Friday, 2 April 2004
Email received:
Dear Mr. Pipes,
I would appreciate your comments concerning the persistent problem of cyclist illegally riding on the pavement in Brighton. This problem is particularly bad along Queens Road, Air Street and the entire length of the seafront from King Alfreds to Madeira Drive (and beyond).
I have been scarred for life by a cyclist who collided with me when I was walking my dog along Brighton seafront. At the material time I was walking along the lower promenade between the piers. My Grandmother (some months before her death) refused a trip in her wheelchair along Hove seafront due to the real risk of injury by illegal cyclists. I am aware of many other victims of illegal cyclists. A week ago my right shoulder was sprained courtesy of a local cyclist. The cyclist threatened to assault me again if he saw me near his seafront. On weekends and evening cyclists illegal cyclists pass by at speeds in excess of 20mph every 3 � 5 seconds according to my own survey. Many cyclists ride �hands free� whilst talking on their mobile telephones.
As a cyclist I cannot understand the mentality of cyclists who flout the law. Some cyclists may claim that the roads are too dangerous. This does not bare rational analysis; cycling on the pavement exposes vulnerable pedestrians to an unnecessary risk of injury with no prospect of remedy (either by compensation or punishment of the offender) in the event of an accident. At the very least any responsible cyclist must have a competent knowledge of the Highway Code, wear a helmet and equip his / her bicycle with legal lights and reflectors.
I agree with the comments regarding the cycle lanes. A local councillor has suggested that the cycle lanes along the seafront are a mistake and have merely encouraged cyclists to stray and enter the lower promenade. Worthing Council abolished seafront cycle lanes following the death of an elderly woman in 2001 as a result of a collision with a cyclist. Brighton & Hove City Council are partly responsible for failing to provide adequate signs along the seafront. Nevertheless, I have sent a cd packed with photos of cyclists riding over the �no cycling� sign on Hove seafront near the Meeting House Caf� to Sussex Police for eventual use by the Crown Prosecution Service.
I believe that the problem may be mitigated by a combination of tactics including on the spot fines for illegal cyclists, the issuing of Cautions, confiscation of bicycles and public education. The Police can make use of the seafront CCTV system to monitor this problem. I wonder what happened to the National Cycling Proficiency Test scheme (which I passed in 1984)?
In the near future I will be meeting David Lepper MP to discuss the above with reference to the Councils proposals to invoke the Crime & Disorder Act 2001 against illegal cyclist.
I am very impressed by your website and content.
Kind Regards
Martyn Valentine
My reply:
thanks -- my beef is that the cycle lanes in Brighton and Hove are a retro-fit compromise, and don't join up (hence the temptation to stay on the pavement until the next stretch, rather than constantly dismounting and remounting). In Holland and elsewhere they would be separated from the road, and the pavement! I do however find the 'no cycling' along Hove esplanade very restrictive -- it is very wide and there is plenty of room for cyclists, wheelchair users, skateboarders, roller skaters and pedestrians walking their dogs to co-exist peacefully -- but that is my personal view. I do not condone breaking the law or jumping red lights, but the road system could be a lot more cyclist-friendly, especially with contra-flows along one-way streets -- which would remove the need to use the pavement. Accidents do happen, but think yourself lucky you weren't hit by a car -- the consequences could have been far more serious -- if more people used bikes, they would be a lot healthier and there would be less threat to public safety and the environment!
Perhaps you might like to join Bricycles (of which I am a member but do not represent) and help lobby the council for better cycle lane provision and cyclist training?
http://www.bricycles.org.uk/
cheers
fred
Dear Mr. Pipes,
I would appreciate your comments concerning the persistent problem of cyclist illegally riding on the pavement in Brighton. This problem is particularly bad along Queens Road, Air Street and the entire length of the seafront from King Alfreds to Madeira Drive (and beyond).
I have been scarred for life by a cyclist who collided with me when I was walking my dog along Brighton seafront. At the material time I was walking along the lower promenade between the piers. My Grandmother (some months before her death) refused a trip in her wheelchair along Hove seafront due to the real risk of injury by illegal cyclists. I am aware of many other victims of illegal cyclists. A week ago my right shoulder was sprained courtesy of a local cyclist. The cyclist threatened to assault me again if he saw me near his seafront. On weekends and evening cyclists illegal cyclists pass by at speeds in excess of 20mph every 3 � 5 seconds according to my own survey. Many cyclists ride �hands free� whilst talking on their mobile telephones.
