Cyle lanes and why I don't always use them.

dsmiff

Riding to work this morning on a local cycle lane only to come across a load of glass from a traffic accident from the previous day. It really narks me that the police appear to brush all the glass from the road onto the cycle lane or just clear the glass from the road???? It's not the first time this has happened, there are a number of cycle lanes that are now practically unusable because of glass, I tend to avoid them if I can, do the police / local council have any obligation to sort this out?

I was out riding with the boys at the weekend and a few drivers (OK just one) gesticulated that I should be using the cycle lane on the pavement - It drives me mad as far as I am aware we are not compelled to use these lanes, now what worries me is infuriating these drivers by not using these lanes (one of the reasons for not going through a red light i.e all you cylist's go through red lights) they are in big metal boxes and I'm on a small bike and I'm alway going to lose out in a fight!!!

soy_sauce

same here but it happen on the cycle path in a park. what is the point of smashing glass bottles on the cycle path??!!! :x totally raging!!!!

the path is about 800m long throught the park and 100m of that cover of smashed glass bottles!!!

Jay dubbleU

I have the same problem - I used to take a short cut using the cycle track across the park but now I stick to the streets - last time I counted there were eight separate areas of broken glass and someone had emptied the dog bin onto the cycle track :evil:

SBezza

I don't generally use cycle paths or lanes, as they are just full of road crap, or broken glass as mentioned previously.

You do not need to use a cycle path, you are fully entitled to use the normal road if you so wish, motor vehicle drivers don't seem to understand this however.

Car/Van/Lorry drivers might get frustrated, but what would they do, if it was a slow moving motor vehicle, they just have to wait until there is a safe place to pass, it is no different for a cyclist IMO.

edhornby

I agree - there are lots of reasons why you wouldn't use them

the road surface doesn't get swept clean by the cars / lorries driving up and down them, the paint used to section them off is so shiny it's a hazard if you have to ride out of them, the green paint isn't a very good contact surface either - and the road layouts usually prioritise cars at junctions, when you need the bike provision the most, the lines mean that cars drive right up to the edge of the line and even over it sometimes (grr!!) because the car lane is 'theirs'

biondino

Commuting in London sucks in lots of ways but broken glass seems to be way less of a problem than it is in the provinces

itboffin

biondino wrote:

Commuting in London sucks in lots of ways but broken glass seems to be way less of a problem than it is in the provinces

You wanna bet on that?

The Chingford Skinhead

There are certain sections of my London commute where I'll stick to the cycle / bus lanes as it is quicker and safer despite the lunar surface of proud or sunken ironworks and potholes and there are other sections where I'll completely avoid them and take primary position in the lane. Had a complaint about this from a van driver the other night as he pulled up next to me at the lights.

I politely but firmly explained that I wouldn't use that cycle lane because it was full of parked cars or cars that were nudging out of the junctions while i'm travelling down hill pretty fast (it's my weight not my power :twisted: ). I said I'd "use the cycle lane when drivers stopped using it", I then looked down and back up at him and continued "like you parked in this ASL". He wound his neck back in pretty quickly at this point and I left him for dead at the lights

Quite often the use of green or red paint to denote a cycle or bus lane actually causes the surface of the road to rut up pretty quick, which is ironic given that they are supposed to offer us protection rather than increase the risks.

redddraggon

dsmiff

Which cycle lanes are those? Wrexham?

downfader

Usually if the police aint involved (the majority of car accidents) its the driver who kicks the debris to the side of the road. People have forgotten that they have an obligation under law to clear the highway (except motorways or fast moving roads where you'd have to call the highways agency iirc) after an accident.

When the police are involved they usually get it cleared around here. Then I think the road sweeper machine operator is sometimes scheduled.

I would report said cycle lanes and paths in such a state to the local council. Joining the CTC also helps as they have forms to fill in on their website, as do the councils often.

If said mess isn tackled then start writing letters to the local papers

Jay dubbleU

I regularly report cycle lane problems to my local council and they send me back an automated email which tells me the problem will be dealt with within two working days - never seem to get a result though :evil:

The Chingford Skinhead

I'm increasingl disinclined to use cycle lanes. I'l use them when they aren't full of iron works, pot holes, rough surfaces, glass, parked cars - in other words, I'll use them when they are up to the same standard as the road provided for vehicles with heavy duty shock absorbers, suspension and comfy seats :twisted:

girv73

My pet hate for cycle lanes is the ones that stop and start randomly. It's more like the council had some green tarmac stuff to use up and just spilled it on the road, rather than any kind of coherent cycle lane policy.

mac10

Why do councils insist on using bumpy anti skid surfaces on cycle lanes, yes it comes in lots of different colours so that drivers can distinguish where they are supposed to be on the road, but its bloody horrible to cycle on.. so i dont.. it kind of defeats the object and must cost the humble tax payer a packet.

mac10

oops.. duplicate post removed :oops:

mattybain

mac10 wrote:

Why do councils insist on using bumpy anti skid surfaces on cycle lanes, yes it comes in lots of different colours so that drivers can distinguish where they are supposed to be on the road, but its bloody horrible to cycle on.. so i dont.. it kind of defeats the object and must cost the humble tax payer a packet.

Is that what it is? i always thought they had the YTS boy doing the painting!!

Is very annoying though and not nice to cycle on (which is why I dont)

mac10

and you can kiss goodbye to your skin if you take a tumble on it too..