Page 8 | To think cyclists should use cycle lanes

Feefee1 · 28/04/2023 17:01

Softoprider · 28/04/2023 14:46

I am being perfectly serious @Feefee1
They come up from behind as I am walking along on a path in the woods. Suddenly there is a man on a bike and they either say nothing and swerve past or ring the bell or shout and every time it makes me jump. I swear they know what they are doing !

Where I live there are loads of groups of cyclists at the weekend who clog the roads up. Apart from that I have nothing against men in silly clothes riding a bike when they should be at home with their families.... nothing at all🙁

So you don't like when they do nothing and don't like when they ring a bell? Forgive me for thinking that it sounds like they can't win in your eyes!

And I don't think it does you any good to make comments about men in lycra being out cycling when they should be with their families. It all just sounds quite stereotyped

HowDid · 28/04/2023 17:57

@CarlaH

What happens is that broken glass and debris from car crashes and bumps like broken headlight, windscreens as well as general crap - drunkards dropping their bottle of Newky Brown on the way home - accummulate across the road.

Roads have a camber.

The motion of cars driving over, wind and rain all operate to force debris to either side of the road assisted by the camber. Even kerbed off cycle lanes tend to have period gaps in the kerbs for emergency exit so the debris gets in through these. Many cycle lanes aren't kerbed off at all and are just part of the road. All this glass, rubbish, nails and so on over days and months and years just moves into the cycle lane over time.

Add to this that cordened off cycle lanes just aren't ever cleaned or swept because the road sweeper can't straddle the kerb.

So they get really chocked with debris. Some of this debris falls into the road.

If you get very heavy rain after a long dry period, there will be a lot of cyclists with punctures on any road because all the sharp debris floats up to the surface.

Guardiansofthegalaxi · 28/04/2023 19:41

Mitte · 28/04/2023 15:57

I think perhaps you have interpreted the responses too literally yourself rather than see them for the tongue in cheek comments they are.
People can and do understand but may not necessarily agree with you. There appears to be a few cyclists on this forum who steadfastly refuse to even acknowledge the possibility that good cycle lanes can and do exist and can be safely used. That opinion must surely come from their personal experiences but it is rather unfair to insist that they are right and that no other possibility exists. I have an entirely different experience of cycle lanes as do some others on here, again due to personal preferences and experiences.

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They understand the cycle lanes are not safe, but they don’t agree that that is a good reason to not use them? I’m not sure that’s what’s happening.

I’m glad you and others have had good experiences of cycle lanes and you will all no doubt continue to use them. I haven’t said all cycle lanes are awful. The ones I have used however, have been. Until you have a bad experience which I and others on here have had, and then you may decide to not use them. Or maybe you will. But you will perhaps have a better understanding than of how hazardous they can be.

I’m not a commuter. I road cycle for fun. I live rurally so I need to drive to get most places. Therefore, I spend a lot of time sat in traffic, occasionally held up by a cyclist but more likely due to the volume of traffic. Some people sat in cars are probably making journeys that can be done by foot (or bike). I don’t sit there and get annoyed at this, questioning why they have decided to use their car and create traffic and make my journey take longer than it should.

Mitte · 28/04/2023 20:03

@Guardiansofthegalaxi

They understand the cycle lanes are not safe, but they don’t agree that that is a good reason to not use them? I’m not sure that’s what’s happening.

No, I meant that people can understand that some cycle lanes are not safe but don't necessarily agree that this applies to all cycle lanes.

Mysterian · 28/04/2023 20:07

Can we cyclist, pedestrians, and drivers all agree for once and together say that unicyclists are attention seeking weirdos?

Guardiansofthegalaxi · 28/04/2023 20:55

Mitte · 28/04/2023 20:03

@Guardiansofthegalaxi

They understand the cycle lanes are not safe, but they don’t agree that that is a good reason to not use them? I’m not sure that’s what’s happening.

No, I meant that people can understand that some cycle lanes are not safe but don't necessarily agree that this applies to all cycle lanes.

I apologise if I have got the wrong end of the stick with what you were saying. I agree that not all cycle lanes are unsafe. From my perspective as a cyclist, I was trying to explain to the OP and others why the cyclist she was referring to might have chosen to use the road rather than the cycle lane.

Softoprider · 29/04/2023 10:49

Can we cyclist, pedestrians, and drivers all agree for once and together say that unicyclists are attention seeking weirdos?
You are not allowed to have fun on this thread @Mysterian LOL

QuintanaRoo · 29/04/2023 10:53

Softoprider · 29/04/2023 10:49

Can we cyclist, pedestrians, and drivers all agree for once and together say that unicyclists are attention seeking weirdos?
You are not allowed to have fun on this thread @Mysterian LOL

Definitely. Although I know someone who rides a Penny farthing which is even odder but he’s very sweet if very eccentric.

Softoprider · 29/04/2023 10:56

Well as long as he doesn't come up from behind and make me jump he can Penny Farthing to his heart's delight for me !

Devoutspoken · 29/04/2023 10:58

Unicycling is probably a good way to get fit?

QuintanaRoo · 29/04/2023 11:09

Devoutspoken · 29/04/2023 10:58

Unicycling is probably a good way to get fit?

Yeah, must really work your core.

Pourmeanotherwine · 29/04/2023 11:27

I'm a cyclist. I use well designed cycle lanes, but avoid badly designed ones. The one the OP describes sounds reasonable, but I'd need to try cycling it to know if there are any issues.
I don't like cycle lanes that are shared with pedestrians, on the the wrong side of the road for my direction of travel, have multiple roads joining from the side, too much glass, too many potholes or tree roots, difficult to exit and rejoin traffic ( eg puts me in the wrong lane for where I need to go). Lanes that are separated by a curb can be tricky if you want to turn right off the road you're on.