As a cyclist I cannot understand the mentality of cyclists who flout the law. Some cyclists may claim that the roads are too dangerous. This does not bare rational analysis; cycling on the pavement exposes vulnerable pedestrians to an unnecessary risk of injury with no prospect of remedy (either by compensation or punishment of the offender) in the event of an accident. At the very least any responsible cyclist must have a competent knowledge of the Highway Code, wear a helmet and equip his / her bicycle with legal lights and reflectors.
I agree with the comments regarding the cycle lanes. A local councillor has suggested that the cycle lanes along the seafront are a mistake and have merely encouraged cyclists to stray and enter the lower promenade. Worthing Council abolished seafront cycle lanes following the death of an elderly woman in 2001 as a result of a collision with a cyclist. Brighton & Hove City Council are partly responsible for failing to provide adequate signs along the seafront. Nevertheless, I have sent a cd packed with photos of cyclists riding over the �no cycling� sign on Hove seafront near the Meeting House Caf� to Sussex Police for eventual use by the Crown Prosecution Service.
I believe that the problem may be mitigated by a combination of tactics including on the spot fines for illegal cyclists, the issuing of Cautions, confiscation of bicycles and public education. The Police can make use of the seafront CCTV system to monitor this problem. I wonder what happened to the National Cycling Proficiency Test scheme (which I passed in 1984)?
In the near future I will be meeting David Lepper MP to discuss the above with reference to the Councils proposals to invoke the Crime & Disorder Act 2001 against illegal cyclist.
I am very impressed by your website and content.
Kind Regards
Martyn Valentine
My reply:
thanks -- my beef is that the cycle lanes in Brighton and Hove are a retro-fit compromise, and don't join up (hence the temptation to stay on the pavement until the next stretch, rather than constantly dismounting and remounting). In Holland and elsewhere they would be separated from the road, and the pavement! I do however find the 'no cycling' along Hove esplanade very restrictive -- it is very wide and there is plenty of room for cyclists, wheelchair users, skateboarders, roller skaters and pedestrians walking their dogs to co-exist peacefully -- but that is my personal view. I do not condone breaking the law or jumping red lights, but the road system could be a lot more cyclist-friendly, especially with contra-flows along one-way streets -- which would remove the need to use the pavement. Accidents do happen, but think yourself lucky you weren't hit by a car -- the consequences could have been far more serious -- if more people used bikes, they would be a lot healthier and there would be less threat to public safety and the environment!
Perhaps you might like to join Bricycles (of which I am a member but do not represent) and help lobby the council for better cycle lane provision and cyclist training?
http://www.bricycles.org.uk/
cheers
fred
Sunday, 25 January 2004
Cycle Path Design The quality of cycle path design varies-- a few examples of both the good and the 'iffy'.
Monday, 19 January 2004
Thursday, 15 January 2004
Jason Patient Photography -- nice image of geese on a cyclelane! ...from this fine site: Bike Reader
Wednesday, 29 October 2003
Roy Spilsbury writes: Cycle access to proms is an issue up here and we have made significant progress in gaining access along much of the North Wales coast, although there are still battles to be�won.���
�
Bearing in mind your own seaside aspect, you might be interested in a webpage we have just uploaded onto �the CTC Cymru North Wales site concerning the town of Penmaenmawr www.conwyctc.fsnet.co.uk.
�
I keep in touch with your own site and notice a wintry shot along the Colwyn Bay prom which even our locals haven't seen !
�
Regards and good luck with your crusade.
�
Bearing in mind your own seaside aspect, you might be interested in a webpage we have just uploaded onto �the CTC Cymru North Wales site concerning the town of Penmaenmawr www.conwyctc.fsnet.co.uk.
�
I keep in touch with your own site and notice a wintry shot along the Colwyn Bay prom which even our locals haven't seen !
�
Regards and good luck with your crusade.
Tuesday, 14 October 2003
Paul Rea, Chairman of CycleLincs writes:
Hi there,
Earlier this year I wrote:
I thought you might like the latest cycle lane to appear in Lincoln.
