Cyclists undertaking: what's the penalty (if any)?

elverson

I was actually at that junction yesterday by coincidence. All I'd say is that the layout isn't very intuitive if you're turning left onto Walworth Road because a) it only appears on one of the signs which is in the middle of the carriageway; b) the cycle lane appears in the middle as shown in your link - when it's busy with all the buses etc the lane isn't very easy to see on approach. None of this excuses silly behaviour as you described though!

Mercdriver

custardy wrote: »

interesting you posted a cycling question in the motoring forum?

OP likes debates. Look through his previous posts. Not all of them are enthralling.

pogofish

The law on this was clarified a good number of years ago - So maybe the OP needs to be asking themselves if they are fit to be driving instead...?

Nasqueron

SouthLondonUser wrote: »

This was the spot. I was on the leftmost lane, and the cyclist was to my left, NOT in the advanced stop box, or whatever the space for cyclists is called.

https://goo.gl/maps/gcUzs5nCnvy

If he had been in the cyclists' box it would have been fine, but this way he risked being killed. I am all for Darwinian selection - I simply don't want to be involved in idiots' attempts at improving the species by removing themselves from the gene pool.



You mean if both the cyclist and the other vehicle go through the same bend? Are you sure it's not illegal? It may not be, but it certainly is dumb: I never do it on my motorcycle, even though a motorcycle is faster louder and more visible than a pushbike.

Undertaking is not illegal, a commonly believed myth. There is no law that bans it, you are penalised under the general "driving without due care and attention" or "careless driving".

A bike can filter 100% legally on the left or the right (the government bikeability training scheme recommends you do either depending on the road situation and your personal safety/confidence). Going on the left and moving to the front of traffic to go ahead is ideal, not going ahead in a left hand turn lane though it may be safer to do that. You should never go up the inside if they are signalling to turn

SouthLondonUser

@elverson, I agree with you the roundabout is far from clear. I understand a lot of money was spent redoing it, but not everyone is happy.

@pogofish, I will ignore your childish provocation and simply ask you to elaborate, if you could please be so kind.

@Naqueron: so, if I understand correctly, undertaking while a vehicle is indicating (ie the cyclist and the vehicle going in the same direction) is not explicitly illegal but it is effectively left to the discretion of the courts/police if it is considered "dangerous cyclcing"? Is this correct?
How about what the genius did, staying on my left then going straight while I had indicated to turn left (in a lane from which you were supposed to turn left only)? Is this an explicit offence or, again, is it all down to the discretion of the police/courts?

elverson

Obviously as a responsible and experienced road user you would check your blind spot before moving off so no harm done

Johno100

elverson wrote: »

Obviously as a responsible and experienced road user you would check your blind spot before moving off so no harm done

And/or put your wheels in the left hand gutter to prevent anybody physically coming up your inside.

custardy

Johno100 wrote: »

And/or put your wheels in the left hand gutter to prevent anybody physically coming up your inside.

Not very smart for defensive driving.

dacouch

Was the. Cyclist in the advanced stop line (cyclist box) or were they parallel or behind you?

SouthLondonUser

The cyclist was next to me, on my left, i.e. parallel to me, not ahead, not behind, and most definitively not in the cyclist box; there would have been plenty of time for him to reach the box but he didn't.