Well-defined cycle lanes?

[ufkacbln]

THe colour needs to be consistent..

In Gosport they use the "red" colour.... easy and unmistakeable

Until you use the same colour for the promenade walk in Lee on Solent. Lots of people assume that it is a shared use when it is not

 

[thomas]

1.5m is the minimum recommended width. 2m is preferred and 2.5m is recommended where cycle flows are high. What we tend to get only meets the minimum requirements and some lanes don't even make the min width.

The Dutch recommend a minumim of 2m, but for heavy cycle flows, recommend 4m.

Dutch cycle lanes sound loooovveeelyyy . In practice, is the recommendation actually followed, or are some cycle lanes there a bit pants too?

It might sound excessive, but something like a 2m, or 4m. Only because then car drivers don't really need to do anything to overtake us, so the fact that cycle lanes reduce overtaking space doesn't matter.

 

[XmisterIS]

I cant remeber who said it in this thread, but the fact that some car drivers tend to ignore white lines is the major problem in this country. Also, the attitude of those that do is rather one-sided - it's fine for them to drive as they please, but if you so much as pop the sidewall of your bike tyre over the white line at the edge of the cycle lane, they have a chimpanzee-fit at you!

Cunobelin - in fareham they have BOTH colour schemes!

 

[Origamist]

Dutch cycle lanes sound loooovveeelyyy . In practice, is the recommendation actually followed, or are some cycle lanes there a bit pants too?

Most Dutch cycle lanes and segregated paths do meet the min requirements in my experience. In addition, traffic light phasing benefits cyclists over motorists, cycle routes are direct, tunnels bypass awkward junctions, conflict at existing junctions is reduced, paths are often segregated from motor traffic (apart from scooter lanes), the paths are kept clean and gritted in winter, in residential areas there is a 30km speed limit etc.

 

[chap]

Dutch Cycling

Most Dutch cycle lanes and segregated paths do meet the min requirements in my experience. In addition, traffic light phasing benefits cyclists over motorists, cycle routes are direct, tunnels bypass awkward junctions, conflict at existing junctions is reduced, paths are often segregated from motor traffic (apart from scooter lanes), the paths are kept clean and gritted in winter, in residential areas there is a 30km speed limit etc.

I think everywhere there are examples of good and bad town design, even Amsterdam has a few ill-thought junctions. However, the general focus (and priority) is towards producing a workable, pleasant and sustainable form of egalitarian transportation (tongue twister.) This appears to be evident throughout many (although definitely not all) facets of their society.

Thus, their priorities seems somewhat different to this countries (not that we are all bad, I still maintain we are amongst if not the best in Europe) regarding transportation.

Bar the odd holiday there, I also follow a few blogs on the subject of Dutch cycling, here are some links:

• David Hembrow - British ex-pat, basketmaker, cycle advocate
• Fietsberaad - English speaking Dutch Cycle Group
• Amsterdamize - Cycle Chic from the Venice of the North

 

[Origamist]

Bar the odd holiday there, I also follow a few blogs on the subject of Dutch cycling, here are some links:

• David Hembrow - British ex-pat, basketmaker, cycle advocate
• Fietsberaad - English speaking Dutch Cycle Group
• Amsterdamize - Cycle Chic from the Venice of the North

Chap, one of the reasons Hembrow left the UK was due this country's inchoate and unimaginative transport policies vis a vis cycling.

The Fietsberaad is an excellent resource - I've subscribed to their newsletter for a couple of years. I'd recommend perusing this document re: the Dutch experience of cycling (I linked to it in Campaigning last year):
http://www.fietsberaad.nl/library/repository/bestanden/CyclingintheNetherlands2009.pdf

Amsterdamize is worth a look - nice pics, tabloid stye, etc.

 

[chap]

Chap, one of the reasons Hembrow left the UK was due this country's inchoate and unimaginative transport policies vis a vis cycling.

Hmm, that's a shame. Perhaps not the best answer, but I hope he has got what he sought over there. He seems rather happy, so I'm glad things worked out for him.

Amsterdamize is worth a look - nice pics, tabloid style, etc.

Now what did Marc do to warrant such an insult

 

[Ian H]

Yes, raised cats-eyes and lumpy bits of white-lining would be extremely useful when I need to pull out for a parked car, overtake another cyclist, join another lane, or turn right. Or perhaps not.

Riding back across London yesterday I found myself outside most cycle lanes because they're ridiculously narrow. I'd much prefer they weren't there at all.

 

[marinyork]

Catseyes are on some cycle lanes in the Peak District. The old style ones are fine but the glass flying saucer ones are pretty dangerous to cyclists, especially in the dark.

 

[chap]

Yes, raised cats-eyes and lumpy bits of white-lining would be extremely useful when I need to pull out for a parked car, overtake another cyclist, join another lane, or turn right. Or perhaps not.

Riding back across London yesterday I found myself outside most cycle lanes because they're ridiculously narrow. I'd much prefer they weren't there at all.

A typical reaction to a 'solution' implemented half-heartedly.
Had they been well thought out, I am sure you would be singing its praises. I don't blame you, given the circumstance you are very much justified in holding that opinion. A 1m wide (optional) cycle path is worse than none at all.

 

[thomas]

A typical reaction to a 'solution' implemented half-heartedly.
Had they been well thought out, I am sure you would be singing its praises. I don't blame you, given the circumstance you are very much justified in holding that opinion. A 1m wide (optional) cycle path is worse than none at all.

The thing most cycle lanes are good for is showing the area on the road for cyclists to avoid


Maybe we should rename them "anti-cyclist zones", or "cycle space avoidance areas"...anyone got anything a bit more catchy?

 

[chap]

The thing most cycle lanes are good for is showing the area on the road for cyclists to avoid


Maybe we should rename them "anti-cyclist zones", or "cycle space avoidance areas"...anyone got anything a bit more catchy?

A colossal waste of our taxes?
A sketchy off-cash (colour) paint job?

 

[Ian H]

Had they been well thought out, I am sure you would be singing its praises.

Not at all. The only roads on which the cycle lanes are wide enough to conform to best practice are those where the roads are in any case wide enough not to need them. On narrower roads I am not going to be squeezed into the gutter, so I'm a metre or more from the kerb.
The money spent on green or red paint would be better spent educating motorists that cyclists have as much right on the road as they do.