It's on Sincil Bank, near the football ground.
For some time CycleLincs, the Lincoln Cycle Campaign Group,
have been trying to get the County Council to put in a cycle route to the hospital.
Perhaps this is their solution!
�
Thanks for putting it on your site.
The good news is that it has now been improved and so the cycle lane no longer goes into the fence, but feeds into a chicane.��Perhaps your site has persuasive powers! I'd like to thank you for giving us stardom, but would be grateful if you would take it off your site as it is no longer weird.��
Thanks again.
All the best
Hi there,
Earlier this year I wrote:
I thought you might like the latest cycle lane to appear in Lincoln.
It's on Sincil Bank, near the football ground.
For some time CycleLincs, the Lincoln Cycle Campaign Group,
have been trying to get the County Council to put in a cycle route to the hospital.
Perhaps this is their solution!
�
Thanks for putting it on your site.
The good news is that it has now been improved and so the cycle lane no longer goes into the fence, but feeds into a chicane.��Perhaps your site has persuasive powers! I'd like to thank you for giving us stardom, but would be grateful if you would take it off your site as it is no longer weird.��
Thanks again.
All the best
Thursday, 2 October 2003
Stephane for PlaceOVelo writes:
Thanks for the link.
I had seen the page with Bruges pictures. For your information, Belgium is
divided into three parts, for bicyclers : the North /flemish part with a not
so bad level of layout, then Brussels with a intermediate level and the
south / Wallonie with a no existent systems. So Bruge is one of the good
area in Belgium...
Thanks for the link.
I had seen the page with Bruges pictures. For your information, Belgium is
divided into three parts, for bicyclers : the North /flemish part with a not
so bad level of layout, then Brussels with a intermediate level and the
south / Wallonie with a no existent systems. So Bruge is one of the good
area in Belgium...
Infrastructure -- are cycle lanes safe? link referenced in article by Patrick James in the latest Bricycles newsletter (October-December 2003)
Friday, 12 September 2003
Andrew Battye writes: As a connoisseur of weird cycle lanes (see my Edinburgh collection at Edinburgh cycling) I enjoy visiting your pages.
A couple of your guest photos are interesting -- the ones of the A6036 between Bradford and Halifax. The caption suggests Calderdale are great for implementing the cycle lane on their side of the boundary, whilst Bradford are bad for not continuing it.
The truth is rather different -- the Calderdale side is much, much worse for cycling. The cycle lane directs cyclists to ride in the 'door zone' right next to parked cars, and also directs them to ride in a very vulnerable position at a side-road. Worse, however, is the treatment of a roundabout -- the cycle-lane runs right up the roundabout, suggesting that cyclists should remain at the kerbside regardless of which direction they wish take at the roundabout. On the circulatory carriageway itself, cycle lanes direct cyclists to ride right at the edge -- outside of the field of view of a typical driver wanting to enter the roundabout.
A couple of your guest photos are interesting -- the ones of the A6036 between Bradford and Halifax. The caption suggests Calderdale are great for implementing the cycle lane on their side of the boundary, whilst Bradford are bad for not continuing it.
The truth is rather different -- the Calderdale side is much, much worse for cycling. The cycle lane directs cyclists to ride in the 'door zone' right next to parked cars, and also directs them to ride in a very vulnerable position at a side-road. Worse, however, is the treatment of a roundabout -- the cycle-lane runs right up the roundabout, suggesting that cyclists should remain at the kerbside regardless of which direction they wish take at the roundabout. On the circulatory carriageway itself, cycle lanes direct cyclists to ride right at the edge -- outside of the field of view of a typical driver wanting to enter the roundabout.
Tuesday, 2 September 2003
Sunday, 31 August 2003
Stuart Filed writes:
The 'cycling horrors of Brussels' can be seen (in
French) at this website.
One is outside the British Embassy, where they've
widened the pavement and added bollards to stop people
parking directly outside.
Other examples include things you will be familiar
with such as impossible contraflow bike paths, signs
in the middle of the path, sharp zigzags etc. However
Brussels has a particular problem: granite setts.
On the Brussels website, they claim that it is
impossible to cycle in Bruges because of the granite
setts on the old streets. However, lost of people do
-it's hard but possible. The small square ones are no
problem - it's the bigger oblong ones that are the
potential killers, especially when wet.
