When cycle lanes are obligatory

andrewc3142 · June 2007

Looking at the multi-page threads on red lights, one wonders what will happen when the law is changed such that cycle lanes have to be used if provided (as this government will no doubt do sooner or later to protect us from ourselves).

No doubt there'll be some irresponsible group that continues to use the road regardless.

Imagine, though, the response from the Daily Mail readers on this forum. Apoplectic postings such as:

"It's the law and you can't pick and choose which laws you obey"

"NCLUs (Non-Cycle Lane Users) just give the rest of us cyclists a bad name, holding up cars without any thought to other road users and taking stupid risks"

"These hooligans put back the cause of cycling a decade or more. The CTC has fought long and hard for cycle lanes and they just ignore them in their rush to average more than 10 mph. If you want to race along at silly speeds, go to a track"

"Not using a cycle lane when one is provided is illegal. Period. Like jumping a red light or not complying with last year's helmet law"

"In my opinion, so-called road (ie race) bikes should be fitted with speed limiters, number plates and a tracking system. Not only will this control the irresponsible cyclists but it will also be a major step forward in the War on Terror"

"Detention should be extended to 180 days without access to legal advice for cyclists who (i) jump a red light (ii) don't wear a helmet or (iii) fail to use a cycle lane. Stress interrogation techniques should quickly identify similar rogue elements in society"

Duck [B)]

redfox · June 2007

All fair comment of course, apart from the implication that anyone here reads the Daily Wail. [:)]

www.endtoend.info

dondare · June 2007

The law will not be changed. The CTC does not campaign for cycle lanes. Every MP in the land has been written to by hundreds of cyclists each and know that they have no hope of re-election if they propose, second or vote for such a law.

You're not the boss of me.

DavidTQ · June 2007

Cycle paths are no where near well enough maintained to make them obligatory. If they were made obligatory there would be far more issues brought about cycle lane widths gutters etc etc. Im pretty sure if cycle path use were obligatory it wouldnt take long before councils who have "dangerous" cycle paths were being taken to court.

Roastie · June 2007

LOL [8D]

Hackbike 6 · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DavidTQ

Cycle paths are no where near well enough maintained to make them obligatory. If they were made obligatory there would be far more issues brought about cycle lane widths gutters etc etc. Im pretty sure if cycle path use were obligatory it wouldnt take long before councils who have "dangerous" cycle paths were being taken to court.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

What the hell can we expect if the average half wit cannot follow the road rules?

Hackbike 8 Commuting Debut 09/09/2006Dawes Audax 2006 New 20/09/2006 

 Cycle Commuting since 1981 

Cycling Proficiency Test 24 May 1977 (30 years ago)

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jbindman · June 2007

you may live in places where cycle lanes are continuous, but in London they tend to consist of short stretches where they can be created without inconveniencing cars; at junctions, pinch points, or anywhere the road layout is remotely complicated, they just vanish. the fact that they are 'advisory' is as important/convenient to the planners as to us.

I wouldnt mind a requirement to use them if that forced the development of a meaningful, continuous lane system, requiring the designers to consider what an actual cycle might do faced with a junction; as it is, they can just work on the assumption that we vanish, to reappear further down the road.......

I tend to prefer roads as they are faster but i'd compromise on my right to use them if I could send my kids on to the road knowing there were continuous cycle routes they could follow.

fgg 1666

BentMikey · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jbindman

I wouldnt mind a requirement to use them if that forced the development of a meaningful, continuous lane system, requiring the designers to consider what an actual cycle might do faced with a junction; as it is, they can just work on the assumption that we vanish, to reappear further down the road.......
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I would mind cycle lanes like that. Even if that was possible, and it's not in London and many other places in the UK, that would leave us in a cycling bantustan with second rate conditions and poor safety. It would also leave motorists utterly convinced we're not allowed on the roads, and it would make getting around very difficult and slow.

