Over exaggerated cycle lanes
- Thread starter classic33
- Start date
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Riding in Circles
Veteran
- Location
- EDINBURGH
Most cycle lanes are a waste of money IMHO.
darth vadar
Über Member
I think cycle lanes are fine.
They just have to have an aim and a purpose.
I often think just what is the point of a short 'cycle lane' that does nothing other than join you up again with the traffic a few metres up the road!
I doubt it will ever happen - but I am sure cycling would be far more popular if people could cycle from A to B without having to come into contact with cars and lorries.
They just have to have an aim and a purpose.
I often think just what is the point of a short 'cycle lane' that does nothing other than join you up again with the traffic a few metres up the road!
I doubt it will ever happen - but I am sure cycling would be far more popular if people could cycle from A to B without having to come into contact with cars and lorries.
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
bilboburgler
New Member
- Location
- Leeds
Well in countries where cycling is built into the culture such as Holland and Belgium you will find two lanes both of sensible width i.e. at least 1 metre each with dotted line down the middle, proper road type markings, precedence over cars and bike (traffic) lights. Still the only benefits are 1/3 of all journeys are taken on bikes (note that even in Hull, UK bike heaven, its only17%), virtually no one wears a bike helmet (unless you ride so fast you need one) and generaly fitness is higher and obesity lower than in UK. Madness heh!
Exageration is not the issue, the issue is what do we have to do to elevate bike paths to the norm.
Exageration is not the issue, the issue is what do we have to do to elevate bike paths to the norm.
MrHappyCyclist
Riding the Devil's HIghway
- Location
- Bolton, England
This is something I get quite annoyed about because sub-standard cycle lanes are far worse than no cycle lane at all. Most of the cycle lane provision in this country falls well below the standard specified in the DfT’s own guidelines.
Regarding width, most cycle lanes do not meet the minimum acceptable width of 2.0m (or 1.5m on roads with a 30mph speed limit) specified in section 7.4.2 of those guidelines, and a large proportion fall seriously short of this standard, having widths of only 0.5m.
In cases where there is a local restriction to carriageway width, a significant number of cycle lanes are designed to preserve the quality of the main carriageway rather than to preserve the quality of the cycle lane as specified in section 7.4.3 of those guidelines. In such cases, the width of the main carriageway should be reduced in order to maintain the cycle lane width.
Much of this seems to be the result of a misunderstanding on the part of designers regarding the purpose of advisory cycle lanes, which is not to exclude motor vehicles from that part of the carriageway, but rather to indicate to drivers the amount of space they should be leaving when overtaking cycles, and to emphasise that priority should be given to cyclists in that part of the road.
When a council does put in a cycle lane of the correct width, you get ignorant people wailing in outrage, as in this article. A Daily Wail article on the same lane calls it "Britain's barmiest bike lane", and continues with the usual DM ignorant diatribe. The Telegraph article ironically shows a picture of cars using the cycle lane correctly in the absence of a bicycle:
If there were a cycle in the lane, then motorists should wait for a gap in the oncoming traffic before passing the cyclist completely outside of the cycle lane. Simples!
EDIT. Damn; Gaz beat me to it! However, that silver car in his picture should not be in the cycle lane at all.
Regarding width, most cycle lanes do not meet the minimum acceptable width of 2.0m (or 1.5m on roads with a 30mph speed limit) specified in section 7.4.2 of those guidelines, and a large proportion fall seriously short of this standard, having widths of only 0.5m.
In cases where there is a local restriction to carriageway width, a significant number of cycle lanes are designed to preserve the quality of the main carriageway rather than to preserve the quality of the cycle lane as specified in section 7.4.3 of those guidelines. In such cases, the width of the main carriageway should be reduced in order to maintain the cycle lane width.
Much of this seems to be the result of a misunderstanding on the part of designers regarding the purpose of advisory cycle lanes, which is not to exclude motor vehicles from that part of the carriageway, but rather to indicate to drivers the amount of space they should be leaving when overtaking cycles, and to emphasise that priority should be given to cyclists in that part of the road.
When a council does put in a cycle lane of the correct width, you get ignorant people wailing in outrage, as in this article. A Daily Wail article on the same lane calls it "Britain's barmiest bike lane", and continues with the usual DM ignorant diatribe. The Telegraph article ironically shows a picture of cars using the cycle lane correctly in the absence of a bicycle:
If there were a cycle in the lane, then motorists should wait for a gap in the oncoming traffic before passing the cyclist completely outside of the cycle lane. Simples!
EDIT. Damn; Gaz beat me to it! However, that silver car in his picture should not be in the cycle lane at all.
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
from the Department for Transport
Cycle Infrastructure Design
7.4 Cycle lane widths
7.4.1 A cycle lane offers cyclists some separation from motor traffic. Under the National Cycle Training Standards, cyclists are trained to ride in a safe position in the carriageway which is usually at least 1 metre from the kerb edge to avoid gulley grates and debris, and to ensure that they are within the sightlines of drivers waiting at side roads.
