Police comments about Box Hill and cyclists

[PRL]

. If the local authority would put a white line down the middle it would serve as a reminder that it's a road like any other.

1) It isn't - it is privately owned by the National Trust.
2) There is good evidence that removing the centre line is an effective means of reducing speeding.

The idea that traffic issues in the Surrey Hills are down to cyclists is simply ludicrous. Too many cars is the main problem.

[reohn2]

.....The idea that traffic issues in the Surrey Hills are down to cyclists is simply ludicrous. Too many cars is the main problem.

But didn't you know,haven't you heard?
The roads belong to motorists,cyclists don't pay their way on the roads they're just a bunch of freeloaders,who should move out of the way of their betters!

[ukdodger]

. If the local authority would put a white line down the middle it would serve as a reminder that it's a road like any other.

1) It isn't - it is privately owned by the National Trust.
2) There is good evidence that removing the centre line is an effective means of reducing speeding.

The idea that traffic issues in the Surrey Hills are down to cyclists is simply ludicrous. Too many cars is the main problem.

Privately owned or not it's a road. Car owners no doubt would say too many bikes are the problem. Walkers would say too many bikes and too many cars are the problem. It's a shared space and all anyone has to do is behave considerately.

[TonyR]

Privately owned or not it's a road. Car owners no doubt would say too many bikes are the problem.

All I know is that if all the people on bikes tried to go there in cars instead there would be gridlock through Dorking and Leatherhead and beyond and most of the current car drivers wouldn't have a chance in hell of getting there let alone parking there.

[531colin]

All I know is that if all the people on bikes tried to go there in cars instead there would be gridlock through Dorking and Leatherhead and beyond and most of the current car drivers wouldn't have a chance in hell of getting there let alone parking there.

Now that sounds like a plan........

[reohn2]

All I know is that if all the people on bikes tried to go there in cars instead there would be gridlock through Dorking and Leatherhead and beyond and most of the current car drivers wouldn't have a chance in hell of getting there let alone parking there.

Now that sounds like a plan........

I suggested the same thing a couple of pages back

[Phil Fouracre]

Just out of interest, anyone got any pics of the area?

[Mark1978]

Just out of interest, anyone got any pics of the area?

https://goo.gl/maps/rgL1R

I'm fortunate around here that we'e got several Box Hill style roads within an easy distance.

[ukdodger]

Privately owned or not it's a road. Car owners no doubt would say too many bikes are the problem.

All I know is that if all the people on bikes tried to go there in cars instead there would be gridlock through Dorking and Leatherhead and beyond and most of the current car drivers wouldn't have a chance in hell of getting there let alone parking there.

There are masses of people on Box Hill at the weekend. I'd hazard a guess that most are walkers next are cyclists and next are cars passing through. It's a shared resource nobody can claim title and privilege to it.

[Vorpal]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_Hill,_Surrey

[reohn2]

There are masses of people on Box Hill at the weekend. I'd hazard a guess that most are walkers next are cyclists and next are cars passing through. It's a shared resource nobody can claim title and privilege to it.

It sounds like a place where 20mph speed limit wouldn't go amiss.

[ukdodger]

There are masses of people on Box Hill at the weekend. I'd hazard a guess that most are walkers next are cyclists and next are cars passing through. It's a shared resource nobody can claim title and privilege to it.

It sounds like a place where 20mph speed limit wouldn't go amiss.

Not really necessary R2 they've had speed bumps since the Olympics. It's a narrow road and because it's such a beauty spot it's also a rat run between Dorking and Tadworth.

[hondated]

Wow five pages and unless I missed it no mention of motorcyclists. Box hill as been a frequent meeting place for motorcyclists for at least fifty years although at the bottom rather than at the top where the cyclists meet up and I have been going there either by bike or motorcycle for many of those years.
During that time I learnt very quickly that if you are riding a motorcycle in the vicinity of Boxhill you just do not do anything stupid ie exceed the speed limit, wheelies etc etc because if you do you could either cause an accident or indeed be part of one or if not either of those you could get nicked by the police.

So if you riding in the area you would be an idiot to ride other than sensibly.

Now with regard to cyclists I have to say since the Olympics and it is almost to the day the number of cyclists riding in the area as increased so much I would hate to put a figure to it.

With regards to whether this as produced a problem I would say that if it has then its not on the zig zag hill but rather on the surrounding roads. On the hill, in my experience because of different levels of fitness most cyclists are single file but they could be doubling up by those fitter passing the slower ones.

With regard to the surrounding roads it could be a different matter as again my experience is that riding from Reigate to Boxhill I have encountered masses of cyclists particularly one South London club on numerous occasions cycling in a peleton formation that has no regard for other road users. Unlike I have to say my local CTC group who ride in small groups to allow following traffic to be able to pass quite easily when it is safe to.

I don't know the validity of the accusations placed against the cyclists but what I do know is that cyclists are going to have to learn that when cycling in the Boxhill area they, like us motorcyclists had to, are going to have to cycle more safely unless they want to chance getting nicked.

I don't know too much about it but I understand that just recently there has been a law introduced which can be used against you if you are found to be causing an excessive tail back of traffic. And an example of that as I understand it could be a tractor going on for mile after mile and not pulling over at an appropriate place to let held up traffic pass.

[ukdodger]

Wow five pages and unless I missed it no mention of motorcyclists. Box hill as been a frequent meeting place for motorcyclists for at least fifty years although at the bottom rather than at the top where the cyclists meet up and I have been going there either by bike or motorcycle for many of those years.
During that time I learnt very quickly that if you are riding a motorcycle in the vicinity of Boxhill you just do not do anything stupid ie exceed the speed limit, wheelies etc etc because if you do you could either cause an accident or indeed be part of one or if not either of those you could get nicked by the police.

So if you riding in the area you would be an idiot to ride other than sensibly.

Now with regard to cyclists I have to say since the Olympics and it is almost to the day the number of cyclists riding in the area as increased so much I would hate to put a figure to it.

With regards to whether this as produced a problem I would say that if it has then its not on the zig zag hill but rather on the surrounding roads. On the hill, in my experience because of different levels of fitness most cyclists are single file but they could be doubling up by those fitter passing the slower ones.

With regard to the surrounding roads it could be a different matter as again my experience is that riding from Reigate to Boxhill I have encountered masses of cyclists particularly one South London club on numerous occasions cycling in a peleton formation that has no regard for other road users. Unlike I have to say my local CTC group who ride in small groups to allow following traffic to be able to pass quite easily when it is safe to.

I don't know the validity of the accusations placed against the cyclists but what I do know is that cyclists are going to have to learn that when cycling in the Boxhill area they, like us motorcyclists had to, are going to have to cycle more safely unless they want to chance getting nicked.

I don't know too much about it but I understand that just recently there has been a law introduced which can be used against you if you are found to be causing an excessive tail back of traffic. And an example of that as I understand it could be a tractor going on for mile after mile and not pulling over at an appropriate place to let held up traffic pass.

That's right it's mostly clubs are those that act as if Box hill is there for them. Unlike us CTC fogies they are out to Race.

[TonyR]

Wow five pages and unless I missed it no mention of motorcyclists.

That's because motorcyclists are quite reasonable and use a vehicle not much wider than the seats they occupy. So they can pass cyclists, single file or in a peleton, without problems. Its only motorists lugging all those extra empty seats around that have a problem because their vehicles are so wide.