My bikes
My skates

If I had a baby elephant, I'd teach it to skate.

domtyler · June 2007

I think that forcing cyclists to only cycle on cycle paths could work, all they need to do is to reclassify the existing road network as one continuous cycle facility.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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________
Motorcycle Tires

Mosschops2 · June 2007

The only way to make them obligatory would be to make some decent ones, and get the priorities right.

In Germany as far as I recall, the cycle lanes are continuous across roads, and the road has the "give way" dotted line, not the cycle lane. In addition, shared lanes are normally wide enough - say up to 20 feet!

In the UK, the govt line is that cycle lanes are not suitable for use by cyclists who average above 18mph.
The majority of them around here are only really useful for very short hops off 50mph dual carriageways (ie the ring road), and use for children on bikes. Bus lanes do a pretty good job of being nice wide cycle lanes though!!!

Have you ever tried pressing Alt+F4 ??

Cab · June 2007

Andrew, that we're asked to obey a law that is reasonable does not imply that either an unfair law is about to be imposed, nor that we should obey said unfair law if it is.

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Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andrewc3142

Looking at the multi-page threads on red lights, one wonders what will happen when the law is changed such that cycle lanes have to be used if provided (as this government will no doubt do sooner or later to protect us from ourselves).

No doubt there'll be some irresponsible group that continues to use the road regardless.

Imagine, though, the response from the Daily Mail readers on this forum. Apoplectic postings such as:

"It's the law and you can't pick and choose which laws you obey"

 the italians do if they feel a law is pointless 

"NCLUs (Non-Cycle Lane Users) just give the rest of us cyclists a bad name, holding up cars without any thought to other road users and taking stupid risks"

 and the ones who crash into people walking in cycle lanes the moment they try for more than 5mph dont? 

"These hooligans put back the cause of cycling a decade or more. The CTC has fought long and hard for cycle lanes and they just ignore them in their rush to average more than 10 mph. If you want to race along at silly speeds, go to a track"
 I average more than 10mph on a singlespeed mountain bike, going to a track doesnt get me to work / uni / my brothers house 

"Not using a cycle lane when one is provided is illegal. Period. Like jumping a red light or not complying with last year's helmet law"

 i stop at lights, i wear a helmet and the cycle lanes round here are stupid, ride for five meters, stop, dismount, walk two meters, get back on (as the signs instruct)

if i stick to the road i'm at my destination by the time i'd be getting back on the bike 

"In my opinion, so-called road (ie race) bikes should be fitted with speed limiters, number plates and a tracking system. Not only will this control the irresponsible cyclists but it will also be a major step forward in the War on Terror"

 i fear for the future of this country 

"Detention should be extended to 180 days without access to legal advice for cyclists who (i) jump a red light (ii) don't wear a helmet or (iii) fail to use a cycle lane. Stress interrogation techniques should quickly identify similar rogue elements in society"

[blue] why cant we have something like the amendment in the american constitution where they're allowed to bear arms to take out a corrup government, just incase of the above [/bllue]

Duck [B)]

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

this is why enforced cycle lane usage isnt gonna work, at the moment i use the gutter lanes in the same way as the emergency refuge holes in tunnels, i ride on the line in the dry (smoother thus faster) just to the side of it in the wet, keeping the cycle lane as a retreat if something passes me too close or if i'm starting to hold up something larger that cant get past due to traffic coming the other way, i'll tuck in to let it past.

Oddballcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andrewc3142

Looking at the multi-page threads on red lights, one wonders what will happen when the law is changed such that cycle lanes have to be used if provided (as this government will no doubt do sooner or later to protect us from ourselves).

No doubt there'll be some irresponsible group that continues to use the road regardless.

