Cycle Lanes?
Comments
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Dangeroous ground there Pross. Motorists are the larger group of road users so why have any provision for cyclists as their design is often to the detriment of said motorists - narrower roads, loss of valuable parking space, "slowing the real traffic" etcPross wrote:[...] both of the criticisms raised above are a direct result of inclusive designs for the blind and partially sighted without consideration of their impact on other (larger) groups of road users.
A great majority of the users of Bike Radar are cyclists who cycle at speed. They therefore oppose segregated provision. Often for very good reasons relating to poor and unsafe design, lack of priority etc. However, if Britain is serious about increasing cycling and walking and reducing motoring (for health, environmental and carbon benefits) then the Netherlands model is the way to go. There cycling isn't about racing to work and bikes (like cars) are not some kind of sad status symbol. As Ghandi once said, there is more to life than going faster".Pain is only weakness leaving the body0 -
JGSI wrote:deptfordmarmoset wrote:
I am probably well wrong, but I seem to remember on my various driver trainings over the years that I should be fully aware of checking the near side mirror before any maneuverI don't remember ever seeing a UK driver turn and look behind them when turning left - the assumption is that they automatically have right of way. .
left...?? or even in pre door mirror days ( yes I am that old) making that glance backwards or am I completely out of touch?
Yes, JGSI, you are of course right. And people are expected to drive according to the Highway Code as well. But what you find is that UK drivers don't physically look backwards when left turning - so that it is actually surprising to see it when it happens. And then they put the Highway Code back on the shelf and revert to a pick-it-up as you go Myway Code.
If drivers looked, left-hooks would be a thing of the past.0 -
I just think where they have a new site/ village they can do much better than they do!!!!!!
Buckshaw Village near Chorley is prime example as they have been designed for mother and child not a commuter who has to go a distance therefore at a reasonable speed, and as far as I am concerned they should sack who ever designed it. But where they have space constraint's existing road/ housing layout etc they have to do what they can, but we usually end up with a very poor compromise for the commuter's etc.
I don't mind the shared cycle / path as much up hill as I am going slow 8mph + as it get me away from the road when there is the biggest variation in speed etc, but down hill it is plain stupid to have cyclist near a path, it is asking for an accident.0 -
jthef wrote:I just think where they have a new site/ village they can do much better than they do!!!!!!
Buckshaw Village near Chorley is prime example as they have been designed for mother and child not a commuter who has to go a distance therefore at a reasonable speed, and as far as I am concerned they should sack who ever designed it. But where they have space constraint's existing road/ housing layout etc they have to do what they can, but we usually end up with a very poor compromise for the commuter's etc.
I don't mind the shared cycle / path as much up hill as I am going slow 8mph + as it get me away from the road when there is the biggest variation in speed etc, but down hill it is plain stupid to have cyclist near a path, it is asking for an accident.
jthef... this is the area I mentioned in my earlier post..as my main concern was the layout of tight bends and those slippy ribbed tiles who ever insisted they be installed there I'd put one round his neck and toss him in the Ribble0 -
Am gradually changing my view on this after several near misses on the roads. I'll agree that a lot of cycle paths are a waste of paint....but there are a few emerging now which are genuinely useful ways of getting about and avoiding the worst of the traffic.
I live near Derby, where the local authorities appear to be at least starting to take cycling seriously. They've got a way to go, in my opinion, but newer developments are definitely starting to be useful. Following the designated routes does add a little distance to the journey, but still allows maintenance of a good pace. And as far as the distance is concerned: I don't cycle because I have to so what's the problem?
I used to be a religious 'never use the cycle paths' nut, but I now find myself using them as much as reasonably possible. They're more pleasant, safer, and I still manage to average 15MPH plus on my commute: which is about as good as I used to get on the road by the time I'd had to stop for busses, red lights, traffic jams etc.0 -
john-e-big-guns
Thought it was, I agree with all your comments that they are useless. I don't use them until going up the hill to the sea view.
I just think it was such a wasted opportunity.0 -
Do you all really want to do battle with trucks and buses? Rather than spend time bagging cycle paths how about working with the authorities to improve the construction and design. One of the major problems is the total disregard by cyclists of any law that may slow them up. If you review any large group of training cyclists they ignor many of the basic road rules and piss off the car drivers. Have a look at cycle couriers. I have cycled all my life and any place I can get away from trucks I will take. The word here is safety for our children, which seems to be missed by a large groupe of cyclists. Stop whinging and improve the maintenance and design of cycle lanes and cycle paths. Comments please Fredbear.0
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Fredbear.