(See the picture underneaththe text "Rue Borgval ?
place St Gery": the top half shows the
"cyclist-friendly" small square ones, and the bottom
half the killer oblong ones.)
I seem to remember seeing similar granite setts in
Brighton but can't remember where.
In one street in Bruges they've put a strip of red
asphalt on top of the granite setts to help cyclists
-I've never seen this anywhere else.
But, it seems things may be improving a little in
Brussels. In the "Rue de la Loi" (also called
"Wetstraat"), a nightmarishly busy one-way street near
the European Commission in Brussels, is being reduced
from 5 lanes to 4 lanes and cycle paths are being
added on both sides. They will be built into the
pavement, but using different colour bricks so that
it's clear that they are cycle paths.
The 'cycling horrors of Brussels' can be seen (in
French) at this website.
One is outside the British Embassy, where they've
widened the pavement and added bollards to stop people
parking directly outside.
Other examples include things you will be familiar
with such as impossible contraflow bike paths, signs
in the middle of the path, sharp zigzags etc. However
Brussels has a particular problem: granite setts.
On the Brussels website, they claim that it is
impossible to cycle in Bruges because of the granite
setts on the old streets. However, lost of people do
-it's hard but possible. The small square ones are no
problem - it's the bigger oblong ones that are the
potential killers, especially when wet.
(See the picture underneaththe text "Rue Borgval ?
place St Gery": the top half shows the
"cyclist-friendly" small square ones, and the bottom
half the killer oblong ones.)
I seem to remember seeing similar granite setts in
Brighton but can't remember where.
In one street in Bruges they've put a strip of red
asphalt on top of the granite setts to help cyclists
-I've never seen this anywhere else.
But, it seems things may be improving a little in
Brussels. In the "Rue de la Loi" (also called
"Wetstraat"), a nightmarishly busy one-way street near
the European Commission in Brussels, is being reduced
from 5 lanes to 4 lanes and cycle paths are being
added on both sides. They will be built into the
pavement, but using different colour bricks so that
it's clear that they are cycle paths.
Thursday, 28 August 2003
Added more guest photos � pictures of Belgium from Stuart Field (of Utrecht, Netherlands) � and from an anonymous correspondent of the A6036 between Bradford and Halifax.
Roddy Redrock writes: we have a cycle lane in the wilds of Talgarth in Wales, over all it is about a mile long. Transfers you off one often busy B road, you have to cross a main trunk road then travel alongside another busy B road to nowhere in particular. All part of this so called Sustrans network. It is a hazard to ride on as it is covered in part by sticky red mud in the wet winter weather as the mud washes onto it out of the fields and often covered with hedge trimmings and thorns around late summer. Safer to cycle the road.
Roddy Redrock writes: we have a cycle lane in the wilds of Talgarth in Wales, over all it is about a mile long. Transfers you off one often busy B road, you have to cross a main trunk road then travel alongside another busy B road to nowhere in particular. All part of this so called Sustrans network. It is a hazard to ride on as it is covered in part by sticky red mud in the wet winter weather as the mud washes onto it out of the fields and often covered with hedge trimmings and thorns around late summer. Safer to cycle the road.
Sunday, 27 July 2003
Monday, 14 July 2003
Tim Malburn replies: I am just some bloke (I'll use Brit English) who saw Fred's site and sent a few examples in that to me looked better than the weird or dangerous stuff in many parts of the UK. Although I have to say York is good by our standards.
�
Most of the photo's I've sent in of the Netherlands, and some in France are probably as good as there are, but I'm always keen to see better.
�
The contraflow bike lane on a road is not ideal, complete segregation and motor vehicles giving way to the bikes (Netherlands and Belgium) is. The one I took in France, well there was not a car in sight, a different situation in Minneapolis I see.
�
I am back in the NL tomorrow only for a couple of days and I'd say they and the Belgians have got it pretty good, always room for improvement though.
�
Alan already knows that when we bought a new bike for my son when he was 8 and a half in the NL, he and I, were quite happy for him to cycle the new, first time on it bike, back to our friends house through the town centre. We were only happy to do this because of the absolute segregation, or vehicles having to give way at any intersections. I would not have contemplated the same in our home town in the UK.
