there are no solid white lines so vehicles are more likely to be trying to overtake you.

No one ever overtakes at that point but as you say it’s the less safe option. And I didn’t say there was a difference. Although as you’re going uphill you’re not carrying as much speed so harder to nip through a gap plus the bend up ahead limits visibility.

For me depends on the conditions, strong headwinds, dark night I nip onto the path just before the motorway bridge then cross at the crossing point, fine night and I’m flying then I’ll stay on the road and cross at the same crossing point.

On my way to and from work (for those Aberdeen dwellers basically in from Westhill to the centre of Aberdeen..) I often see folks on bikes using the road when there is, what appears to be, a nice wide dual-use path alongside. However, said path is not constant into Aberdeen and appears to peeter-out to pavements, etc.

That said, I truly wonder why some cyclists would choose to ride on the (now) 40mph dual carriageway sections when the path is good, straight and wide and runs parallel. I can only guess that some cyclists actively look for an opportunity for risk and confrontation. I perhaps naively assume that if a method of reducing risk to oneself and others is presented, then you would go with it.

Additionally, it does somewhat boil my w** to observe some cyclists completely ignoring traffic lights and the like too.

However, everyone is different and that is what makes life such a rich tapestry.

So you use the crossing point which is irrelevant to the use of the infrastructure…

So you use the crossing point which is irrelevant to the use of the infrastructure…

Where did I say it was irrelevant? It does look like your superior judgment and lack of experience will help you win the internet today though so bravo.

No, that’s fine, if you can’t see that the reason people don’t use a wonderful bit of infrastructure is because they have to use a bit which is less wonderful to get on it, then I give up.

they have to use a bit which is less wonderful to get on it

yeh those roads and right turns sure are tricky.

I can only guess that some cyclists actively look for an opportunity for risk and confrontation

I’d bet actual money on your guess being wrong in 99.9% of cases

Additionally, it does somewhat boil my w** to observe some cyclists people completely ignoring traffic lights and the like too.

^ does it boil your wee when drivers do it too, or do you only get grumpy at cyclists who do it?

On my way to and from work (for those Aberdeen dwellers basically in from Westhill to the centre of Aberdeen..) I often see folks on bikes using the road when there is, what appears to be, a nice wide dual-use path alongside. However, said path is not constant into Aberdeen and appears to peeter-out to pavements, etc.

Ever ridden it.into aberdeen Piss poor zig zagging no priority route crossing blind rat run junctions design made worse by the new roadworks. Have seen the aftermath of 2 people tboned by cars approaching those junctions at speed,

I ride the opposite direction to the deeside way and then use the residential streets to cross to dyce.

This path? https://goo.gl/maps/QrsQnkhSCL32

Pretty much nobody goes out on a bike looking for risk and confrontation.

Not really aracer. Go back to view it between westhill and kingswells. From the road as a non cyclist it does look inviting. Reality its horrible. My tablet wont let me browse along and link to it for you.

I should add it remains a bone of contention within the local cycling forum who are constantly in battles with the council cyclig officer to get it sorted,

Its 2 way on the east bound carridgeway means that those riding to westhill are riding directly into headlights pointin. Ar them

This bit then https://goo.gl/maps/wWqivgQtuBF2 😉

I’d looked at the bit of DC East of Kingswells and there’s no path there (is there an alternative route, or are you just dumped onto the main road there?) so didn’t look further back, sorry.

edit: ah, found the bike path continuation East from Kingswells – that looks quite decent as these things go, but you’ve still got extra give ways and crossings compared to using the road.

I live just around the corner from the cycle path OP mentions, and it baffles me why a small section of cyclists refuse to use it, it’s billiard table smooth in most sections and stretches all the way along to the Livingston roundabout then all the way to Bathgate. Sure there are a few crossing points but for a big wussy like me who doesn’t like cycling on the road it’s perfect.

I don’t commute in the morning due to my shifts, but I did for 3 months and the problems caused by one cyclist refusing to go anywhere near a cycle path just baffled me.

If you can miss being chewed up in traffic and pootling along at a decent speed without having to worry about the wind off a 40 ton lorry, then i’ll put up with a few leaves.

Amedias,

does it boil your wee when drivers do it too, or do you only get grumpy at cyclists who do it?

No, any f-wit who makes a conscious decision to ignore the rules of the road and thus endanger themselves and others. Why would I differentiate between cyclists and any other ‘group’? Regardless, happy to clarify that for you.

In terms of the part of road and path I am wondering why folks would choose not to use it – the path which runs parallel from Westhill to Kingswells and the north side of the dual carriageway.

Trail Rat, yes I have ridden it to get to the pool at the hotel with my 10 year old daughter. Given the choice of it v the dual carriageway, then there is only one winner for me – and it is not the dual carriageway.

