Cycling against the the traffic flow on a segregated shared use path

[rockyraccoon]

A very busy two way road has a shared use cycle and pedestrian path on one side only (it is on the pavement away from the road and it is marked with solid white line and coloured surface).

There is no cycle path on the other side of the road (opposite direction). However, for a mile or two cyclists can use the bus lanes (with-flow bus and cycle lane signed) for a few yards only, then we are back sharing the road with busy traffic.

Would it be illegal to use the cycle lane facility (segregated pedal cycle and pedestrian route) to cycle against the vehicles traffic flow?

 

[Melonfish]

i would have thought that was in fact the intention of the cycle lane? if its off the road direction shouldn't be an issue.

pete

 

[ohnovino]

Cycle paths are two-way unless there's specific signage saying otherwise (which IME is very rare).

 

[pshore]

I have never seen a shared use off-road cycle facility that is one-way. Ocasionally the pavement markings imply one-way but they are never used with a real one-way sign.


I bet there is an example somewhere to prove me wrong

 

[400bhp]

I have been wondering recently. When you are against the traffic on a shared use path, is it courteous to turn off your front light, so as not to distract drivers?

 

[ohnovino]

I have never seen a shared use off-road cycle facility that is one-way. Ocasionally the pavement markings imply one-way but they are never used with a real one-way sign.

I bet there is an example somewhere to prove me wrong

The only one-way stretch I know of is here, and like you say it only has pavement markings. Note the naughty Google car illegally using the bus lane!

I have been wondering recently. When you are against the traffic on a shared use path, is it courteous to turn off your front light, so as not to distract drivers?

I do (or I spin the mount round so the light points straight down). My concern is that from a distance they'd think I was on the road heading straight towards them.

 

[tyred]

I have been wondering recently. When you are against the traffic on a shared use path, is it courteous to turn off your front light, so as not to distract drivers?

A good question! I was using a (very little used) cycle path against the flow of traffic a few weeks ago in the twilight and had lights on and oncoming cars were swerving out wide at the last moment as I assume some thought I was on the road and cycling in the wrong direction. I switched the light off rather than risk a car swerving into the path of an oncoming car. But then it was difficult for me to see the potholes/bollards/other obstacles on the path. You can't win.

 

[growingvegetables]

I have been wondering recently. When you are against the traffic on a shared use path, is it courteous to turn off your front light, so as not to distract drivers?

I turn mine off.

 

[Dan_h]

I used to turn my light off under these circumstances, then one day a car pulled across the cycle path to reach their drive... there was no collision but I stopped kind of quickly. The driver wound down his window and apologised (shock!) but did point out that I was hard to see me in the dark with no light on (even with my yellow viz jacket)! Since then I have always kept my lights on in the dark, cycle lane or not!

 

[BentMikey]

It'd be lights on for me, partly for the same reason Dan_h just posted, and partly because I want to see the path. It's up to drivers to deal with the conditions and the road they are using.

 

[pshore]

The only one-way stretch I know of is here, and like you say it only has pavement markings. Note the naughty Google car illegally using the bus lane!

Spin the StreetView round 180 and follow the cycle path against the intended flow to the junction - there is a "Cyclists Dismount" sign facing you.

 

[pshore]

I turn mine off.

Its pitch black on mine being between villages and there are no street lights. If you use basic lights you cannot see the edges of the path (road on one side, ditch on the other) and it is dangerous. Having a decent light, I do the pointy down thing as a compromise.

I have experienced cyclists' oncoming beams whilst driving and it is not pleasant but survivable. If you are polite and take to the road, the with-flow drivers hoot you for not using the path. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[ohnovino]

Spin the StreetView round 180 and follow the cycle path against the intended flow to the junction - there is a "Cyclists Dismount" sign facing you.

You see, that's what's so great about Liverpool City Council. Others would just use the one-way arrow, leading any cyclists who missed it to blithely carry on along the wrong side of the dual-carriageway. Only LCC have the vision to put that sign up

 

[Mugshot]

I have been wondering recently. When you are against the traffic on a shared use path, is it courteous to turn off your front light, so as not to distract drivers?

That's really interesting, I have a resonably long climb on my commute, I use the shared path which goes, in the direction I'm headed, with the flow of traffic. It's very dark, no street lights until the top, I have only once or twice seen a ped on it, I have however seen on more regular occasions a cyclist, I know it's the same one because they have two mega bright lights. I cannot see a thing when they are heading down the hill towards me and I generally stop until they've gone by.

 

[Arch]

It'd be lights on for me, partly for the same reason Dan_h just posted, and partly because I want to see the path. It's up to drivers to deal with the conditions and the road they are using.

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