I almost hit a child today & it's shaken me up (video). I Think I'll drive to work tomorrow.

[Mad Doug Biker]

Yes, design and construction quality are crucial. West Norfolk has some good ones, OK width, smooth surfaces and priority at road crossings with good visibility,

Probably similar to ours.

The thing that annoys me though is that the crap ones give the rest a bad name and then people get an 'attitude' about them, just like in that book I mentioned before. The guy slagged off my local paths seemingly just for the sake of it.

but we've also some horrors of narrow hand-laid washboard tarmac densely packed with blind driveway and over-the-shoulder side road junctions which are OK for small children going very slowly but not really safe for most people.

I've tested a nearby stretch at night and I can go about 10% faster on the A10 than on the best bit of the cycleway next to it which I think is because the road is smoother, worn by heavy vehicles more than the cycleway. However, in the daytime, I'd want to go about 100% faster than I usually ride because I'd have motor vehicles up my chuff for most of the ride, which isn't as fun.

The times I have used the road, recently because of ice on the untreated cycleway and once because police had closed it to deal with a car crash that had overfilled, were unpleasant abuse- filled experiences. It's not because of the cycleway because I used to ride there before the cycleway was built and there was abuse then too.

I was looking at the A82 between Dumbarton and Bowling and then Bowling to the Erskine Bridge today (the corresponding path which admittedly is on the canal path from Bowling onwards), and the reason why I personally think th A82 is slower compared to certain sections of my local path is because

A - The surface of the road is slightly rougher (newly laid I think) as a pose to the (largely) smooth surface of the path (I don't know when it was last paved, but I haven't seen it being done in years).

But, just as crucially:

B - On the cycle track, you are largely surrounded by trees, walls, a railway track, a river, a canal etc. The enclosed nature of it probably gives it the impression of speed as a pose to the roads with its openness. I have never felt faster on the A82, something no doubt reenforced by me knowing I am the slowest thing about.

I genuinely will need to get a helmet cam and time the two so I can present my 'findings'

 

[mcshroom]

Right finally had a chance to see the video. Can I just say that was very well handled @Mr_Kipling. Well done

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Right finally had a chance to see the video. Can I just say that was very well handled @Mr_Kipling. Well done

'He reacted quicker than a shaft of lightning'

 

[Ticktockmy]

Dogs on those long invisible leads are fun as well, when the owner is on one side of the path and the dog is sniffing around in the bushes on the other side.

 

[Arrowfoot]

A cycle path next to Pedestrian path separated by white line or a narrow boundary is as dangerous as they come. Better to have single wide path. Urban planners are now realising this and now putting cycle paths well away from pedestrians paths.

It just not the kids and pets, its the joggers and fitness conscious walkers that prefer the cycle path. I rather take the road.

 

[mjr]

A cycle path next to Pedestrian path separated by white line or a narrow boundary is as dangerous as they come. Better to have single wide path. Urban planners are now realising this and now putting cycle paths well away from pedestrians paths.

It just not the kids and pets, its the joggers and fitness conscious walkers that prefer the cycle path. I rather take the road.

I think it doesn't matter whether they're white-lined or separate: unless they're side by side next to the road with the cycling bit nearest the carriageway, some people will walk on the cycleway and some will ride on the footpaths, for various reasons.

Otherwise, wide paths with sharing signs seem as good as it gets. Ring bells and most people share nicely. There are a few obstructive nits, but a nit on foot is less dangerous than a motorised nit.

 

[Eagone]

Well handled from a stopping point of view and dealing with the kid and his father.
I wish more had the same decorum and attitude.
Hope your now back on your bike.

 

[Sandra6]

Pfft, disappointing, I was expecting blood splattered pavement and a tire tread to the face at the very least.
I've hit my own children harder when cycling
You won't go so fast next time and you'll be ready for them.
Although your reflexes were fairly lightning as it is.

 

[NormanD]

Pfft, disappointing, I was expecting blood splattered pavement and a tire tread to the face at the very least.

Spoken like a true Northerner

 

[kelvecion]

Well pulled up.

 

[Puddles]

I was on a cycle path witch I won't use again, Child on scooter coming towards me. I thought he saw me as his dad called to him and another cyclist had just passed them. child turns right into my line of travel about 3 meters ahead of me. I walked most the way home after that.
I think I will leave the bike at home for a few days.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEt8HjdwPJ8&feature=youtu.be

Live in a quiet road area and you have lots of people doing this when you are on the road... usually an older "child" who just steps of the pavement infront of you as traffic is so light, attached to some device with headphones and despite me at the time having a small child playing harmonica loudly or the pair of us singing, they neither see nor hear you and simply step right in front of you.

Get back in the saddle! The first time this happened to me I was so glad Bertha's brakes were tiptop to stop the road train (Heavy dutchie bike, heavy trailer - filled with picnic & child, heavy me) before we hit them I swear we nearly ended up stood on end , it nearly required clean knickers!

You cycle and learn.. I have recently learned I can dismount a moving bicycle whilst simultaneously grabbing the plasters and wipes when my 4 year old skids and comes off her bike and screams (she does not normally say anything just dusts herself down and gets back on) when I had just registered passing a big patch of broken glass... I have also learned going round a corner on a cycle path horizontally with a wee hoo attached containing a small child is not the best but I can remove myself and then lift quite a few kilos of bike, weehoo and chilld back into a vertical position in seconds and check and unclip said child (whose only response was I don't want to do that again Mummy) whilst one leg is leaking red stuff (that stopped traffic!)

I will admit I had wobbly legs the next time we went out after the last incident but I also knew if I didn't "get back in the saddle" it would become a big teeth gnashing monster in my head. Chalk it up to experience no one was hurt and be more careful around the unpredictable little beasts next time.

 

[clay_bs7]

Just wanted to chime in and say you handled that perfectly.