Cycle Paths

[Glow worm]

We're all familiar with poor provision on the roads for cyclists. Especially cycle lanes which often end suddenly or are used as extra parking for cars. I can understand a lot of antipathy towards these. On my commute, I'm really lucky to have many miles of separate cycle paths next to the road (A1303) which are paved and even have little white lines on'em. Lovely. I'll try to attach an image of part of my route showing the path. Its nice and wide (5' or so) and normally free of debris and encroaching vegetation. The route is alongside a very busy road, one of the main routes into Cambridge from the north east. There are very few interruptions for road junctions or driveways on the path and you can get up quite a pace. A number of few fellow cyclists though still choose the busy road, and not always the really fast guys. Even I seem to go quicker than some which is a minor miracle. I'm not saying they shouldn't of course- they're fully entitled to use the road- I just can't imagine why anyone would, as it's quite a fast and very busy road. I've seen descriptions of the paths like I use as 'farcilities' on here but I think they're pretty good TBH. I know everyone's routes and options are different but I wondered if anyone on here risks busy roads instead of decent paths where they have the choice. Or am I over estimating the risks of cycling in fast moving traffic?

 

[dondare]

I ride on the road. Paths are for peds.

 

[DrSquirrel]

Because the design of these are not exactly uniform - if you come across a cycle path somewhere, you might get on it and end up somewhere totally different or it just ends soon.

Unless I knew it well I probably wouldn't bother.

 

[HLaB]

Because the design of these are not exactly uniform - if you come across a cycle path somewhere, you might get on it and end up somewhere totally different or it just ends soon.

Unless I knew it well I probably wouldn't bother.

+1 I know of good paths which I'll use but a strange path may will most likely end up in a detour/ obstacle; plus I usually want to be going 18mph+

 

[nasserblue]

That looks like a great path, and I'd certainly use it. Cycle paths on my commute in the city are joke, give me a bus lane any day.

 

[summerdays]

I always explore a path - you never know where it leads and when it might of use to know about it. I enjoy riding on paths especially those near busy roads that are not likely to have heavy pedestrian use that you can have a nice social chat with a friend on. But it is a case of trying it out and seeing if it is of any benefit to you or not (the shorter, narrower, busier and pedestrianised it is normally the less useful to you).

 

[summerdays]

That looks like a great path, and I'd certainly use it. Cycle paths on my commute in the city are joke, give me a bus lane any day.

Must admit I love bus lanes... especially when they can take a different route to the cars.

 

[Ravenbait]

I just don't use paths. I wouldn't use that one, either, because there are no lane markings, I can't rely on the behaviour of the other users being predictable, it is presumably shared with pedestrians and will not be maintained to the same standard as the road (I'll bet it's less reliably gritted in winter).

More than that, though, we have a right to use the road and drivers have to be constantly reminded of that right. They have to be accustomed to looking out for cyclists. The minute a cyclist abandons the road to use a segregated path he is leaving drivers with the impression that they don't have to share. That's my biggest beef with segregated facilities. They're a tacit acceptance of the "Gerroff my road!" Clarkson principle.

If other people choose to use them then that's up to them and I'd never berate a cyclist for choosing to use a decent path. I wouldn't, however, because I don't want drivers to forget that I belong in the same shared space as they do.

Sam

 

[marinyork]

The answer is that there aren't many paths like that in terms of roads on the edge of cities. Does the city boundaries of Cambridge reach out a fair way beyond what the natural boundaries are? Is that one reason why they exist? I've noticed before that Cambridge's cycle paths on the opencyclemap go out a fair way outside the built up areas versus other cities not just in one or two lucky places but in more or less every direction. Most other cities just don't have cyclepaths for this type of road. Infact here there's just one cycle path running along such a road inside the city for any length, a whole one with three other roads with shorter sections, that's it!

I'd describe the path as adequate, but I would note that as you said it is continuous, goes out a long way and does seem to have few interuptions. I would use the road most days but there may be the odd day where I'd get totally cheesed off with the traffic and go on the path.

 

[Alembicbassman]

The paths in Rotherham/Sheff are covered in glass, gravel, bits of metal, dog poo etc...

They are often intersected by junctions which you have to give way at.

The road is often cleaner and smoother with right of way at junctions.

 

[steve52]

someone pass this on to the dept of transport please, Why not make it a policy to, when biulding new roads or widening existingroads biuld a cycle path next to it ? the cost would be minimal

 

[snorri]

someone pass this on to the dept of transport please,

Are you too busy to do it yourself?

 

[steve52]

no just so shy lol, lets all pass it on to show support for the idear, ps i have emailed em

 

[Glow worm]

I ride on the road. Paths are for peds.

Fair Enough!!

 

[Glow worm]

More than that, though, we have a right to use the road and drivers have to be constantly reminded of that right. They have to be accustomed to looking out for cyclists. The minute a cyclist abandons the road to use a segregated path he is leaving drivers with the impression that they don't have to share. That's my biggest beef with segregated facilities. They're a tacit acceptance of the "Gerroff my road!" Clarkson principle.

If other people choose to use them then that's up to them and I'd never berate a cyclist for choosing to use a decent path. I wouldn't, however, because I don't want drivers to forget that I belong in the same shared space as they do.

Sam

I guess I'm a bit torn on that point. I completely agree we shouldn't be marginalised the 'gerroff my road' is unforgivable. For me, I do feel alot safer on a segregated path and find it much more pleasant and enjoyable, so that it slightly outweighs the above. Segregated paths don't seem to generate a 'get off my road' mentality in places like Holland. Maybe that's cos so many more drivers there are also cyclists?