Shared use path/lanes?

[martint235]

Giving cycle traffic an optional refuge from sh*t driving isn't so different...

The majority of driving isn't though. It's only the people who drive in the way RR cycles "Everyone out of my way, coming through" that are an issue.

Having paid my taxes to fund a decent network of roads to cycle on I'm loathe to spend more on cycle tracks that invariably take me either to places I don't want to go or a longer way around to where I initially wanted to get to.

 

[mjr]

The majority of driving isn't though. It's only the people who drive in the way RR cycles "Everyone out of my way, coming through" that are an issue.

Oh indeed. It only takes a minority of RRs to screw things up, though.

Having paid my taxes to fund a decent network of roads to cycle on I'm loathe to spend more on cycle tracks that invariably take me either to places I don't want to go or a longer way around to where I initially wanted to get to.

Yes, and if I was cycling where you do, with the sorts of shoot tracks you describe, I'd probably be the same. Happily, it's not necessary for tracks to be shoot and not everywhere is like that. The problem IMO is shoot tracks, not tracks.

 

[Racing roadkill]

The majority of driving isn't though. It's only the people who drive in the way RR cycles "Everyone out of my way, coming through" that are an issue.

Having paid my taxes to fund a decent network of roads to cycle on I'm loathe to spend more on cycle tracks that invariably take me either to places I don't want to go or a longer way around to where I initially wanted to get to.

True, hence the reason I do avoid them if possible.

 

[Racing roadkill]

"Everyone out of my way, coming through".

Now you're talking.

 

[martint235]

True, hence the reason I do avoid them if possible.

I've never had an issue avoiding them. Most of the time the quickest way between A and B is down the nearest A road.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I've never had an issue avoiding them. Most of the time the quickest way between A and B is down the nearest A road.

That depends on whether or not you have been given a route to follow, and you have to use them. I try to use the 'dynamic reroute, due to poor condition / dog shyte / broken pointy stuff' excuse, but I can't do that, if the alternative adds too many miles

 

[martint235]

That depends on whether or not you have been given a route to follow, and you have to use them. I try to use the 'dynamic reroute, due to poor condition / dog shyte / broken pointy stuff' excuse, but I can't do that, if the alternative adds too many miles

I don't tend to do that kind of ride. I do the occasional audax so I have some flexibility eg on LEL I got very bored and grumpy on some small lanes North of Brampton so I used the A7 instead

 

[boydj]

It doesn't bother me, I just don't fancy spending time scraping bits of animal / people off of my spokes. A road isn't specifically designed for any type of road user, a SEGREGATED CYCLE LANE WITH GREAT BIG PICTURES OF A BIKE ALL OVER IT, kind of is designed to try and persuade a particular demographic, to stick to the bit, with the obvious clues on it. In case anyone is truly that hard of understanding, BIT WITH PERSON PAINTED ON IT, for people, BIT WITH BIKE PAINTED ON IT, for bike. There, I even capitalised, and made bold the clues for you.

And you expect kids and dogs to understand this? I've seen a'holes bombing down shared cycle paths, shouting at pedestrians - it's an unedifying sight.

 

[NorthernDave]

I've posted elsewhere about my 'fun' at the weekend with a number of pedestrians who simply won't play the game - and I don't race about or expect them to leap out of the way, but an awareness of their surroundings would be a start. They are probably the same people who drive in the middle lane of the motorway at 50mph regardless of traffic.
The trouble is that round here, most cycleways / tracks / shared spaces are actually pre-existing footpaths with a bike painted on them and they simply aren't wide enough.
Anyone who has seen the laughable excuse of a Cycle Super Highway in Leeds will know what I mean. £29 million to put in a few kerbs and a cycle track that isn't wide enough for two bike to pass each other on and large sections of it are a narrow free for all shared space that weaves around bus stops and the queues at them (the uphill section from the city centre to Torre Road alongside the A64, for a start).

 

[martint235]

I've posted elsewhere about my 'fun' at the weekend with a number of pedestrians who simply won't play the game - and I don't race about or expect them to leap out of the way, but an awareness of their surroundings would be a start. They are probably the same people who drive in the middle lane of the motorway at 50mph regardless of traffic.
The trouble is that round here, most cycleways / tracks / shared spaces are actually pre-existing footpaths with a bike painted on them and they simply aren't wide enough.
Anyone who has seen the laughable excuse of a Cycle Super Highway in Leeds will know what I mean. £29 million to put in a few kerbs and a cycle track that isn't wide enough for two bike to pass each other on and large sections of it are a narrow free for all shared space that weaves around bus stops and the queues at them (the uphill section from the city centre to Torre Road alongside the A64, for a start).

I sympathise to an extent but just use the road. It's what it's there for.*





*People may be guessing I'm not a big fan of segragation. I thought I'd better disclose because there seem to be many camps: helmet wearing segragationists; non helmet wearing segragationists; "why aren't we more like Holland" segragationists. I commute. I want to get from home to work as slowly as I reasonably can whilst still claiming to be working and to get home as fast as possible, This involves no cycle paths, tracks or ASL but a lot of big A road

 

[NorthernDave]

I sympathise to an extent but just use the road. It's what it's there for.*





*People may be guessing I'm not a big fan of segragation. I thought I'd better disclose because there seem to be many camps: helmet wearing segragationists; non helmet wearing segragationists; "why aren't we more like Holland" segragationists. I commute. I want to get from home to work as slowly as I reasonably can whilst still claiming to be working and to get home as fast as possible, This involves no cycle paths, tracks or ASL but a lot of big A road

I don't have a problem with using the road, but there are places where I cycle (Wyke Beck Way, NCN66, etc) where there is no "on Road" option.
Equally, the changes made for the CSH are narrowing the carriageway and removing on road cycle lanes in favour of segregated or shared spaces.
Leeds council makes a lot of noise about being pro-cycling, but seems to leave infrastructure to people who don't ride a bike...

 

[mjr]

Equally, the changes made for the CSH are narrowing the carriageway and removing on road cycle lanes in favour of segregated or shared spaces.
Leeds council makes a lot of noise about being pro-cycling, but seems to leave infrastructure to people who don't ride a bike...

I've been reading reviews like https://departmentfortransport.word...ore-terrible-cycleways-on-york-road-in-leeds/

It might possibly be the worst of the "Cycle City Ambition" projects and, given the hash made in Norwich, that's quite an achievement.

 

[NorthernDave]

I've been reading reviews like https://departmentfortransport.word...ore-terrible-cycleways-on-york-road-in-leeds/

It might possibly be the worst of the "Cycle City Ambition" projects and, given the hash made in Norwich, that's quite an achievement.

To be fair, it's worse than that review suggests it is - or at least the bits that are finished are.
It was originally meant to be completed in Dec 2015, now it's "Spring" (presumably 2016) - which seems highly unlikely given what is still to do.