Some highlights below from that path: crap give-way crossings of flared-mouth side roads, multi-stage toucans, a dismount bit with labyrinthine scaffold-fencing, and it’s all too narrow for its bidirectional, bimodal intentions. I mean, I’d use it if I had to cycle that route, but only because that road looks horrible, not because the path looks good.

Edit: GAH! Stupid crappy forum can’t work out URLs, you’ll have to copy and paste, sorry.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.1477431,-2.2487542,3a,39.7y,330.37h,74.38t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scTcsq9mlP0SXtKJSEiORUw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.1473422,-2.2412995,3a,75y,72.14h,64.37t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sTuWHJmv00nQuvpgJa_vYug!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.1469542,-2.237778,3a,75y,48.18h,68.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1so_s1MgiPIH7yBuohvezY5A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.1463284,-2.2320723,3a,75y,11.73h,64.6t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCnAD3njmBiRwsRSyb-dj6w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.1468834,-2.2250992,3a,75y,52.8h,68.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssmQLzATHhb2w-iRDz5o1sA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.1472934,-2.2198799,3a,75y,316.32h,77.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1scOOGZUqCn__2kqIOSpvcbw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

That said, the one cyclist I did spot along that stretch seemed to be using it 😉

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.1463699,-2.2308515,3a,75y,320.26h,66.58t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUGVfq64GJ4gBeWCyHxztHw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.1474318,-2.2421721,3a,75y,278.34h,96.81t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s271rdBUv0ZsNb_-F3bQu-A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I cant quite believe what I am reading at the moment.

For Clarity, I haven’t cycled on a road in 12 years (I used to cycle along a 70mph dual carriageway to get to work,as a teenager, on a mountain bike with semi slick tyres). Since then I no longer have to (Driving license and work vehicle) and I dont have any desire too because as a Transit driver going all over the country for meetings and work, I see some god-awful driving with me a BIGGER HEAVIER metal box than them, so why would I do it on a bike????

HOWEVER, the original question of ‘why not use it if its there?’ simple. Why should you have to? As a legally entitled road user, why not use the road? Because other road users who have had to pass a test, show understanding of road laws and are LICENSED to use that road cant wait for a slower moving road user. Yes you can use it if you want to but if you don’t want to whats the problem?

There’s one along the new A48 around Newport. It looks great – but for the first half it keeps going down the entry roads to the many many roundabouts to cross them via ped crossings, which is fun and games, and at one point it sods off completely into a housing estate. The second section is much better though and is quick.

If I am on a recreational ride on a weekend I don’t use it as I want to keep the speed up and cover ground, and the road is entirely dual carriageway, mostly 40mph and quiet so any cars can just pull out and go round me for no loss. If I were commuting though I would probably use it. I have used it before at busy times.

Cyclepaths like this are a good option to have, but people need to understand that cyclists may not want to use them.

Traveling slowly along it at 5-10 mph is different from riding to work on a daily basis at 15-20mph.

See bez pointers.

I wouldn’t ride on the dualer either thats why I take a totally alternative route to ride on something fit for purpose – that path is not even close especially now that the current roadworks have just made the issues worse.

Yeah, so there’s an acceptable bit. But you have to ride some crap bits to get to it. It’s like having a tennis court in the middle of six acres of peat bog.

Yes you can use it if you want to but if you don’t want to whats the problem?

As I’ve said it’s up to the individual, I wouldn’t do it but cyclists have every right to ride where it’s legal to do so.

What youncant see on the google map is all the chaos that the road modifications have done to the what was acceptable middle but before….

No, any f-wit who makes a conscious decision to ignore the rules of the road and thus endanger themselves and others.

glad to hear it 😀

Why would I differentiate between cyclists and any other ‘group’?

I dunno, but your original comment specifically said cyclists, not road users, hence the question. It just sound very much like the typical singling out of cyclists for RLJ’ing diversionary tactic used in the media etc. Apologies if that wasn’t the case but it highlights how careful you need to be with language at times.

Regardless, happy to clarify that for you.

ta 🙂

Aberdeen folks. Let us assume that the current construction activity is not there….what would you change about the section from Westhill to Kingswells?

With the exception of the bit beside the filling station, the rest is pretty straight-forward? Ok, you have to adhere to the lights at Prime 4 and again at the roundabout, but if you were cycling on the road you would have to do that regardless…would you not? 😉

I still think I’d rather use this path than take the risk of being punted up the back-end by a vehicle doing 40 mph.

Oh great, yet another collection of anti-cycling rants on a cycling forum.

Blind junctions at the vets and the road that takes you into the side of west hill. Both hidden by trees. Have seen folk t boned into the middle of the dual cardige way from the latter.

Getting over the often busy junction that takes you to blackburn also has its issues at rush hour.

Then theres the bit where it used to narrow.

The road sign poles in the path between the vets and the old volkscentre.

Blind junctions at the vets and the road that takes you into the side of west hill. Both hidden by trees. Have seen folk t boned into the middle of the dual cardige way from the latter.

