CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

Lothian buses - how to let them out?

(24 posts)

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  1. Dave
    Member

    I really crave some sort of "letting a bus out" signal.

    I quite often try to let Lothian buses out because the rest of the time, I'm trying to pass one and relying on them not pulling out into me - I don't see why I can't traffic check with my bike just like I would do in the car (and it works, in the sense that it stops following traffic from blocking the bus in).

    But quite often the driver will just sit there patiently, indicator ticking, because I guess all they can see are a bunch of constant lights behind, no sort of communication is going on.

    I've tried "inverse flashing" by using my hand to blink my headlight a couple of times, but this seems to mean nothing (and to be fair, I'm not sure I'd like drivers to pull out when they see a light flash on and off in a bicycle style!)

    What's the forum's opinion on this thorny issue?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. Min
    Member

    Hmm, they have always seemed to see me when I have just waved, even at night. I did use a hand in front of light tonight when I wasn't sure if the driver had seen me and that seemed to do the trick.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. ruggtomcat
    Member

    get a zound?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. LaidBack
    Member

    I signal to left hand side as if pulling behind bus to stop at kerb. Bus then gets going and driver will often wave when he/she realises that you have deffered overtaking to let them out.

    Right hand movements can confuse. I do the same to let cars overtake.

    Not saying it's the only way.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    During the day an exaggerated sideways tilt of the head usually works.

    At night the hand over light technique should work - but I prefer to keep both hands on the bars/brakes. There is of course the problem that buses will be expecting bikes to have lights that flash, so there is potential for confusion.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. LaidBack
    Member

    Basically drivers like to think you're leaving the road - ie about to park behind them.

    So many light types - hand signal is good. I signal left. They acknowledge. I lift right hand once they're going sometimes.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. cb
    Member

    I find that pulling in behind the bus, so you are out of view of the driver in his mirror seems to work quite well.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. kaputnik
    Moderator

    On the occasion where I've done this, it's been a case of catch the driver's eye in the mirror and use the waving finger to indicate to him. Agree it's very hard and only really works when you're approaching the stopped bus quite slowly. My usual policy is to barrel through out of the danger zone as quickly as possible.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  9. PS
    Member

    I tend to signal with my right hand - palm forward, fingers down, push hand forward then hold in an "after you" style. Fine in day time, needs a bit of light on you at night.

    Bus drivers have tended to do the thumb up out the window in response... And thus the gears of traffic are greased by the acknowledgement of our shared courtesy and humanity. :)

    Posted 13 years ago #

  10. Kim
    Member

    I do the same as PS, and generally get a thumbs up in return.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  11. Dave
    Member

    If I rode behind the bus, I would just have made it a queue of two waiting for a gap in traffic...

    Good suggestions, maybe I need to be more persistant!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  12. Min
    Member

    Plus you can't go in behind them if they are at the front of a string anyway!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  13. Mellow Velo
    Member

    I generally have success (mainly in daylight) or on well lit roads by using a kind of airport ground crew hand signal using the right hand. Pivoting at the elbow and gesticulating as if you wanted someone 100m away to move further away and to your right. Seems to work and car drivers behind seem to understand as well and don't take me slowing down as a cue to overtake.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  14. LaidBack
    Member

    MV Seems to work and car drivers behind seem to understand as well and don't take me slowing down as a cue to overtake.

    Yes - If I do signal to go left (ie behind your bus) I still hold my road position.

    In fact you have to be out in road so they can see you in first place.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  15. chdot
    Admin

    "
    BBCDavidMiller

    I always let buses pull out. Usually rewarded with a thumbs up. New Lothian Buses flash up a digital thank you message. I like that. A lot.

    https://mobile.twitter.com/bbcdavidmiller/status/114326583996719105

    "

    Posted 13 years ago #

  16. Tulyar
    Member

    I rotate my right hand at approx right angle to the forearm, as if describing the rotation of a wheel, which works whether I'm still behind the bus or partly past it.

    I also using my right arm again, to assist the drivers of long vehicles by letting them know they are past me and it is safe to pull in (equivalent to the flash signals used between HGV drivers). I swing the arm in an arc from right to left (pointing to the left).

    Posted 13 years ago #

  17. wingpig
    Member

    I thought I'd already stuck a response on this thread. I do an elaborate not-pedalling submissive-head-ducking hand-rotating "after you" sort of gesture, as I do for other motor vehicles when I let them out of side roads or into the lane in front of me. Usually works, though sometimes the bus is prevented from moving out by an impatient oaf pulling out past me and the bus.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  18. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    I want to have to let out a number 10 now so I can get the thank you message flashed. Though I've noticed I get the thumbs-up from a bus driver more often if I've let them out when I'm driving than when I'm cycling.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  19. wingpig
    Member

    "I want to have to let out a number 10 now so I can get the thank you message flashed."

    Make sure you take a bit of cardboard with "You're Welcome" on it when you go out #10-hunting.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  20. DaveC
    Member

    I just give the universal 'after you' signal, as you would allowing someone out of a door way. If they are heading for a squeeze towards me I wave them on.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  21. holisticglint
    Member

    The 'after you' signal usually works best for me too although it can be difficult to pull off while slowing to an almost track stand while holding off a column of cars.

    Has anyone actually asked LB about this ?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  22. chdot
    Admin

    "Has anyone actually asked LB about this?"

    It's a good question.

    I know that in the past Spokes has had meetings with LB, and it's obvious that LB is good at training its drivers to be aware of other road users.

    Some are not bad with passengers too...

    Obviously any driver (and cyclist) has to be wary of giving (or acting on) 'unofficial' signals, so it might be difficult to train drivers to 'expect' any particular signal.

    Perhaps 'we' should ask to sit in a bus and see what/where bus drivers can see in their mirrors.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  23. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    "Has anyone actually asked LB about this?"

    What a great idea! Further strengthen the ties between LB and cyclists!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  24. wingpig
    Member

    We should similarly contact FirstBus and organise an official "Please let me past so that I'm in clear air in front of you rather than trying to extract oxygen from huge clouds of CO and PM10s for the next half-mile" signal...

    Posted 13 years ago #

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