Dangerous Cycle Lane?

[HLaB]

No. the clip is available if you want to see it. I say,

'Look, there's even a wee lane for you!'

I'll take your word for it, I've no sound here and youtube is supposed to be blocked too.

 

[Andy Pandy]

The guy on the mtb didn't seem at all phased by the left hook. Just kept on going. I would have been screaming and shouting at the driver!

 

[biking_fox]

As cycle lanes go it's pretty good. If you are going to have a cycle lane painted on the road than it is Vital that it continues across all the junctions/danger areas as that one shown does.

This means that for the drivers who do notice the green paint, there is a chance they will realise there are cyclists in their path. Having a cycle lane that stops just before a danger point really is useless.

It's a seperate discussion whether or not road markings improve safety overall.

 

[hackbike 666]

+47

 

[marinyork]

I'd say it's bad not for one but for two reasons. Firstly there's the left hand chop but secondly there's a potential flooring for someone in that cycle lane from a right turner because (a) reduced visibility of being stuck on the left ( reduced visibility for someone doing a chop (close or not) or just overtaking close to the junction. In places where traffic frequently turns in/out of side roads this is a real issue.

 

[magnatom]

I'd say it's bad not for one but for two reasons. Firstly there's the left hand chop but secondly there's a potential flooring for someone in that cycle lane from a right turner because (a) reduced visibility of being stuck on the left ( reduced visibility for someone doing a chop (close or not) or just overtaking close to the junction. In places where traffic frequently turns in/out of side roads this is a real issue.

Exactly. This is a junction where most of the traffic does turn across the lane (nearby school). For those who think that the lane is ok, what road position would you recommend when passing this junction?

 

[HLaB]

Unfortunately I know a few similar roads and I don't think the lanes are actually that bad its just the ignorance/ selfishness / (pick a swear word) that create a dangerous situation. Unfortunately as is life you have to be aware of these idiots and if necessary ignore the lane at the junction/ be a bit further out.

 

[magnatom]

Unfortunately as is life you have to be aware of these idiots and if necessary ignore the lane at the junction/ be a bit further out.

This is my point HLaB. Because drivers will ignore it, and will try and beat the cyclist to the junction and cut across the if allowed, is exactly why this lane shouldn't be there. Not only does it stop the cyclist thinking for themselves (which could be argued for most if not all cycle lanes on the road), it teaches them a road position that in an ideal world would be fine, but in reality places them in danger.

I never used to be too bothered about cycle lanes on the road (cycle paths/routes are not a problem), but I really am starting to see cycle lanes as part of the problem and not part of the solution.

 

[marinyork]

The problem with the cycle lane is it's a little tempter in the back of some people's minds.

There's enough ultra aggression on a few left/right sideroads as it is without the added vurnerability of cyclists.

 

[atbman]

And what would have happened to that cyclist if the lane wasn't there? Would that have eliminated the left hook?

The issue there was the poor driving, I'm afraid.

 

[marinyork]

And what would have happened to that cyclist if the lane wasn't there? Would that have eliminated the left hook?

The issue there was the poor driving, I'm afraid.

It may well have eliminated the left hook.

 

[boydj]

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.

 

[purplepolly]

Even worse is the lane at the very start that follows the turning to the left, anyone in the gutter who's going straight on is really in trouble

 

[HLaB]

Even worse is the lane at the very start that follows the turning to the left, anyone in the gutter who's going straight on is really in trouble

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 ?

 

[magnatom]

And what would have happened to that cyclist if the lane wasn't there? Would that have eliminated the left hook?

The issue there was the poor driving, I'm afraid.

Yes poor driving. No argument there. But having cycle lanes such as this sends a message, that this is where cyclists should be, and in this situation this is exactly where the cyclist should not be. Cycle lanes like this cause more problems than they solve.