Thoughts on motorcyclists using cycle lanes ?

Jip

What's the general opinion on this ? This morning traffic on Grove Road between Harolds Cross Bridge and Rathmines along the canal traffic was pretty bad. Spotted a guy in a suit on a motorcycle realising he couldn't filter down the out side of traffic between the 2 lanes as it was too narrow so he came up behind me in the cycle lane and sat there until the bridge. When we got to the lights there were already a few cyclists there, the lights were red and I stopped just ahead of the cars and behind those who were there ahead of me.

The motorcyclist then came around me and looked as if he was going to continue on straight through the lights :eek: He realised fairly late they were red, I would have thought the amount of stopped cyclists, cars and traffic passing from his right to left was an obvious give away, and braked causing him to come to a skidding halt. Now if the road was wet I'm pretty sure he would either have skidded out into the middle of the road, at best, or into the cyclists patiently waiting at the lights.

seamus

It's stupid and dangerous. The speed disparity is too great - much like cyclists using the footpad.

Nietzschean

it tends to be a frequent and quite an unnerving experence as a cyclist...i've had them squeeze between me and traffic while going down the cycle lane....

xz

Personally,I think, that being a motorised vehicle,that Motorbikes should have to adhere to the same rules of the road as cars, vans, etc, but unfortunately they don't. weaving in and out of traffic as a lot of motorcyclists do is potentialy dangerous to them and other road users.
my example would be, have you EVER seen a motorcyclist waiting in a queue at a red light, chances are 99% of the time, they make their way to the front of the queue and stop in front, or to the side of the lead car.
How many times do motorcyclists undertake.
Like us cyclists, a motorbike makes a small figure to an unsuspecting and inattentive driver, so why put yourself at risk.

I've always believed that motorbikes aren't dangerous, just the people who ride them, it's easy to get carried away, with the speed and acceleration that they provide, all the more reason to be respectful and cautious whilst riding one

Hungrycol

Most motorbikers are considerate. Like cyclists it's the few eejits that let the rest of them down.

I have no problem with them filtering through traffic on the inside unless they're in my way. Iif they see you behind waiting I find they generally move out to let you by.

petethedrummer

They should be allowed use bus lanes.

Nietzschean

petethedrummer wrote: »

They should be allowed use bus lanes.

in some cases i'd agree, though when the bus lanes dis-appear and re-appear constantly like on the quay's i wouldn't....

Chips Lovell

I don't have a problem with them in bike lanes, provided the drive responsibly, unlike the character above. That includes not trying to squeeze themselves between bikes and the traffic in the next lane.

Had a screaming match with a motorcyclist once on the North Circular. I overtook another cyclist. He undertook him simultaneously. Then started roaring at me after he nearly ran into me swerving back out to the right. Wasn't going to let that one go.

Lumen

I feel nothing but brotherly love for motorcyclists.

Scooterists on the other hand...

Chips Lovell

Lumen wrote: »

Scooterists on the other hand...

It's good crack overtaking them though.

blorg

I don't have a major problem if they are careful and considerate, which most are... if they are roaring down a cycle lane that is obviously a different matter.

Hungrycol

xz wrote: »

Personally,I think, that being a motorised vehicle,that Motorbikes should have to adhere to the same rules of the road as cars, vans, etc, but unfortunately they don't. weaving in and out of traffic as a lot of motorcyclists do is potentialy dangerous to them and other road users.
my example would be, have you EVER seen a motorcyclist waiting in a queue at a red light, chances are 99% of the time, they make their way to the front of the queue and stop in front, or to the side of the lead car.
How many times do motorcyclists undertake.
Like us cyclists, a motorbike makes a small figure to an unsuspecting and inattentive driver, so why put yourself at risk.

I've always believed that motorbikes aren't dangerous, just the people who ride them, it's easy to get carried away, with the speed and acceleration that they provide, all the more reason to be respectful and cautious whilst riding one

Filtering is not illegal nore is undertaking slow moving traffic and are subject to the rules of the road just like cyclists.

NewDubliner

seamus wrote: »

It's stupid and dangerous. The speed disparity is too great - much like cyclists using the footpad.

+1
Some motorbikes are the width of a small car. They get stuck and hold everyone up.

Hungrycol

el tonto wrote: »

It's good crack overtaking them though.

...with one foot clipped in :cool:

Jip

I'd agree that most motorcyclists are usually quite good, this guy thought looked like a weekend warrior type who bought himself a chopper/cruise style bike for his mid-life crisis, as I said I could tell he was wearing a suit as he didn't have full leathers on, just a jacket, and his lack of observation skills was astonishing. I even find that most scooterists/mopedists along the canal stay out of the cycle lane, this tool wanted the convenience of a push bike and the power of the motorbike.

Idleater

Jip wrote: »

Spotted a guy in a suit on a motorcycle

Hmm, are you sure it wasn't a moped? I feel the cold these mornings and I wear full bike gear.

