AIBU to think that a cycle 'super highway' should

[helloclitty]

not have parking bays every few yards?

Thus forcing the cyclist into the car lane and out of the 'super highway' and into faster moving traffic all the time.

AIBU to thin k that there is nothing super or highway about these blue lanes all over London?

I think they do make a difference at least in drawing motorists' attention to the fact that there are likely to be lots of cyclists on CSH routes, by virtue of being bright blue. I (sort of) think they can be helpful at tricky junctions (eg Oval) when changing lanes. But I agree that loads of parking bays kind of defeats the object though.

YANBU, it is really dangerous moving in and out of traffic.

I was constantly having to look behind me to pull out and each time I saw cars parked up ahead. A few times I looked behind me and it was not safe to pull out thus ending up having to stop behind parked cars, wait and pull out again! Every few yards!!
Am I wrong to have given up on them and just cycle in the car lane?

YANBU. They are a silly gimmick and a cheap way of Boris Johnson ticking some political boxes (road safety, environmental responsibility, updating transport network). Yeah thanks for nothing Boris.

Anything with a name like 'cycle super highway' should be completely apart from traffic, should not be interrupted by parking bays or bus stops (forcing you to either stop behind the bus and wait, or pass it knowing it will either pull out as you go by, or pass you too closely a few minutes later). This drives me crazy. I know London's crowded and all, but so many more people would cycle if they felt it was safe. Montreal's added loads of cycle routes apart from traffic, not just bright blue but actually with a curb separating the cars from the bike route. Lots and lots of people use them. And yes they have wider roads to begin with, but they also have a LOT more snow! YANBU. I wish this would change.

They are also very misleading aren't they, because they are not actual cycle lanes, cars are allowed in them aren't they?

I would also add that I don't think a pothole in the road should be carefully covered in bright blue paint, as seems to be the case along the superhighway near me. Either fill the bloody thing in properly, or paint it a different colour so we can at least see that it's there. For me the potholes are more dangerous than the parked cars - at least I can see a parked car looming ahead of me in the dark, whereas at the moment I am convinced I am going to hit a massive hole and come off my bike.

Each of those highways apparently cost between £8-£11 million. I remain to be convinced that that was money well spent.

That said, I do think that there is an advantage to having designated road space for cyclists, and allowing us to share the road with cars in a way that gives us some protection. The trouble with segregated lanes (apart from the cost and lack of space) is that it encourages car drivers to see the road as "theirs". I got blasted by someone's horn yesterday because I was cycling along a road past parked cars on both sides, so the car couldn't get past. It was a short road, I was going fairly fast, and was obeying every rule of the Highway Code. He had no rights to pass me, but got very angry and starting yelling out of his window. I pointed out I was as entitled to use the road as he was, but I'm not sure I convinced him...

Pepe
I know what you mean, I drive and cycle so very aware from both sides. I often get harassed cycling even though I am totally obeying the highway code.

DH is a cyclist. He has been knocked off twice and has ongoing hip problems due to second accident. Both accidents were totally the fault of drivers not paying attention.

He calls cycle lanes "death traps' because they are poorly maintained and it makes drivers pay less attention to cyclists in general.

They also have a speed limit. Which is dumb. He can frequently do over 30mph and keep up with traffic... thus making the cycle lane completely useless for him.

Sorry to hear about your DH macbookdeath.

I agree the pot holes are horrendous, it makes you cycle looking down at the floor rather than around you at the traffic. It also makes you swerve into the traffic or toward the kerb. Awful!