Dangerous Cycle Lane?

[magnatom]

The lane could be wider. The street is wide enough not to need a cycle lane anyway, but by Glasgow standards is not too bad a lane. The savvy cyclists should know to pull out a bit wider before the junction, and the not so savvy are likely to be cycling in the gutter anyway. Left hooks and right crosses are down to bad driving and it's experience, not cycle lanes that mitigate these.

If you want a really bad example, try cycling North across the Clyde on Commerce St. From a reasonable lane on the left, the cycle lane goes onto the pavement where it meets an East / West bi-directional pavement lane just where the peds accumulate to cross the road - here
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...0067&spn=0.001283,0.00338&t=k&z=18&iwloc=addr

In fact the whole of the Broomielaw cycle lane is a joke.

I don't know the area, but maybe we really need to do something about this. Maybe we need to get out filming cycle lanes that we think are dangerous or plain stupid showing why and send the details to the people that are painting them. I'm really getting fed up with these misguided attempts at helping us (ticking boxes)

 

[boydj]

Agree - maybe an e-mail to the council is in order. I think I'll get one off to them about the Broomielaw.

 

[HF2300]

I'm really getting fed up with these misguided attempts at helping us (ticking boxes)

The part in brackets is closer to the mark. They aren't attempts to help, they're attempts to comply with central government directives at minimal cost.

 

[Origamist]

I don't know the area, but maybe we really need to do something about this. Maybe we need to get out filming cycle lanes that we think are dangerous or plain stupid showing why and send the details to the people that are painting them. I'm really getting fed up with these misguided attempts at helping us (ticking boxes)

The fundamental problem is this country's driving culture; infrastructure is only a side issue (but one that leads to a lot of hot air).

In the Netherlands and Denmark there are 100000s miles of lanes/paths and the KSI rates are far better than this country - if cycling provision is really that dangerous, the only credible explanation for this is the safety in numbers effect and much better motorist behavior. These key and vexatious issues need addressing and I'm not hopeful of much short-term progress.

 

[biking_fox]

"Exactly. This is a junction where most of the traffic does turn across the lane "

Then the problem isn't the cyclelane it's the road layout. If most of the traffic turns left than that should be the road priority with "straight on" being changed to a Right hand turn - which would clearly position the cyclist out of the way of the left hook.

Yes the lane could be wider, maybe even should be, the cyclist certainly ought ot be, but that doesn't make it a bad cycle lane, compared to most.

 

[magnatom]

"Exactly. This is a junction where most of the traffic does turn across the lane "

Then the problem isn't the cyclelane it's the road layout. If most of the traffic turns left than that should be the road priority with "straight on" being changed to a Right hand turn - which would clearly position the cyclist out of the way of the left hook.

Yes the lane could be wider, maybe even should be, the cyclist certainly ought ot be, but that doesn't make it a bad cycle lane, compared to most.

Sorry what I should have said was that most of the traffic turns across the lane here close to the start and end of school hours. Other than that it's probably 50/50.

The width of the lane isn't too bad actually, compared to some. It is the fact that it continues over the junction (very close to it!) and directs the cyclist into the zone of greatest danger.

 

[BentMikey]

It's a negligently designed cycle lane because it puts cyclists to the left when they should be in the middle of the road across such a busy junction.

 

[magnatom]

It's a negligently designed cycle lane because it puts cyclists to the left when they should be in the middle of the road across such a busy junction.

+1

 

[Jeremy Parker]

I think this cycle lane is dangerous. the local council in their wisdom has decided to repaint it (it was very faded until now, with good reason!!). I think it is very dangerous, what do you think?

The lane is "advisory", with a dashed edge, i.e. cars are not forbidden to enter it. Sometimes this indicates that the traffic engineers know that the road design makes it essentially impossible to stay out.

Generally coloured paving is only used where special emphasis is needed. In other words technicolour indicates that a scheme has failed or obviously (to a traffic engineer) would fail in black-and-white.

Thus think "green for danger", and the turning car shows us why.

Jeremy Parker

 

[boydj]

Do you mean at Kingston St, I'm guessing from the road markings (the bus lane continues solid to the junction) that the left turn is banned ?

No, Kingston St is on the south of the river - part of my homebound commute as it is one-way westbound at that point. Bad junction is on the North of the river where Commerce St meets the A814 (Broomielaw) which runs east/west along the north bank of the river.

Edit - just realised the map I linked has jumped to the South you need a couple of clicks north to go across the river to the junction in question.

 

[HLaB]

No, Kingston St is on the south of the river - part of my homebound commute as it is one-way westbound at that point. Bad junction is on the North of the river where Commerce St meets the A814 (Broomielaw) which runs east/west along the north bank of the river.

That's where I thought you meant boydj (north of the river), it was just when purplepolly started talking about another problem I thought they were referring to there, not you.

 

[dellzeqq]

it's a waste of time, and increases risk, rather than reduces it

 

[hackbike 666]

dellzegg why have you got your address in the location bit?

Is it such a good idea?

 

[Cab]

Bog standard, ordinary, every day cycle lane. So, yes, its only contribution is in giving inexperienced cyclists a false sense of security while actually increasing risk, while making the motoring majority believe that something is being done to encourage cycling (thus making the road quieter for their continued selfish driving habits).