Crap Cycle Lanes
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There was an article in the Two Wheels section of the Guardian yesterday about Warrington Cycle Campaign's (http://www.warringtoncyclecampaign.co.uk/) book of crap cycle lanes, which I thought would be worth looking at (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crap-Cycle-Lanes-Warrington-Campaign/dp/19030705...).
Mind you as a long standing reader of the Idler magazine who came up with Crap Towns, I'm fed up with other people nicking their idea!
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Comments
A large number of accidents
A large number of accidents involving cyclists are due to heavy goods vehicles. This is usually down to the driver being unable to see cyclists due to blind spots in his mirrors. If the driver cannot see you, you are in danger, especially if he is turning left. The advice of the defensive cyclist is to stay well clear of heavy goods vehicles.
Cycling is a great activity.
Cycling is a great activity. It is healthy, environmentally friendly, cost efficient and a great way to travel. As long as cyclists follow the rules of the road and are properly outfit in safety equipment such as reflective gear, both clothing and on the bike, and a helmet, cycling is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and make a difference in the world.
good
I also read article in the Two Wheels section of the Guardian and i found that it is more interesting.
Warrington Cycle Campaign is
Warrington Cycle Campaign is a cycling campaign group that aims to promote safer cycling and more cycling. Although based in Warrington in England, the Campaign has received international recognition, mainly due to its Cycle facility of the month feature. The Warrington Cycle campaign has produced publications aimed at improving the safety of cyclists on the road. These include a leaflet encouraging better understanding between bus drivers and cyclists and a report on the design and use of cycle lanes. The Cycle Facility of the Month is a humorous feature that highlights poor, unusable and absurd cycle facilitates. This feature has received international recognition in the media and from national governments. The first facility the site featured in March 2001 was in Warrington, but the feature quickly went national, with the April 2001 facility showing a cycle lane in Camden , then in October 2007 it went international and featured a cycle lane in France.
Cycle Lanes
A common cause of cycle crashes is for a driver to open their door into the path of a cyclist riding too close to a parked car.
What gets me is the fact
What gets me is the fact that councils can't be bothered to tarmac the road fully to edges so consequesntlly, we cyclists end up have the bumpiest rides along many cycle lanes. The number of punctures I've picked up due to the lack of cycle lane maintenance is countless. Fortunately my company has provided several councils with like cyclist apparel, safety stickers and reflectors etc to help promote visibility in these lanes as some are very poorly indicated.
Croydon Council's approach
Croydon Council's approach to the London Here a narrow pavement besides a fast road where traffic is inevitably well over the speed limit, has been relabelled as a shared use cycle track, despite the fact that it is far too narrow to be safe for shared use and is blocked by a telecoms cabinet! It is quite clear that the designer couldn't care less about what s/he was doing.Cycle Network seems to be a matter of taking the money and running away from the issues that really matter. The results are often laughable and frequently dangerous.
I agree with this statement,
I agree with this statement, One of about 10ft going over a quiet t-junction accompanied by 3 signs. Utterly pointless. The other was on a main road coming up to a junction where there the single carriageway splits into 2 sections to go left and right. The cycle path was taking up half the left hand carriageway, so as a motorist you have the choice of observing the cycle path and therefore not being able to get into lane to filter left, or just ignore the lane. Have these people ever used a bike?
They are there to shove us
They are there to shove us off the roads, and give the motorists an excuse to scream at us from their cars, hoot at us and bully us.
They are put there by ignorant, car-centric councils, and are a complete waste of taxpayer's money.
With changing global
With changing global circumstances such as increasing fuel costs, traffic and high fees for parking, there has been a change in how people get around, whether to work or appointments or even to grocery stores. One of the means of transport that has gained support is cycling. In many major cities and surrounding areas the push for cycling lanes and laws to protect bikers has grown in popularity and more and more people have taken to the streets with two wheels instead of four. There are however both pros and cons which all cyclists and drivers should consider.
ah but..
Is crap better than none I wonder ? I guess that's the point though, getting an in on the planning stages early enough to ensure minimum crapness.
No, crap is not better than
No, crap is not better than none.
Bike lanes are not the answer. The danger to cyclist is due to the *ATTITUDE* of motorists.
Don't spend money on useless bits of debris-strewn tarmac.
Enforce roads laws.
Tend To Agree
I increasingly find them annoying as they're mainly implemented where it's already safe and then disappear at the first sign of a tricky junction where you need them.
Used to cycle up to work the other side of Bulwell and that had a couple of beauties.
One of about 10ft going over a quiet t-junction accompanied by 3 signs. Utterly pointless.
The other was on a main road coming up to a junction where there the single carriageway splits into 2 sections to go left and right. The cycle path was taking up half the left hand carriageway, so as a motorist you have the choice of observing the cycle path and therefore not being able to get into lane to filter left, or just ignore the lane (100% takeup on option 2). Have these people ever used a bike?
Having said that I've been commuting in heavy traffic for nearly 20 years, so maybe they're not aimed at me, but to reassure the less experienced cyclist.
They are purely for the motorist's benefit
They are there to shove us off the roads, and give the motorists an excuse to scream at us from their cars, hoot at us and bully us.
They are put there by ignorant, car-centric councils, and are a complete waste of taxpayer's money.