Near punchup

[Cush]

Just witnessed what was nearly a punch up between two cyclists and a motorist and it brought up one or two interesting points. The motorist turned in to a very narrow road that is one way only, it goes steeply down hill and leads to an old railway line used as a NCR, on one side is a very narrow pavement. The turning is off a dual carriageway, it is very tight and crosses a pavement shared by pedestrians and cyclists. I often use it as a motorist and know how awkward the turning is, you have to slow down almost to a stop because of the pedestrian / cyclist element but at the same time you have to watch your back for the traffic coming behind you on what is a very busy road.

I came on it today as two cyclists in full urban camouflage and .panniers came out of it two abreast and were nearly in to the motorist turning into it. The cyclists immediately started to give the driver lip in a very aggressive manner. I pointed out that they were coming out of a one way road the wrong way and one of them pointed to a National Cycle Route way marker showing a right and left turning. The marker is on the post that carries a No Entry sign. I did not get involved any further but carried on down the road to join the cycle route. The motorist over took me as I was turning on to what I know as the cycle route and his fist came out of the window, don’t know if it was friendly wave or a Damm all cyclists one. I will make a point of either cycling or walking past that area in the next few days to check out that sign and will be carrying a camera. My sympathies here was with both parties who until I do a full check were I believe caught out by bit of bad road planning.

 

[Moodyman]

Could've been worse Cushy. I'd notify local council to have it corrected if the sign is misleading.

 

[Cush]

Senior member, I have Just got back out of the garden, lost most of my onions, they just havent done at all but the leeks are not too bad. As any one in our area knows there is a pretty powerfull figure on our council or rather one who pulls political strings on the council who blocks any thing to do with cycling, thus for fourty years we have been trying to get a disused railway bridge over the Eden opend up as a walking / cycling route but I will certainly get to the bottom of signs and if they are wrong I will involve the highways department.

 

[Arch]

Ah, now, this raises a question I've been wanting to ask for a while and forgetting.

If you have a road that is no-entry at one end, and one way, than any road that feeds into that road should have an arrow opposite the junction, indicating which way traffic must turn.

But a bike can often join a road at places other than a road junction - if a cyclepath exits onto it for example. If there's no arrow indicating which way to turn, then in theory a cyclist could be unaware of the road's one way status....

Ok, that's not really a question, more an observation. I'm thinking of one particular road near me, where a cyclist might push their bike through an alleyway from some houses behind the street, and arrive at the road with no idea that it's one way, because the only indication of oneway-ness is the no-entry at the top end.

(Being a local, of course, they'd know, but suppose they were a visitor...)

Tht said, most of the contraveners I see have clearly just ignored the no entry sign.

 

[hackbike 666]

Obviously some motorists class as all the same yobs.

 

[HLaB]

I know of a few similar contra one ways on the NCN but on their web page or on their maps there'll be a comment like 'walk your bike up the street'

 

[snorri]

NCR,

You had me baffled there for a bit, but I think you mean NCN, National Cycle Network. Better to have it right if complaining to any official bodies.

 

[CharlieB]

There's one exactly like that where I live, where a no entry sign has blue NCN signage pointing in attached to the same post. What's the official line?

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I know of a few similar contra one ways on the NCN but on their web page or on their maps there'll be a comment like 'walk your bike up the street'

...all good and well but how do you know that if cycling along it?

 

[HLaB]

...all good and well but how do you know that if cycling along it?

Precisely, folk just see an arrow and follow it, its not their fault.

 

[Cush]

I have rechecked this junction today and taken photos. One of these photos clearly shows that there is no room for a car and a cyclist going in different directions. Another photo shows that cyclists are directed up the one way road against the flow of the traffic. I will think about this for a day or two and will probably get in touch with the local press as they may have more clout than me.

 

[Arfcollins]

Senior member, I have Just got back out of the garden, lost most of my onions, they just havent done at all but the leeks are not too bad.

Ditto with my onions. On the bright side the carrot root fly was missing for most of the summer so the hard winter must have done some good (even though bad for commuting on a bike - see, this isn't off topic after all!)

 

[661-Pete]

From my experience those NCN signs are as difficult to spot as anything - playing the Where's Wally game is a doddle in comparison! In fact, the only time I can recall noticing them is when I'm not on the bike! But to my mind, where they do exist they don't confer any additional rights or privileges to the cyclist - merely point out to him or her a suggested cycling route.

A google maps location of the precise spot would be useful, Cush. Then we can see the problem for ourselves.

 

[MartinC]

From my experience those NCN signs are as difficult to spot as anything - playing the Where's Wally game is a doddle in comparison! In fact, the only time I can recall noticing them is when I'm not on the bike! But to my mind, where they do exist they don't confer any additional rights or privileges to the cyclist - merely point out to him or her a suggested cycling route.

A google maps location of the precise spot would be useful, Cush. Then we can see the problem for ourselves.

It begs the question of - if they suggest it as a cycling route don't they expect you to be cycling?