Would you cycle on a 'shared' pavement on the wrong side of the road?

[Bmblbzzz]

So I was cycling down here today:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.26908 ... 312!8i6656

Is this you by any chance?
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.27016 ... 312!8i6656

[Ruadh495]

Regularly and it's horrid. This path isn't really wide enough for one cyclist, let alone two. It's not uncommon (if you value your safety) to have to stop to let oncoming cycles pass. Passing pedestrians is "interesting" as well, they tend to walk straight down the middle (since the path isn't wide enough to encourage them to chose a side).

So why do I do it? Because motorists expect it, to be honest. I'd actually like to see contra-flow use of such paths banned, as a way of managing expectations, but then the council wouldn't get their grant, maybe.

[thelawnet]

So I was cycling down here today:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.26908 ... 312!8i6656

Is this you by any chance?
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.27016 ... 312!8i6656

No I don't think I've seen that particular machine before.

[bigjim]

No, There's one between Puerta Pollensa and Alcudia..... it's fine (just about) using it in the right direction, but using it against the flow of traffic is not something I would want to do....

I don't think that path is fun in either direction. You can't relax for a second for watching for cyclists coming towards you. I always want to just dawdle along there to watch the windsurfers but it's impossible.
There is also one along the front in Lisbon that, for me, has the same problem. Too many flippin cyclists!

[jatindersangha]

I've cycled that route a few times (Woking, Jacobs Well, Guildford) and never used the shared path...I'm normally going so fast ( ) that I don't see the shared lanes or I'm on the other side of the road or I just don't want to slow down/stop in order to get onto it.

I quite often see pedestrians and the odd person on a bike using it.

--Jatinder

[thirdcrank]

Get rid of Sustrans as soon as possible

None of their stuff is compulsory........

No but it's paving(sorry)the way for it!

........if it doesn't suit don't use it

I don't,but my comcern is that one day I'll be forced to by law!

And here's the rub:

Rule 61
Cycle Routes and Other Facilities. Use cycle routes, advanced stop lines, cycle boxes and toucan crossings unless at the time it is unsafe to do so. Use of these facilities is not compulsory and will depend on your experience and skills, but they can make your journey safer. *

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway ... s-59-to-82

* And if anything goes wrong, the learned friends will be lining up to say it would have made your journey safer.

[RickH]

Yes

There's a short section that I use sometimes out on the tandem - it links 2 quiet lanes and avoids having to ride on the carriageway of a fast, busy dual carriageway. Although the path doesn't have the triple shared sign, to include allowing horse riders to officially use the path (I've only ever seen those in a couple of places), it does have a set of mounting steps at one end where there are traffic lights including controlled crossing (Streetview link)

Also coming into Glasgow from the west (via the Forth & Clyde Canal & River Kelvin/ Kelvingrove Park) there are dedicated 2 way cycle lanes that, in places, run along the side of otherwise one way streets. These are on the righthand side when you are heading contra-flow to the motor traffic (Streetview link). It feels a little odd riding to the right of oncoming traffic but the cyclepath is separated by a kerb & it means you can get all the way in to Central Station virtually motor traffic free.

[thelawnet]

I've cycled that route a few times (Woking, Jacobs Well, Guildford) and never used the shared path...I'm normally going so fast ( ) that I don't see the shared lanes or I'm on the other side of the road or I just don't want to slow down/stop in order to get onto it.

I quite often see pedestrians and the odd person on a bike using it.

--Jatinder

Which route? I normally go Woking - Jacobs Well before rejoining the main A320 Guildford - Woking road at the junction of the A320 with Jacobs Well Road. The route between Woking and Jacobs Well Road/A320 is only about 100 yards longer than following the A320 the whole way but much nicer to cycle, however from Jacobs Well to Guildford I normally just head on the main road (it's basically stop-start the whole way due to the traffic lights, and 30mph limit, so feels less hostile than a 40mph road).

The route Jacobs Well - Clay Lane - then either via the nature reserve to Guildford Spectrum or via Burpham on the main road is slower and further unless your destination is out of Guildford town centre.

I believe that the A320 for much of the distance between Woking and the outskirts of Guildford has a shared pavement you can cycle on, but I've never felt interested in using it, for the Woking - Slyfield section because on-road via Sutton Green is clearly much nicer than cycling on a pavement, and for the Slyfield - A25 section just because it's so horribly disjointed:

Here: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.26239 ... 312!8i6656

You can:

cycle on the road
cycle on the pavement (prohibited here I think) and turn left (where cycling is then permitted), cross via the toucan crossing, turn right and then there is a pavement separated from the road which is just visible on the other side of the junction.

