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Also had a nice filton-single-mum tell me I had a nice bike on that path once. Although silent, Juniors eyes were clearly asking "are you my daddy?"
Quick path, that.
I selectively use them. I did use that one the OP mentions when I was cycling that way, but only as far as the Post Office depot. I was very much in a hurry on that commute and it's slightly downhill overall. So I was doing 25mph plus. Stopping for all sorts of side roads and entrances is extremely inconvenient and removes the ability to get up a decent speed. I almost got taken out on the cycle path more often than the road, due to entrances mostly.
For me a 60mph+ speed differential is just too big a risk
Re DCs - they often have very wide hard shoulders, which can make great cycle paths if you want to get somewhere in a hurry. I'd rather have a 60mph speed differential and 8ft of space than 40mph and 18".
You do have to be prepared to stop to negotiate sliproads though.
Oh look some people who've actually used the cycle path say it's great, but plenty on here are happy to dismiss cycle paths out of hand without even trying them.
Are you reading the same thread?
I'm not just talking about this thread - there's been quite a few others with lots of people basically saying cycle lanes are beneath them.
Here's one from this thread though:
As mentioned above cycle lanes are slow, tedious and often poorly/dangerously designed.
Except when they're not.
There are lots of very bad cycle lanes out there but when they're good and the alternative is unpleasant it's sheer bloodymindedness not to use them.
[quote=GrahamS ]
For me a 60mph+ speed differential is just too big a risk, especially if there is far safer option available with, at worst, a few minutes time penalty. The problem is in defining "a few minutes". It seems to me that many Sutrans (and other) routes go quite far out of the way in order to avoid other road traffic. Trying to introduce some sort of legislation to encourage cyclists to avoid DC (and other fast roads) could see cyclists having to make ridiculous detours.
I used to ride out of central Cardiff daily to St Mellons along the A48 dual carraigeway.
That was silly, there are better and shorter options!
As I said I used the cycle path but it is undeniably slower than using the road, particularly going down the hill.
I haven't ridden the route in 4 years but I have been back up there in a car and whilst the new road layout does make it more dangerous for cyclists it's still much quicker than the cycle path.
IMO it's all down to an individual's personal risk vs benefit analysis and, so long as what they're doing is legal, we as a cycling community should support them in their choice.
My decision to ride down steep mountainous terrain or, outside of cycling, climb mountains in winter may seem foolish to some, but I'd hate to live in a society where other people's perceptions of what's safe prevented me from making my own risk assessments.
The problem is in defining "a few minutes". It seems to me that many Sutrans (and other) routes go quite far out of the way in order to avoid other road traffic.
Yeah but I think there is an assumption there that cycle paths could and should follow the same routes as roads.
My Sustrans path is pretty direct, probably a lot more so than going to the same destination by car. It does follow the road at one point, but the rest is along old railway track and quayside path, both of which are naturally very straight and direct.
Trying to introduce some sort of legislation to encourage cyclists to avoid DC (and other fast roads)...
Yep and I'd be against such legislation.
But I still don't ride on NSL DCs myself.
.
Edit: just checked. My route is 11 miles by bike on cycle path, 14.4 miles by car on A-roads.
Don't underestimate denial or 'it'll never happen to me' syndrome.
People aren't good at making their own risk assessments, generally.
dammit!
At the risk of straying off topic...
People aren't good at making their own risk assessments, generally.
I agree but how are they to improve if all choice is removed from them?
I'm not advocating restriction of choice.
Fair enough - that stops the thread going off at a tangent...
Here in London, cycle paths range from a white line and cycle symbol pained on busy main roads, to completely separated paths, with a variety of 'solutions' in between. Unsurprisingly, the most pleasant to use aren't the ones on busy roads. Many paths also actually follow routes which are quite useful, rather than the impractical meandering short-lived efforts of the past. Some other routes which were commonly used by cyclists yet not designated as cycle paths have now been adopted, although popular routes such as the Thames path remain technically footpaths and therefore not open to cyclists.
I think that as cycling becomes more popular, then more suitable routes will be adopted by cyclists, and it's the responsibility and duty of local authorities to recognise this and make better provisions for cyclists. One path I regularly use went from a contraflow white line painted in the road type affair, to a completely raised and separated designated cycle path, part of the 'superhighway' scheme painted bright blue. It has improved that route no end, and is much safer. Also, many car owners simply saw the white line as a 'parking zone', which meant cyclists had to go onto the opposite lane to get round parked cars. Really not very considerate, and creates danger to cyclists.
As for the 'quality' of the surface, well, it's down to the individual to choose the right type of bike and tyres etc for their journey. Until we live in a wonderul cyle friendly utopia with beautifully smooth roads andpaths, it's up to us to communicate regularly with local authorities, and inform them of any problems like litter, broken glass etc.
It's always going to be acompromise situation. i'm sure some car drivers would love to have wide fast roads everywhere, but we have to share the space. Things are improving for cyclists, slowly, but it's up to us to push for more change. We can't expect someone else to provide us with a perfect solution.
"Around 75% of fatal or serious cyclist accidents occur in urban areas
Around half of cyclist fatalities occur on rural roads
75% happen at, or near, a road junction"
According to those stats there's a 200% accdent rate.
Please post logical numbers next time! 🙂
I struggle with long sentences
However, I commute of that section the OP mentions every day and it is a) about as good as it gets b) much niocer than riding on the adjacent roads (it basically a four lane motorway, in all but name adjacent to M32 and a 2 lane Mway elsewhere!) c) if I see more than 2 pedestrians on that section each way, then it's classed as MENTAL BUSY!!!!!
Have also observed people taking their life in their hands on the road and wondered 'why bother' - it's not even any quicker.
Cycle lanes where I live are a green strip along the edge of the dual carriageway. They are full of parked cars.
Labsey, that is exactly the lack of thought of provision that afflicts many cycle route projects. I was up by the North Circular on Tuesday, on a shared cycle/footpath, and it was not very good for walkers or cyclists, yet cars were driving on a 3-lane motorway right next to it. It's the lack of thought and consideration for cyclists needs, that shows how attitiudes must change if we are to get better provision.
Cycle lanes where I live are a green strip along the edge of the dual carriageway. They are full of parked cars.
Have you tried to do anything about it?
(e.g. spoke to the council or local cycling advocacy group?)
Worth checking if there are any Waiting Restrictions on the dual-carriageway, as it is an offence to park on any cycle lane (even advisory ones) while waiting restrictions apply.
([url= http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070308 ]Highway Code rule 140[/url])
I can kind of see the issue from both sides, I live in a high population area and there's very little parking provision. While this doesn't cause me any real issues, it doesn't encourage the impressionable kids off the pavements.
I'll have a look later to see if there's time restrictions or signs about it.