Imagine, though, the response from the Daily Mail readers on this forum. Apoplectic postings such as:

"It's the law and you can't pick and choose which laws you obey"

"NCLUs (Non-Cycle Lane Users) just give the rest of us cyclists a bad name, holding up cars without any thought to other road users and taking stupid risks"

"These hooligans put back the cause of cycling a decade or more. The CTC has fought long and hard for cycle lanes and they just ignore them in their rush to average more than 10 mph. If you want to race along at silly speeds, go to a track"

"Not using a cycle lane when one is provided is illegal. Period. Like jumping a red light or not complying with last year's helmet law"

"In my opinion, so-called road (ie race) bikes should be fitted with speed limiters, number plates and a tracking system. Not only will this control the irresponsible cyclists but it will also be a major step forward in the War on Terror"

"Detention should be extended to 180 days without access to legal advice for cyclists who (i) jump a red light (ii) don't wear a helmet or (iii) fail to use a cycle lane. Stress interrogation techniques should quickly identify similar rogue elements in society"

Duck [B)]

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
It'll never happen and that's it.

http://victoryatseaonline.com/war/kellys.html

gandalfcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redfox

All fair comment of course, apart from the implication that anyone here reads the Daily Wail. [:)]

www.endtoend.info
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I do as it happens. No doubt this admission is likely to get me banned or at least vilified mercilessly.

To be honest I find the endless, repetitive and cliquey bien pensant utterances of 'Daily Wail' and 'Daily Hate' on this and other fora tiresome in the extreme.

Hard to contemplate I know, but not everyone worships the Guarniad and wants Polly Toynbee to have their love child.

Tony666 · June 2007

It will not happen as the campaign has forced a change in the proposed new highway code:

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">In total over 40 rules have been changed to the benefit of cyclists.

CTC has been working with the Department on these changed words for the past month and we are delighted that the Government has decided to make these improvements to the Highway Code.

We had intensive negotiations, but the Department for Transport has listened to CTC and the new wording is a definite improvement.

CTC Director Kevin Mayne said "I am also delighted for CTC as an organisation, for our staff, members and supporters. This has been nearly two years work and a huge investment of our resources. We thought at several stages during the process we had achieved the outcomes we sought, but now we have an agreement we can work with.

"I am convinced that at the final stage of the process only CTC could have achieved this outcome with our focus, our knowledge, our ability to bring together the whole cycling movement and the respect we are given by government."

The new version makes clear that cyclists have every right to cycle on the road. Rules 61 and 63 state that cycle lanes and cycle facilities, are "not compulsory" and the decision to use them "will depend on your experience and skills".<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

source: http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4568

And here's the government press release with the change of wording in it: http://www.gnn.gov.uk/environment/fullD ... ment=False

And if that remains unchanged we'll be ok for a few years as it's only revised every eight years

maybrick · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Hackbike 6
Posted -

What the hell can we expect if the average half wit cannot follow the road rules?

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

you not, an "average half-wit."
far from it.
you are a supreme half-wit.
[:D]

_______________

i'm not bound by your earthling rules.

dondare · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by maybrick

you not, an "average half-wit."
far from it.
you are a supreme half-wit.
[:D]

_______________

i'm not bound by your earthling rules.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Becoming a half-wit would be a step up for you.

A pox on both your houses.

maybrick · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">dondare

London
United Kingdom
945 Posts
Posted - 11/06/2007 : 21:15:06

quote:

Originally posted by maybrick

you not, an "average half-wit."
far from it.
you are a supreme half-wit.

_______________

i'm not bound by your earthling rules.

Becoming a half-wit would be a step up for you.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

...and would be a life-time acheivment for you.

_______________

i'm not bound by your earthling rules.

dondare · June 2007

You could well be right, but that'll be the result of age-related mental deterioration.

A pox on both your houses.

maybrick · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">dondare Posted -

You could well be right, but that'll be the result of age-related mental deterioration. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

and such a shame it kicked in so quickly after your balls dropped.

_______________

i'm not bound by your earthling rules.

andrewc3142 · June 2007

You guys were scratching each others eyes out on the rlj stuff. Could you please set up a special thread just for you to hurl insults at each other?

maybrick · June 2007

...she started it!

_______________

i'm not bound by your earthling rules.

When cycle lanes are obligatory

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