To think that if there were more designated cycle routes that were safe then more people would cycle?

[theSuburbanDryad]

Just got back off the nursery run, every morning I say, "I'm not doing it anymore, I'm going to walk!" and then every morning I'm too late to walk and we're in a massive so ds just gets bundled in the car. (I know, very eco-unfriendly and lazy but it's time, innit?)

There's an evangelical bicycle dad at the nursery who I'm on nodding terms with, and as I came steaming through the gates with ds, apoplectic with rage about yet more rude, pushy and aggressive drivers he says, serenely, "I'll never understand why you don't just cycle!"

AARRRGH! Perhaps it's because I have no wish to fear for my life every time I set off out the door? Perhaps it's because I'm more concerned for ds' safety on the back of my bike? Perhaps it's because I DON'T ACTUALLY OWN A FREAKIN BIKE?!?!

Last month we went on holiday to Holland, where I had no qualms about sticking ds in a bicycle seat and cycling all over the place. It was great. Ds loved it, I got a little bit fit, I had no fear for my life and I wasn't stressed out and angry behind the wheel of my car. I hate driving in the morning - the commuters and daily pile up outside the nursery (which is next to a primary school) have contributed to my blood pressure spike, I am sure!

BUT if there were more safe, designated bicycle routes - and I'm not just talking about lines painted on the road which everyone ignores anyway - would more people get out and cycle? I know I would. But the vitriol towards cyclists in this country really scares me - my IL's live in Surrey, near Box Hill which attracts a lot of mountain bikers, and they hate it. I think they see the road as for them only, as FIL drives his absurd Range Rover and they pay road tax, don't they?

Ok, rant over (cause I should go and do some work) but - AIBU?

Message withdrawn

I think you're absolutely right.
When I lived in Germany back in 1996ish loads of people cycled to school and work, but the difference in provision for cyclists was just incredible. Lots of main roads had cycle routes alongside them (but separated by a verge from the traffic), there were safe cycle routes across parks....
We are a very bike-unfriendly country.

Yes - Evangelical Cycle Dad is also Work From Home Dad (i suspect) so he probably doesn't give a shit what his hair looks like!

I, OTOH, have to look reasonably respectable for work - but I wouldn't mind changing my shoes there (or whatever) IF i could be assured that I'd actually arrive in one piece!

YANBU When I lived in France evryone used complain about the cycle routes there but I was really impressed - they had put a kind of concrete kerb between the cycle lanes and the road, though the cycle lanes were still lower than the pavement - cars could not park or drive in the cycle lane and pedestrians did not walk in it. I got to work quickly and safely.

Here the cycle lanes are generally worse than useless as motorists expect you to use them and they provide no safety or protection whatsoever. Around here there are cycle lanes on wide stretches of road that end suddenly as soon as you actually need them - where the road narrows. The council clearly meets their targets on miles of cycle lane without bothering to consider the needs or safety of cyclists!

I used to cycle to work but gave up because I hated cycling on the road. I walk now which takes so much longer but at least I don't have to worry as much. DP cycles and I am always stressing about it espsecially when it's dark.

I used to live in the Netherlands and while I don't think the routes are that much safer there are more cyclists and drivers seem to be more aware of them so it seems safer.

Saying that, the second reason I gave up cycling was because it was far too hilly (I live in Yorkshire), perhaps if it was as flat as Holland I'd have had more success!

proper cycle routes would be great

hard to carve them out of exisitng roads and pavements though...well in this town it would be nigh on impossible I think.The pavements are barely wide enough for pedestrians as it is and the roads too narrow already.

There should also be a tv advertising campaign to make drivers more aware of cyclists. Sometimes I feel invisible on a bike and many drivers clearly don't understand that we have a right to use the road.

When I was doing my driving theory, in the beginning I always got the question wrong about driving and parking in a cycle lane - I assumed that since it is so obviously bloody dangerous for the cyclists you would not be allowed to. But no, if it's a broken line you can if 'necessary'....
Which I think tells you quite a lot about whose interests are considered when they plan the roads.

Branflake - you may have a point there, about the sheer volume of cyclists contributing to greater safety. There seems to be more of a culture of cycling there - perhaps because of the terrain, rather than anything else.

But I used to live in South Lincolnshire, which has much the same terrain as Holland, and you didn't really get more people cycling there - because there weren't the cycle routes!

YANBU

We went to Holland this year as well, and did loads of cycling. Really safe and actually enjoyable. We could learn alot from the dutch.

Message withdrawn

Abba - whereabouts were you?

Cod - why no panniers? In Holland you see mums with a kid on the front, and kid on the back AND two panniers of shopping! They must have v muscly thighs!!

You could have a basket on front, or a backpack.
Or someone driving behind you to carry your gubbins in a car, like David Cameron.

We could cycle/walk to school but because we live in countryside, neither method is particularly safe, especially as there are not even any pavements. Rural roads should not have 60MPH speed limit when they are full of twists and turns and ups and downs and large farm vehicles and more increasingly so, large transport lorries (non farming), which often have to overhang centre of narrow roads.

Pedestrians should have rights too and be able to expect even a small amount of pathway adjacent to all country roads.

Message withdrawn

Yes - it's the beards that give them away isn't it?

Perhaps that explains my Mutant Hair ishoos...

We went to Duirinell (a eurocamp site).

I used to cycle to work on a great cycle path that was a former railway line. There was talk about turning it into a bus lane, but only in one direction

Fortunately, the cyclists won and it has stayed as a dedicated cycle path

I cycle daily to school (sahm) no helmet hair imho, but I think you are right it is not a cycle friendly country, we have a 6 minute cycle run to school with the bike buggy, or with 4 yr old ds 30 min walk, along a single track country road to start, then through a petrol station or we have to walk on the road.

We have a painted on cycle lane on one side of the road and a mix of cycle path (wide pavement which is designated cycle route) and painted cycle lane on the other side. It annoys the pants out of drivers trying to get passed cyclists...

this is probably quite progressive for some parts of the uk, I live 2+ miles out of my nearest town and there is a designated cycle path (wide pavement) all the way there, with bridge over major road, but I live near an eco village and it is probably as good as it gets in the uk... I see a lot more people cycle here too.

(though a lot of people still drive their children to school, even though it takes longer than cycling, and it is very safe here)

If we had really good cycle lanes i would cycle more. The concrete kerb is a good idea but in this country it's really scary sharing cycle lanes with buses!
Also cycle lanes in this country disapear when you actually NEED them.
Another thing is safety.
I used to love riding on the Bristol to Bath cycle track but over the years there have been gangs hanging around trying to rob people so after a certain time in the evening it gets a bit dangerous
Also as a woman, we do get harrased more by knobs in cars and especially white van men.

The concrete kerb kept the buses away - here I play tag with double decker buses on my way in and out of work. I pass them at each bus stop, then they get going and pass me, then I pass them again. It is really dangerous as it involves a lot of weaving in and out of traffic. Who thought up the idea of shared cycle and bus lanes?

Er - that'd be a New Labour innovation, wouldn't it?

Thanks for that, Tone!

I think you are right. I do still cycle to work, as my route isn't too bad. The cycle lane on the main road is useful but as Upwind says, it tends to disappear when the road narrows, or you get several cars parked in it.
Drivers around here just tend to see cyclists as a nuisance, or worse still, just try and pretend you're not there. I've had a few near misses but not enough to put me off yet.
My Dad has cycled in France and says their attitude towards cyclists is much better.

ah yes, buses.
one of my near misses was with a bus.
the bus drivers in town tend to be a bit mad, they really don't like cyclists at all...