Crazy Cycle Lane

Nothing more than a rant about how dumbfounded I am at how lazy councils are at building cycle lanes nowadays.

I drive past this cycle lane (Coronation Road in Southville, Bristol) and am surprised at how dangerous it is, but stumbled across this vid demonstrating it.

At least all those 80's videos games have given us good training...




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiYm64RKMv8

Don't really get your point with this. Doesn't look dangerous to me.

^^^ You'd be happy if you had to avoid trees, lamp posts and waste bins in the middle of the road when driving would you Daz? :wack:

It looks like a classic case of the council getting pestered to 'install' a cycle lane even though it's patently obvious that it's not suitable on that stretch of road - at least, not without widening the pavement to the right (in the video) to accomodate it properly.

It's like a game of Paperboy :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by P1 Racing

nowadays.

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I'm looking at the worn out lines and tarmac patches and guess that what passes for a cycle lane there is at least ten years old.
It's what happens when councils are told to build cycle lanes, with no budget to do it properly. That is a few white lines down what was an existing pavement.

edit:
Myself, I'd rather they were told to build more motorways than cycle lanes, but that's for a different thread.

You owe me 2:27..... yes i've had a couple and watched to the end.

I can see it being annoying having to keep moving a little bit to dodge trees and lamp posts, but I don't see that its dangerous? Unless of course your intent on going faster than the conditions allow (same argument as bends in roads and roundabouts etc, go too fast and its dangerous, go slower its not :D).

Probably safer than moving all the lamp posts and trees into the road anyways :wack:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cluck

^^^ You'd be happy if you had to avoid trees, lamp posts and waste bins in the middle of the road when driving would you Daz? :wack:

It looks like a classic case of the council getting pestered to 'install' a cycle lane even though it's patently obvious that it's not suitable on that stretch of road - at least, not without widening the pavement to the left (in the video) to accomodate it properly.

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I've ridden my bike on the pavements lots of times, I go round tree's, lamp posts etc and don't think it's dangerous at all.

Would you honestly want to cut those tree's down just for a cycle path? It's not worth building a new path as that would take up road space and cost alot more money, which is better spent elsewhere.

what about these for cycle lanes on a roundabout in newbury -

View Larger Map

(zoom in 1 to go to streetmap view ;) )

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Daz

I've ridden my bike on the pavements lots of times, I go round tree's, lamp posts etc and don't think it's dangerous at all.

Would you honestly want to cut those tree's down just for a cycle path? It's not worth building a new path as that would take up road space and cost alot more money, which is better spent elsewhere.

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No, I'm saying that they should either have extended the pavement into the green area to the right (as you are watching it in the video), or not bothered at all. There are points where that cycle lane is reduced to a very narrow width, so it's clear that it was stupid to 'install' it in the first place. As I said in my first reply - and Jon echoed - it looks like the council were badgered into putting it there, despite the fact that it wasn't suitable.

If cycle lanes are put in place, they should at least be clear of fixed obstacles like trees and lamp posts. Otherwise, it's hardly an incentive for people to get out of their cars and onto their bikes is it. People, on the whole, are lazy and hate 'inconvenience' which is why they use their cars ;). A tree or lamp post in your cycle path is an inconvenience and likely to deter a lot of people from using it IMHO :)

(EDIT : I got my left and right mixed up in both posts :wack: )

Not a very pedestrian friendly path that.

I'd rather cycle on the road with all the mad car drivers :wack:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jon

I'm looking at the worn out lines and tarmac patches and guess that what passes for a cycle lane there is at least ten years old.
It's what happens when councils are told to build cycle lanes, with no budget to do it properly. That is a few white lines down what was an existing pavement.

edit:
Myself, I'd rather they were told to build more motorways than cycle lanes, but that's for a different thread.

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Yup, I was riding on that in the early 90's when going up to Clifton to play in the woods. It looked old then too :wack:
I don't have a problem with it personally, but then we didn't have cycle paths in Yate so I grew up riding on normal paths dodging pedestrians anyway. :o
That footpath is just awkward, but the trees ect make it more interesting than a straight boring one ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by McRearout

Not a very pedestrian friendly path that.

I'd rather cycle on the road with all the mad car drivers :wack:

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That's actually what I normally did - it was nearly 10miles from my home to there so a straight road was much quicker and flatter than any footpath.

Looks fun. Someone invented handlebars and brakes for a reason :wack:

Yeah, the point was that I'd rather they didn't put lines down if it isn't suitable rather than create more of a hazard to cyclists and pedestrians. Appreciate this one is quite old but check out the facility of the month (at the bottom left of):

http://www.warringtoncyclecampaign.co.uk/

for some great examples.

Doesn't look dangerous. Just ride on the road?

What's this 20mph limit in Warrinton going to achieve? I very frequently ride at around 30mph so would I get pulled for speeding? :wack:

WCC's Facility Of The Month is hilarious. :D

Or it would be if it was true... :eek: :wack: