To think cyclists should use cycle lanes

[Krispybake]

Today, a massive line of traffic was held up by a cyclist who was using a long main road when a cycle path (tarmacked the same as the road) ran parallel for the entire length of the road. Due to the volume of traffic coming in the opposite direction, it was impossible to overtake the cyclist and leave the safe distance so creating a huge tail back involving service buses, funeral cortege and multiple cars.
Genuine question, why do cyclists do this? If the cycle track has the same surface as the road, why will they not use it? Very annoying!

Cycle lane today has bollards running along its length to separate from the road. No danger at all of hitting a cyclist using it!

Maybe it’s because it’s new? So In their mind they usually use the road. Possibly he was cycling along looking at it thinking he can’t now join it safely without slowing down dangerously because of the bollards but that next time he will. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes we had those near us and do you know what… cars hit the bollards knocking them down and then the council eventually removed them all.
Rushmere Road, Northampton

It's called common courtesy. Are you not familiar with the concept?

@LakieLady

No not Sussex but I imagine this is a widespread issue.

@JemimaTiggywinkles

Even if the cyclist had missed the start, it would have been easy to join it at any point between the bollards. I may be doing the gentleman a total disservice, but I just get the impression (rightly or wrongly) that some cyclists in their full gear adorned with sponsorship logos etc and their state of the art bikes somehow seem to think using perfectly serviceable cycle lanes is beneath them in some way. 🤷

As a cyclist and one who spent a year commuting across London...

I always used cycle paths or the road and not the pavement with the exception of one intersection where it was too dangerous to switch three lanes of very fast traffic to make my turn, so I would instead use the pedestrian crossing dismounted if there was pedestrians.

I often used the road instead of the cycle path when the cycle path was more dangerous due to poor design or maintance, cars were parked in it, it was a far less direct route, there wasn't one at all, or it was overly congested with mammals racing each other ie. the cycle "super highways" during rush hours.

With the exception of a few very old narrow roads in the very centre of London, which were often how you got to the cycle lane, there was always space for both cyclists and cars to pass eachother safely

The only times I've come off my bike has been because of pot holes or poor cycle lane design (invisible curbs).

To summarize I find cycling in the road safer most of the time, and I would fully support road cyclists being insured and licenced, and money being spent making roads safer for all users.

Crikey.....like comedy capers! 😂Hopefully, that won't happen near me. 🤞 (How on earth do motorists knock bollards down just driving along a road, unless of course, they are speeding, DUI or whatever? Then no one anywhere would be safe up against that. Some crazy drivers!)

Yanbu. It never ceases to amaze me how some cyclists use a road and not an empty cycle path or footpath. I never cycle on the road, too many drivers on their phones and speeding.

Like many others I cycle and drive a car.

Cycle lanes in the UK should largely be scrapped. They're mostly an easy way for virtue-signalling authorities to claim green credentials while actually making life more difficult for motorists and positively dangerous for cyclists.

Many authorities seem to think that simply painting the outermost strip of the road a different colour and painting a picture of a cycle in it is enough. Never mind that it isn't actually wide enough to fit a typical man's shoulder width, meaning that the car in the adjacent 'car' lane still has to overtake to pass safely, meaning crossing into oncoming traffic, which might not be possible if the roads are busy. The cycle lane lulls people into a false sense of security rather than encouraging cyclists to keep their wits about them and motorists to see them as vulnerable road users.

As others have said, even proper cycle lanes are often poorly maintained. When cyclists understandably ride on the road, they do so on a road that is now narrower (due to cycle lane) so it causes more congestion and has a higher safety risk than if they'd just not bothered.

The trouble with the UK is that our towns and cities are older and laid out differently to many parts of the world. This doesn't lend itself well to cycle lanes unless a proportionate amount of planning and money is ploughed into them. Often it isn't. Unless this changes, cycle lanes really are just an expensive white elephant.

The main reasons why I cycle in the main road rather than on a tiny cycle path are:

• Debris in the cycle path
• Potholes in the cycle path (that you probably can't see)
• Cycling with a child who is in the cycle path so I cycle next to them on the road.
• Cycle path stops and starts or has more give-ways
• Cycle path much too narrow
• Safer to cycle in the main carriageway because the road is not wide enough for cars to pass me safely if I'm on the cycle path and they try to stay on the left of the road.
• I'm turning right shortly
• There are cars parked ahead either in or just after the cycle path so I'd have to pull out anyway.

I used to cycle a lot pre pandemic, both commuting to work (mostly separated from cars) and long Sunday rides with friends. A lot of PP experience chimes with me too. Many cycle lanes are poorly designed, unmaintained and unsafe, so I would cycle on the road, obeying all the rules of the road, positioning myself like a car and letting queues pass in country lanes if they arose as like a PP I both hate cars behind me and hate to feel I’m getting in their way. Some cycle lanes were excellent and I would turn on to them gratefully because generally wherever you are well separated from cars the experience is much nicer.

