Cycle exclusion zones

[garrilla]

Think how much it costs the local council to paint lines on roads.

They will only do something if 1/ someone gets killed, or 2/ it is a newly laid road surface.

Surely Magnatom will take a hit for the cycling community? It would henceforth be known as Martyrtom. [get jacket smiley]

 

[magnatom]

The only problem I have with this is that most people don't seem to understand even the clearest of road signage.

True,

But if we have to have road signage then it should at least tell cyclists and road users what the best practice is.

 

[John the Monkey]

Sorry - sharrows are usually a bike symbol with a chevron ahead of it, painted on the carriageway. They show the right place to ride (they're usually in secondary, or thereabouts) and provide a visual cue that cycles will be using the carriageway.

More on wiki; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_lane_marking

 

[magnatom]

Surely Magnatom will take a hit for the cycling community? It would henceforth be known as Martyrtom. [get jacket smiley]

 

[magnatom]

Sorry - sharrows are usually a bike symbol with a chevron ahead of it, painted on the carriageway. They show the right place to ride (they're usually in secondary, or thereabouts) and provide a visual cue that cycles will be using the carriageway.

More on wiki; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_lane_marking

Ah.

Now the problem I have with that is that they show only one position, i.e. they condition divers to think,

'that is where the cyclist should be. They are in their little compartment, so I can ignore them'

By just saying where the cyclist shouldn't be, it leaves the decision of exact road position up to the cyclist, depending on road conditions, hazards etc, as it should be. Thus the driver is conditioned to expect cyclists to be somewhere on the road and not just in a compartment.

 

[CotterPin]

...

Cotterpin,

Does it work though? That sounds very similar to what I am thinking, but we need it nationwide. Surely if the majority of road safety expert agree that the secondary position is a minimum distance from the kerb, but that there are times when a more prominent position is required, then this type of marking conveys this, significantly better than the current markings?

...

The cycle lane was removed before I moved to the area. I'll have a word with some of my more seasoned fellow campaigners what the situation was like before and whether there has been an improvement. I am certainly not aware of any incidents at that point in the two or three years I have been here.

But I would definitely agree with you that it sends out a clear message about where cyclists should be on the road. There is another place where there are road narrowings and cycle symbols have been placed in the middle of the narrowing which I guess would have a similar effect?

 

[magnatom]

But I would definitely agree with you that it sends out a clear message about where cyclists should be on the road. There is another place where there are road narrowings and cycle symbols have been placed in the middle of the narrowing which I guess would have a similar effect?

It certainly helps, but I feel if a hashed marking at the side of the road was made a national road symbol and used to guide cyclists and inform drivers it would have a bigger impact. Hmm. I'll need to think a bit more about this.

The question is, does the hash area you have seen actually stop cyclists cycling too close to the curb?

 

[John the Monkey]

Ah, I think I misunderstood what you were proposing at first. I can't help thinking that all the money spent on painting and educating drivers could just be spent on educating drivers though.

 

[magnatom]

Ah, I think I misunderstood what you were proposing at first. I can't help thinking that all the money spent on painting and educating drivers could just be spent on educating drivers though.

Possibly, but it is in-vogue to paint cycle lanes on the road just now. So if they are determined why not make it actually useful!

 

[magnatom]

How about moving the main lanes to the centre of the road, and leaving a much wider area on the inside?

Sorry MP, I'm not quite with you there. Move the cycle lane to the centre of the road lane?

 

[magnatom]

For example (where the red area could be red hatching):

 

[thomas]

At the start of each hatching area and at intervals within, there would be signs showing no cycling (bike with red cross through it).

On the road maybe, but on signs we've already got this one to represent no cycling

In some ways the plan sounds like a really expensive way of just educating people. I like the no cycling bit around parked cars though, but maybe just have hatchings.

 

[magnatom]

On the road maybe, but on signs we've already got this one to represent no cycling

(snip)

In some ways the plan sounds like a really expensive way of just educating people. I like the no cycling bit around parked cars though, but maybe just have hatchings.

Let me correct that. I wasn't suggesting that there be road signs, just signs on the hatchings as I've shown in my sketch.

It wouldn't cost any more than the current road markings (maybe slighly more, but not significantly, and would be infinitely more useful.

 

[jimboalee]

Why not paint a florescent GREEN line down the middle of the lefthand carriageway which means "Beware of Cyclists".

Job done.

 

[magnatom]

Why not paint a florescent GREEN line down the middle of the lefthand carriageway which means "Beware of Cyclists".

Job done.

Nah, you'd end up with elite marathon runners following the green lines.