Then you get to this junction:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.26147 ... 312!8i6656

Where you can cycle across using the road as a car would do
OR, cycle on the pavement and head left and cross at the side road before heading up this alley way, which leads to a road parallel to the main road separated only by a row of trees https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.26104 ... 312!8i6656

The main road and the parallel road both emerge at this roundabout, where you can once more continue straight ahead on the main road, or head up here: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.25177 ... 312!8i6656 where you are thrown into a bus lane or could (illegally I think) continue on the pavement

This continues to this hostile multilane junction

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.24918 ... 312!8i6656

Which is shortly followed by another

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.24843 ... 312!8i6656

From there it's a procession of traffic lights on a single-lane 30mph road into Guildford. AFAIK cycling is not permitted on the pavement from that point.

So you have a choice in terms of cycle 'infrasructure' of:

a random selection of disjointed bits of pavement and residential roads, which don't proceed in a straight line and which end abruptly short of their destination whereupon you can just cycle on the road like a car, or be a pariah on the pavement
OR
just following the car route the whole way (and being abused by motorists)

The challenge for the cyclist is knowing when the cycle infrastructure will get them where they are going, rather than perhaps a small portion of their journey. In the case of the Sustrans routes it is presumably the case that there is an end-to-end route, but you never quite know if it would be preferable to use roads for some sections. In the case of 'shared pavements' more generally, the presumption for me is that they are useless until proven otherwise - perhaps ok if you are cycling a mile to the shops, but unlikely to be worth using for a journey of say 5 or 6 miles.

[steady eddy]

There are many sections of joint use cycle and footpath in Lowestoft which leave you cycling against the traffic especially getting out of the town from the railways station and south over the bridge - what's the problem if you are not sharing the space with cars.
Top marks to Suffolk County Council for making an effort here to provide a safe way of negotiating what is otherwise an uncomfortable ride on the road. Its not perfect but it works and is well used.

[mjr]

what's the problem if you are not sharing the space with cars.

It may not apply to your example, but the most common problems are that the space is too narrow for the volume of people walking and cycling (or sometimes for any people whatsoever!), the bits where you do share space with cars turning on/off the neighbouring road are badly designed, or they go somewhere other than where people want to go: Norwich's just-built new best route probably has this defect at the city end, theoretically directing people into Hanover Road and off towards Chapelfield when I suspect most people want to head towards Red Lion Street - there may be trouble ahead...

[esuhl]

Oh! That's the on the route I take to visit my friend -- only done it a couple of times a few years back, mind you.

Yes -- the cycling provision is CRAZY. One minute you're directed onto a cycle path, 20 metres round the corner, then have to give way to traffic. Cycle lanes suddenly appear, with no dropped kerb to access them. You stop, climb up the kerb, ride off, and the cycle path ends.

Then you see the perfect empty shared path on the other side of the road. You stop, wait for traffic to pass, cross to the other side, round the corner and... You're expected to join the traffic on the opposite side of a busy road, with no crossing facilities!

I have a simple rule. Never ever use the cycle path if there's a road available, until you have travelled the route often enough to know which paths are worth using. Most of them aren't.

Motorists that have a problem with that should stick to motorways!

[bigjim]

You can try this
https://www.facebook.com/JustJediThings ... 599195010/

[Revolution]

what's the problem if you are not sharing the space with cars.

On Thursday evening when the weather was 'lively' I was cycling on a short section of shared use path on 'the wrong side of the road'. With the headlights of the oncoming cars shining at me I didn't see the tree branch that had blown onto the path - which I hit. I managed to stay upright and not fall into the roadway otherwise I wouldn't be writing this. Shared use paths suffer from debris not being cleared by the constant flow of cars. This goes for fallen leaves in the autumn, frost in the winter and hedge trimmings in the spring.

[John1054]

I regularly use an against traffic shared pavement/cycle path alongside a 40 mph dual carriageway - no bother as long as the few pedestrians aren't using ear-buds - no bell seems to penetrate their world.

[Vorpal]

I do so regularly, but I have to admit that I don't find it an entirely comfortable experience. The ones I use are quite wide, and they aren't obstructed (bus shelters are set back from the pavement, and that sort of thing). Speed limit is 60 kph (40 mph). I use it to get to bus stops, or the late hours chemist. Otherwise, there are quiet roads that are nicer to ride on.