Bournemouth cycling speed limits

[Will1985]

Just read a piece in the paper about this (and found more detailed article on road.cc).

The council is going to stop cyclists riding along the promenade at more than 10mph. How the hell are cyclists supposed to know what speed they are doing if they don't have a speedo?!?

Ok, I know most of us do have a way of measuring speed and probably don't have any need to ride along a beach front, but things like this are the nails which can begin to be driven into the coffin representing cyclists' freedom on the roads.

I note the road.cc article says that the council plan to fine people for cycling on there...so really the speed limit is irrelevant.

I want to know what would happen if I ran along there at 11-12mph and told them where to go

 

[Chuffy]

Never underestimate the power of whinging b*stards....

I suspect that the Council and police know damn well that it's unenforceable, but the miserable sods who live there ("It's only a matter of time before someone is killed!") won't take no for an answer....

 

[MadoneRider1991]

wtf, going 10mph is harder than going 25 for me, im never riding in bournemouth now lol

 

[thomas]

Glad I got into my first choice UNI, otherwise I'd go along there at 20mph...see if they can catch me

To be fair, if I saw someone with a speed gun pointed at me I would definitly get out of the saddle and feel the burn

 

[MadoneRider1991]

Glad I got into my first choice UNI, otherwise I'd go along there at 20mph...see if they can catch me

To be fair, if I saw someone with a speed gun pointed at me I would definitly get out of the saddle and feel the burn

yh me 2

 

[Arch]

I think it's sensible to make people limit their speed on a shared path like that. How the hell you enforce it, as you say, I don't know. It would be nice if a big sign saying "please cycle slowly along here and don't act irresponsibly around pedestrians" did the trick, but I suspect there are always going to be those who think it doesn't apply to them, the sort who have to bomb along and weave in and out. If they didn't exist, I think cyclists would probably get the run of more pedestrian areas.

Mind you, I suspect there are also plenty of people who don't think the average cyclist can go much above 10 mph...

 

[AlexInWonderland]

Out of interest, do normal speed limits apply to cyclists? If so is there some kind of punishment for breaking them?

 

[MadoneRider1991]

Out of interest, do normal speed limits apply to cyclists? If so is there some kind of punishment for breaking them?

my dad got warned by a policeman for going 35 in a 30 once on his bike

 

[Chuffy]

Out of interest, do normal speed limits apply to cyclists? If so is there some kind of punishment for breaking them?

<standard answer>No, they don't but you can be nobbled for "cycling furiously" which is a very old piece of traffic law</standard answer>

 

[rich p]

I don't know what it's like in Bournemouth (no self-respecting Brightonian would be seen dead in a dump like that!) but the promenade cycle path here is a chaos of young, unaware children, kids on learner bikes, drunken stag and hen parties etc wobbling around. I warn lycra clad muppets doing 20+mph to slow down for their own good as much as anything else.
If they want to go fast they cxan go on the road as far as I'm concerned.

There, I've come over all serious. I'm going to have a cold beer now.

 

[domd1979]

Also going into serious mode.... Most people have a fair idea what 10mph is without a speedo. Over on other threads speeding in cars gets debated at great length. One of the key points made there is higher speed = worse outcome in collision. Same applies on a shared use path if there's a cyclist / ped collision. If you want to go fast on a bike isn't that what the road is there for...?

PS> Lots of steam trains don't have speedos and their drivers manage to keep to limits with several hundred tonnes of train....

 

[marinyork]

If it was a 10mph limit that allowed more peace in pedestrianised zones at core times and an end to pointless bans on cycling in places it would be a good thing all around. It's not of course, it's just a bit of fun for the Victor Meldrew's.

 

[Arch]

If it was a 10mph limit that allowed more peace in pedestrianised zones at core times and an end to pointless bans on cycling in places it would be a good thing all around. It's not of course, it's just a bit of fun for the Victor Meldrew's.

Victor Meldrew's what?

That's the trouble with any law - it's going to be a blunt instrument, because you can't trust people to act responsibly, and if you try to tailor the law too closely, it becomes unworkable. Most road speed limits probably have times when they are 'needlessly' low - an empty motorway at night, a long straight quiet A road, even some residential roads in the small hours. The only limits that really couldn't be variable are perhaps those designed to stop someone spinning off into a wall trying to corner too fast, or at a blind bend/summit. But varying limits would be complicated and probably unworkable...

 

[Will1985]

To be fair, if I saw someone with a speed gun pointed at me I would definitly get out of the saddle and feel the burn

Officer Pogan might find that he has a long lost British cousin then

 

[marinyork]

That's the trouble with any law - it's going to be a blunt instrument, because you can't trust people to act responsibly, and if you try to tailor the law too closely, it becomes unworkable. Most road speed limits probably have times when they are 'needlessly' low - an empty motorway at night, a long straight quiet A road, even some residential roads in the small hours. The only limits that really couldn't be variable are perhaps those designed to stop someone spinning off into a wall trying to corner too fast, or at a blind bend/summit. But varying limits would be complicated and probably unworkable...

I don't think you understood. What I was saying was I don't really have a problem with a 10mph speed limit at all at core times if it meant the opening up of a few promenades and so called pedestrianized zones. 10mph seems reasonable enough in quite a few places. I'm well aware these sorts of speed limits don't work. There's an advisory 10mph speed limit through the core of Sheffield City centre for all motor vehicles. Anybody stick to it? No.

It's just a bit of legislation for the moaners to give them a bit of pleasure.

Victor Meldrew's what?

I've clearly become one, writing out something, getting upset about it and forgetting what it actually was.