�
Basically we have nothing here, although Worcs County Council say they are commited to improving cycling numbers and sustainability, so there are some places even where they have a bit wrong. Like the French contraflow bike lane, mostly the rest of the French stuff was a lot better that the one white line painted by the side of the road that is driven and parked on in my area, and that is where there is something! We have a couple of segregated bike lanes, in fact there is a new one, lovely separate bike lane on a wide road, when it comes to a narrow road bridge it ends and you have to fight with the lorries which can only just fit on the the bridge�if one comes from each direction at the same time! I must get a photo of that one.
�
The time delay you mention on your US photo's, the Dutch method is a bike crossing, with a loop-in separate from the road bike path, when you pass over the loop, if you coast by the time that you are at the road that you want to cross the traffic has been stopped and you have a green light, ace! In tight town centre is Belgium and NL, the law is bikes have priority, full stop. It is like being royalty on�a bike!
�
So let's keep at these people at we may get something sensible, I love to drive and fly, but cycling is the best for of short (under 10km) distance and urban transport. I love being in the NL and B, because it is just plain nice and fun to be out on a bike.
PS The UK is getting as litigeous as the US, the idiot that you refer to, I would hope that would get laughed out of court here. But if you can suggest ways to litigate against my council to get them to do something to a worldclass standard to encourage cyclist, please do!
�
Most of the photo's I've sent in of the Netherlands, and some in France are probably as good as there are, but I'm always keen to see better.
�
The contraflow bike lane on a road is not ideal, complete segregation and motor vehicles giving way to the bikes (Netherlands and Belgium) is. The one I took in France, well there was not a car in sight, a different situation in Minneapolis I see.
�
I am back in the NL tomorrow only for a couple of days and I'd say they and the Belgians have got it pretty good, always room for improvement though.
�
Alan already knows that when we bought a new bike for my son when he was 8 and a half in the NL, he and I, were quite happy for him to cycle the new, first time on it bike, back to our friends house through the town centre. We were only happy to do this because of the absolute segregation, or vehicles having to give way at any intersections. I would not have contemplated the same in our home town in the UK.
�
Basically we have nothing here, although Worcs County Council say they are commited to improving cycling numbers and sustainability, so there are some places even where they have a bit wrong. Like the French contraflow bike lane, mostly the rest of the French stuff was a lot better that the one white line painted by the side of the road that is driven and parked on in my area, and that is where there is something! We have a couple of segregated bike lanes, in fact there is a new one, lovely separate bike lane on a wide road, when it comes to a narrow road bridge it ends and you have to fight with the lorries which can only just fit on the the bridge�if one comes from each direction at the same time! I must get a photo of that one.
�
The time delay you mention on your US photo's, the Dutch method is a bike crossing, with a loop-in separate from the road bike path, when you pass over the loop, if you coast by the time that you are at the road that you want to cross the traffic has been stopped and you have a green light, ace! In tight town centre is Belgium and NL, the law is bikes have priority, full stop. It is like being royalty on�a bike!
�
So let's keep at these people at we may get something sensible, I love to drive and fly, but cycling is the best for of short (under 10km) distance and urban transport. I love being in the NL and B, because it is just plain nice and fun to be out on a bike.
PS The UK is getting as litigeous as the US, the idiot that you refer to, I would hope that would get laughed out of court here. But if you can suggest ways to litigate against my council to get them to do something to a worldclass standard to encourage cyclist, please do!
Saturday, 12 July 2003
Added two new weird photos from Ralph of City Cyclists -- now up to page 7 of guest photos!
From John S. Allen: I fume with rage and laughter over your Weird Cycle Lanes pages. The British authorities are even more wacko than most in the USA. There may be an explanation for this in that the British legal system does not provide as much recourse as the US system -- see a discussion of this about halfway through the paper at
www.bikexprt.com/witness/wilson.htm
which is not a paper about cycle lanes but does discuss the legal systems.
But we have our wacko cycle lanes in the USA too, consider this page which I have just posted on my website::
www.bikexprt.com/bikepol/minneapolis/hennepin.htm
and also
www.bikexprt.com/massfacil/cambridge/freshpond/sidepath.htm
I do suggest, however that one example which you appear to give as a good one,
www.geocities.com/fredpipes/cyclelanes/images/guest_tim_0001.jpg
is a poor one. Placing a two-way cycle lane adjacent to a two-way roadway is bonkers for several reasons, see
www.bikexprt.com/bikepol/facil/twoway.htm
Feel free to use my photos on your guest pages! I need to link to you.
