Do we need a locked thread about the use of shared cycle paths?

[ufkacbln]

Signalling is my biggest priority

Rather than a complicated "pas de deux" see where the other rider is, clearly signal your intent and if clear move to the opposite side

Safer and quicker

 

[ufkacbln]

I think the phrase we use in some papers applies here - "known controversies"

Lets take speed on shared use

DfT = 18 mph
Sustrans 12 mph
Some local authorities 10 mph
Strava - as fast as you can

 

[Learnincurve]

I have been using shared cycle paths in Denmark for 12 years and have not had one single problem or altercation.

This is Denmark, in my area of the UK the majority of peds hold bikes in the same contempt that they would if they were in a car and hold you entirely responsible for not only their safety, their kid's safety but also their dogs safety.

The last one is new to me, in the summer as the paths were busy there were lots of dogs and they were all on leads, now it's quiet and there are no other dogs around people are letting theirs off the lead to just wander aimlessly around, to stand directly in front of your path and bark, or come out of nowhere and chase you.

Yes, I always slow down for people and animals, I even swerve for squirrels but A. I really shouldn't have to as people should be responsible for themselves and things that are in their care and B. You don't know that I will slow down, I may be a chav who expects you to be the one to move, or that old fella on his souped up electric bike going 20mph who also expects you to move.

 

[steveindenmark]

I have completely and utterly grasped the fact, which is why I ride so slowly, so as to avoid putting anyone at risk.
My point is that this is crap provision that slows both cyclists and pedestrians down and causes conflict and increased risk to both users. Seperate facilities would be faster, safer and more convenient for both groups.

I see what you are saying.

But in reality, you are fortunate that some Council has thrown you a bone by way of a shared path. Its pretty obvious that you are not going to get a dedicated cycle path. I dont even think we have them. It means you have to work with what you have.

I dont know about you but I prefer to share a path than to ride with the motorised traffic. I have not heard of anyone being injured on any of our shared paths but we do have our fair share of fatalities on the road.

In an ideal world, we would all have hovver bikes. But nobody has thought that most accidents would be fatal. Nothing is ever perfect and accepting that is a good start to making shared paths work.

 

[Sara_H]

I see what you are saying.

But in reality, you are fortunate that some Council has thrown you a bone by way of a shared path. Its pretty obvious that you are not going to get a dedicated cycle path. I dont even think we have them. It means you have to work with what you have.

I dont know about you but I prefer to share a path than to ride with the motorised traffic. I have not heard of anyone being injured on any of our shared paths but we do have our fair share of fatalities on the road.

In an ideal world, we would all have hovver bikes. But nobody has thought that most accidents would be fatal. Nothing is ever perfect and accepting that is a good start to making shared paths work.

You may well be right, Sheffield has quite an extensive network of poor quality cycling infrastructure, which I personally will use in preference to using the roads.
To me it's the better of two poor options, should I settle for this? My intention is to continue to campaign for better. It may not come in my lifetime, it'll never come at all if people don't campaign for it.

 

[Ganymede]

I used a shared path in Folkestone the other day - it's actually a national cycle route, and a lovely one. Coming towards me, filling the path, was a family of 4 adults, one with a zimmer frame, one carrying a child, one carrying bags, another with a stick. I slowed down massively but it felt awful feeling that I'd forced an aged bloke on a zimmer frame to shuffle out of my way (he was right in the middle). No conflict and nobody hurt - waves, smiles - perhaps there are not enough cycles along there for people to feel they have to be prepared, they just have to move on the rare occasions when one comes along. On other occasions I've had people coming towards me not make room - they just stare at me, I stop, they walk round me.

 

[Peteaud]

Dogs on 10M long leads, or just running about
Teenagers looking at nothing other than their mobile, head down, shambling along
Dog sh1te
Horse Cr@p
Broken glass
Peds on another planet.
Cattle grids, lethal in the wet.
Branches and tree roots.

V

Cars on a wide road.


I use the road.

 

[MontyVeda]

...
I have huge stretches where there are no pedestrians and I can push on but I have to take my time in other areas. People have the right attitude about shared paths in Denmark. Maybe its attitudes which need to change in the UK and I dont know how to do that.

shared use paths work much the same as roads, i.e.lower speeds in built up areas are required, otherwise it'd be carnage. If the conditions determine that one has to cycle at near walking pace, then so be it. I see enough cars drive around the one way system at near walking pace in the busy periods, and it's no big deal. Once out of built up areas one can increase their speed, which is why rural rocks and city sucks

 

[ufkacbln]

I used a shared path in Folkestone the other day - it's actually a national cycle route, and a lovely one. Coming towards me, filling the path, was a family of 4 adults, one with a zimmer frame, one carrying a child, one carrying bags, another with a stick. I slowed down massively but it felt awful feeling that I'd forced an aged bloke on a zimmer frame to shuffle out of my way (he was right in the middle). No conflict and nobody hurt - waves, smiles - perhaps there are not enough cycles along there for people to feel they have to be prepared, they just have to move on the rare occasions when one comes along. On other occasions I've had people coming towards me not make room - they just stare at me, I stop, they walk round me.

It is due to the physics of shoulders!

Shoulders work like magnets in that they repel, the difference is that shoulders do not have a pole that attracts

The shoulder repels from their shoulders, but also from the edges of a path or corridor

This is why when you put a single person in a corridor, the repulsion from the walls making the person walk down the centre

It is also why if you get two, three or four, they will be spread equidistantly as the shouldrs interact.

 

[mjr]

Shared use paths are crap. Most of my route to work is on shared use, which means I have to go very slowly. 4 miles takes about 35 minutes, on a good quality segregated route I reckon I could shave 10 minutes off!

And yet, most of my route to town is shared use, 4 miles takes about 20 minutes. It all depends on the attitudes of the users.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Dogs on 10M long leads, or just running about
Teenagers looking at nothing other than their mobile, head down, shambling along
Dog sh1te
Horse Cr@p
Broken glass
Peds on another planet.
Cattle grids, lethal in the wet.
Branches and tree roots.

V

Cars on a wide road.


I use the road.

I prefer the paths, where they're available, because regardless of the above long list of inconveniences, none of them have as much potential as cars to maim or kill you. I've ridden all my life and can ride confidently on roads, even busy ones, but I just prefer to use paths.

I could also add several inconveniences of roads, such as:

• fuel spills leaving a slippery residue;
• poorly-designed stormwater drain covers;
• various forms of detritus scattered along the edge of the road (quite often in the bicycle lanes);
• off-camber road slopes that can be treacherous in wet conditions (see also: fuel spills above); and of course
• motorists who, through ignorance, inattention (or in a few cases, malice) do really dumb things.

 

[Windassisted]

In rural France their scummy hounds always chase you down the roads with their gnashers snapping a few mm away from your ankles. I have found they always trail your left heel and have learned the knack of doing a sudden kick back with the left foot which usually leaves the mutt dazed sitting on it's tail in the dust.

 

[steveindenmark]

Here I am riding on one of our shared cycle paths on the way home. There is an identical path on the other side of the road.

Im glad Im not on that road.

 

[sheffgirl]

I often take a longer route to avoid certain parts of the cycle path on Penistone Road here in Sheffield. They are supposed tobe making iimprovements for cyclists by next spring so it will be interesting to see what this entails.

 

[Learnincurve]

@steveindenmark to be fair that lovely stretch of pristine and other people free tarmac bares absolutely no relation to most of them in the UK. I like being separated from HGVs myself and regularly use shared use paths to avoid them, not one of them has ever looked like that and I've had to put 25c marathon plus tyres on my new audux bike so I can ride on them.