Cycle paths - grrr!

[Gavin Nixon]

I am sure this must have been covered before...

Got knocked off a couple of months ago now. Taxi driver paid to get my bike fixed and no lasting damage. Decided after a nervous first ride to try out the local cyclepaths (the ones on the pavement. For those in South Manchester, the ones along the Sharston to Altrincham (Altrincham Road).

Its like a different world! unpredicatable pedestrians, arrogant schoolkids, arrogant runners, dogs, a hgiher risk of being hit by cars "popping out" of side roads/driveways and, to top it all, a very unenjoyable ride.

I have decided that the off road cycle paths are a bit of a joke. They have road-like markings like give way lines - a pedestrian who has never driven would not know what these mean!

I am heading more back on to the roads where it is more predictable.

 

[Deleted member 20519]

Kind of agree with you. I was on a shared use path and there was pedestrians and their dogs just going wherever they wanted with no regard for the thick white line indicating that they're on the wrong side. Around 6 people were all sitting in the middle of the cycle path and refused to move, bloody annoying. Cars popping out, I hate that. You have to slow down every time to check and it's extremely annoying.

Be predictable on the roads and you'll be safe.

 

[potsy]

It's not a great facility is it? I ride it quite a lot when I'm on the CX bike going to the TPT, or cutting through Wythenshawe park.
Worse time is when the schools are chucking out

 

[SportMonkey]

The dual carriageway bits around there I just take a lane.

 

[Ian Cooper]

...I have decided that the off road cycle paths are a bit of a joke... I am heading more back on to the roads where it is more predictable.

I disagree. Cycle paths (and bike lanes) are a complete joke. I avoid them at all costs. The road, as you say, is more predictable, and therefore safer.

Sadly, here in Maryland, we are required by law to use bike lanes where they exist. When I'm on a road that has them, I ignore them and use my L.A.B. training (rather than the Department of Transportation's ignorance) to determine the correct lane position. So far I haven't been ticketed for doing so.

 

[Psycolist]

My local cycle routes are a bit of a joke too. Its the poor quality surfaces that keeps me off them. I ride a hybrid so should feel reasonably comfotable on most surfaces, but the cycle path along this part of the essex coast is AWFUL. I've ridden on smoother dirt tracks than this, and after 2-3 miles of proper discomfort and starting to worry for the life of my wheels, I gave up and went back to the road. Not been back since. There is another cycle route that leads me to my favourite takeaway, It actually is ok in the evening, despite very poor distinction between pavement and road that you have to cross, I'm sure the 2 inch drop/ridge is deliberate, but during the day, dog walkers, mums with prams and hells granny in her four wheel electric buggy make it a danger, and because it passes 2 schools, its completley blocked to everyone twice a day. The cycle path is mirrored by a footpath 200 yards further up the road, and there is a 'NO CYCLING' sign aboth ends, but its ok for the local allotment holders to drive thier cars down there, always makes me chuckle, that one.

 

[Kiwiavenger]

I used to commute on the bristol to bath cycle track, been away from it for 3 weeks just cruising down nice Cornish lanes and went back to the track today.

I hated it! Lots of pedestrians, un leashed dogs, lots of 2 up through all the track even when overtaking peds or with other people heading towards them! Im gonna hit a longer, more roadie route tomorrow so I can fly!!! Lol

Sent from my LT15i using Tapatalk 2

 

[Holdsworth]

I was using a local shared use path that runs alongside a painful cobbled street yesterday and was stopped by an old lady who thought I was illegally cycling the pavement and warning me that I could be fined if caught by the plod. I pointed out to her that there was a shared use sign further back on a lampost, which admittedly was facing an awkward direction and not very visible from her location, and went on my way.

I have phoned the council up and asked them to see if anything can be done to make the shared use section of pavement more obvious to pedestrians. At the moment there is no indication where abouts it starts and finishes, I have a good idea where it runs to as there is a connecting cycle path just around the corner but nothing at the other end. They said that they'll send someone to have a look and see what can be done.

