Met criticises cycle superhighways

[Nigeyy]

Two things to take from the US sign:

1. it may well be useful in Cambridge, or the UK as culturally it is different from the USA.

2. I can tell you that living and cycling in the USA I would be very surprized if that sign is even remotely useful. Or observed. Or considered.

I certainly wouldn't recommend the US take on cycling (while it's not great, it's not the worst either in all fairness). And while I agree the Dutch system isn't perfect, it's the best I've experienced as well. However, it's all fine and dandy but someone has to pay for all the cycle friendly stuff -and there has to be the political motivation and will to do so. The photo of the roundabout is great, but that is a very expensive option too. Selling this idea and getting the political motivation and will to do something like that is the really hard part.

Certainly putting signs like that up around Cambridge would be damn useful.

There is a lot about cycling that's bad in the US. So that mean all signs etc. used aren't useful?

 

[SomethingLikeThat]

On the topic of the US Chicago has some quite good segregated lanes and cyclist-specific traffic lights too apparently. Sadly it is only a couple of miles long. This was done for cheaper than TFL did - $140,000 per 1/2 mile.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Brian Dorling was the first cyclist to die on one of the Cycle Superhighway routes.

Less than three weeks later 34-year-old Svitlana Tereschenko was killed by a tipper truck at approximately 4.45pm on the evening of Friday, November 11.

The inquest into Ms Tereschenko’s death returned a narrative verdict. Deputy coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe ruled that Ms Tereschenko died "as a result of traumatic road death".

Although the driver, Gurpreet Shergill failed to indicate and was talking on a mobile phone at the time, Dr Radcliffe went on to conclude "that nobody is to blame".

I wonder if the esteemed Dr Radcliffe would be as quick to cite that 'nobody is to blame' if it were one of her family killed by the non-indicating, phone-using tipper truck driver....?

 

[Buddfox]

I guess there are a couple of alternatives with regards to the cyclist and lorry running the red light on this roundabout:

a) cyclist stops, lorry stops and they both proceed on their journeys alive, or
b) cyclist stops, lorry carries on and kills the cyclist in front of him anyway

Hard to predict what would happen but I would tend to say, there is *usually* less risk of something bad happening if you stop at a red light.

I was a bit concerned when they reported on the news last night that these superhighways were just lanes of blue paint, they give no priority whatsoever. I made the assumption that these were official cycle lanes that just happened to have been sponsored in line with the Boris Bikes.

There doesn't seem to be any communication widely with regards to road safety and new initiatives. I've never seen anything publicised about ASZ's and I'm certain that most motorcyclists genuinely believe they are entitled to be there.

There's an irritating confusion on this topic - assuming I have my facts straight. The cycling superhighways which have a solid white line do have legal standing (e.g. CS8) as car drivers are not permitted to cross the solid white line into the cycle superhighway. Where this is the case on CS8, the solid line becomes dashed in parts to show car drivers where they can enter the lane to turn left. There are also signs indicating that this only applies at certain times of the day (IIRC 7am - 7pm Monday to Friday).

However in the case of this part of CS2 (and most of CS2 I think, I've not cycled the whole thing) there is no solid white line so it is, in effect, just blue paint and as much free for cars to use as any other part of the highway.

 

[mustang1]

To be fair, the Coroner no doubt was summising after having been provided evidence and expert advice from those more qualified than he (or her) to make that kind of statement.

budfox, glenn, longshot: thanks for clarifying.

 

[Longshot]

No doubt? I admire your confidence.

Thank you

 

[albion]

However in the case of this part of CS2 (and most of CS2 I think, I've not cycled the whole thing) there is no solid white line so it is, in effect, just blue paint and as much free for cars to use as any other part of the highway.

And they still big it up calling it 'Super'.
Yet, the normal UK solid white lined cycleways are not called 'Super' so they do not to inspire unwarranted rider complacency.

 

[Frood42]

I agree with the Met Police, they are ambigious, and rather than just being guideways, they need to be made cycle lanes, the space is there.

Most of the CS infrastructure through east of London is very, very poor, especially the CS2.
I go through Bow 4 times a day and if you do not have your wits about you and take an assertive line then it can be a horrible place to ride.

West to East I prefer to go over the flyover, and East to West I used to go over the flyover, however they are making changes East to West and when those works are done it should be much easier for bikes to go that way.

East to West they are working on segregated lanes from Stratford to Bow, with cycle lanes that go round to the left of Bus Stops with buses stopping on the main road, at the roundabout they are putting in an advanced box with traffic light control.
With the road works ongoing at the moment it can be a bit of a worry as the traffic has gone from 3 lanes down to 2, and down to 1 if you have the slower moving traffic of bicycles, which may lead to frustration in peak use hours.

However once the works are done it looks like it should be better than it was, but then when you go from Bow along the CS2 to Mile End Station it is so poor.
There is plenty of room and scope to make it a proper cycle lane, as most vehicles are forced to use the right hand lane anyway.
The CS2 should also then join up with the CS3, as I always turn left at Mile End Station down to the CS3, and again there is plenty of room and scope to do so, perhaps not a full blown CS, but defo a proper cycle lane.

The only CS I do not mind using is the CS8, as that is seperated off as a proper cycle lane, although in some places it does disappear, at least it is not just a bunch of paint that is just a guideway...

In general the CS's to me are just pants