Soozy58 · 30/04/2023 10:12

I absolutely agree, and if these cycle lanes are so bad, why do cyclists never campaign against them and all the money wasted by councils in building them. Funnily enough they don’t, then complain that they’re a waste of space. They should make their minds up!

Devoutspoken · 30/04/2023 10:14

I use them

greenacrylicpaint · 30/04/2023 10:21

Krispybake · 27/04/2023 13:03

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!

imo drivers who complain about things like this should cycle the route themselves.

as many pp lined out very valid reasons why this cycle lane might be a death trap.

Guardiansofthegalaxi · 30/04/2023 10:37

Soozy58 · 30/04/2023 10:12

I absolutely agree, and if these cycle lanes are so bad, why do cyclists never campaign against them and all the money wasted by councils in building them. Funnily enough they don’t, then complain that they’re a waste of space. They should make their minds up!

Because cyclists can use the roads. Why don’t drivers who get annoyed by cyclists complain to the council, perhaps that would then stop them complaining about cyclists being on the road. Funnily enough they don’t. Maybe they should make their minds up 🙄

SkiingIsHeaven · 30/04/2023 10:43

A car driver purposely tried to knock me off my bike when I wasn't using a cycle lane. Luckily the traffic lights changed and my husband caught up with him and challenged him. He said his council tax cost a fortune and that's why I should have used it. The thing was that I wasn't going that way so using it was pointless. The cycle lane went off the the left and to another town I was about to turn right. He still didn't think that he had done anything wrong.

Devoutspoken · 30/04/2023 10:45

Yeah lots of angry people drive cars

lljkk · 30/04/2023 11:33

if these cycle lanes are so bad, why do cyclists never campaign against them

They do, but there are lot of compromises, and cyclists are a small voice. Look at links about Heartsease RAB design in Norwich right now, or redesign of A47-Longwater junction. it's hard for me to get involved because neither is on one of my natural routes, but I totally appreciate how the proposed developments are really only useful to children, not to adult commuters.

Eggybrains · 30/04/2023 11:43

Why do motorists think they own the road? “Very annoying”.

The cyclist is as entitled to use the full road space as you are, and as entitled as a tractor or horse drawn vehicle.

FFS

Feefee1 · 30/04/2023 13:18

Soozy58 · 30/04/2023 10:12

I absolutely agree, and if these cycle lanes are so bad, why do cyclists never campaign against them and all the money wasted by councils in building them. Funnily enough they don’t, then complain that they’re a waste of space. They should make their minds up!

Cyclists absolutely campaign against bad cycle lanes. In fact one of the things I've seen people complain about cyclists for is the fact they lobby for their own interests

Mitte · 30/04/2023 14:32

Eggybrains · 30/04/2023 11:43

Why do motorists think they own the road? “Very annoying”.

The cyclist is as entitled to use the full road space as you are, and as entitled as a tractor or horse drawn vehicle.

FFS

I think it's all relative to the needs of each individual. Cyclists on this thread have also complained about pedestrians using shared paths, pedestrians who also have as much right to be on the paths as these cyclists have to be on the roads. I think one poster referred to them as "dozey pedestrians" then gave this as the reason not to use the paths or lanes as it slowed them down. It does work both ways!🤷

Whichnumbers · 30/04/2023 14:53

I agree that pedestrian have as much rights to use the shared path, they actually have priority and not just over the shared path but the side rd - all traffic, drivers & cyclists must give priority to pedestrians crossing at side rds - this means obviously anticipating them crossing the rd.

I use many shared paths and will ding my bell gently and call a greeting so any pedestrian knows I’m there - then pass carefully. I often ask if I can pass. Many pedestrian apologise - which they have no need to do, it’s a shared space and I just ask them not to be sorry. Always thank them.

it doesn’t cost anything to be polite

Whichnumbers · 30/04/2023 15:01

https://leamingtonobserver.co.uk/news/plans-for-first-phase-of-leamington-to-kenilworth-cycle-route-unveiled/

there is press in the local paper about this cycle Lane in October 1992 - it’s been campaigned for over 30 years ( I know it states 2 decades in this report)

we can hope the the 4.7 million is used to make a decent path, but it’s down to highways

Plans for first phase of Leamington to Kenilworth cycle route unveiled

Residents are being urged to share their views on the first phase of plans for the 5km route.

https://leamingtonobserver.co.uk/news/plans-for-first-phase-of-leamington-to-kenilworth-cycle-route-unveiled/

Mitte · 30/04/2023 15:08

Whichnumbers · 30/04/2023 14:53

I agree that pedestrian have as much rights to use the shared path, they actually have priority and not just over the shared path but the side rd - all traffic, drivers & cyclists must give priority to pedestrians crossing at side rds - this means obviously anticipating them crossing the rd.

I use many shared paths and will ding my bell gently and call a greeting so any pedestrian knows I’m there - then pass carefully. I often ask if I can pass. Many pedestrian apologise - which they have no need to do, it’s a shared space and I just ask them not to be sorry. Always thank them.

it doesn’t cost anything to be polite

You are so right. I am one such pedestrian who apologises to cyclists and I don't know why as I'm doing nothing wrong but I do it....every time!😂 When I'm in cyclist mode I feel guilty for ringing a bell as I also get the irritation of being dinged at to move, in much the same way as cyclists wouldn't want cars tooting for them to move. As I said, the perceived annoyances vary across the modes of transport and are not exclusive to drivers. I also drive and I would be lying if I said that I didn't do a quiet groan when I round the bend on a country road and there's a tractor ahead but I do accept that they have just as much right as me to be there and are simply doing their job. It certainly doesn't cost anything to be polite. I just wish more people would think the same rather than resorting to hurling insults.