Cycle paths adjacent to main roads

[blackrat]

Do you use English or French?

I have no idea what that means, is it intended it be snarky?

 

[Andy in Germany]

There is a lot of difference in walking along a pavement full of other walkers versus hardly anyone else walking at all. With a crowd one naturally gives way, which is not required if the pavement is infrequently used. It is the same with cycling. It is probably different for commuters where the importance of crossing the Rubicon every day takes on a new meaning. Cycling for pleasure means just that, for pleasure, not for confrontation. If a car or truck thinks it wants my space, I will readily concede, as long as it is safe for me to do so.

Well, it does if you aren't trying to get anywhere, and if like you or I, you are able-bodied, and experienced enough to deal with vehicles. However, for families trying to do the shopping, and kids trying to get to school, for example, you need to get to your destination in a reasonable time, and sharing roads with trucks and private cars is both dangerous and terrifying.
This is why the number of children and families on bikes increases dramatically where there's safe, well-built infrastructure. You may not feel the need, but they do.
Come to that, so do I: I was able to accept at least one job because I knew there was a traffic free cycleway following the main road from home to work: the alternative would have been riding on a busy road, equivalent to an A-road in the UK, which wouldn't have been practical.
In cases like this a cycleway isn't just safer, it's a good investment: it's a lot cheaper to maintain a cycleway than a road, so I was bringing in money to the economy while costing less than the cars passing me every day.

 

[Mike_P]

Pretty certain no motorist no matter how short of braincells they are has ever suggested to a cyclist they use this cycle path, yes the far end is where the pole with its sign hidden in the trees is. Exit from a retail park and a few industrial units onto the A59 Skipton Road in Harrogate

Its one that could be readilly removed and the signs reused somewhere more useful.
An even dafter one on the Otley Road has been removed, it diverged to form a separate route through a pedestrian crossing and then immediately rejoined the carriageway with give way markings, all on a steepish gradient where no cyclist wants to stop.

 

[blackrat]

Well, it does if you aren't trying to get anywhere, and if like you or I, you are able-bodied, and experienced enough to deal with vehicles. However, for families trying to do the shopping, and kids trying to get to school, for example, you need to get to your destination in a reasonable time, and sharing roads with trucks and private cars is both dangerous and terrifying.
This is why the number of children and families on bikes increases dramatically where there's safe, well-built infrastructure. You may not feel the need, but they do.
Come to that, so do I: I was able to accept at least one job because I knew there was a traffic free cycleway following the main road from home to work: the alternative would have been riding on a busy road, equivalent to an A-road in the UK, which wouldn't have been practical.
In cases like this a cycleway isn't just safer, it's a good investment: it's a lot cheaper to maintain a cycleway than a road, so I was bringing in money to the economy while costing less than the cars passing me every day.

"You may not feel the need, but they do."
I do feel the need, but as I said, it does not exist in Britain, certainly nowhere near the extent that it does in France and maybe some northern European countries.

 

[Oldhippy]

As I've previously mentioned, if cycling advocacy groups banded together along with cyclists to shout as loud as the motoring lobbiesnaybe there would be some gains made. It took one woman in Holland to start a cycling revolution when her child getting run over was one death too many and look where they are now. It isn't a fast process nor is it impossible as many countries across the world prove. Lobby mp's repeatedly and don't stop until they listen. Currently in the UK it seems idealistic I agree but I don't think it is impossible and won't be tomorrow.

 

[katiewlx]

What radar scans ahead for passing places?

mk1 eyeball

Ive always maintained absolutely you dont want the crazy loose nut behind the wheel behind you, but I wont just dive into a hedge to let them by, Ill pick a safe for me place to pass, and if I have to ride in a manner that blocks the overtake till that point, I will.

 

[Alex321]

I have no idea what that means, is it intended it be snarky?

It was I think, a slightly humorous reference to the fact you said you were having a discussion with your routing app, together with the fact you were talking about routing in France.