02-02-12, 07:51 AM
I used to commute through Bristol a lot where bikes have been able to bus lanes for ages. The main dangers aren't so much people turning left as you have quite good visibility of them and can see them move (even when they don't bother to indicate you get a 6th sense of when they are about to turn left.)
The most dangerous think (IMO) are car coming from the opposite direct turning right across your path, typically the traffic is queued and someone has flashed the car which then turns across the stationary traffic and then the bus lane. Quite often it seems to be 'I can't see a bus, so it must be clear'. Again it's something out to look for - just watch out when queued traffic has left a gap for someone to turn through.
Apart from that I think its works well. Just a shame they let buses use the same lane really.
The most dangerous think (IMO) are car coming from the opposite direct turning right across your path, typically the traffic is queued and someone has flashed the car which then turns across the stationary traffic and then the bus lane. Quite often it seems to be 'I can't see a bus, so it must be clear'. Again it's something out to look for - just watch out when queued traffic has left a gap for someone to turn through.
Apart from that I think its works well. Just a shame they let buses use the same lane really.