Poll: Poll pls: In the presence of a dedicated cycle lane, should cyclists be allowed to use the roads?

[adolf hamster]

Why would anyone use something that makes their journey slower?

Its gd quote cherry picking time, but surely by choosing to cycle (except possibly in a big city centre) you've already picked the slower option?

Seems theres the same argument on both sides:

Motorist: i dont like cyclists because they get in the way.

Cyclist: i dont like using the cycle lanes because pedestrians get in the way.

I dont think motorists have a problem with cyclists barreling along at high speeds (after all the faster the cyclist the less time you are stuck before reaching a safe overtaking zone), but this business some do of barreling through red lights, nearly mowing down pedestrians, and flying onto roundabouts without due care and attention isnt doing much for the image of cycling in general.

Tbh its a case of bad apples spoiling the bunch on both sides, youtube is full enough of videos from both sides of motorists and cyclists being idiots.

Round here its not too bad, mostly because theres decent off-road paths and ways to get about and on the country roads its never long before a safe passing spot.

As for the quality of cycle lanes, most of the roads aren't of stirling quality either.

 

[platypus]

Here's an example of one of Cambridge's amazing shared cycle paths: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...1e4053b55dafad02!8m2!3d52.2211166!4d0.1468737. What the streetview photos don't show are the usual plethora of cars/vans parked in it.

Seriously, follow it all the way down. Yep the trees are in the bike part of course.

Guess why I use the road.

E: Hell follow it down to the mini-roundabout. There's a pedestrian in the onroad cycle lane .

Its gd quote cherry picking time, but surely by choosing to cycle (except possibly in a big city centre) you've already picked the slower option?

I can get to work in 8 minutes on a bike. By car it would take between 20-30 minutes. Which is the slower option?

 

[FortuitousFluke]

And right here on the cycle lane, exactly where that bike is, https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.0...A1l8xeCjFS-v10h61Jyg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en A nurse came flying out of that side road and knocked me into the middle of the road last year.
She cried a lot and amazingly because she admitted responsibility I didn't take it further other than getting my bike fixed. Just to hear a motorist admit fault threw me and luckily A&E is only 100 yards from there.

I've got to say your commute sounds bloody harrowing! I've had my own fair share of near misses but yet to come off in 3 years of commuting to and from Cambridge. I, like you, obey the law in terms of red lights etc, but I will tackle roundabouts and I will filter quite assertively through slow moving or stationery traffic (if I didn't I'd get to the outskirts of Cambridge and not move).

I find that motorists aren't that bad round my way tbh, having said that I've had numerous close passes, had things thrown at me, had people shouting abuse, been encroached on, been squeezed out to avoid letting me filter, and in one instance had a car door opened on me (life flashed before my eyes I can tell you).

I use cycle paths for sections of my commute where I'm almost always going to be an obstruction as it removes the temptation for drivers to do something stupid, having said that the vast majority of my commute is on road because it's quicker, and safer in my opinion. Mainly because the cycle paths I'd be using are dual purpose and in various places a bit worse for wear, it's easier and safer just to stick to the roads than it is to hop on and off where the cycle paths are in poor repair.

 

[Brenn47]

I'd forgotten about cars parking in cycle lanes, happens all the time down here, really annoying and damn dangerous pulling out round them when the cars on the road don't even want to give you an inch for holding them up for a few seconds.

 

[Jamesyboyjim]

It's getting boring seeing motorists on their phones. It's getting really boring reading about yet another road user killed because a driver was on their mobile phone. Your blasé attitude towards it aside, it's become endemic, and needs drastic action.

You've twisted what I've written, or misunderstood. My point was people making a false statement about the majority of motorists is what's boring. Not that I'm blasé about motorists who ARE on their phones.

I also made some comments in favour of cyclists, as I mentioned, I was one myself for quite some time.

Motorists on phones infuriate other motorists too.

 

[Dis86]

I'd forgotten about cars parking in cycle lanes, happens all the time down here, really annoying and damn dangerous pulling out round them when the cars on the road don't even want to give you an inch for holding them up for a few seconds.

What we tend to have up here is a grass divide between the two. However where cycle lanes are next to roads it's a definite scourge.

 

[topgun06]

Here's an example of one of Cambridge's amazing shared cycle paths: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...1e4053b55dafad02!8m2!3d52.2211166!4d0.1468737. What the streetview photos don't show are the usual plethora of cars/vans parked in it.

That is horrendous. Many cycle lanes are just a box ticking, target hitting exercise. "Oh look, we've opened 10 miles of cycle lanes this month".

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.0...4!1sU3RuORS0lgeovYr3Zh_tbQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Another example of a poorly thought out lane. Crossing many junctions close together and then into pedestrians waiting to cross the road. There is plenty of room to widen the road and add a proper lane in. But it costs too much money and takes too much time.

The road from Puerto Pollensa to Alcudia in Majorca is the perfect example of how a bike lane should be implemented with a road. But then again, in Majorca there is tons more space and its not trying to be shoehorned into an already congested city/town.

 

[ubersonic]

As an inline skater I am allowed to use any surface to which pedestrians/cyclists/drivers have access (with the obvious exception of motorways) and I always make a point to skate the least dangerous viable surface (I.E the one that isn't covered in cracks/crap and poses the least danger), most cyclists I know do the same because most of them are intelligent people.

