Alan Turing Way and Separated Bike Lanes

[mattybain]

As part of the near ending impossible quest of getting a visa to move to NZ I had to go and get some fingerprints taken at the exciting sounding Forensic Services and Hi Tech Fraud Police department near Man City FC. Due to the near blizzard conditions this was fun but it did take me on a really interesting road - Alan Turing Way.

This road was blinged up for the Commonwealth games and features a separated bike lane as can be seen here http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...oid=mZdQgNLjdduSWKEgpbKu_Q&cbp=12,161.91,,0,5

For the most part this is all well and good (apart from the crud and blocked drains) but this cycle path reguarly dumps you back onto the main road without much warning (for you or motorists) such as here http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...GW6bGAH0rc0I3ulJtHVORA&cbp=12,310.67,,1,10.49

IMO this is really dangerous as the cars don't expect cyclists back on the main road and the cyclists don't really get much warning that cars may cut across their path turing left (no give way signs). Luckily I was paying attention here and realised the car was turning left and managed to stop before I was hooked.

There are also loads of places like this http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...noid=u_f3UfD3iSuibdB1RS2tyA&cbp=12,40.22,,0,5 where you have to give way to side roads, although in most places the give way markings are really hard to see.

All in all I think If I am going on this road again I will stick to the main road and for me is a great example where a separated bike lane like this doesn't really work.

 

[Norm]

IMO this is really dangerous as the cars don't expect cyclists back on the main road and the cyclists don't really get much warning that cars may cut across their path turing left (no give way sings). Luckily I was paying attention here and realised the car was turning left and managed to stop before I was hooked.

I think that you are wrong saying there are no "give way" signs.

The broken white line between the main cabbage-way and the cycle lane means that they are separate lanes. Anyone who wants to cross that lane to turn left must "give way" to anything in that lane.

Sadly, your misinterpretation is almost universal amongst motorists too. A bit of training and re-emphasis of regulations and legislation already in place could help everyone there.

IMO, most people who frequently drive in Europe will probably see that as a great cycle lane, it falls apart because of the standard of driving and knowledge / understanding on the part of the peeps in the tin boxes.

 

[mattybain]

I think that you are wrong saying there are no "give way" signs.

The broken white line between the main cabbage-way and the cycle lane means that they are separate lanes. Anyone who wants to cross that lane to turn left must "give way" to anything in that lane.

Sadly, your misinterpretation is almost universal amongst motorists too. A bit of training and re-emphasis of regulations and legislation already in place could help everyone there.

Take your point, what I actually meant was that there was no give way for the cyclists as the reality is that the cyclists will have to give way to the cars.

Now in Holland this wouldn't be an issue as there it is universally accpeted that cars *always* gve way to cyclists.

 

[Origamist]

I think that you are wrong saying there are no "give way" signs.

The broken white line between the main cabbage-way and the cycle lane means that they are separate lanes. Anyone who wants to cross that lane to turn left must "give way" to anything in that lane.

Sadly, your misinterpretation is almost universal amongst motorists too. A bit of training and re-emphasis of regulations and legislation already in place could help everyone there.

IMO, most people who frequently drive in Europe will probably see that as a great cycle lane, it falls apart because of the standard of driving and knowledge / understanding on the part of the peeps in the tin boxes.

That's correct, Norm. In the Netherlands they have little give way arrows along the broken line, like this:

They also have signs reinforcing cyclists priority.

I'd have to disagree with you that many of our continental cousins would consider the path along Alan Turing Way a great piece of infrastructure though...

I'm going to the Manchester Velodrome in 2 weeks (for Revolution) so I might have a go on this route...

 

[Chrisc]

That's correct, Norm. In the Netherlands they have little give way arrows along the broken line, like this:

They also have signs reinforcing cyclists priority.

I'd have to disagree with you that many of our continental cousins would consider the path along Alan Turing Way a great piece of infrastructure though...

I'm going to the Manchester Velodrome in 2 weeks (for Revolution) so I might have a go on this route...

Even in Holland you have to pay attention tho, It's not always the case that cars give way. If there are no white arrows cars have priority and they will let you know about it as well.

 

[Origamist]

Even in Holland you have to pay attention tho, It's not always the case that cars give way. If there are no white arrows cars have priority and they will let you know about it as well.

Of course - you need to pay attention in any country you cycle in! However, the Netherlands is still the safest and most congenial country I have cycled through by quite some margin.

Cambodia was the craziest. I remember trying to take a more assertive position in the road and got deliberately buzzed by a pick-up truck at 40mph less than a foot from my elbow, I tried it again, the same thing happened - road positioning and Cyclecraft went out of the window...

 

[Norm]

I'd have to disagree with you that many of our continental cousins would consider the path along Alan Turing Way a great piece of infrastructure though...

Just an opinion based only on the two StreetView photographs in Matty's original post, specifically the one showing the junction.

Compared to the crap that we have local to me, it looked pretty good, although, on reflection, I doubt they ever take a sweeper down there and it doesn't look wide enough to overtake other cyclists.

 

[Origamist]

Just an opinion based only on the two StreetView photographs in Matty's original post, specifically the one showing the junction.

Compared to the crap that we have local to me, it looked pretty good, although, on reflection, I doubt they ever take a sweeper down there and it doesn't look wide enough to overtake other cyclists.

I'd agree, by the UK's v poor segregated standards it's an improvement - just not much of one though. Still far too narrow etc etc etc

Here's how the Dutch do it, with various types of infrastructure on display:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vAWYbqD5AI

 

[fossyant]

The cycle lanes on Alan Turing Way are a nightmare - no good for road bikes, so I always ride on the road up there. Just full of rubbish.

 

[marinyork]

I went along that section going the other way.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

Cycle lanes have a tendency to throw the cyclist into traffic at the worst moments

http://tinyurl.com/yzcggrb

From the view from the google car on the opposite side, you can only just see the entrance to the road. From the contra-flow cycle lane where the arrow indicates to cross over to the shared-use pavement, the entrance is completely hidden, and you have to pull across the road "blind". Cars do enter from the dual carriageway hardly slowing. For that reason, I avoid the cycle route and go a few hundred yards further but by road - its safer IMO

 

[Norm]

Cars do enter from the dual carriageway hardly slowing. For that reason, I avoid the cycle route and go a few hundred yards further but by road - its safer IMO

Not only but also, a few yards further back down the contra-flow cycle lane (something which sends shivers down my spine at the best of times, after seeing enough issues with a contraflow bus lane in Reading) you have to ride along the back of the herring-bone parking spaces. I doubt you could even see a cyclist if you were reversing out of one of them.

 

[marinyork]

Not only but also, a few yards further back down the contra-flow cycle lane (something which sends shivers down my spine at the best of times, after seeing enough issues with a contraflow bus lane in Reading) you have to ride along the back of the herring-bone parking spaces. I doubt you could even see a cyclist if you were reversing out of one of them.

I believe it got built like that because they had an objection. In anycase it might all get redone with a superduperduperduper bus lane if the city gets commuter corridor funding (which it probably won't).

 

[Armegatron]

Not sure if the link will work, but this bit looks really scary:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...8101,-2.194879&spn=0.000551,0.001206&t=h&z=20

Segregation ends just at a left filter lane for traffic.

 

[Origamist]

Not sure if the link will work, but this bit looks really scary:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...8101,-2.194879&spn=0.000551,0.001206&t=h&z=20

Segregation ends just at a left filter lane for traffic.

That's shitty. A lack of continuity is a feature of much of our infrastructure.