Cyclists down a30

[ColinJ]

What though Colin?

See penultimate paragraph!

If you force drivers to do (say) 40 mph for short stretches of road that can't be made safe any other way, that might not have a huge impact on journey times. Vehicles can safely drive much closer together at low speeds so you could probably get the same number of vehicles through per hour as on the faster sections where there can often be jams caused by panic braking.

I would almost be willing to bet that the average speed of traffic on heavily congested roads with a 40 mph limit is about the same as on a busy motorway because the traffic flow is smoother rather than stop-start all the time. That is assuming that speed limits are actually enforced!

 

[briantrumpet]

I think it's because many cyclists think like car drivers when planning routes.

And I find that baffling too. Surely one of the delights of cycling is using 'roads of yesteryear' - the ones that our grandparents used to amble along at 40mph in their Austin A40s. You don't have to go along bendy country lanes either - many of the roads round Devon I cycle now are the old main roads my parents used to take us on going from Bristol to Westward Ho! or Bude (and took half a day to get there), and they are mostly deserted. And darned pretty too.

 

[PK99]

[QUOTE 2534616, member: 30090"]I think that for most people (myself included) the E2E is treated as a ride rather than a tour. And as such you want to try and get it done as quickly as possible which for me was eight days which means using the main roads.
.[/quote]

There are main roads and there are main roads - the A30 to and over Bodmin is to all intents and purposes a two (narrow) lane motorway with no hard shoulder and some pretty tough up hill sections. The first 40 miles from Lands end has 3000 feet of climbing.

IMHO, the A30 in that area is a main road to avoid.

 

[sparkyman]

The A30 has claimed far to many End to Enders in the last few years.

My thoughts are with their family's.

 

[glenn forger]

Secondly when some authority does make a sensible decision by providing a cycle lane that obviously avoids problematic areas then why do some cyclists not use them? I know it's not compulsory and maybe it should be but they are there to provide a relatively safe route to cyclists..

You're quite wrong, cycle lanes are more dangerous for cyclists than the roads are. You are blaming cyclists for taking measures to improve their safety.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

You're quite wrong, cycle lanes are more dangerous for cyclists than the roads are. You are blaming cyclists for taking measures to improve their safety.

How's that then?

And why all the campaigning for more cycle lanes and paths?

What are you suggesting - whenever a cycle lane is available it's best ignored?

 

[glenn forger]

How's that then?

And why all the campaigning for more cycle lanes and paths?

What are you suggesting - whenever a cycle lane is available it's best ignored?

I'm not campaigning for more cycle lanes, they are more dangerous, as I just said. I ignore them, as do most cyclists who aren't seven years old. It's just curious that you slag cyclists off for taking steps to improve their safety.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I'm not campaigning for more cycle lanes, they are more dangerous, as I just said. I ignore them, as do most cyclists who aren't seven years old. It's just curious that you slag cyclists off for taking steps to improve their safety.

Well, if you class anything that I have said as slagging off then you are a very sensitive soul indeed.

I'll carry on using cycle lanes and you won't - we'll have to agree to disagree on their safeness. Nonetheless I wish you many safe miles of cycling. All the best.

 

[lulubel]

I haven't read the whole thread, but just wanted to post how sad this is for the families of the cyclists who died.

And for anyone who doesn't know what the A30 out of Cornwall is like, I lived in Cornwall for 3 years, and I wouldn't have cycled on it past Penzance if someone offered to make me an overnight millionaire in return. I drove it frequently between Okehampton and St Ives before I started cycling, and like many other drivers, thought nothing of driving at 90-100mph anywhere it was dual carriageway.

There are so many quiet, beautiful routes you can take out of Cornwall. Yes, they take longer, and there are more hills, but they're safer and so much more enjoyable than slogging along and smelling the fumes, with lorries thundering by you.

 

[HLaB]

Only in Edinburgh around the bridge.

Yip, on the A90 section from the Bridge to Edinburgh; the bridge itself has always had a bye law. The relatively recently built new A68 bypass also bans cyclists from sections.
Slighty OT, I was totally amazed when coming back from the Marmotte when we passed a cyclist on the 4 lane A2; at first I thought he was on the Motorway, then I realised it was an A class section in between I hope he had a safe journey.

