't actually hear it).

He was saying something nice to you. Honest. Most motorcyclists have far more in common with cyclists than cars so the likelihood was that it was not abusive.

BostonB

I would say that any reasonable person wouldn't have a problem with overtaking as described and being re-overtaken.

HivemindXX

Seems like a weird thing to do to me. There's a certain amount of space between the kerb and the line of cars. Being on the right of that space so the bus can pass you on the inside doesn't create any more space than you being on the left side of that space where people expect you to be.

If you want to let someone pass it makes more sense to pull in tight against the kerb and signal them to go ahead if they don't get the hint. This is the way people expect to overtake.

cdaly_

In slow moving traffic, I'll pull into the moving line of cars to my right to allow a bus to overtake in the left lane. Not so much in stopped traffic...

BostonB

Quite often theres more room if you move out of the bus lane and to the lane on the right. Granted it would be more logical and expected for you to go left. But it depends on the space available.

Idleater

BostonB wrote: »

I would say that any reasonable person wouldn't have a problem with overtaking as described and being re-overtaken.

I agree on this, but in all honesty, the motor biker would make more progress in the center gap. That's where I filter on that section. The Ballyfermot onramp mangle is very prone to blockages.
When cycling in bus lanes I tend to do what the op does too, and I try to indicate as much to the vehicle behind. I see this as me selecting a safer place for them to pass than them picking one. The nice Taxi man (really) this morning thanked me aswell this morning when I caught up at the next set of lights.

Wishbone Ash

HivemindXX wrote: »

and signal them to go ahead if they don't get the hint

One should never signal to another to perform any particular manoeuvre. Always let the other person decide for themselves whether it is safe to do so. It's an automatic grade fault in a driving test

tomasrojo

I've pulled out of the bus lane to the right and into the stalled main traffic lane to let a bus past. Nothing wrong with it, if you're careful. The bus drivers, in my experience, very much appreciate the courtesy. Sometimes pulling over to the left just doesn't leave enough room for a bus to overtake, since a lot of bus lanes just aren't as wide as they should be.

seven stars

I was away from the computer for the weekend, so only getting to this now. Thanks for the replies everyone - good to know that I'm not being completely insane anyway.

@carthoris: I got the distinct impression he wasn't saying something nice. Perhaps he thought I shouldn't have been on the road in the first place? I also considered that he might himself have been planning to fly up between the bus lane and the first lane of traffic, but then saw me appearing in that spot right in front of the bus? I dunno.

On a related theme, I had a fairly close call yesterday morning, inbound on the N4. The traffic was backed up on the Chapelizod exit slip-road just after Palmerstown, right back onto the N4 itself. I could see this up ahead, so when it was safe, I moved out of the left-hand lane so that the stationary traffic was on my left, and the two lanes of fast-moving traffic were on my right. My intention was to do this until I was just past the exit, and then move into the bus lane again. You can guess what happened next: one of the drivers in the stationary traffic changed his mind and shot out of the slip-road to join the fast-moving traffic on the N4. It was an insane thing to do, and I nearly whacked into him, because he was right in front of me and there wasn't time to stop. I can't really remember what happened, because it was all so fast, but I know that it was a close call.

BostonB

Thats the risk of filtering no? You were lucky. You could have been shunted into the faster traffic.

Stark

HivemindXX wrote: »

If you want to let someone pass it makes more sense to pull in tight against the kerb and signal them to go ahead if they don't get the hint. This is the way people expect to overtake.

I cycle that route regularly. There's never room for a bus to overtake no matter how tightly you pull in to the kerb. On the odd occasion, buses have gotten stuck when there's a car hugging the left hand edge of their lane. Pulling into the traffic lanes is the only way to let someone past.

Dermot Illogical

I suspect the motorcyclist either a) Wanted you to not keep going in front of the bus, or b) Not to move out to the right of the bus.
If it's a, well that's just tough. If it's b, he might have a point.

I'd be inclined not to do what you describe. If there's room for you to move to the right, then there's room for the bus to do so as well. Your view of what's behind you to your right is obscured by the bus, and it's prime motorcycle filtering territory you're moving into.