Snow Bollards

[summerdays]

The Evening Post have an article about some new bollards that have been installed on a cycle path.... painted WHITE!!!

Now the article does say they intend to fit reflective bits and paint stripes on them ... but why not do that before you install them or at the point of installation.

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news...e-bollard/article-3025673-detail/article.html

In some ways I think he's a bit daft taking his story to the Cycle Hating Evening Post ... but it was a point that needed raising!

Its a well used path (Mr Summerdays uses part of it and has come across these bollards...) and I gather its not just one at either end of the cycle path. You do have to overtake pedestrians who walk on either side or even right across the path - and I can't imagine he was cycling along the line as the paint is quite raised, to the point that I dislike crossing it ... especially in this sort of frosty/icy weather. Presumably he was having to cross the line to either avoid them or another cyclist. They are a recent addition as they weren't there the last time I was on that path (OK I go the other side of the MOD but there must be some there for Mr SD to have seen them).

 

[HJ]

Those bollards look like a pointless waste of money, what are they there for?

 

[snorri]

Bollards at the side of a cycle route are dangerous whatever material they are made of, but the use of cast iron bollards shows a reckless disregard for public safety.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

the council spokesperson said they were put up to improve safety!

 

[fossyant]

Hmm, me thinks cyclist needs to look where he is going, or get better lights. He's using a cycle path, expect stupid road furniture, it's not a race track.

Waste of money though - why put them up ?

 

[Brains]

Many years ago cycling trough Canary Wharf where all around is sliver.
Silver buildings, silver water, silver glass, the silver bridge has silver bollards.
Guess what I hit in broad daylight.

 

[Jezston]

I'd be interested in knowing how those bollards would be useful in protecting pedestrians from cyclists if they prevent cyclists from being able to safely maneuver around pedestrians in the cycle lane.

 

[mr_cellophane]

Many years ago cycling trough Canary Wharf where all around is sliver.
Silver buildings, silver water, silver glass, the silver bridge has silver bollards.
Guess what I hit in broad daylight.

Is that the swing bridge between South Quay and CW, clearly marked "No Cycling" !

 

[mgarl10024]

Its a well used path

I'm having trouble working out where this path is. Along New Road?
Would you be able to provide a streetview as to where this accident occured?

Mr Summerdays uses part of it and has come across these bollards...

Hopefully he didn't hit them at speed.

 

[byegad]

Hmm, me thinks cyclist needs to look where he is going, or get better lights. He's using a cycle path, expect stupid road furniture, it's not a race track.

Waste of money though - why put them up ?

So use the road! The provision of &%*$ facilities is a deliberate attempt to discourage cycling as a means of transport. I gave up using cycle paths when my cruising speed on the flat exceeded 10mph. Dozy pedestrians (Especially with dogs.) and stupid 'management' devices make them OK for a family bimble but useless as a transport route. That's what the long, black tarmacy things all over the country are for, we pay for them, so use them!

 

[summerdays]

I'm having trouble working out where this path is. Along New Road?
Would you be able to provide a streetview as to where this accident occured?

Hopefully he didn't hit them at speed.

No Mr Summerdays has Ayup's so could presumably spotted those ... but I know he has commented on pedestrians wandering around on that path before now.

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&h...0332,-2.560244&spn=0.011033,0.027874&t=h&z=16

its one of the paths going around the MOD ... looking at the trees I think its on the railway side of the MOD so far more pedestrians using Abbeywood station to get to the MOD I suppose, whereas I use the other side near the new housing development which is used mostly by cyclists with the occasional jogger on it. Most cyclists have lights going along there as the next section is pitch black with no street lights etc going across playing fields. There wouldn't be enough room on one side of the path to comfortably pass another cyclist with both staying on that side of the line.

(Where is New Road? Googles ... ah the bit near Sainsburys - so not far away - other side of the MOD roundabout)

 

[HJ]

If you are using a bicycle as a means of transport do you have to cruise at a speed on the flat exceeded 10mph? I just to commute along a shared use path, at rode at a speed to suit the conditions, I expected to slow down when there were other users around, it wasn't a problem...

 

[summerdays]

So use the road! The provision of &%*$ facilities is a deliberate attempt to discourage cycling as a means of transport. I gave up using cycle paths when my cruising speed on the flat exceeded 10mph. Dozy pedestrians (Especially with dogs.) and stupid 'management' devices make them OK for a family bimble but useless as a transport route. That's what the long, black tarmacy things all over the country are for, we pay for them, so use them!

Its a route that cuts off a corner in cycling terms and doesn't run along side a road at all. Its used by MOD, HP, students at UWE, those going up to Parkway Station and others such as myself - its quite a busy route. Doesn't tend to be dogs on that route luckily.

 

[Moodyman]

That path , without the bollard, looks like it's wide enough for small cars. Maybe it's aimed at keeping drivers out.

 

[summerdays]

That path , without the bollard, looks like it's wide enough for small cars. Maybe it's aimed at keeping drivers out.

The path is wide enough just for a car... there has been a bollard at the end to prevent this anyway ... these are new bollards along the length. Also I believe there may be some right of way with the farm along the path ....

Goes off to find Bristol Traffic's pictures of this site ... I know they have covered it in the past ... though no comment on the bollards yet I think.

Found the one about the Right of Way:
http://bristolcars.blogspot.com/2010/06/mod-abbeywood-cycle-path-access-issues.html
Whether they are using the pedestrians as an excuse but why put in more than one bollard to prevent the car access?

And one showing a picture of the path on the railway side:
http://bristolcars.blogspot.com/2010/05/abbeywood-week-lockleaze-connection.html

And this is the side I use:
http://bristolcars.blogspot.com/2010/03/fixing-mod-roundabout-traffic-jam.html

All of those are pre-bollard days. Now I have a suspicion that one of the main correspondents for BT uses that route on his commute so I suspect I will see an entry on Snow White Bollards at some point.