The obvious exception is the militant cyclists who choose to put themselves and others at risk simply because they have a right to do so, those people are ****s.

 

[adolf hamster]

I can get to work in 8 minutes on a bike. By car it would take between 20-30 minutes. Which is the slower option?

Not disputing that especially in heavy urban areas with plenty of traffic, however outside of those circumstances i'm sure you can agree any decent length journey a car will be the quicker option.

 

[uvarvu]

In unfamiliar territory I'll use the paths but once I'm confident I'll switch to the roads.

 

[pitkin]

Its gd quote cherry picking time, but surely by choosing to cycle (except possibly in a big city centre) you've already picked the slower option?

I've chosen the cheaper option

I cycle about 4.5 miles each way, to and from work. Takes me literally 5 minutes less in a car.

 

[Deleted member 66701]

And the last 1.3 miles of my commute can be done on what looks like a superb cycle lane - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.9...BkvyqGI34h-JhXOkHclw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en Just follow that either side until you get to the hospital entrance, it looks great however two of my bikes would be damaged and my MTB doesn't like it either. The path has been broken or lifted up at every place there is a tree making it unusable unless you're willing to cycle at 5 mph.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.9...AZrBd0ixAPzzlSmZDrKg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.9...8T08KQoLejALwq5UTDqw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Yup - there is no way I'd be using that - and look at all the cars parked in it as well:-

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.9...TsEe5je4um8GKlz8fi1g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Its gd quote cherry picking time, but surely by choosing to cycle (except possibly in a big city centre) you've already picked the slower option?

When I worked in Lytham St Annes, I could get to work 10 mins quicker on my bike than I could in my car.

Not disputing that especially in heavy urban areas with plenty of traffic, however outside of those circumstances i'm sure you can agree any decent length journey a car will be the quicker option.

If your journey is under 10 miles, there are less and less areas of the country where a car would be quicker now.

 

[Brenn47]

It's pretty unclear what that is, but further up the road confirms it IS a cycle lane.

 

[Orionaut]

You're quite right. 3 points and a £100 fine for driving whilst on a mobile is nowhere near enough punishment.

Funny that when you consider that they were originally marketed as "Car Phones" and the original national roll out of cell base stations was basically designed to follow the motorways and major trunk roads! :/

At what point did it suddenly become a problem?

 

[pitkin]

It wouldn't be so bad if the existing rules were enforced. Driving to a junction the other day on a green light this cyclist shot across the road on his red light in front of me. I was only doing 20mph or so but if I'd have been going any faster, gave me quite a fright.

Cyclists don't seem to think red lights apply to them, at least around here.

I work with a guy, who like me cycles in. I had a discussion with him the other day, because as we both approached a red light, I stopped, he didn't. I told him that I felt he was giving cyclists a bad name and actions like that go a long way to enforcing the stereotype. If someone sees him acting like a twit, they may take it out on me.

He didn't care, sadly.

 

[Bear]

Funny that when you consider that they were originally marketed as "Car Phones" and the original national roll out of cell base stations was basically designed to follow the motorways and major trunk roads! :/

At what point did it suddenly become a problem?

When people paid more attention to their phones than to their driving and killing people in the process.

 

[SKYNEDD]

I hate cyclists.

Bunch of lycra clad morons. I especially hate the inconsiderates that ride two abreast on a road.

I normally deliberately ride inches from them. One time one of the fools got so angry, he wobbled and fell off into the ditch!

That might teach them not to hog the road.

And I used to BE a cyclist, and to be honest I preferred it when cars overtook me close. Better than seeing a big line of cars behind you, and some twonk hanging on your shoulder for ages not wanting to drive to close to you.

I didnt care if a car was inches from me, cyclists need to man up.

I have to admit, I did LOL my breasts off when someone stuck all those tacks on the road and punctured all their tyres... ROFL.....Dinny get me wrang, I dont mind em using the roads, as long as they understand they are at the bottom of the pecking order of road users, just behind rats and hedgehogs.

 

[Shadowness]

^go away

 

[Diddums]

All that effort to make a troll account and that's the best you can do? Seriously?

 

[Conscript]

What's pathetic about it? Cyclists are disruptive to traffic, that's not really anything controversial is it?

If I were to compile a list of every time that I had been inconvenienced by another road user, then broke that list down by vehicle type, then bicycles would make up an absolutely minuscule percentage of the total.

Seriously, I don't get it. Of all road users, cyclists are the least disruptive to my journeys. Often the slowest vehicles on the road, but also one of the easiest to pass. I'd much rather come up behind a cyclist doing 10-15MPH on a country lane who might hold me up for the short time it takes to make a safe overtake (or for them to yield, which I find they do regularly), rather than a tractor, bus or large truck which, might be moving only slightly faster, but for that reason, doesn't see the need to yield, cannot be passed easily and therefore, is much more of an inconvenience.

Where are you all living that you find cyclists so incredibly disruptive? I am beginning to suspect that they really aren't the massive problem that some of you make them out to be when considered proportionally with the disruption you encounter from other vehicles, but rather that the vitriol stems from some tribal prejudice against them.