Cycle paths adjacent to main roads

[ebikeerwidnes]

My view is that pulling over when you can and allowing a car (or whatever) to pass
helps the attitude of drivers overall to people on bikes

only a little - but the little bits mount up

Oh - and it also gets the dangerous large heavy lump of metal behind me past me and makes me safer - especially as I have no clue who is driving it
I am not sure why you would keep someone in a killing machine behind you when you have a chance to get rid of them

but that's me

 

[HLaB]

To me, that is just simple good manners.

If I have a car behind me, on a road too narrow to pass safely (which is most of teh roads I ride on), then I pull in to the first available passing place or gateway.; And usually get an acknowledgment from the driver.

I like a radar for that and sometimes it's the best tact IMO. With the radar, I'm not constantly giving the driver the wrong/ misinterpreted signal that, 'I've seen them and they can overtake' and it let's me scan ahead for that safe spot to pull over and let them overtake at a place that feels comfortable/ safe to me. The majority of drivers seem to react positively to that.

 

[mjr]

I like a radar for that and sometimes it's the best tact IMO. With the radar, I'm not constantly giving the driver the wrong/ misinterpreted signal that, 'I've seen them and they can overtake' and it let's me scan ahead for that safe spot to pull over and let them overtake at a place that feels comfortable/ safe to me. The majority of drivers seem to react positively to that.

What radar scans ahead for passing places?

 

[matticus]

To me, that is just simple good manners.

If I have a car behind me, on a road too narrow to pass safely (which is most of teh roads I ride on), then I pull in to the first available passing place or gateway.; And usually get an acknowledgment from the driver.

"good manners" implies it's what everyone should be doing. Do these same drivers pull over when a faster driver comes up behind them? How about HGV drivers?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

"good manners" implies it's what everyone should be doing. Do these same drivers pull over when a faster driver comes up behind them? How about HGV drivers?

In some cases yes

but we all know that many would never do that

but Good Manners means that SHOULD - not that they do

encouraging the concept of manners is always a good thing
you never know when that seed sown on barren ground might just find a drop of water and a crack in the hard ground and start a forest

(Gods I talk to rubbish at times!!!!)

 

[HLaB]

What radar scans ahead for passing places?

Radar only scans behind, which as I said "Let's me scan ahead", ie keep my focus on what's up ahead!

 

[Alex321]

"good manners" implies it's what everyone should be doing. Do these same drivers pull over when a faster driver comes up behind them? How about HGV drivers?

Well I always did when I was towing a caravan. And would if necessary now we have a campervan instead, though that is much less frequently needed.

But generically yes, they should do.

And Rule 169 of the Highway code says:

169. Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Here's another cycle path example. And it shows why I find it hard to be dogmatic about these. This path is really a bit crap. its a footpath that has had some bike signs added and nothing else done to make it suitable for bikes. The surface is poor, it's very narrow in places, there are some overhanging trees that hit you in the face and a couple of farm gateways where it just disappears.

But all the same, I sometimes use it. Depends on the time of day, how I'm feeling and what direction I'm going, the weather, how much traffic there is etc. Up ahead in the picture is a R turn that I don't like. I often pull over to the left and wait for a gap in the traffic because moving to the centre of the road can feel risky because of the closing speed of some vehicles from behind. So if I'm tired, it's the end of a long ride, not far to go, I'll opt for a quiet life and take the path. But early in the morning, with little traffic, no R turn, and I'm not tired I take the road.

In short: It depends.

 

[HLaB]

Here's another cycle path example. And it shows why I find it hard to be dogmatic about these. This path is really a bit crap. its a footpath that has had some bike signs added and nothing else done to make it suitable for bikes. The surface is poor, there are some overhanging trees that hit you in the face and a couple of farm gateways where it just disappears.
View attachment 803400

But all the same, I sometimes use it. Depends on the time of day, how I'm feeling and what direction I'm going, the weather, how much traffic there is etc. Up ahead in the picture is a R turn that I don't like. I often pull over to the left and wait for a gap in the traffic because moving to the centre of the road can feel risky because of the closing speed of some vehicles from behind. So if I'm tired, it's the end of a long ride, not far to go, I'll opt for a quiet life and take the path. But early in the morning, with little traffic, no R turn, and I'm not tired I take the road.