I wish before cycle lanes were signed off, the designers had to do a mandatory bike ride on their location first. I think a lot of the time they are LAs spending budget without real knowledge of how bike lanes work.

OP I think your question is answered as a pick of the following:

A the lane was badly designed but this is only discernible if you ride it
B the person was turning right
C they were being bolshy about their right to ride on the road
D they’re an arsehole

But you’ll never know. That’s life. I get your frustration but let it pass. There’ll be another mystery tomorrow 🤷‍♀️

Why couldn't people overtake

Tell us exactly which cycle lane it was, OP. Exactly where. And I will find the information to show you why it's lousy & difficult to use. This is not outing to you.

What happens to me is I arrive at a new road, ride along, and go... "Oh look! A cycle lane. On the wrong side of the road across several lanes of traffic. it has a big curb between me and it and no access points. It gives way every 100 metres to let random traffic across. It has thorns on it and glass, and is half gravel, not to mention a whole tree fallen across it. It has teenagers meandering all over it. Or mums or dogs or small children. There are random bollards and chicanes, too. "

I'd love to know which cycle lane in Uk has a surface as good as the nearby road, doesn't share with dozey pedestrians and never not even once gives way to cross traffic in a place where the main road doesn't give way. Please show us where that lovely cycle lane is.

It is a very busy road. There was a constant stream of traffic coming in the opposite carriageway and the position of the cyclist (about a metre into the road) meant that motorists couldn't pass with enough safe clearance. It would have meant driving over into the opposite carriageway a little to get past. Obviously the odd one managed in some of the little gaps but for the most part, we were stuck for a good long way. Thank Goodness for an eventual dual carriageway.

Thanks for the offer but nope, I don't need to! I have explained exactly what the lane is like. If you choose to doubt that, then that is your problem. Clearly, you do not live in an area where a lot of money has been spent on the infrastructure. Here, massive amounts have been spent improving the roads and creating new cycle lanes that are not shared by "dozey pedestrians". It does not give way to cross traffic because the road doesn't between roundabouts for a considerable distance. Because you have never experienced it does not mean it does not exist. It is a lovely cycle lane though. We can agree on that!

I agree with you, OP.

Because you won't tell us exactly where it is, I don't believe you have given a fair description. I have zero comprehension why you won't tell us exactly where it is.

Thank you. X

Because she doesn't want to be proved wrong!

In Cardiff the cycle lanes are brand spanking new, seperate and safe to get on and off (you have to be cautious at junctions but you should be anyway). I swear I'm the only one using them. I see cyclists weaving in and out of traffic while I'm happy in my safe lane. I just don't get it. YANBU OP.
Some of the older ones (which there aren't many) do need resurfacing but they are safe enough if you don't act like you are competing in the tour de France, it's still quicker in rush hour than driving.

I cycled to the office today. There is a shared use path with overgrown trees and large groups of unobservant school children and parents milling around. I used that rather than the road, because I am scared of drivers like you. It took me longer than it would've had I used the road next to it, but I felt that speed was not more important than reaching my destination without having snarling drivers trying to force me off the road because "there's a cycle path bitch".

Incidentally, I pay road tax on my car, but I prefer to keep that for longer journeys and cycle or walk locally. I also pay insurance on my bike including third party in case of accidents, though I am not exactly built for speed and generally prefer a pootle.

The genuine answer, which you don't seem to like, is that the cyclist has a right to be on the road; so doesn't have to make their decision based on what you want or what's best for you. Cycling infrastructure in this country is shit and apparently designed to eliminate cyclists https://www.welovecycling.com/wide/2021/11/08/top-10-worst-cycle-lanes-in-the-uk/ so maybe you weren't looking at the path from the point of view of, what are the hidden death traps.

You're not anti cyclists but you do look down on us, don't you...

@Northernsoullover : do cyclists using the Cardiff cycle lanes have to give way at junctions that cars can quickly get across? That would be a powerful reason to avoid the stupid cycle lanes and stick to the road, to just get places faster and not have to constantly divert to sides & wait & wait to get across the junctions, watching all the cars quickly sail thru....

Cycle lanes are typically designed by non-cyclists (engineers) for people like themselves (engineers who rarely ever use a bike I mean), especially designed for children, so for people who basically can barely ride a bike. Cycle lanes (in UK) are mostly poorly designed to help cyclists quickly get from A to B.

It is interesting that you cite the slow pace in the cycle lanes as the cause for some cyclists to use the road. How ironic that they then become the "slow pace" for other motorists. So it is OK for them to be frustrated at being held up but not other motorists?

I was cycling home today on a not great cycle lane, an electric bike went in the other direction doing approximately 15mph - this is a shared path with pedestrians. Many pedestrians would complain that the cyclist was too fast - so we just can't win. Cyclists ride too fast and too slowly all at the same time. If were on the path we are to fast and don the road were to slow.

In your first post you wrote the reason that no one could over take Due to the volume of traffic coming in the opposite direction, it was impossible to overtake the cyclist

It wasn't the cyclist holding you up travelling too slowly, but the sheer volume of traffic travelling in the opposite direction