Mixed use cycle lanes question

[Norm]

So then there's dick all point in the shared lanes? Just so they can spend money on big tins of white paint? Maybe I'm missing the point of shared lanes but they seem a bit redundant to me, when you are just gonna be weaving in and out of people as if you was flying along a regular path.

That is about the size of it, yes. If you are very young or very old or very lacking in confidence, then they might have a place but always remember that the pedestrians have priority on "their" side and "ours".

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

This is one of the many reasons why i use the road. Planners seem to think that if you are on a bike any inconvenience to your journey is acceptable.

Well, OBVIOUSLY if your journey was IMPORTANT you would use a car....

Or so the theory goes

 

[abo]

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!
I used to be a dog owner, I had one of those leads for my JackRussel, probably the most anti-social animal you ever met, loved humans hated anythign esle with 4 legs & especilally 4 wheels!!
But she only ever got the full 'extension' when on the beach, park or Downs, basicaly anyhwre that wasa wide open space with nothing in sight, along paths she was kept as short as poss.
It drives me mad, when dog walkers can see you coming, but keep the lead on the full extension, with them on one side the path & the hound the other, making no attempt to pull the dog in or move over .. That to me is just damn plain rude & totaly dangerous for both the the cyclist & the dog.

Which is exactly what they were designed for I guess! It is annoying, but what I can't fathom is people who walk them along paths at the side of busy roads on full extension. Nothing to stop a dog going sideways and into the road; I've seen it happen and I'm always wary when I see it and make sure I give them a wide berth, in the car and now too on the bike.

 

[abo]

So then there's dick all point in the shared lanes? Just so they can spend money on big tins of white paint? Maybe I'm missing the point of shared lanes but they seem a bit redundant to me, when you are just gonna be weaving in and out of people as if you was flying along a regular path.

Don't forget they must pay more making the path two different colours too It does seem like a bit of a waste...

 

[fimm]

So then there's dick all point in the shared lanes? Just so they can spend money on big tins of white paint? Maybe I'm missing the point of shared lanes but they seem a bit redundant to me, when you are just gonna be weaving in and out of people as if you was flying along a regular path.

Got it in one.

If you want to "fly along", use the road.

 

[Midnight]

I'll avoid mixed use lanes as much as possible because of the hazard they present to pedestrians, and because they're usually more of an inconvenience than an aid to cyclists. But if I do use them, I'll always give way to pedestrians.

There is one in my area that I like using - it's about a mile long and runs down the shoreline. I prefer it to the road because it's much more scenic and is totally free of motorised traffic. But it's also popular with walkers, joggers and dogwalkers. And although it's divided by a solid white line, you have to accept that other users aren't always looking out for cyclists despite the frequent markings on the cycling side. The majority of people will move over if they see you coming but, you get the odd ones who'll wait until you're almost in their face before yielding, and the stubborn ones who won't move over at all. I find dog walkers are the same though they don't always take control of their dogs, but these...

It drives me mad, when dog walkers can see you coming, but keep the lead on the full extension, with them on one side the path & the hound the other, making no attempt to pull the dog in or move over .. That to me is just damn plain rude & totaly dangerous for both the the cyclist & the dog.

... don't even get me started. There's two women I see regularly walking a dog, and one of 'em will always walk on the cycle side just for the hell of it, dog-lead full extended, and she scowls at me every time I pass!!! WTF?

In all fairness though, I doubt if most people are aware that the Highway Code advises they should keep to the pedestrian side. It might help if the Local Authority put up signs that politely ask pedestrians to keep to one side, but I've just come to accept that this route will always be slower, and when it's sunny and there's a lot of people about I bite the bullet and use the nearby roads instead.