They know best!!!
And if you disagree they just ignore you, or say they are following the guidelines (who wrote these guild lines, probably they did! Are they written in stone?).
I do realise a lot of cycle tracks will not be suitable for a rodie but at the moment virtually none are! And in many plaices due to space there will never be good cycle tracks and that does not bother me.
They have just made some on the entrance to my works and they are useless for rodies.
Obstacles every where, debury on path and no right of ways.
They had the space to do a good job but made ones for mother and child, which I don’t mind but the nearest school is miles away it is in the middle of now where on a fast road used by quite a lot of commuters and roadies.
I don't mind trucks but when you have them and all the road furniture they insist on putting all over the place no wonder there are accidents.0 -
Fredbear wrote:Do you all really want to do battle with trucks and buses? Rather than spend time bagging cycle paths how about working with the authorities to improve the construction and design. One of the major problems is the total disregard by cyclists of any law that may slow them up. If you review any large group of training cyclists they ignor many of the basic road rules and wee-wee off the car drivers. Have a look at cycle couriers. I have cycled all my life and any place I can get away from trucks I will take. The word here is safety for our children, which seems to be missed by a large groupe of cyclists. Stop whinging and improve the maintenance and design of cycle lanes and cycle paths. Comments please Fredbear.
This very morning, faced with the choice of doing battle with the buses and trucks, I chose the road again. Why? The cycle path is interrupted every 50 meters with side-roads, with drive-ways every 10. There's actually a car parked in the middle of it, driver eating his breakfast. I suppose I should be grateful, most would just be eating it while driving. Not so bad at my time in the morning, but it's usually covered with mums and prams too. Cycling along there at anything greater than a walking pace would be dangerous for all concerned. And if I can't go a bit faster than a walking pace, I might as well walk. Lots of space, but no brains gone into the design....
The council are getting better: as my post above, I use them when they're at all useable and they are starting greatly to improve the enjoyability and safety of my ride. So the message 'stop whinging and start lobbying' would appear to be very sensible!!!!0 -
I've made this point in the Campaign section but been shouted down by other posters, however, I still believe it's valid:
There are other cyclists apart from so-called 'roadies' (of which I consider myself one) who LIKE and WANT cycle paths to be able to cycle to where they want to go and without which they would drive.
e.g. children going to school, parents and children, new cyclists, less confident cyclists.
IMHO it is better that these people are given the chance to cycle and therefore reduce motorised traffic numbers than to dismiss them or argue that they should cycle on the road - some people don't want to.
I agree that some cycle lanes are absolute garbage but some are very good.0 -
But even when there is space and a green field site they only make cycle tracks for kids.
There is a cycle track which is over 50 years old and it better than most modern cycle tracks, if they could do it then why not now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All they want to do is tick a box to say they have made a cycle track, not that they are any good that does not come in to it.
:x0 -
jthef wrote:But even when there is space and a green field site they only make cycle tracks for kids.
There is a cycle track which is over 50 years old and it better than most modern cycle tracks, if they could do it then why not now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All they want to do is tick a box to say they have made a cycle track, not that they are any good that does not come in to it.
:x
Who are 'they'?
Like I say some cycle paths around here are good, some not - it's the same local authority.0 -
Did you join just to post that :roll:Fredbear wrote:Do you all really want to do battle with trucks and buses? Rather than spend time bagging cycle paths how about working with the authorities to improve the construction and design. One of the major problems is the total disregard by cyclists of any law that may slow them up. If you review any large group of training cyclists they ignor many of the basic road rules and wee-wee off the car drivers. Have a look at cycle couriers. I have cycled all my life and any place I can get away from trucks I will take. The word here is safety for our children, which seems to be missed by a large groupe of cyclists. Stop whinging and improve the maintenance and design of cycle lanes and cycle paths. Comments please Fredbear.0 -
I don't completely disagree with the overall sentiment of your post, but perhaps you could list for me exactly which basic road rules they are ignor-ing?Fredbear wrote:If you review any large group of training cyclists they ignor many of the basic road rules and wee-wee off the car drivers.
It may well be true that the drivers are getting wee-weed off, this is usually because they can be delayed by up to 30 seconds from sitting behind the vehicle in front again.
I can just imagine the fun there would be if chain gangs started piling down cycle paths at 25mph+...0
