One Way Streets

[Mr Raleigh]

When cycling down a one way street, e.g. in London, is it legal to cycle on the right to let traffic pass on the left? My thinking is that I prefer to have the right-hand sided driver nearest to me to safely judge distances when he is passing. If I am riding on the left hand side I am furthest from the driver of right-hand vehicles and it is more difficult for them to judge distance from the cyclist when passing. So many drivers seem to have trouble judging the distance of their left side when passing cyclists.

 

[mjr]

Keeping left is a should in http://highwaycode.info/rule/160 so probably not illegal but I don't agree with your reasons. Motorists seem to find it easier to judge aligning with the right edge alongside them than someone cycling in front of them. The problems are mainly from people trying to squeeze past when there's not room, but you need to be in the centre of the lane then, not on either side!

 

[PeteXXX]

You can legally ride either side, or down the middle, if you feel it's too narrow for cars to pass you safely.

Personally, I would ride on the left, if the road is wide enough, unless I was planning to turn right at a junction ahead.

 

[summerdays]

I would be on the left or centre depending on the space unless I needed to turn right off the one way road. Motorists have to be able to judge passing distances on two way roads so they should be used to it by the time they get to a one way road. But each road is different, there are a couple where I find it easier to get over to the middle of the road quite a bit before a right hand turn. They have just changed the road layout on one of them so it will be interesting to see how it changes my road position the next time I try it.

 

[G-Zero]

Cycle on the left to allow correct overtakes to your right, unless there are reasons for you to take primary, or turning right.

I'm trying to figure out the legality of not doing so, but struggling other than if you were holding up considerate motorists that would not undertake you, it could be construed as an unnecessary obstruction, or a careless cycling.

I shudder at the thought of you applying your safety principle to riding down the outside lane of a dual carriageway.

 

[sidevalve]

Don't see your logic - if the road is one lane wide treat as if one lane of a two lane two way road. If it's two lanes or more wide each lane usually has it's own purpose. Can't see you're breaking the law but what happens if the right hand lane becomes a right turn lane only ? Is it then up to everybody else to give way just so you can get back into the lane you wanted to be in in the first place ? Then if you have an accident cutting back in it will be 'somebody else's fault' ? No it won't.
Further if you turn right into a two way road from the right hand side you will be on the wrong side of the road you turn into - just seems a bad idea and a poor to try to prove a very iffy point.

 

[Mr Raleigh]

Thanks to everyone who offered replies to this query. I think I'll stick to the left in future when riding down a one way street!

 

[steve keay]

What would be peoples thoughts on this be. in my town the planners have got cycle lanes on some of the one way streets........... going in the opposite direction to the cars. Seems madness to me. Peds are always looking at the cars then step out not looking for bikes coming the other way.

 

[mjr]

What would be peoples thoughts on this be. in my town the planners have got cycle lanes on some of the one way streets........... going in the opposite direction to the cars. Seems madness to me. Peds are always looking at the cars then step out not looking for bikes coming the other way.

We've had lanes for ages and now are getting one way streets that are simply signed "except cycles" with no lanes. They work fine most of the time.

People often don't look before stepping out in either direction if they don't hear a motor: just keep clear of the kerb, keep your speed down and keep ringing your bell if you think anyone looks like they might step down!

 

[steve keay]

I know to be careful when riding them just seems like a way of creating unnecessary risk. We all know some peds don't look and we all know some cyclists ride way too quick.

 

[summerdays]

What would be peoples thoughts on this be. in my town the planners have got cycle lanes on some of the one way streets........... going in the opposite direction to the cars. Seems madness to me. Peds are always looking at the cars then step out not looking for bikes coming the other way.

They are better than not having them. Often one way streets can make a journey much sor in the case of one local gyratory (sp?), you had to do two sides of a triangle, uphill and then downhill to get to a much shorter straight ahead on the flat. Some are marked, some aren't. Cyclists need to be aware some traffic doesn't expect you especially when passing side roads, but pedestrians should look both ways as cars can go the wrong way too.

 

[mjr]

I know to be careful when riding them just seems like a way of creating unnecessary risk. We all know some peds don't look and we all know some cyclists ride way too quick.

They're a way of reducing risk: ours are an alternative to a three lane A road gyratory. Some cyclists do ride at inappropriate speeds but some of the worst offenders ignore all road restrictions anyway. Wanton and furious cycling remains illegal and the law-abiding people on cycles shouldn't be endangered because others ride badly, should they? Some motorists break speed limits but that's not normally accepted as a reason not to build motorways.

 

[steve keay]

You make good points. Thats what like about this site. Good arguments and discussions on all sides. Thanks for the replies just wanted to hear some other opinions.

 

[MontyVeda]

What would be peoples thoughts on this be. in my town the planners have got cycle lanes on some of the one way streets........... going in the opposite direction to the cars. Seems madness to me. Peds are always looking at the cars then step out not looking for bikes coming the other way.

There's plenty of contra-flow cycle lanes in Lancaster... and I personally as a ped have stepped out into the path of a cyclist. It was my fault for forgetting the green cross code... Stop, Look, Listen. Now i make sure i do the looking bit before i leave the pavement.

Off topic, but a while back i read an article claiming that electric cars should be fitted with some sort of audible device (not a horn, more of a constant 'rumble' type thing) to alert people to their presence. This seems like madness to me, when all that is needed is for people to cross the road with due care and attention.