Was I in the wrong?

[peetee]

When you factor in the recent changes to the Highway Code this becomes less of an argument. Any vehicle turning right across a carriageway to join another road should be yielding to oncoming traffic AND other road users in the side road or wishing to cross it. This includes non-motor vehicles and pedestrians and animals.
Even if this were not true, your presence in a cycle lane following the path of and supplementing the main carriageway should give you priority unless road markings and/or signals indicate otherwise.
I can see this as being a classic example of bullying on behalf of the bus driver. He was, or should have been perfectly aware of your presence but his sense of entitlement dictated his reckless action and arrogant behaviour. I may be wrong of course but I’m certainly correct to say this sort of act is very common and riding with the expectation that it will often be directed towards us as cyclists is well worth keeping in the front of our minds.

[Chris56]

As luck (or bad luck would have it!!) similar incident on way home. This time in the opposite direction so was a clear-cut right turn in front of a road-user with priority!. As they commenced their right turn a loud blast of the horn and a look of displeasure from the driver!
I kept my cool and went to talk to the driver as they had pulled into a bus stop nearby but was told to shut up and go away in mot so nice words. Email sent to bus company.

[Tiggertoo]

In the absense of any give-way signs, am I right in thinking that I still had right of way or should I have given way?

Absolutely! It's called defensive riding and you should have expected the bus to turn in front of you no matter who had the 'Right' of way.

Arguably* ... but he almost certainly was not "in the wrong".

*we need a few more facts. Or we did when Tiggertoo posted ...

Right or wrong better to be alive and be able to post a niggling rant on forums like this, don't you think?
Whenever I ride my main thought always is to get safely back home riding my bike.

Another aspect of this is that drivers see us all cut of the same cloth, so as one cyclist does drivers assume all cyclists will do. I don't ever want to p*ss off a driver who might then see another cyclist and take his anger out on that rider.

[Chris56]

@Tiggertoo - I do agree with both of your comments. Its always better to be safe and ride defensively.

With regards your second comment I am a driver too. When I drive I try and do so in a way that doesn't annoy cyclists and when I ride I tey and do so in a way that is respectable to drivers - I always stop at red lights, use clear hand signals and also thank drivers when they show courtesy.

I do also believe that, as vunerable road users we should be able to call out poor driving/mistakes. Sometimes it is easy to get angry, especially in the aftermath of a near-death experience.

The 2 x incidents today (at a juntion I use every day), imo could be down to poor understanding by bus drivers to the priorities at the junction but also the attitude displayed by them both is down to poor attitude towards cyclists.

[Mike Sales]

Like everyone else, my main concern is survival.
However, I won't give up my priority until I have to, I would not want these drivers to draw the conclusion that they can always bully cyclists into deferring. That would also lead to unwanted outcomes.

[Tiggertoo]

Like everyone else, my main concern is survival.
However, I won't give up my priority until I have to, I would not want these drivers to draw the conclusion that they can always bully cyclists into deferring. That would also lead to unwanted outcomes.

I'm sure you recall the old adage about keeping your head down? This was a common counsel in the trenches during WW1.
We may be right, we may say 'enough!' but I'd rather be able to say that than have someone read it on my headstone.

And I do think suggesting to cyclists they must not allow themselves to be bullied when faced with a snorting multi tonne vehicle wanting to claim 'the right of way' is a bit off.

[Mike Sales]

Like everyone else, my main concern is survival.
However, I won't give up my priority until I have to, I would not want these drivers to draw the conclusion that they can always bully cyclists into deferring. That would also lead to unwanted outcomes.

I'm sure you recall the old adage about keeping your head down? This was a common counsel in the trenches during WW1.
We may be right, we may say 'enough!' but I'd rather be able to say that than have someone read it on my headstone.

And I do think suggesting to cyclists they must not allow themselves to be bullied when faced with a snorting multi tonne vehicle wanting to claim 'the right of way' is a bit off.

Of course it requires judgement to know when to yield and when to insist. So far, I have made the correct choice. I think all of us who continue cycling have a good sense of how to survive. I just want to point out that it is a mistake to be too deferential. To exist and progress in the hurly-burly of traffic does require a certain amount of push.

[pete75]

Like everyone else, my main concern is survival.
However, I won't give up my priority until I have to, I would not want these drivers to draw the conclusion that they can always bully cyclists into deferring. That would also lead to unwanted outcomes.

I'm sure you recall the old adage about keeping your head down? This was a common counsel in the trenches during WW1.
We may be right, we may say 'enough!' but I'd rather be able to say that than have someone read it on my headstone.

And I do think suggesting to cyclists they must not allow themselves to be bullied when faced with a snorting multi tonne vehicle wanting to claim 'the right of way' is a bit off.

Here lies the body of Thomas Grey,
Who died defending his right of way.
He was perfectly right as he rode along,
But he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong.

[Nearholmer]

Here's the current national standard layout for a traffic-lit junction with cycleways from Figure 10.29 of LTN 1/20:

Isn’t that for unidirectional cycle lanes?

Where the trouble seems to strike is with bidirectional ones.

Those blocky lines shown in another post help, but to my mind the best way of showing cycle priority is blocky lines with red tarmac on the cycle lane, and a sign on the motor carriageway indicating the presence of a cycle lane when turning right.

TBH, I’m happier with motor traffic having priority than with ambiguity, although what I’d really like to see is more unambiguous cycle priority.

[Mike Sales]

The Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea are interesting.

A stand on vessel does not have any right of way over any give way vessel, and is not free to maneuver however it wishes, but is obliged to keep a constant course and speed (so as to help the give way vessel in determining a safe course). So standing on is an obligation, not a right, and is not a privilege. Furthermore, a stand on vessel may still be obliged (under Rule 2 and Rule 17) to give way itself, in particular when a situation has arisen where a collision can no longer be avoided by actions of the give way vessel alone.[

[Tiggertoo]

Quite right, and when charged by a rhinoceros one does well to say: "After you, sir".

[Mike Sales]

[

[Mike Sales]

[

Quite right, and when charged by a rhinoceros one does well to say: "After you, sir".

I thought my view of drivers was not very positive, but I would not compare them to a charging rhinoceros. They do not behave quite like that, and seldom try to run you over.
You may have missed the bit in the Colregs which obliges a vessel with the right of way to stand on, (until the give way vessel has so ignored its obligations that giving way is the only way to avoid collision.)
The reason given for this is that it reduces confusion and hence mistakes.

[Tiggertoo]

My advice to Chris the next time he comes across this sort of thing is to give a wave, a smile, a sorry and move on.

[Mike Sales]

My advice to Chris the next time he comes across this sort of thing is to give a wave, a smile, a sorry and move on.

Chris obviously took avoiding action in good time, but, like him, I do not like bullies, and I would have given the bus driver a dirty look, at the very least.