BBC Five live

[Lusting my Pinnarello]

It's the old saying "give an inch, they take a mile"

[bikepacker]

There is a discussion today on Radio WM regarding the 6000 drivers that have been caught in the last few weeks entering bus lanes (doubling as cycle lanes) in Birmingham. The presenter said "is it fair that these motorists should have fixed penalty fines for inadvertently straying into a bus lane"? I wonder if the same BBC presenter thinks it 'fair' that cyclists get castigated (and all tarred with the same brush in the Beebs eyes) and sometimes fined for taking an action that is in their own safety.

[Mark1978]

In Gateshead they've started putting plastic bollards alongside some of the bus lanes to avoid the frequent abuse by drivers. Even so when cycling past them I can see many have been knocked down.

[Adam S]

There is a discussion today on Radio WM regarding the 6000 drivers that have been caught in the last few weeks entering bus lanes (doubling as cycle lanes) in Birmingham. The presenter said "is it fair that these motorists should have fixed penalty fines for inadvertently straying into a bus lane"? I wonder if the same BBC presenter thinks it 'fair' that cyclists get castigated (and all tarred with the same brush in the Beebs eyes) and sometimes fined for taking an action that is in their own safety.

If a lot of drivers have been caught out it probably needs looking into. If it's a case of inadequate signage I have sympathy. If it's a case of inadequate observation I have no sympathy.

It's a bit different where somebody intentionally breaks the law. I'm not sure what scenario you're referring to where cyclists have been fined for doing something for their own safety. If it's the poor soul who got fined for stopping a bit beyond the ASL because of the blocked box I don't think anyone thought the police were right there. However, nearly all proper RLJing (by all vehicles)occurs for the sole reason of not wanting to stop and i'd be wary of portraying a minority's acts of selfishness as necessity.

[Lusting my Pinnarello]

Interesting you raise the ASL BOX as this morning (not the only time though ) a car had stopping just over the white lines and into the box. I simply pulled alongside and safely into the front of the car. I looked back with a long stare with that 'tut tut look' that only a parent can give and just to show the driver I was there and I knew that he knew that I knew, you know what I mean.

However I didn't mention anything to the driver or gesticulate for the dry fact that they may have stopped there because they were forced to by being held up - that's ok in my book. However I am sure as previous point point to that most drivers and I repeat most drivers, do try to push the rules in many ways

I think the only reason that a) we know is because we see this more often that no, and b) I don't believe that bad driving is limited to the minority (unfortunately)

I am sure that for every 5 drivers who drive at least 2 of them are pushing the boundaries of the rules of the road.

Has anyone cycled along and seen people's behaviour around them suddenly change when there is a presence of a police car in close proximity? If so. That's my thoughts and points put into practice.

[Adam S]

Yeah, I agree completely. To be honest I was dubious about the word 'minority' when I wrote it, I just didn't want to be accused of tarring all road users with the same brush. There are plenty of careful and considerate people out there. It's not just drivers either, there are enough cyclists who happily ignore virtually every law that applies to them. The solution, for both, is better training, more enforcement and more severe penalties - I shan't hold my breath!