"Why do riders refuse to use cycle paths?"

[dawesome]

Wow. A late night and 'shocked' response from the main man at Devon County Council. He said he probably wouldn't respond directly to such 'literary tripe' (better for reactions to come from the general cycling and non-cycling public), but that he would 'invite' the E&E to run a positive article on all the cycling achievements in Devon - it really is a good story (Coast to Coast, Tour of Britain, major investment in lots of good cycle infrastructure, etc.) that is worth trumpeting.

Norwich Evening News reported the Tour brought £2m to our region!

 

[Ian H]

Wow. A late night and 'shocked' response from the main man at Devon County Council. He said he probably wouldn't respond directly to such 'literary tripe' (better for reactions to come from the general cycling and non-cycling public), but that he would 'invite' the E&E to run a positive article on all the cycling achievements in Devon - it really is a good story (Coast to Coast, Tour of Britain, major investment in lots of good cycle infrastructure, etc.) that is worth trumpeting.

I can't see that. Is it ZS?
IanH [Exeter Wheelers]

 

[briantrumpet]

Having now though a bit more about that section of path and the 20mph zone for a moment...the bike path finishes at the point where the 20mph part starts, so Mr. ZNero really is talking out of his bumcakes.

Quite so. Topsham is one of those places which just hasn't got enough space for any meaningful segregation, and most sensible human beings just accept it - there's a mixture of pedestrians, cyclists, cars, buses and lorries in close proximity, and if everyone is sensible there's no problem. That's the easy and civilised solution - not bullying one or more groups of users of the space out of the way, which would appear to be Mr. Nero's intent.

 

[briantrumpet]

I can't see that. Is it ZS?
IanH [Exeter Wheelers]

Hi Ian. ZS? The response from Stuart Hughes was in an email to me in response to mine to him.

 

[paddy01]

Saw this earlier and refrained from commenting as I presumed it was so outrageous it had to be a pathetic attempt at a wind up to promote Exeter FM.

My commute, on the odd occasion I do it by bike (must try harder this year), is Exmouth to the center of Exeter. I've timed it and given that I'm not exactly a quick rider I've done it plenty of times faster than I could have done it in the car under similar traffic / weather conditions. Not a bit of it would be on the cycle paths (stick to the A376) and I only ever got slowed down having to filter past cars.

Nice ride though, the Exe trail between Topsham / Exmouth, it features on most of my rides but it's definitely bimble territory, especially outside of winter months. Good picnic spot at Darts farm too.

 

[Ian H]

Hi Ian. ZS? The response from Stuart Hughes was in an email to me in response to mine to him.

Okay. I assumed you meant a public response. Zsolt is Devon County Council - cycling or sustainable transport or something.

 

[briantrumpet]

Saw this earlier and refrained from commenting as I presumed it was so outrageous it had to be a pathetic attempt at a wind up to promote Exeter FM.

Hmm, yes, but sometimes something is so outrageous that you can't not respond. (I just have.) In any case, I can't see him gaining one extra listener from his effort. And he might lose some friends. And to those that say that there is no such thing as bad publicity, I'll say one thing: Gerald Ratner. That gaffe cost him £500m. I hope that Mr Nero finds that there is a cost.

My commute, on the odd occasion I do it by bike (must try harder this year), is Exmouth to the center of Exeter. I've timed it and given that I'm not exactly a quick rider I've done it plenty of times faster than I could have done it in the car under similar traffic / weather conditions. Not a bit of it would be on the cycle paths (stick to the A376) and I only ever got slowed down having to filter past cars.

I'd say that nine times out of ten it's quicker for me to cycle than to drive from Topsham to Exeter, on the main road, and mostly without silly drivers. At rush hour, I'd say that my cycling time is about half of what it would take in the car.

Nice ride though, the Exe trail between Topsham / Exmouth, it features on most of my rides but it's definitely bimble territory, especially outside of winter months. Good picnic spot at Darts farm too.

Yes, indeed. Actually, that's one of the few cycle tracks I use, and is a cracking advert for what DCC has done and how a cycle track should work. With the new bridge at Topsham I can see it becoming even more popular with leisure cyclists, and the track being used for hundreds of thousand of trips a year.

 

[briantrumpet]

Okay. I assumed you meant a public response. Zsolt is Devon County Council - cycling or sustainable transport or something.

Aha. Useful to know - I don't think I've ridden into Zsolt yet on a club ride.

 

[rusky]

I shall be having breakfast with him next week. Should I broach the subject?

Will you be wearing full lycra kit??

 

[Ian H]

Will you be wearing full lycra kit??

It's tempting, though for journeys of that length (it's only around 7 miles) I'd usually just use the folder and wear civvies.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I shall be having breakfast with him next week. Should I broach the subject?

I'll send you my rag-man's trumpet ....

 

[Fab Foodie]

Nice ride though, the Exe trail between Topsham / Exmouth, it features on most of my rides but it's definitely bimble territory, especially outside of winter months. Good picnic spot at Darts farm too.

I'd never get past 'The Bridge Inn'.

 

[briantrumpet]

I'd never get past 'The Bridge Inn'.

Ah, one of my major claims to fame is that I'm allowed to drink in the inner sanctum behind the bar. Best pub in the world. It's still the only pub the Queen has been in: she dropped in when she was cycling from Exeter to Lympstone in 1999. I think she was cycling, anyway. If she didn't she should have. Would have been quicker.

 

[Ste T.]

Prrrrrrricck!

 

[lukesdad]

Prrrrrrricck!

Anyone in particular ?