In short: It depends.

There's a shared path not far from my door along side the A15 it looks wide and ok surfaced but the latter is deceptive it's actually really bumpy and gritty etc. When I lived the other side of town I never used it, but now I'm close to it I use it often when I go SB, as I am not really warmed up or 100% alert first thing in the morning.

Going NB, I can route through neighbouring housing estates to a quieter/ slower section of the A15.

 

[Andy in Germany]

My view is that pulling over when you can and allowing a car (or whatever) to pass
helps the attitude of drivers overall to people on bikes

only a little - but the little bits mount up

Or, to use the argument used above, it could reinforce the attitude that bikes should Get Out Of The Way at all times, and make drivers more entitled and annoyed when bicycles don't just move aside to avoid impeding their progress.

 

[HLaB]

I just saw this story about a cycle path adjacent to a main road in Oxfordshire 🤨
https://road.cc/news/crash-barrier-...C20SMHUAwmkkAoljp7_aem_yQPOxsBaxzTcDGIQgWNueg

 

[matticus]

Well I always did when I was towing a caravan. And would if necessary now we have a campervan instead, though that is much less frequently needed.

But generically yes, they should do.

And Rule 169 of the Highway code says:

169. Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.

OK, fair enough - you're clearly a decent/considerate chap, I can hardly complain about that!

But we all know that ALMOST NO motor vehicle users will pull over just because of rule 169. That doesn't mean cyclists shouldn't either - it just means that we are under no obligation, and we're not automatically The Bad Guys when we don't. We're just like other road users!

(and also note the judgement left to the road-user in that rule; "long queue", "if necessary", "where it is safe". I think I'm like a lot of cyclists - I wouldn't mind delaying a single driver for a minute, but I'd very much try to avoid 10minutes delay for 20 other vehicles! And if I'm in a group of - say - 4 or more, that would also affect my subjective judgement call.)

 

[blackrat]

Here's another cycle path example. And it shows why I find it hard to be dogmatic about these. This path is really a bit crap. its a footpath that has had some bike signs added and nothing else done to make it suitable for bikes. The surface is poor, it's very narrow in places, there are some overhanging trees that hit you in the face and a couple of farm gateways where it just disappears.
View attachment 803400

But all the same, I sometimes use it. Depends on the time of day, how I'm feeling and what direction I'm going, the weather, how much traffic there is etc. Up ahead in the picture is a R turn that I don't like. I often pull over to the left and wait for a gap in the traffic because moving to the centre of the road can feel risky because of the closing speed of some vehicles from behind. So if I'm tired, it's the end of a long ride, not far to go, I'll opt for a quiet life and take the path. But early in the morning, with little traffic, no R turn, and I'm not tired I take the road.

In short: It depends.

This is a discussion I have with CycleTravel which always promotes the use of cycle lanes. So often, staying on the road is quicker and safer but in order follow its mandate of promoting safer and quieter routes, CycleTravel will always default to a cycle lane, with no actual evidence the lane is appropriate, or even much in physical evidence when one is trying to access it.
We really do have to use our brains and inate instincts when it comes to cycling around the UK. France with its far superior cycling infrastructure is a different matter entirely. Wouldn't it be nice if the UK was as good?

 

[matticus]

This is a discussion I have with CycleTravel which always promotes the use of cycle lanes. So often, staying on the road is quicker and safer but in order follow its mandate of promoting safer and quieter routes, CycleTravel will always default to a cycle lane, with no actual evidence the lane is appropriate, or even much in physical evidence when one is trying to access it.
We really do have to use our brains and inate instincts when it comes to cycling around the UK. France with its far superior cycling infrastructure is a different matter entirely. Wouldn't it be nice if the UK was as good?

Do you use English or French?

 

[blackrat]

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.