7.4.2 Cycle lanes should be 2 metres wide on busy roads, or where traffic is travelling in excess of 40 mph. A minimum width of 1.5 metres may be generally acceptable on roads with a 30 mph limit. For cycle feeder lanes to advanced stop line arrangements, a minimum width of 1.2m may be acceptable. Cycle lanes less than 1.2 metres wide cannot easily accommodate tricycles or childcarrying
cycle trailers wholly within the lane.
7.4.3 Cyclists can overtake each other within a 2metre
wide lane and easily remain within it when looking back to check for traffic, or when avoiding kerbside drainage grates, etc. Drivers do not always realise that cyclists need to move away from the kerb to avoid surface hazards and may expect cyclists to stay in lane regardless of its width. A narrow cycle lane may therefore give motorists (misplaced) confidence to provide less clearance while overtaking than they would in the absence of a cycle lane. At localised carriageway width restrictions, designers can continue a fullwidth
advisory cycle lane alongside a substandard
allpurpose
lane, or the cycle lane can simply be discontinued. A narrow cycle lane should not be used here.
Cycle Infrastructure Design
7.4 Cycle lane widths
7.4.1 A cycle lane offers cyclists some separation from motor traffic. Under the National Cycle Training Standards, cyclists are trained to ride in a safe position in the carriageway which is usually at least 1 metre from the kerb edge to avoid gulley grates and debris, and to ensure that they are within the sightlines of drivers waiting at side roads.
7.4.2 Cycle lanes should be 2 metres wide on busy roads, or where traffic is travelling in excess of 40 mph. A minimum width of 1.5 metres may be generally acceptable on roads with a 30 mph limit. For cycle feeder lanes to advanced stop line arrangements, a minimum width of 1.2m may be acceptable. Cycle lanes less than 1.2 metres wide cannot easily accommodate tricycles or childcarrying
cycle trailers wholly within the lane.
7.4.3 Cyclists can overtake each other within a 2metre
wide lane and easily remain within it when looking back to check for traffic, or when avoiding kerbside drainage grates, etc. Drivers do not always realise that cyclists need to move away from the kerb to avoid surface hazards and may expect cyclists to stay in lane regardless of its width. A narrow cycle lane may therefore give motorists (misplaced) confidence to provide less clearance while overtaking than they would in the absence of a cycle lane. At localised carriageway width restrictions, designers can continue a fullwidth
advisory cycle lane alongside a substandard
allpurpose
lane, or the cycle lane can simply be discontinued. A narrow cycle lane should not be used here.
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
It occurs to me that cycle lanes existed before the the painting of white lines and bicycle symbols became fashionable - we called them ROADS
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
MrHappyCyclist - you beat me to it! Here is another link for the councillor DfT Cycling England
is there a bike only 1ft in width?
you know , even if someone gave no gap whatsoever...
+1 wot mrhappycyclist said . Personally, nothing against correct cycle lanes, its the stupid 'put lane in when road is nice and wide' then remove it when it gets narrow maybe even a 'dismount' sign just to really annoy, blatantly just done to get EU/hmg grant monies for yards of cycle lane implemented..
you know , even if someone gave no gap whatsoever...
+1 wot mrhappycyclist said . Personally, nothing against correct cycle lanes, its the stupid 'put lane in when road is nice and wide' then remove it when it gets narrow maybe even a 'dismount' sign just to really annoy, blatantly just done to get EU/hmg grant monies for yards of cycle lane implemented..
rossjevans
New Member
- Location
- Bournemouth
This.
supercooper
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Hull
A lot of motorists near me think cycle lanes are in fact very narrow parking bays I'm sure of it. One that really gets my goat is a mini that thinks he has a given right to park his poxy car with 2 wheels just on the curb and the other 2 wheels across the cycle lane and it is about 50 ft before a railway line and right where he parks the road narrows making it almost impossible to ride round it when the lines are down . about a month ago I made up a letter and slapped it on his windscreen under the wiper and it was quite a hostile letter explaining that if he comes out and finde a scratch down his poxy mini it was most likely a bike struggling to pass him . still parked there so you never know I might just have to catch it on the way past with my pedal and see if its there the next day . Am I been too hostile to him ? or is it what he deserves ?
Criminal damage is not really an appropriate response however stupid his parking. But if the car's been there a month, report it as abandoned.
supercooper
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Hull
the car is parked outside a house so I presume it belongs there
Melonfish
Evil Genius in training.
- Location
- Warrington, UK
All cycle lanes should be removed. its enforces the stereotype that we're supposed to use them thus making drivers think we should never be out of them!
not to mention the motons who pass millimetres from you because they believe that because your in the cycle lane your safe, they don't give you room.
get rid of em all and spend the money on moton edumacation!
pete
not to mention the motons who pass millimetres from you because they believe that because your in the cycle lane your safe, they don't give you room.
get rid of em all and spend the money on moton edumacation!
pete