Bikes are much more difficult to weave between lanes in heavy traffic, whereas mopeds are better.

tunney

el tonto wrote: »

I don't have a problem with them in bike lanes, provided the drive responsibly, unlike the character above. That includes not trying to squeeze themselves between bikes and the traffic in the next lane.

Had a screaming match with a motorcyclist once on the North Circular. I overtook another cyclist. He undertook him simultaneously. Then started roaring at me after he nearly ran into me swerving back out to the right. Wasn't going to let that one go.

I used to cycle from Terenure to Santry and there is a stretch of road along side St Patricks cathedral. Bikers used to drive in the cyclelane and rev their engines as if to say "get the fcuk out of my way". This was annoying and slightly scary. One day a biker did it to a cyclist who was behind me. It was a guard on a bike, siren went, biker done for it. Classic.

Hungrycol

Jip wrote: »

the convenience of a push bike and the power of the motorbike.

The Blorg

ednwireland

absolutely not most of them a re too narrow to take a m/bike (from living years ago somewhere with lots of cycle lanes) and speed differential too great
whats the m/bike speed limit 10 mph what if a m/bike hits a pedestrian at 50mph (much more likely speed for a m/ bike than a push bike)

crazy idea

n-dawg

Sometimes a slowish moving (~40kph) moped in a cycle lane is a blessing. Something to draft off.... and you can pretend your in a kerin race

lukester

NewDubliner wrote: »

+1
Some motorbikes are the width of a small car. They get stuck and hold everyone up.

Those are not motorbikes, they are mid life crises.

As a cyclist and a motorcyclist, I've no problem with motorbikes in the bike lane if they are sensible and give priority to cyclists.

As others have said, it's the asshats who give both modes of transport a bad name.

Jip

nereid wrote:

Hmm, are you sure it wasn't a moped? I feel the cold these mornings and I wear full bike gear.

Pretty sure The suit in question was a pin stripped one, not one you'd wear on a Harley or to the Blue Oyster

tomasrojo

When I was cycling in the Netherlands in 2001, scooters/mopeds were obliged to use the cycle lanes, rather than the road. It was quite nuts; my Dutch friend had a near miss one of the days I was out with her on our bikes when a scooter user came around the corner too fast on the wrong side of the lane. I think they may have changed the rules since then and put scooters back on the road.

Most facilities are barely or not suitable for travelling at modest cycling speeds (20km/h), let alone the greater speeds motorized two-wheelers can accomplish.

lukester

tomasrojo wrote: »

Most facilities are barely or not suitable for travelling at modest cycling speeds (20km/h), let alone the greater speeds motorized two-wheelers can accomplish.

They are also far too grippy to do rolling burnouts.

Alkers

I don't see a problem if a motorbike uses the cycle lane unless he's going faster than most bikes would be, don't have a problem with one tailing me while passing traffic.
If motorbikes didn't filter through traffic they'd be just as bad to drive as cars...

tomasrojo

I guess if they take it easy, as you say, there's no harm.

petethedrummer

In cycling heaven Denmark, mopeds can use bike lanes.

Jumpy

seamus wrote: »

footpad.

Ohhh thats a paddlin.

NeilMcEoigheann

i have no problem them using bike lanes if there are no cyclists about.
the thing i find most difficult is that they slam on the brakes at really random moments because they don't think they can fit through a narrow gap. which is kinda dodgie and also when they are in moving traffic they use the road but when it stops they use the cycle lane i have been clipped on several occasions by motor bikes pulling into the cycle lane without looking so given the choice i would like to see no motor bikes in cycle lanes.

biomed32

i dont really have a huge problem other then when you hear some moterbike roaring up behind you, it can be quite intimidating and un-nerving. I also hate it when there halfway up a line of traffic and figure they cannot get much further and cut into the cycle lane without warning at times...

BostonB

It would be a deterrent to other cyclists, especially those starting out. As we want more not less cyclists then no. I think the speed and weight disparity would make it too dangerous.

Conor20

xz wrote: »

Personally,I think, that being a motorised vehicle,that Motorbikes should have to adhere to the same rules of the road as cars, vans, etc, but unfortunately they don't.

Just be clear on this, are you saying it's legal for a motorcyclist to drive in a cycle lane, both compulsory and non-compulsory? I've wondered about this before.

NewDubliner

Conor20 wrote: »

Just be clear on this, are you saying it's legal for a motorcyclist to drive in a cycle lane, both compulsory and non-compulsory? I've wondered about this before.

Cycle lane bounded by continuous white line - illegal for any motor vehicle during the operational hours of the cycle track.

Cycle lane bounded by broken white line - motor vehicles can use at will, any time and may also park on them at certain times.

Cycle lane in a bus lane - private cars/vans/motorbikes etc not allowed during hours of operation of the bus lane.

crazydingo

I have no problem at all with motorcyclists using the bicycle lane as long as they keep up the pace and don't slow me down. I have had some of them be very considerate and move to the side when they notice me behind them which is brilliant but I've also had many eejits (generally on mopeds) blocking me during the morning rush hour traffic.
My general opinion is, go for it, but move out of the way if you're too slow