Theory about pedestrians on cycle lanes

NFMC

I have a theory about pedestrians using bike lanes...the sort that are 'built-in' to the pavement anyway.

In my experience, pedestrians seem to be drawn in like magnets to bike lanes, even if there's plenty of pavement there for them to use.

So, I've started to observe this behaviour on my daily commute. In my experience, pedestrians always seem to go on the bike lanes if they're painted brightly (against a normal concrete pavement) and they have a direction arrow on them. They almost always seem to be following the arrow as well. Never, walking against the arrow.

To me, I think the human brain sees a brightly coloured lane and an arrow and is conditioned to follow it. Forget the bicycle symbol as that means very little to you subconsciuosly. Plus, people never hear about being over by bikes (though it does happen) so never register this as a risk.

I wonder if other people agree? Keep an eye out on your way home and see if you see the same thing. We may get a large government grant to research something that I've figured out on half-a-dozen rides.

Random Vince

my theory is that if they're in the cycle lane you can shout at them and carry on at warp factor 9

tis fun

Parkey

Where I live a new road was built across town and instead of adding in cycle "lanes" to the road surface, cycle "tracks" were added to the pavement, the part furthest from the traffic. In such situations more pedestrians tend to walk in the cycle lane than not because it's the bit of the pavement furthest from the road.

Dedicated cycle track? If you as me it's still the pavement.

redddraggon

NFMC wrote:

I have a theory about pedestrians using bike lanes...the sort that are 'built-in' to the pavement anyway.

After looking at one of your previous topics, I'm guessing that you commute up and down Oxford Road?

And I'll admit that when I'm in uni and walking up and down I do stray (accidentally) into the cycle lane shared facilities opposite the hospitals by Whitworth Park. I don't agree in shared facilities anyway.

spen666

Random Vince wrote:

my theory is that if they're in the cycle lane you can shout at them and carry on at warp factor 9

tis fun

tis also illegal

Even in cyclepath ( assuming that is what you mean as cycle paths were what were being described in op) the pedestrians have priority.

To ride as you describe would almost certainly by careless cycling/ cycling without due consideration for others.

If you are trying to refer only to cycle lanes ie the on road sort, then the position may be different

NFMC

After looking at one of your previous topics, I'm guessing that you commute up and down Oxford Road?

And I'll admit that when I'm in uni and walking up and down I do stray (accidentally) into the cycle lane shared facilities opposite the hospitals by Whitworth Park. I don't agree in shared facilities anyway.

I actually commute from Eccles. I was just going that way yesterday.

Those bike paths at Whitworth Park are a nightmare. I'm much happier on the road.

CJ Bill

NFMC wrote:

After looking at one of your previous topics, I'm guessing that you commute up and down Oxford Road?

And I'll admit that when I'm in uni and walking up and down I do stray (accidentally) into the cycle lane shared facilities opposite the hospitals by Whitworth Park. I don't agree in shared facilities anyway.

I actually commute from Eccles. I was just going that way yesterday.

Those bike paths at Whitworth Park are a nightmare. I'm much happier on the road.

I know what you mean about Whitworth Park (well, more the bit just after it), I often head up that on the way into town on a saturday and rarely fail to see large numbers of pedestrians bimble along the bike path.

formerlyknownasbonj

re. the OP, I think most peds are half in a daze when they're walking along so it wouldn't surprise me. Although I think Random Vince has a good point.

Mike Willcox1

formerlyknownasbonj wrote:

re. the OP, I think most peds are half in a daze when they're walking along so it wouldn't surprise me. Although I think Random Vince has a good point.

If you ride a bike down a shared foothpath/cyle path and you pass a pedestrian then you should slow down. If you don't then you are a total Tosser. No arguement!!

Gerry Attrick

I cycle fairly regularly over the Humber Bridge where riders have no choice but to mix it with peds as the path is not divided into different lanes. This is ok most of the time as generally there are few peds except at the weekends, and I have no problem slowing down for them. However, a few days ago I was growled at by two separate "middle aged" plodders, one because he wanted me to pass to his left, the other because he wanted me to pass to his right. Each made their wishes clear by ferociously waving his arms about and muttering something unintelligible.

I reckon its an OAP conpiracy and that they've both been to the Victor Meldrew Academy. The thing is one of them wasn't paying attention in class!

Sometimes we just can't please everyone. :?

Shadowduck

I think Parkey got it right - for reasons best known to the planners, the cycle path is generally on the side furthest from the traffic and that's why peds prefer to walk there. Can't blame 'em really, though it can be bloody annoying.

Random Vince

my initial post was written after a bunch of chav's blocked the bike lane and refused to move, so i refused to brake.

had i stopped they'd proberbly have knocked me off / stolen my bike.

its happened before

MadammeMarie

In my experience, they are just anti-cycling bastards. :evil:

frenchfighter

Interesting theory, and frankly there might well be some truth in it.

Jon G

Gerry Attrick wrote:

I cycle fairly regularly over the Humber Bridge ...... However, a few days ago I was growled at by two separate "middle aged" plodders, one because he wanted me to pass to his left, the other because he wanted me to pass to his right. Each made their wishes clear by ferociously waving his arms about and muttering something unintelligible.
Sometimes we just can't please everyone. :?

I'm forever finding that when I move over to the right when approaching peds. coming the other way, as laid down in Highway Code rule 2, they move over to their left leaving us on a collision course. Still, it's not as annoying as the 'cyclists' who move over to the the right when they see another cycle coming.

Jon

Simonb256

I usually avoid those pavement cycle paths like the plague for this very reason.

I have only ever had one accident on my roadie with a car and that was kinda my fault, it had started peeing down so there was poor visability and my lights were still at home, he just pulled out infront of me and I couldn't stop in time. I got a SMIDSY (sorry mate I didn't see you) and some guy running up to me to sell insurance.

These lanes are only really suitable is you go around 10mph otherwise get on the road. Thats my opinion and I do operate by this. Yes I do end up on busy ring roads and A-roads with a 60limit but oddly I feel safer that I dont have to worry about pedestrains too much nor getting punctures as these paths are usually full of rubbish.

bigjim

Most bike lanes are a joke and downright dangerous. Seem to be designed by complete morons who have never been on a bike. Close to me [Agecroft Rd if anybody knows it] they have spent months redesigning a stretch of road. Part of this involved constructing a so called bike lane. It stretches for about 50yds and is so designed that you turn left onto a stretch of green pavement and then 50yds futher along turn right back into the road and the traffic at a set of lights. It is far safer to just stay on the road. Utter madness and we are paying for it!

Jim

Porgy

I try not to use these cycle lanes, but of course some are useful - contra flow lanes and shortcuts - and sometimes to avoid dangerous stretches of road.

I've lost count of the number of times that some knuckle dragging moron has told me to get off the pavement and back onto the road.

On the other hand when cycling on the roads where these lanes exist the same knuckle dragging idiots shout at me to get in the bike lane and off the road, sometimes using their vehicle to reinforce the message.

I'd like to see all these lanes removed unless they genuinely serve some sort of useful purpose.


I also use the cycle lanes across Hyde Park - many times people seem to prefer walking along just inside the lines that marks the edges of the cycle lane, sometimes at night so they cannot be seen until its too late!

I've given up shouting - now I creep along behind them till they move. This, strangely, seems to annoy them even more.

spen666

Porgy wrote:

...

I've lost count of the number of times that some knuckle dragging moron has told me to get off the pavement and back onto the road.

On the other hand when cycling on the roads where these lanes exist the same knuckle dragging idiots shout at me to get in the bike lane and off the road, sometimes using their vehicle to reinforce the message.
....

Its the same person :oops: