Turning left into a cycle lane

[drossall]

Yes, makes sense. You could legitimately turn out into an unoccupied lane, whether we are talking about a cycle lane or any other traffic lane, including if other road users had moved to clear it for you. But nothing in the Code justifies turning out when there is danger, even if that is created by someone else's poor road positioning.

[franz10mp]

Yes, makes sense. You could legitimately turn out into an unoccupied lane, whether we are talking about a cycle lane or any other traffic lane, including if other road users had moved to clear it for you. But nothing in the Code justifies turning out when there is danger, even if that is created by someone else's poor road positioning.

Thank you, that sounds sensible to me and this is in line with my view as well.

I can safely say my query has opened a broad debate including different views about what the law could say and mean.

[cycle tramp]

Hi,

I cannot find an answer in the highway code and I had an argument about this with a motorist this morning.

When turning left into a cycle lane from a minor road with no cycle lane to a main road with a cycle lane (see https://www.google.com/maps/@53.9466452 ... 384!8i8192), should I give way to cars?

My view is that I should not give way to cars because cars must be off the cycle lane. But I can't find a reference in the highway code for this scenario.

Please could you help?

Thank you,

Franz

The motorist is right. If you look at the junction the give way markings extend across the cycle way indicating that you have to give way. Is is true whether you are giving way to a cyclist approaching you in using the cycle lane along the main road or a motor vehicle.

Secondly the cyclepath in the photo has a dashed separation rather than an unbroken white line, which means that the cyclepath is advisory only and can be occupied by a motor vehicle - which means if you turn out in front of an on coming vehicle AND an incident ensures by which the result is that they occupy the cycle lane and in doing so collide with you (i.e. they were turning left across the cycle way to make use of the parking space to the left of the bus stop and to the left of the cycle lane) they may have greater legal protection as you elected to ignore the give way markings and turn out into their right of way.

The reason why you can't find anything in the highway code to support your argument is because there isn't anything in the highway code to support the argument. If the road markings at the junction to an adjoining road are marked as give way, then you must do so.

[Pete Owens]

You really need to make your judgement independent of the existence or not of a cycle lane.

The cycle lane (like pretty much all cycle lanes) is very much too narrow. While you may be able to physically fit within its boundaries, you are in practice occupying far more space than than that. Drivers are requited to give you 1.5m clearance (HC rule 163) so if you pull into a cycle lane in front of a driver in the adjacent lane then you are forcing them to take evasive action.

Given that the cycle lane is heading straight into the dooring zone next to a parking bay a short distance away it is inadvisable for you to be riding in it at all. (HC rule 67)