 

[Peowpeowpeowlasers]

They're not all bad. Here's a pretty good cycle lane that's well worth using:

http://goo.gl/maps/sj7F

I tend to prefer roads but I use that lane when in the area as there are only a couple of quiet junctions to cross, and the odd roundabout. Hardly any pedestrians. An even better cycle lane, nay, a superb cycle lane, runs on either side of the new A34 Alderley Edge bypass:



The surface is absolutely superb and it's dead easy to get on and off. Just what you need and frankly, anyone who chooses not to use it must be a diehard idiot, there's no reason not to. The A556 between the M6 and M56 is to be diverted in a few years time, a brand new section of road. I very much hope they'll build just as good a cycle lane there, too.

This one near Northwich, Cheshire, isn't bad. A bit bumpy but much better than cycling on the NSL dual carriageway:

http://goo.gl/maps/vAg1

The lanes underneath Manchester Airport are excellent:

http://goo.gl/maps/wXVC

Unfortunately once you're northwest of the runways heading to Hale, they become shockingly bad.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Kind of agree with you. I was on a shared use path and there was pedestrians and their dogs just going wherever they wanted with no regard for the thick white line indicating that they're on the wrong side. Around 6 people were all sitting in the middle of the cycle path and refused to move, bloody annoying. Cars popping out, I hate that. You have to slow down every time to check and it's extremely annoying.

Be predictable on the roads and you'll be safe.

What one is that? Except for a problem with the surface at some places*, the paths in my area (between Balloch and Glasgow) are reasonably ok, and quite honestly, you'd have to be a complete and utter brain dead moron to use the A82 for about 18 hours of every day! (I see the occasional person cycling on it during the day and I just cringe).



* - Where it goes from a nicely tarmacked path to closely packed gravel which just slows you down and might kill four road tires. You get to know where it does this and avoid it though.

 

[Ian Cooper]

They're not all bad. Here's a pretty good cycle lane that's well worth using

I would definitely use that - it's barely tolerable from my perspective. But there are a lot of things wrong with it.

As the person who posted the video mentions, that junction is awful (as are the other junctions the cyclist passes as the video proceeds). Also (and I'm fairly sure I'll be in a minority on this), the path, though wider than most, Is still too narrow. Even if it's only for one-way travel, there's no room to overtake - and if it's used for two-way travel, it's dangerously narrow. The real annoyance, in this regard, is that, along most of its length, they have plenty of room to widen it, but they chose not to.

I notice it has no road signs on it to alert cyclists to intersections. It does at least have reflective bollards where it meets the roadway, but right in the middle of the path - almost designed for distracted cyclists to collide with, throwing them into traffic. These junctions need to be wide curves, not 90 degree T-junctions, which are totally unsuitable for cycling. This is all evidence of 'Treating Cyclists As Pedestrians Syndrome'.

The problem is, the folks who design these paths are not usually cyclists. They are motorists, and like almost all motorists they assume we need a path that's only a bit wider than the width of our handlebars. They don't design in room for overtaking, nor for the natural wobble that comes with riding a two-wheeled vehicle.

I've canvassed many cycling instructors on this issue, and most agree that the minimum width for a one-way bike path ought to be ten or eleven feet. I realize that seems super-wide, but that's only because cyclists have been conditioned to think 3ft is wide enough. 11ft happens to be the minimum allowable width for a US travel lane. I don't think that's a coincidence, since the US road system was built by cyclists for cyclists in the 1890s.

 

[400bhp]

The surface is absolutely superb and it's dead easy to get on and off. Just what you need and frankly, anyone who chooses not to use it must be a diehard idiot, there's no reason not to. The A556 between the M6 and M56 is to be diverted in a few years time, a brand new section of road. I very much hope they'll build just as good a cycle lane there, too.

