Use the cycle path!!

[snorri]

Probably because they all understand and accept what shared paths are all about.

Unfortunately this mutual understanding is sadly lacking in the UK.

 

[classic33]

Im not quite sure what that means.

Exactly what it says.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Taking a leaf from @Yellow Saddle's pedantry book, minimum speed limits do exist (signs with white number on blue background) but I've never seen one outside of the highway code.

Tear away, there are plenty of pages in that book.

 

[mjr]

As this has been mentioned again as if I accepted it, I'll explicitly reject it:

By the time your bell can be heard, head swivelled to pinpoint and action taken, I'm down to walking pace. Do this every few hundred yards, and yes, I'm back on the road.

I'm back on the road if the cycle track's really busy with walkers but a group every few hundred yards isn't busy. I don't often have to slow to walking pace and I'm next to a major A road, so sorry but I'm suspecting your bell is a wimpy pinger or the track isn't wide enough for safe overtaking at speed or cyclists are rare enough there that people forget what a bike bell is or they forget that cycles might actually use the cycle tracks or something.

 

[EnPassant]

Enpassant.

I would like to comment. But in 15 years of riding on shared paths with peds, prams, dogs, mopeds, horses, those electric buggies old people use ans Apes....I mean those 3 wheel monstrosities. I have never had a problem getting past people.

Probably because they all understand and accept what shared paths are all about.

I'm not disagreeing with you Steve.
But further up somebody said that it doesn't appear to be the same in Denmark (or other places) as it is in the UK. I don't have 15 recent years experience here (and none in Denmark) but I have found in my current 2 years or so that cycle/shared paths are more of a frustration than an aid. Thus my current preference is to avoid them if I'm trying to get anywhere faster on the bike than I could walk it.
What I have learned so far from this thread is only re-enforcing that view.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Taking a leaf from @Yellow Saddle's pedantry book, minimum speed limits do exist (signs with white number on blue background) but I've never seen one outside of the highway code.

There used to be minimum speed signs (8mph) in the Clyde Tunnel.

GC

 

[classic33]

Taking a leaf from @Yellow Saddle's pedantry book, minimum speed limits do exist (signs with white number on blue background) but I've never seen one outside of the highway code.

Most are seen on motorways. Placed there following an accident, usually on both sides.

Other than that, last one seen was on the A629, 40mph and not a chance of doing half that.

Road number corrected in edit

 

[raleighnut]

The post you quoted says "I'm down to walking pace". At the risk of that very same sarcasm myself, I use brakes for this.

@briantrumpet stated that peds walk the entire width of shared space and slow you down.
@mjr stated you could use a bell to tell them you were there.
I replied that in my opinion you could do that, but you would still have to slow down, for the reasons stated in that post.

Thus, the thrust of my point is that if you are slowed to walking pace by enough peds, you are better off, as @briantrumpet is saying in the first place, using the road.

Now, if I happen to be on a shared use path, I will slow to the pace of the peds (using brakes ), I will let them know I am there (with a bell or a shout), and firmly believe that we should all take care for the most vulnerable in each situation, with vulnerable for modes of transport being those moving the slowest, so cars on road slow for bikes, and bikes on shared use slow for peds.

Forget bells or shouting what you need is really squealy brakes, don't half shift them off the cycleway fast. the 'band brake' on the back of my trike is surprisingly loud when it has got wet.

 

[EnPassant]

As this has been mentioned again as if I accepted it, I'll explicitly reject it:

I'm back on the road if the cycle track's really busy with walkers but a group every few hundred yards isn't busy. I don't often have to slow to walking pace and I'm next to a major A road, so sorry but I'm suspecting your bell is a wimpy pinger or the track isn't wide enough for safe overtaking at speed or cyclists are rare enough there that people forget what a bike bell is or they forget that cycles might actually use the cycle tracks or something.

You have more experience than I. But short of getting an air horn, which is ludicrous and scary and projects a view of impetuous cycling I detest I cannot say that a bell or a shout is sufficient to clear a path of pedestrians in time for me to maintain a speed greater than they are walking at.
They don't expect it, they have to turn and see where the sound came from, then decide what course of action to take to get out of the way. If there's a group it's worse still, as they have to determine which one moves out of the way, and in which direction; by the time they did this you're completely on top of them. Once a mile? ok, once every few hundred yards/metres and I prefer to use the road.

I will say again though that I am on this site to learn, and I hear what you are saying, as I did with Steve.

 

[steveindenmark]

Exactly what it says.

Which design changes are you referring to?

 

[Ajax Bay]

what you need is really squealy brakes, don't half shift them off the cycleway fast. the 'band brake' on the back of my trike is surprisingly loud when it has got wet.

Your post reflects my sentiments from Saturday's ride. Having fitted new blocks and failing to dodge the showers, they were getting used to the rim in a squealing complaining sort of way, and my mind turned to the effectiveness/merit of an electronic 'bell'/horn which rather than ringing, pinging or honking, emitted a quality squeal. The walkers on the shared traffic free (Exe Estuary) cycle path were quick to realise my presence behind them (quicker than any pleasant 'good morning' hail) and I passed quickly yet safely, without surprising them close up.

pedestrians exhibit what I can only assume to be some evolutionary trait which makes them spread out to fill as much of the path as possible

Pedestrians do not deliberately spread out on shared paths to obstruct cyclists, they spread out to walk alongside one another because that's a social thing to do. They're being sociable, rather the same as cyclists riding two abreast, when safe/reasonable so to do.

 

[mjr]

Pedestrians do not deliberately spread out on shared paths to obstruct cyclists, they spread out to walk alongside one another because that's a social thing to do. They're being sociable, rather the same as cyclists riding two abreast, when safe/reasonable so to do.

Not more than three or four abreast, else the people on each end struggle to hear each other unless shouting. It seems more natural to form into a teardrop or peloton shape after that. When I've seen five or so in one group walking line abreast, it was deliberately to obstruct cyclists because the fools didn't realise it was a legal cycle route (technically a bollarded road, but looks like a cycle track).

 

[Dogtrousers]

Taking a leaf from @Yellow Saddle's pedantry book, minimum speed limits do exist (signs with white number on blue background) but I've never seen one outside of the highway code.

Blackwall Tunnel approach from the North. I'll see if I can find a streetview image of it.

Here you go
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5...4!1sJd8NNx-iTkjQ2KgY8Uh25w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

[Racing roadkill]

Can somebody give me a good reason why some! cyclist don't use the cycle path when there is one provided. ?

Today between Ambleside and Windermere I was held up 4 times by cyclist not using the cycle path. The traffic ahead was held up by another one so tailbacks were now in progress. One cyclist even joined the tailbacks! All he had to do was go onto the shared pavement for cyclist just across the road! And he could of beat all the traffic. The blue sign was very clear to his right but still he refused to use it?

Whats going on ?. Why do so many cyclist refuse to use cycle paths that are provided?

I don't like fixing punctures when there is dog Sh1te and broken glass / idiot child on a scooter they can't control all over my tyres.

 

[dim]

some cycling paths have potholes as big as toilet seats and 6 inches deep, and the council is not fixing them. You have to cycle at 5 miles an hour on these, and you need one of these if you want to go faster: