Does people commuting on a cycle really reduce traffic?

[DonnyDarko]

Just a general question here. Don't bite me.

I've noticed on my way to work over the years that there are more cyclists (at least on my route). It's a route that used to be a dual carriageway and is now single with a central reservation and traffic lights. It's a route that used to be 40 and is now 30 with speed cameras. There's a cycle lane on the route now that seldom gets used.

There are at least a dozen traffic lights on the route so what I find is 10 cars will eventually get past a cyclist, and then sit at lights, the cyclist comes back past them as they're stationary, and then it starts again, one car at a time finds a point between a couple of bollards where its safe to go out of the lane, overtake the cyclist, then come back into the lane in front of them.

This goes on and on and on. And if there's a bus in front of you in a car, and a cyclist in front of the bus, everybody has to go at the speed of the cyclist until the bus turns off.

I find on my route that the more cyclists there are, the longer it takes you to get to work as you're constantly over taking them.

So I'll be voting no.

Please vote for me.

 

[gaz]

No, because the people who get out of their cars are overweight and aren't fit. so they are slow and just get in my way.
If they stay in there cars then they are in a fixed position stuck in traffic and I just cycle past them without any issues.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Think about all those lane reductions, traffic calming islands, traffic lights - they're there because motorised vehicles cannot be trusted to rely on their drivers' intelligence to get along without them. What slows me down the most in a car or on a bike is the whole infrastructure that's had to be put in place to control motorised traffic. Cars slow me down - no doubt about it.

I don't know the dual carriageway you're referring to, of course. But if the lane's been narrowed to make room for an unused cycle lane then I suggest that the cycle lane was designed by a driver. More likely that it's been narrowed to stop drivers killing themselves and other road users.

 

[gaz]

[QUOTE 1588028"]
The OP is talking about being in a car..not on a bike.
[/quote]

haha. i realise that now, i totally didn't read the first post

 

[ianrauk]

Just a general question here. Don't bite me.

I've noticed on my way to work over the years that there are more cyclists (at least on my route). It's a route that used to be a dual carriageway and is now single with a central reservation and traffic lights. It's a route that used to be 40 and is now 30 with speed cameras. There's a cycle lane on the route now that seldom gets used.

There are at least a dozen traffic lights on the route so what I find is 10 cars will eventually get past a cyclist, and then sit at lights, the cyclist comes back past them as they're stationary, and then it starts again, one car at a time finds a point between a couple of bollards where its safe to go out of the lane, overtake the cyclist, then come back into the lane in front of them.

This goes on and on and on. And if there's a bus in front of you in a car, and a cyclist in front of the bus, everybody has to go at the speed of the cyclist until the bus turns off.

I find on my route that the more cyclists there are, the longer it takes you to get to work as you're constantly over taking them.

So I'll be voting no.

Please vote for me.

If you are talking about being in a car, then good. Glad to hear that cyclists are slowing down the traffic.

 

[Red Light]

Just think how congested and slow it would be if all those cyclists were in cars in front of you causing the well know and common congestion from SWOT, to say nothing of trying to find a parking space when you got wherever you were going.

 

[Piemaster]

If you are talking about being in a car, then good. Glad to hear that cyclists are slowing down the traffic.

I'd rather not be thought of as a mobile speed hump, thanks.

 

[Red Light]

The poll result says Donny Darko is Donny Nomates.

 

[Dan B]

Cyclists are traffic.

 

[DonnyDarko]

[QUOTE 1588026"]
You got a link to the road please? A dual converting to a single with a centre res that is so tight, that traffic has trouble overtaking (a bus) don't sound right.
[/quote]

Yeah sure. I'll be vague as to the exact location as I have threads talking about bikes I'll be buying too.

Here's one stretch of road, it's the A34, what used to be the backbone of the country and still gets used by articulated lorries and a daily basis. Clearly it's a man road for bus routes too.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr...84r62h6SDG3rFz7WX2e8g&vpsrc=6&mra=ls&t=h&z=16

A) the first stretch from north to south, up to the roundabout, used to be a 50 I think some years ago, and a dual carriageway. Down to 40 when I drove but still dual. It's now a 30 with cameras and one lane with busses stopping all the time. Also there are loads of middle turning lanes for both sides, so it's hard to overtake not just by the central resevations and traffic lights but also near any junction either side.

B) the stretch after the roundabout going south is sound. Still dual and 40. Camera for safety (I totally agree with the placement of this one though it helps cars pulling off their drives by the looks of it).


The next section of road: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr...AMddNDe_yE2FbTYzJkPgw&vpsrc=6&mra=ls&t=h&z=15

C) the stretch going west to east from the roundabout used to also be dual and 40. Is now single and 30 with central reservation and middle turning lanes also. However this lane has a cycle path that seldom gets used.

D) the stretch going from south to east in the last map is a new road, a single, with bits of central reservation used as speed controlling by the looks of it to help lorries turning out of units / factories. This has a cycle lane one side (not sure if they always have them both sides but pretty sure point C above does from memory [being a driver of a car - not cycling]) and sledom gets used.

When you're stuck behing something in a car, driving down the 30 roads there, I tend to find a lorry or bus (or even a car sometimes) will get stuck behind a cyclist and not be able to overtake them for miles sometimes. Clearly this always causes tailbacks and it's hard to get out of it if you're at the back even if both the cyclist and bus turn off, there's now a lot of traffic and the lights alone just keep you help far back in it.

I guess what I'm saying (as I think I perhaps asked the question wrong there at the start?) is now I'm getting bikes for commuting (Had bikes for fun but never used them on the roads) it suddenly dawned on me that 'oh bugger, I'll be that guy that seems to hold up all that traffic in the morning'.

So I thought I'd ask what the crack is with the cycle lanes (thanks for the debris info there I'll no doubt be needing to explain this soon to some angry driver).

 

[snorri]

This poll demands great thought and consideration. Note, the question above the poll is not worded the same as the thread title.



The answer to the question above the poll must be NO, as people commuting to work cause an increase in traffic levels, regardless of mode of travel

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

Ah, here's the third question. That didn't take long. Yes, probably Milo was right.

 

[DonnyDarko]

The poll result says Donny Darko is Donny Nomates.

Bit harsh aint it? I'm only asking.

It doesn't matter what the results are, clearly whatever has the most votes is the correct answer to my (possibly asked-wrong) question. And I'm after the correct answer.

Seems when I'm on the bike then, going down this route, and I get tutted at, I'll be able to tell them (if I get the chance) that I ride on the road still when there are cycles lanes because it'll screw up my tyres or cause me to come off even perhaps. And I'll be telling that annoyed car driver that I'm sorry mate, think of the extra spaces you'd have at work if loads more cycled.

That's all I was after. Don't shoot the newbie now.

 

[2Loose]

Don't know about your route, but on mine the main thing that causes congestion (and means I am the fastest thing on the road) is the school runners in their 4x4s.

 

[ianrauk]

Bit harsh aint it? I'm only asking.

It doesn't matter what the results are, clearly whatever has the most votes is the correct answer to my (possibly asked-wrong) question. And I'm after the correct answer.

Seems when I'm on the bike then, going down this route, and I get tutted at, I'll be able to tell them (if I get the chance) that I ride on the road still when there are cycles lanes because it'll screw up my tyres or cause me to come off even perhaps. And I'll be telling that annoyed car driver that I'm sorry mate, think of the extra spaces you'd have at work if loads more cycled.

That's all I was after. Don't shoot the newbie now.

You don't have to tell them or justify anything. If anything tell them to mind their own bloody business.