 

[HLaB]

Secondly when some authority does make a sensible decision by providing a cycle lane that obviously avoids problematic areas then why do some cyclists not use them? I know it's not compulsory and maybe it should be but they are there to provide a relatively safe route to cyclists. In fairness many cyclists do use them although the head down chain gang fraternity seem to avoid them like the plague - presumably a Strava brag is worth more than the higher risk of losing a life.

I agree with a lot of your OP, however its worth noting that cycle lanes may not always be safer for instance they tend to encourage cyclists to the left hand side (and potentially into a blind spot) of traffic which is particulary hazardous at junctions; they can place cyclists in the door zone (an opening car door at best would be painful but at worse would push a cyclist off under the wheels of a bus/artic). They also tend to delineate things creating a false sense of security and can encourage a driver to feel that its safe to drive closer and faster to the cyclist or make the cyclist feel they are safe in their own 'protected' lane (a white line doesn't stop an artic wheel!). The cycle lane can be littered with objects creating more obstacles which can cause a cyclist to lose control, etc in addition to the potentialy uncomfortable/inconvenient aspect. I could go on all day but just think before you use them.

 

[StuartG]

I'm not campaigning for more cycle lanes, they are more dangerous, as I just said. I ignore them, as do most cyclists who aren't seven years old.

Some, maybe most, UK cycle lanes and cycle paths increase danger for the experienced rider who wishes to make good progress.

Sometimes they can be better - and some other countries do know how to provide excellent cycle lanes and the majority do choose to use these. If you are not evaluating each piece of cycling infrastructure on its own merits then I would suggest it is you who may potentially be the dangerous rider. Albeit mostly to yourself. Blind prejudice is not confined to motoring circles.

I'm over seven (honest).

 

[fimm]

The other thing is that if you are in a part of the country with which you are not familiar you have no idea whether a cycle route is going to be any use at all or not. Some of them are good and some are useless and you don't know until you investigate - and if you want to go a long way fairly quickly you don't have time to investigate...

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I agree with a lot of your OP, however its worth noting that cycle lanes may not always be safer for instance they tend to encourage cyclists to the left hand side (and potentially into a blind spot) of traffic which is particulary hazardous at junctions; they can place cyclists in the door zone (an opening car door at best would be painful but at worse would push a cyclist off under the wheels of a bus/artic). They also tend to delineate things creating a false sense of security and can encourage a driver to feel that its safe to drive closer and faster to the cyclist or make the cyclist feel they are safe in their own 'protected' lane (a white line doesn't stop an artic wheel!). The cycle lane can be littered with objects creating more obstacles which can cause a cyclist to lose control, etc in addition to the potentialy uncomfortable/inconvenient aspect. I could go on all day but just think before you use them.

Yes, I can see the sense in what you are saying there. I guess it just comes down to weighing up risk as ever.

I guess there is also a distinction between lanes and paths too ie lane being part of the road and a path being something separate but parallel to the road? (I do realise that many paths are nowhere near a road.)

Pretty tough staying safe out there at times!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Yip, on the A90 section from the Bridge to Edinburgh; the bridge itself has always had a bye law. The relatively recently built new A68 bypass also bans cyclists from sections.
Slighty OT, I was totally amazed when coming back from the Marmotte when we passed a cyclist on the 4 lane A2; at first I thought he was on the Motorway, then I realised it was an A class section in between I hope he had a safe journey.

We had a similar observation on the A34.

Three Fridays back we were making the long haul from Cumbria down to see our friends in Poole.

On the long tedious run-in to Southampton there is a wide fast stretch of A road that follows a huge incline before re-ascending. There are fast feeder lanes coming in from the left. I'm not quite sure of their exact location on the map but those more familiar with the area will no doubt know where I am talking about.

It was very busy with lots of fast moving traffic shunting from high to low speed in an instant. All lanes were choked and it was really a keep your wits about you situation. Anyway as we approached the feeder lanes there was a heavily laden tourer (panniers F & R + rucksack and bar bag) being ridden down into the V where the feeders meet the main road. We (wife & I) were aghast and could not fathom how on earth he was going to cope with crossing the long feeder stretch of road. I'm not slagging him off btw but I honestly question his judgement as to why he would put himself into that situation in the first place.