But also, have you ever read either of John Forester's books, Bicycle Transportation or Effective Cycling? These explain the *theory* of traffic movement for cyclists and provide a basis for analysis of some of the designs which look good to the uninformed but which experienced cyclists know to be deadly.
I do intend to provide a link to your pages. I have noted that while the design of bicycle facilities in Germany is improving, those countries which have recently decided to "do something" for bicycling, notably the UK and France, have determined to make all the old mistakes over again, and worse.
Whoa, it just struck me -- when I saw the photo of the burning West Pier -- your Brighton is the Brighton of Graham Greene's fine novel, Brighton Rock which I read some eons ago. Well, minus the West Pier.
From John S. Allen: I fume with rage and laughter over your Weird Cycle Lanes pages. The British authorities are even more wacko than most in the USA. There may be an explanation for this in that the British legal system does not provide as much recourse as the US system -- see a discussion of this about halfway through the paper at
www.bikexprt.com/witness/wilson.htm
which is not a paper about cycle lanes but does discuss the legal systems.
But we have our wacko cycle lanes in the USA too, consider this page which I have just posted on my website::
www.bikexprt.com/bikepol/minneapolis/hennepin.htm
and also
www.bikexprt.com/massfacil/cambridge/freshpond/sidepath.htm
I do suggest, however that one example which you appear to give as a good one,
www.geocities.com/fredpipes/cyclelanes/images/guest_tim_0001.jpg
is a poor one. Placing a two-way cycle lane adjacent to a two-way roadway is bonkers for several reasons, see
www.bikexprt.com/bikepol/facil/twoway.htm
Feel free to use my photos on your guest pages! I need to link to you.
But also, have you ever read either of John Forester's books, Bicycle Transportation or Effective Cycling? These explain the *theory* of traffic movement for cyclists and provide a basis for analysis of some of the designs which look good to the uninformed but which experienced cyclists know to be deadly.
I do intend to provide a link to your pages. I have noted that while the design of bicycle facilities in Germany is improving, those countries which have recently decided to "do something" for bicycling, notably the UK and France, have determined to make all the old mistakes over again, and worse.
Whoa, it just struck me -- when I saw the photo of the burning West Pier -- your Brighton is the Brighton of Graham Greene's fine novel, Brighton Rock which I read some eons ago. Well, minus the West Pier.
Saturday, 5 July 2003
Added a picture from Paul Rea, Chairman of CycleLincs, The Lincoln Cycle Campaign Group, showing the latest cycle lane to appear in Lincoln. It's on Sincil Bank, near the football ground.�� For some time CycleLincs, the Lincoln Cycle Campaign Group, have been trying to get the County Council to put in a cycle route to the hospital. Perhaps this is their solution!
Wednesday, 11 June 2003
From Mark Strong:
I noticed on one of my periodic visits to your weird cycle lane site that Leo Hartas has sent you two photos of the cycle contraflow in Hampden Road.
This is NOT a weird cycle lane - without it Hampden Road would be one-way for bikes as well as cars closing of a VERY useful link for cyclists. I got it installed around 10 years ago when the Hanover traffic calming scheme was drawn up. There is a good route for bikes between Lewes Road and Kemptown, which runs up Franklin Road, along de Montford Road, across Elm Grove, and along Hampden Road, Grove Street and John Street. Although a bit hillier than the Old Steine, it is much quieter and of course runs right through Hanover (so you can pop into a decent pub on the way or do some yoga at the Community Centre!).
When the traffic calming scheme was proposed the streets next to Elm Grove were all going to be one-way which would have ruled out this route. I persuaded the council to make Hampden Road two-way for bikes (actually the officer said he had been going to do it anyway but had "forgotten about bikes").
However, in order to allow two-way cycling in an one-way road you need to have a separate bit of contraflow lane with a traffic island as cyclists aren't legally allowed through no-entry signs (as can be seen in the Hampden Road pictures). Technically the road is two-way for all traffic between the two ends, but one-way for cars at the road junctions only (i.e. a driver could legally do a u-turn, drive to the other end of the street, do another u-turn, etc. - but don't tell them that! Incidentally because of this there should be white triangles on the speed humps in both directions - when I pointed this out the enigneer said, "yes, but then the motorists will realise it's actually two-way"...). Recently the rules have changed a bit to allow islands without bollards as in Church Street or even just a white line and a sign. These are called "cycle plugs".
