Cycling UK Forum

At least you have had some experience with the programs, I have absolutely none.

This makes you more of an expert than me

You could also try splitting the downloaded route into several smaller routes. This would require you to load the next route as you complete each route on the gps but does avoid the expense of a new gps

A quick google:
http://www.routeconverter.de/features/en

I'm sure there are others available.

If the downloaded route is a gpx file it's possible to split this into different routes using a text editor ( e.g. windows notepad ) but this does require some xml knowledge.

Edit:
WinGDB may have a split function as well. This could be a better bet than routeconverter since WinGDB has a recommendation from drossall, I haven't used either of these programs....

From the WinGDB site
Changes 21-05-2009 (3.42):
- New and improved filter/split functions
- Splitting now for tracks too.
- Fixed bug with route color and notes

I have a magellan triton 400
http://www.magellangps.com/products/product.asp?segID=425&prodID=1913
Obviously I have the european version, currently available for around £150 at a few places online. If you want the bike mount ( a bit of plastic ) that costs about £30 though.

One of the routes I have on this unit has 1497 waypoints and covers 415 miles ( from Malmo to Stromstad in Sweden ). I think the unit is limited to a maximum of 20 routes but it's been a while since I've used it and can't remember.

The downside of the magellan units is availability of maps, there's basically nothing for europe that's recent. I have been using Mapsend Direct Europe v2 which is now several years out of date and was produced for an older magellan unit ( the meridian ). The only problems I've had with the outdated maps is where new roads have been added since these maps were created and these have, so far, always been new housing i.e. not roads of any significance ( unless you happen to live on one or are trying to get to one although google maps solves this problem ).

Since the 400 accepts an sd card ( the 200 and 300 don't ) I've got maps for most of Europe on a 2GB sd card.

To date the gps has travelled over 4000 miles mounted on my handlebars through all kinds of weather and has yet to give any problems although looking in some forums others have had problems with theirs. The problems mainly appear to be when connecting the gps to a computer, many computers don't seem to be able to communicate with the gps reliably. Magellan may have solved the issues but as I said I haven't had occassion to use mine for a few months....

ASL = Advanced Stop Line

A very good point about mobile phone usage being more prevalent but I think there is some effort going into enforcing this while with ASLs there seems to be no effort at all.

I think we can agree that if a motor vehicle enters an ASL while the light is red the driver has commited an offence. Given thirdcrank's information I could definitely have phrased the request better ( hindsight is a wonderful thing ).

The police seem to be able to find resources for periodic crackdowns on pavement cyclists which many would consider to be a minor offence ( Disclaimer: I don't cycle on the pavement and I don't think anyone else should ) surely they can find some resources to enforce ASLs? Given the number of cyclists being killed by vehicles at junctions compared to the number of pedestrians being killed by pavement cyclists I would have thought enforcing ASLs would be more important since it may save more lives. Personally I think both should be enforced, I am not advocating leaving cyclists to do as they wish on the pavement in order to enforce ASLs.

I don't think local representations are the answer. IMHO many of the crackdowns on cycling without lights, cycling on pavements, etc have been due to national coverage of these issues which has forced some authorities to take action.

The point I'm trying to make is if CTC, or some other national organisation, gave national coverage to the complete lack of enforcement of ASLs shortly after someone has been killed in one because a motor vehicle proceeded into the ASL on a red light wouldn't this result in some enforcement of ASLs? This seems to be the approach motoring lobbies, and others, are using to push their agendas against cyclists, and it seems to be effective.

While I can see that publicising the fact that there is no enforcement of ASLs could result in cars using them more I think this type of information could be used to great advantage in embarrassing the government to enforce laws with regards to cyclists.

For example:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23788071-marias-death-could-have-been-prevented-says-boyfriend-of-cyclist-killed-by-lorry.do

Anyone want to make a FOI request to the met to see how many penalties have been issued for London ASLs? I think Boris and a few others would have been squirming if this story had included the fact ( I'm guessing here I don't actually know ) that there is no enforcement of ASLs in London. ASLs encourage cyclists to filter up to junctions but if there are vehicles stopped in the ASL then the cyclist is in a more dangerous position than if they had waited at the back of the queue.

The final line of the article "The Standard's Safer Cycling campaign has called for more to be done to protect cyclists.", if a FOI request shows that nothing is being done regarding ASLs then this has to put pressure on to actually do something about it?

Why stop at ASLs?
Number of penalties for driving in a mandatory cycle lane
Number of penalties for parking/blocking a mandatory cycle lane
Any other suggestions?

I suspect that the results will show that laws, supposed to protect cyclists, are rarely, if ever, enforced. Perhaps if the CTC were to collect this information and present it to the government we might get some enforcement?

Well, that's my tuppence

I deliberately limited period to 2009 since it's possible had I asked for how many had ever been issued they may have just claimed it's too much work to collate.

I would also have been surprised if they had answered anything other than 0.

Tempted to send a link to the local paper and see what they make of it.

Just out of curiosity I made a freedom of information request for the number of penalties issued to motor vehicles in West Midlands during 2009 for stopping in an ASL.

Relevant bit of the response "Our Central Ticket Office can find no records of any tickets being issued for this
offence since January 2009"

Full response here:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/number_of_penalties_issued_for_s#incoming-72020

I used to have the same problem at several traffic lights in Coventry. Aluminium frame, cranks, wheels etc. Fixed this by attaching a few neodymium magnets to the bottom of the bike, now all the traffic lights detect my bike. Try a search on ebay for "neodymium magnets", I got 10 25mm x 25mm x 3mm for about five pounds. Five of these are now mounted below my bottom bracket.