Dangerous bollard?.

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cycle tramp
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Dangerous bollard?.

Post by cycle tramp »

Having got it terribly wrong about aheadset steerer lengths, I though I'd better check with the group concensus over page 56, dangerous pollard, and the response thereof...

.whilst freely admitting that it was a silly place to place a bollard, I am left wondering why he just didn't see it...

..After all, it is larger and easier to spot than many pot holes, and whilst smaller than a child, is larger than most representives of native UK wildlife, which might also be using that track...

..is it me, have I got this wrong?
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Tinnishill
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by Tinnishill »

Eh ? What ?
Agitate, educate, organise.
rotavator
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by rotavator »

Show us a picture of it
cycle tramp
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by cycle tramp »

For those of this forum who aren't members of ctc... sorry I mean cuk... this is page 56 which shows the bollard..
20230605_223144.jpg
The letter which accompanied it, recounted an event whereby the letter writer's friend hit the bollard with his pannier and was 'thrown' to the bottom of the slopes which appears to the right of the track.

In the letter it mentions that they descended down the cycle track but their speed was not noted in the letter.

Understandably the response was weighted against the council for installing the pollard, which was fair enough...
...however I still can't help thinking, why wasn't it spotted and just avoided...
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Nearholmer
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by Nearholmer »

I reckon there is a good case to standardise cycleway bollards though, because provision seems to be utterly random currently, and Sustrans seems to be implicated in some of the less good ones - a bit too tasteful and rustic, and nowhere near visible enough.

Hereabouts (Milton Keynes) there is a standard, and it seems to be a good one, the bollards being about a metre high, 100mm diameter, and a good bright yellow. Everywhere should copy! Especially nearby Buckingham, which has some really stupid low, black ones that are an invitation to a crash, or tripping over.
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mjr
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by mjr »

Nearholmer wrote: 5 Jun 2023, 11:04pm Hereabouts (Milton Keynes) there is a standard, and it seems to be a good one, the bollards being about a metre high, 100mm diameter, and a good bright yellow. Everywhere should copy!
But we shouldn't copy the MK bad practice of installing them in the middle of the track on narrow ones and the middle of each "lane" on wider two-way cycle tracks, which is pretty much the wrong way round. When I rode there, the yellow paint was usually chipped from riders having collided with them, but nobody writes to the press because everyone hits them occasionally.

There are also some spectacularly pointless ones like where the V4 cycleway crosses the H2 carriageway: any motorist wanting to drive on the cycleway (not sure why they would) can simply drive over the verge at any point. Those posts are just another unnecessary crash hazard for riders to avoid when they would be better off giving their undivided attention to the carriageway they're crossing or about to cross, inflicted on us by an uncaring highways department.

I don't much care about the precise design as long as they are reasonably tall, reasonably reflective and not installed slap bang in the middle of the natural cycling flow. Installing black or dark green ones in the middle of the lane is just evil.

My most-ridden route has a lovely CCTV camera post right where you would naturally ride when turning a corner, but at least it's silver and massive.
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mjr
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by mjr »

cycle tramp wrote: 5 Jun 2023, 10:34pm [...] hit the bollard with his pannier [...] ...however I still can't help thinking, why wasn't it spotted and just avoided...
Maybe he misjudged its position? Maybe there wasn't enough space to one side (it looks a bit off-centre)? Maybe he was enjoying the view or a conversation and simply failed to notice that yet another idiotic council had decided to turn what looks like a simple straight cycleway into an obstacle course?

Like my MK example, I have to ask what other point the dratted thing has, besides injuring cyclists and damaging bikes, as it looks like there is no barrier between cycleway and carriageway beyond the post in the picture. Does that highways department have money to spare? Could they send some of it to my local one that is always claiming it can't afford to build better cycleways, please?
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Bmblbzzz
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by Bmblbzzz »

cycle tramp wrote: 5 Jun 2023, 10:34pm For those of this forum who aren't members of ctc... sorry I mean cuk... this is page 56 which shows the bollard..

20230605_223144.jpg

The letter which accompanied it, recounted an event whereby the letter writer's friend hit the bollard with his pannier and was 'thrown' to the bottom of the slopes which appears to the right of the track.

In the letter it mentions that they descended down the cycle track but their speed was not noted in the letter.

Understandably the response was weighted against the council for installing the pollard, which was fair enough...
...however I still can't help thinking, why wasn't it spotted and just avoided...
You might like to tell us which issue, too.
Nearholmer
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by Nearholmer »

But we shouldn't copy the MK bad practice of installing them in the middle of the track
Yes, it was the post design, rather than all of the positioning, that I was advocating. Some of its OK, but some of it is as bad as most other places.
Last edited by Nearholmer on 6 Jun 2023, 12:05am, edited 1 time in total.
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mjr
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by mjr »

Nearholmer wrote: 6 Jun 2023, 12:00am
But we shouldn't copy the MK bad practice of installing them in the middle of the track
Yes, it was the post design, rather than all of the positioning, that I was advocating.
Or the frequency of pointless use, seemingly because the council orders them by the thousands and wants to use them all up by the financial year end...
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Nearholmer
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by Nearholmer »

Now, now, I think you may be exaggerating a bit.

There are some that I have never yet worked out what they are telling me, but I like the fact that every road-crossing is marked by them (except for the ones that aren’t), it’s especially useful when cycling with young children because “stop at the yellow posts” is a simple instruction that they can easily follow. Probably useful to people with very poor eyesight too.
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mjr
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by mjr »

Nearholmer wrote: 6 Jun 2023, 12:11am Now, now, I think you may be exaggerating a bit.
Never! I've told you a million times! ;-)
it’s especially useful when cycling with young children because “stop at the yellow posts” is a simple instruction that they can easily follow.
"Stop before crossing the kerbstones" may work about as well.
Probably useful to people with very poor eyesight too.
Motorists, in other words(!)

Seriously: that may be why MK doesn't seem to suffer the "every road crossing must have skid-hazard bobble tiles" of most places. If so, that would be a good reason for posts.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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brianleach
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by brianleach »

I read this with interest, having had a similar incident in Spain.

In my case the bollard was green on a green cycle path and probably half the height so rather more difficult to see and on a steep downhill section.

It was placed there to prevent motorists crossing the path as suggested in the reply. I know there was a convenient concrete area in the woods to the right of the path opposite the entrance as that is where I, and the remains of my bike, landed!!

I never got a chance to take a photo as I was on my way to hospital!!

However I have always accepted that it was my fault. I was tired after a long day's cycle and looking, without success, for a camping spot (I should have done wild camping) or a hotel (this was pre booking.com days).

My Garmin at the time (a dakota designed for walkers ) has some accommodation on it and so I think I was looking at that at the very moment I should have been looking at the bollard!!
VinceLedge
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by VinceLedge »

Doesn't look like much of a hazard to me. Speed bumps that are unmarked and not where you expect them are much more of a hazard on paths and minor roads.
roubaixtuesday
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Re: Dangerous bollard?.

Post by roubaixtuesday »

If unsure whether this is s problem or not, consider what the reaction would be if similar were installed in the middle of a road.
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