Cycle Path Issues

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Cycle Path Issues

Post by Bmblbzzz »

I think the design both in detail and type does matter, different types being suitable for different situations. No demarcation, so anyone can use the whole area whether on wheel or foot, is fine IMO at low densities. At higher densities you really need to separate pedestrians from cyclists – but unless this is done effectively, it's worse than useless. A simple painted line is not enough; it usually takes differentiation in road surface, texture and height, and ideally each side should be more attractive to its intended user group. At which point you might I suppose describe it as two separate but parallel paths rather than shared... and of course there's always the odd in-between case, such as kids who can pedal faster than their parents can walk but don't have much traffic sense, or runners who are moving as fast as slower cyclists.
Nearholmer
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Re: Cycle Path Issues

Post by Nearholmer »

^^^

Well put.
axel_knutt
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Re: Cycle Path Issues

Post by axel_knutt »

simonineaston wrote: 29 Oct 2024, 8:20amAny & every form of transgression can be observed, with the possible exception of seeing motor vehicles on cycle paths!
I stopped to help a girl lift her bike over an anti-motorbike barrier on the Rochdale canal once because it wouldn't pass through. Whilst we were there a guy on a quad bike turned up, and just rode straight underneath it without stopping.

On a local path here I saw a quad bike in the distance accelerating towards me, and when I didn't leap out of the way immediately he held his finger on the horn button and kept on accelerating. He must have been doing in excess of 40mph when he passed me, and was still accelerating. AFAICT he was the same kid I've seen doing doughnuts in the carpark at the end of the path. A few yards further up there was a woman who'd hastily ushered her toddler to the side of the path as the bike passed, but when I made eye contact she didn't bat an eyelid, it was as if this was perfectly reasonable.
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TrevA
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Re: Cycle Path Issues

Post by TrevA »

Bmblbzzz wrote: 29 Oct 2024, 11:56am
TrevA wrote: 27 Oct 2024, 5:36pm Shared parts work best where there isn’t much cycle or pedestrian traffic.
Yes. Shared parts should be done in private! :lol:
The joys of autocorrect!
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Audax67
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Re: Cycle Path Issues

Post by Audax67 »

My right arm and shoulder are hurting right now from a crash I had due to an invisible post in our local cycle path 22 years ago. The damn thing had originally had alternate bands of bright red and white, as if there were an underground barber in the vicinity, but the red had swiftly faded to pinkish grey so that with the outline broken up it blended wonderfully into the background. I was having a drink when I saw it pass under my handlebars. Cue cartwheel, bang, etc.

About 6 months later all the posts in the path were cleared away.
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Jdsk
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Re: Cycle Path Issues

Post by Jdsk »

simonineaston wrote: 29 Oct 2024, 8:20am The topic is one I dwell on daily.
On the one hand, we aspire to enjoy a critical mass of users who obey a set of rules. We’re prepared to tolerate a small number of mavericks who do as they please, but so long as 75%, say, follow the rules, we imagine that everyone will be happy. I bet there’s lots of technical handbooks have been written on the subject, lining the bookshelves of the council cycle liason officer…
On the other, at least here in Bristol, the reality is that the path use is a free-for-all. No rules are followed - none at all. Any & every form of transgression can be observed, with the possible exception of seeing motor vehicles on cycle paths!
So, can we work out why this the case? Here’s a few “starters for ten”.
* Trend towards self-interest
* Decline in ways young users receive guidance
* Increase in cultural variance
* Adoption of technology
I’m content to continue to muse on these topics - I might even get around to posting the results sometime!
Thanks for proposing that analysis.

i'm very concerned about powered vehicles on these paths. As I am when cycling in Amsterdam.

Is there any serious evidence of deterioration in relevant behaviour over time beyond that?

Thanks

Jonathan
ymfb
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Re: Cycle Path Issues

Post by ymfb »

Here in S. Wiltshire we have very few cycle paths shared or otherwise.

We would be very pleased to have some more, even better if they were in places where the roads are dangerous and potholed.

I cycle along the A36 a trunk road between Southampton and Bristol with the Mendips and it’s huge quarries in between.
Two wheels preferred.
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foxyrider
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Re: Cycle Path Issues

Post by foxyrider »

ymfb wrote: 30 Oct 2024, 6:45pm

I cycle along the A36 a trunk road between Southampton and Bristol with the Mendips and it’s huge quarries in between.
why? there are much quieter roads running pretty much parallel for almost the whole of that route, it may take a little longer, add a couple of kilometres but you can miss pretty much all of the heavy traffic.

But to the thread subject, I currently reside not far from simonineaston, the B2B path is @ 500m away and it features regularly on my rides. There are parts that you avoid at school kicking out times, parts with lots of joggers, lots of dog walkers, parts with dangerous surfaces, bits that can be fast - but its fairly predictable on a daily basis. IME the regular daily users are generally pretty good at sharing the space, its the occasional / weekend users that struggle with the share bit to the point that summer weekends i'll use the roads rather than try dodging the traffic on the B2B. It is far and away the best path in the Bristol area and has a lot of traffic.
Other routes in the city are next to useless for a to b travel, small sections are sometimes excellent but underused because they don't go where users want to be or they chuck you onto bits of road that are frankly unsafe. And of course the priority at junctions is everything you don't want, the new Old Market / Castle Park bike track is segregated but its quicker and no less safe to use the road, in fact going into the city its impossible to access the cycle path.
Nearby Bath is a bit of a mess too however they seem to have got things almost right on the Upper Bristol Road, a segregated bike lane, only shared with itinerant parkers and road debris with carriageway priority at the junctions and marked pedestrian crossing points. On the whole it works, the fact that it doesn't really connect to anything else in a useable way is disapointing but i'll take what i can get.
I could describe more well intentioned but poorly realised cycle paths in the area but you'd get fed up quite quickly. In short there are some cycle paths which i will use happily, they actually go somewhere useful, aren't beset with road crossings and, heaven forbid, maintained. Others i just won't use, i don't want to be crossing roads multiple times, dodging trees, road furniture and pedestrians on what is in reality a footpath with a bit of paint.
Convention? what's that then?
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ymfb
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Re: Cycle Path Issues

Post by ymfb »

foxyrider wrote: 30 Oct 2024, 8:46pm
ymfb wrote: 30 Oct 2024, 6:45pm

I cycle along the A36 a trunk road between Southampton and Bristol with the Mendips and it’s huge quarries in between.
why? there are much quieter roads running pretty much parallel for almost the whole of that route, it may take a little longer, add a couple of kilometres but you can miss pretty much all of the heavy traffic.
I regularly ride the Wylye valley road from Wilton to Warminster, it is indeed a great road for cyclists. However I work on Wilton’s industrial estate and there it is unavoidable and have to ride along the A36 to get into Wilton or anywhere on the Netherhampton Road.
Two wheels preferred.
ratherbeintobago
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Re: Cycle Path Issues

Post by ratherbeintobago »

Biggest issue on shared paths IMO is poorly trained dogs off the lead.
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Cycle Path Issues

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Poorly trained dogs on extending leads are even worse!
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