I never knew they had put in a very very good cycle lane along there. Will check it out Can you tell me whare you can get on and off?

I wonder if there is a recent new requirement that cycle lanes must be built for new roads?

Regarding the A556 diversion. My understanding is that it will not be diverted and the existing road will be made into a proper dual carriageway (where I suspect they will remove some of the lights and replace with roundabouts/sliproads/bridge/no entries.

 

[Peowpeowpeowlasers]

The A34 bypass? One of my routes takes in Jodrell Bank Telescope, so I go east past that, then north up Holmes Chapel Road. Straight over the roundabout, still heading north. It eventually becomes Chelford Road, you can see the new bypass go under the road at this point - you can't miss it.

http://goo.gl/maps/hOFO

So you just get on the nice slip road in the video above and off you go. I've never been on the section south of that road although looking at Streetview it certainly looks as though the paths go all the way:

http://goo.gl/maps/rRjk

As for the A556, it's very likely a brand new road is to be built half a mile or so to the west of the present road, from the M6 to Rostherne. The latter will become 2 lanes rather than 4. There's a chance that with the new road, a proper cycle lane will also be built, but I guess there's also a chance that they'll narrow the present A556 and stick cycle lanes there instead. Either way is fine with me. Of course local residents are all up in arms about the possibility of a new road, some even cite "cycling problems". Obviously those people don't do any cycling because if they did they'd understand how much of a barrier to cycling the present A556 is, just how bloody awful a road it is for everyone. There are only a few places to cross it, and they're all a bit dodgy, some more than others. They also whinge that there might not be a connection to the A50, but the A50 is a pretty quiet road anyway, so who cares? It's the usual NIMBY complaints from Cheshire householders worried that a few tens of thousands might be knocked from the value of their seven-bedroom homes.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-no...nutsford-altrincham-martin-bell-neil-hamilton

http://www.highways.gov.uk/roads/projects/14909.aspx

http://www.a556road.co.uk/#!

 

[400bhp]

The A34 bypass? One of my routes takes in Jodrell Bank Telescope, so I go east past that, then north up Holmes Chapel Road. Straight over the roundabout, still heading north. It eventually becomes Chelford Road, you can see the new bypass go under the road at this point - you can't miss it.

http://goo.gl/maps/hOFO

So you just get on the nice slip road in the video above and off you go. I've never been on the section south of that road although looking at Streetview it certainly looks as though the paths go all the way:

http://goo.gl/maps/rRjk

As for the A556, it's very likely a brand new road is to be built half a mile or so to the west of the present road, from the M6 to Rostherne. The latter will become 2 lanes rather than 4. There's a chance that with the new road, a proper cycle lane will also be built, but I guess there's also a chance that they'll narrow the present A556 and stick cycle lanes there instead. Either way is fine with me. Of course local residents are all up in arms about the possibility of a new road, some even cite "cycling problems". Obviously those people don't do any cycling because if they did they'd understand how much of a barrier to cycling the present A556 is, just how bloody awful a road it is for everyone. There are only a few places to cross it, and they're all a bit dodgy, some more than others. They also whinge that there might not be a connection to the A50, but the A50 is a pretty quiet road anyway, so who cares? It's the usual NIMBY complaints from Cheshire householders worried that a few tens of thousands might be knocked from the value of their seven-bedroom homes.
!

You're absolutely spot on with the A556 and the A50-the quiteness of the A50 meaning it is used for local TT's. Is the plan to put the road between The A556 and Whitley Lane (so east of High Legh Garden centre)? Whitley lane is a road used a lot by cyclists.

So you get on the bypass at Chelford Road and looks like you can get on and off at the extremeties too.

 

[Hacienda71]

I never knew they had put in a very very good cycle lane along there. Will check it out Can you tell me whare you can get on and off?

There is even a Strava segment for you on it Here although my speed is now eclipsed by a GB rider