This example highlights a general problem with your site. Obviously many of the examples are genuinely rubbish and due to engineers not understanding cyclists, not caring, or just being stupid. But others are misunderstood by everyone - including cyclists - or are due to the over-engineered requirements of UK highway law - Hampden Road is both. But please remember the choice in Hampden Road at the time was between the over-engineered lane or a one-way road, which would have been FAR worse for cyclists.
The situation in Hampden Road isn't helped by the missing bollards which were knocked down about 2 years ago and not replaced, nor by the worn-out cycle markings and the absence of a marked out cycle lane - so drivers think that cyclists going the "wrong-way" (see above) are illegal. I have been shouted at a number of times when cycling towards Elm Grove but as I've explained above it's a bit complex to shout back the whole story! The lane was also designed without taking the hill into account, so it's good if you're coming from Grove Street, but in the wrong place downhill from Islingword Road.
I'm not asking you to research every photo you put up, just to note that there is often a story behind them which means that things are sometimes not as simple as they seem.
On the other hand, some of the other example are just awful, particularly the bus stop in Bracknell... So keep going, but I might just send some more comments from time to time!
Mark
I noticed on one of my periodic visits to your weird cycle lane site that Leo Hartas has sent you two photos of the cycle contraflow in Hampden Road.
This is NOT a weird cycle lane - without it Hampden Road would be one-way for bikes as well as cars closing of a VERY useful link for cyclists. I got it installed around 10 years ago when the Hanover traffic calming scheme was drawn up. There is a good route for bikes between Lewes Road and Kemptown, which runs up Franklin Road, along de Montford Road, across Elm Grove, and along Hampden Road, Grove Street and John Street. Although a bit hillier than the Old Steine, it is much quieter and of course runs right through Hanover (so you can pop into a decent pub on the way or do some yoga at the Community Centre!).
When the traffic calming scheme was proposed the streets next to Elm Grove were all going to be one-way which would have ruled out this route. I persuaded the council to make Hampden Road two-way for bikes (actually the officer said he had been going to do it anyway but had "forgotten about bikes").
However, in order to allow two-way cycling in an one-way road you need to have a separate bit of contraflow lane with a traffic island as cyclists aren't legally allowed through no-entry signs (as can be seen in the Hampden Road pictures). Technically the road is two-way for all traffic between the two ends, but one-way for cars at the road junctions only (i.e. a driver could legally do a u-turn, drive to the other end of the street, do another u-turn, etc. - but don't tell them that! Incidentally because of this there should be white triangles on the speed humps in both directions - when I pointed this out the enigneer said, "yes, but then the motorists will realise it's actually two-way"...). Recently the rules have changed a bit to allow islands without bollards as in Church Street or even just a white line and a sign. These are called "cycle plugs".
This example highlights a general problem with your site. Obviously many of the examples are genuinely rubbish and due to engineers not understanding cyclists, not caring, or just being stupid. But others are misunderstood by everyone - including cyclists - or are due to the over-engineered requirements of UK highway law - Hampden Road is both. But please remember the choice in Hampden Road at the time was between the over-engineered lane or a one-way road, which would have been FAR worse for cyclists.
The situation in Hampden Road isn't helped by the missing bollards which were knocked down about 2 years ago and not replaced, nor by the worn-out cycle markings and the absence of a marked out cycle lane - so drivers think that cyclists going the "wrong-way" (see above) are illegal. I have been shouted at a number of times when cycling towards Elm Grove but as I've explained above it's a bit complex to shout back the whole story! The lane was also designed without taking the hill into account, so it's good if you're coming from Grove Street, but in the wrong place downhill from Islingword Road.
I'm not asking you to research every photo you put up, just to note that there is often a story behind them which means that things are sometimes not as simple as they seem.
On the other hand, some of the other example are just awful, particularly the bus stop in Bracknell... So keep going, but I might just send some more comments from time to time!
Mark
Sunday, 1 June 2003
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