I knew it would happen........

davidmiller

...after being shouted at a couple of tmes by drivers to get onto the cycle path I wondered how long it would be before I was told to get off the path and use the road. It happened on Friday night. There are sometimes cars parked partly on the said path but this guy just approaching his vehicle barely had his wheels on the road. As I had to go off the path onto the grass to get around him I shouted "you're not supposed to park on the cycle path, my friend" he replied with "you should get on the road".

At first I thought he was one of those who just argues even when he knows he wrong but after some thuoght I think he might not have realised it was a cycle path - maybe I'm being too kind ???

Anyway, A QUESTION, is there a speed limit on a cycle path as i'm trying reach a good level of fitness and sometimes aprroach speeds of maybe 20-25 mph?

It's three weeks since I sold my car and I'm still doing great (although I did want to go to look at a Mazda 6 today!!). 14 consecutive days commuting and loving every minute.

Thanks,

David

BentMikey

The DFT guidelines say that you should probably be on the road if you want to go more than 18mph. As far as I'm concerned, most cycle paths/lanes/whatever can blow me, I prefer to go places on the road.

davidmiller

I see where your coming from but as the highway code is about to chage to allbut force us onto the path we might as well start getting used to it.

prj45

DavidMiller wrote:

I see where your coming from but as the highway code is about to chage to allbut force us onto the path we might as well start getting used to it.

Er, no its not.

http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page12275.asp

Gambatte

DavidMiller wrote:

the highway code is about to chage to allbut force us onto the path

Checkout the CTC, you're well out of date!!

dondare

Cycle paths are bad in every possible way. Use the real road wherever it is practicable.

Lif30057840

cg on ur car-free life m8..its certainly do-able.
yep bike paths r 9/10 a waste of space - full of parked cars or broken glass. I specially luv the 1's that r only about 25m long, i guess there r some kind of grants/gov.money avialable if planners say theyll put cycle lanes on new built roads - then they put the most pointless/short 1's on they can get away with.

Gambatte

Lif30057840 wrote:

if planners say theyll put cycle lanes on new built roads - then they put the most pointless/short 1's on they can get away with.

New works round Sheffield look OK.

davidmiller

Great, thanks for enlightening me - I'll be on the road again tomorrow.

David

DavidTQ

The guy was in the wrong, you are entitled to use the cyclepath all you want and its not meant to be parked in etc etc.

The more I cycle the less I like being in the cycle lane and the more time I spend on other parts of the road, but the guy was well in the wrong, you did have every right to still be on the cycle path if thats where you are happiest.

The people shouting at you to get off the road or get to the kerb are also in the wrong, nice thing about being a cyclist is we have plenty of legal options and WE get to choose the safest and most conveniant. We can be out on the outside with the motorbikes overtaking we can take a strong defensive primary position to increase safety and visibility and deter twatish driving, we can take a secondary position to be kind and ever so courteous to other road users if we choose, we can be gutter huggers if thats really our thing its legal even if not such a good idea and we can choose to use the cycle lanes if we feel they are suitable for our purposes.

The RIGHT place for you to be is pretty much any of the above depending on YOUR personal assessment of the situation.

Beats staring at tail lights doesnt it