What do you think of this then?

[Kiwiavenger]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-17177549

basically Bristol was the UK's first cycling city and the roads are very poor, badly marked lanes, dangerous cycle paths and all, much like most other citys but i think that this quote seems to go off on a complete tangent at the end of a half decent report.

"There are some cyclists around that think they own the road and they don't, but then there are some car drivers and bus drivers that think they own the road and they don't.
"We have to share and respect one another."

i normally use the bristol-bath cycle track just because its got less pot holes than my alternatives (church road or bath road) but still has 2 sections where the roots of trees have broken up the tarmac and despite reporting it to the council twice nothing has been done about it! i seriously think the local council have a lot to answer for really (including the "showcase" bus routes that are also shyte and over spent!)

 

[summerdays]

I heard the report on the radio yesterday morning on the breakfast show. I'm not sure I agree with everything that Kerry McCarthy says. If I believed her version of the city I would never see a cyclist on the roads other than the fool hardy. Whereas everyday I see loads of cyclists, I doubt I could manage to cycle to my son's school (5 mins away) without spotting several, let alone the rest of my journeys. I often use some of facilities that were put in during the Cycle City era with my favourite being the bit joining Mina Road and Muller Road past the allotments.

I thought that quote was fair actually - that there are bad ones on both sides and that we do need to share the space together and in a more amicable manner. We are not going to get rid of the cars in the city (we have one ourselves), and we need to learn to live with each other. I think his quote rather than going off at a tangent, was in response to lots of the complaints that were being phoned into the radio show (the normal about road tax, and pavement cycling and RLJ'ing).

I guess I know which bit of the Bristol and Bath cycle path you mean - just beyond the railway bridge/City Academy area is bad for tree roots. But I quite like the Bus routes that I use - though I have yet to try the new one they are building down Whiteladies Road (I'm avoiding that so far based on the traffic reports).

 

[Kiwiavenger]

didn't get a chance to listen to the radio show so it seemed a bit out of context!. these will always bring out the RLJ/pavement brigade from both sides really.

ive cycled most routes around bristol and the roads/routes operated by BCC dont seem to get repaired atall whereas the ones run by south glos tend to get seen too!

i do like the idea of closing a few streets etc for cycling however i can just see it that lemmings will see no cars and step out all the more frequently!

 

[mickle]

Yeahbut. Cyclists, even if they don't actually own the road, have a right to use it. Motorists have no rights, only permission. Motorists must pay vehicle excise duty, pass a test and obtain a license etc etc. Their vehicle must comply with a raft of regulations concerning the functioning and safety of the vehicle and its harmful emissions.

Because lets not forget that cyclists kill less than one person per year whilst collisions involving automotive carriages kill 3000+. There is no comparison. And so, when we start complaining about the danger posed to us by cars and the response is a lot of wittering on, again and again, as they do, about how 'cyclists have responsabilities too', and how 'cyclists run red lights too' and 'ride on pavements'. I just want to punch them in the face. Very hard indeed. Because there is no comparison. Cyclists pose little more danger to the general population of the UK than fricking space aliens. Eff off. Sort your house out before criticizing cyclists. Really.

 

[summerdays]

Mr Summerdays commutes in both South Glos and Bristol daily and usually is far ruder about South Glos's provision for bikes than Bristol's. He heads up around the MOD (when they haven't closed the route off!!!), and see's things like the cliff path drop that they had at one stage and the bollards in the middle of the path with no reflective markings painted white the same as the line down the middle (all in S.Glos). And for me it has to be the fact that they put in a new road to the Mall 16 months ago, and to this date it still doesn't have a complete cycle path or even path for pedestrians running along side it - I'm happy enough on the road, but others aren't and not actually having a path so that the pedestrians I have seen have been walking on the central reservation is ridiculous. (Give me BCC anyday).

Not sure how they compare on road surfaces between the two but my impression is that BCC is definitely more bike aware.

 

[lcjohnny]

Not that impressed with Bristol's cycling city - Bristol highways department makes gestures towards bicycles but nothing of substance. They put painted cycle paths where the road is wide and there was no risk. Then where the road pinches in and it is dangerous the cycle paths stop!

If they are not prepared to spend brain cells and cash sorting out the dangerous bits then wasting money on a bit of red paint is just pointless!

At the same time they are making the main roads much worse for cyclists by building "showcase bus routes" where at bus stops the pavements are built out into the road forcing cyclists into the traffic flow. These build outs are not marked so in the dark and rain you cannot see them and need to know where they are.
Then when the buses stop at the built out section we (and all the traffic) have to pull into the opposing lane to pass them.

Over the last 10 years this city council has spent my money making it worse for cyclists - and it continues.

 

[Kiwiavenger]

but the nice new stretch of tarmac on the cycle track is a bonus (after my initial rant about them not doing anything about it!!) however the roads are still cack and most of them are only really suitable for mtb inspired hybrids at best!