Getting over the often busy junction that takes you to blackburn also has its issues at rush hour.

Then theres the bit where it used to narrow.

The road sign poles in the path between the vets and the old volkscentre.

So have we got the classic stw situation where someone who has never ridden or been to the place being discussed is disputing the experience of the people who have? Hilarious. It’s a grand bit of cycle path, the first time I rode it I was laughing out loud how good it was.

The canal is also a great ride in to town now, tarmac towpath all the way to Edinburgh.

So have we got the classic stw situation where someone who has never ridden or been to the place being discussed is disputing the experience of the people who have? Hilarious.

Streetview is all you need 🙂

Amedias, the reason I used ‘cyclists’ is because at times on here, it appears that some have the very blinkered view that cyclists can do no wrong and it is other road users who are always wrong. As a ‘road-user’ I simply wanted to ensure that there was some balance.

Yes it most definately boils my w** when other road-users choose to do something contrary to the rules of the road. Particulary the truck driver who was found to be using his mobile ‘phone the split second before his truck drifed across the carriageway and killed my cousin last year.

If cyclists want to cycle on that part of the dual carriageway rather than using a reasonably decent alternative, then can they please ensure they make themselves visible, keep themselves alert (no headphones…) and also obey the same rules as others should.

Click on the 3 dots top right of the box to the top left, “share or embed image”, then select the “short URL” tickbox.

Amedias, the reason I used ‘cyclists’ is because at times on here, it appears that some have the very blinkered view that cyclists can do no wrong and it is other road users who are always wrong. As a ‘road-user’ I simply wanted to ensure that there was some balance.

The thing is though, I bet if you asked every single ‘person on here’, you’d find they are a pedestrian, cyclist and driver, you can no more single them out as cyclists than you can as drivers.

Likewise, just because someone cycles it doesn’t make them responsible for the actions of other cyclists, in the same way when I drive I’m not collectively responsible for drunk drivers, speeders, etc.

That’s the annoyance with the rhetoric and ‘own worst enemy’ comments. Nobody ever says anything about drivers being their own worst enemies when a drunk driver or TXT’er kills someone do they?

It’s tedious, repetitive outgrouping, and collective punishment/derogation of people based purely on how they happen to be travelling at that point in time.

You’re right about there being a lack of balance on the roads in this country though, but it’s not weighted the way you suggest.

no headphones…

Don’t start on that one!

If the experience of those people who have is “it’s a great cycle path” and a quick check shows it contains bits like https://goo.gl/maps/WNt9NJLnBPy then it’s not all that unreasonable for people who have never been there to dispute that experience. Because whatever Gary might think you can get a good idea from streetview, it certainly provides an accurate portrayal of infrastructure around here. Clearly people have different expectations of infrastructure, but pointing out the good bit of the infrastructure doesn’t provide an accurate picture – nobody cares how good the best bit is, it’s the awkward, dangerous or inconvenient bits which stop people using it.

So have we got the classic stw situation where someone who has never ridden or been to the place being discussed is disputing the experience of the people who have? Hilarious.

No, what we’ve got is someone asking why does thing X happen?

Then numerous people offering potential answers as to why based on similar situations, and then including some analysis of the specific situation based on what is available (streetview).

Then people pulling the “you’ve not been there so I must know better” card.

Well if you know better then why can’t you answer your own question?
There must be a reason*, if you don’t think it’s not one of the ones put forward then what do you think it is?

* and it might just be one of the ones put forward, but that other people have different expectations so you might not agree with their reason, but that’s their reason…

Then people pulling the “you’ve not been there so I must know better” card.

I find that experience generally speaks volumes. Who would you trust to rewire your house – an electrician with 20 years experience or someone who’s read 17th edition on the internet? As I’ve said before streetview presents a limited picture.

Well if you know better then why can’t you answer your own question?
There must be a reason*, if you don’t think it’s not one of the ones put forward then what do you think it is?

There doesn’t need to be a reason between choosing roads or cycle paths, some folk just don’t ride on cycle paths and I don’t know the reason, nor care really, each to their own.

I go to http://dailymail.co.uk if I want that sort of “balance”. Because your initial comment is exactly the sort of thing I’d expect to find in the comments there.

I’m sure plenty of people think I’m one of those you’re referring to – if not the principle person with those views. Yet I’ve made it clear plenty of times that’s not the case. I’m certainly not a fan of red light jumping whoever does it and clearly there are plenty of dicks riding bikes. However you also have to look at the stats where drivers kill ~1000 times more people than cyclists do – the situation isn’t symmetrical, drivers doing bad things should boil your wee far more than cyclists doing them. If you want proper balance, there should be 1000 times as many comments complaining about drivers as complaining about cyclists, and even on here it’s nowhere near that.

My deep commiserations for the loss of your cousin. Unfortunately that happens all too often to riders who are visible, paying attention and following the rules 😥

I find that experience generally speaks volumes

No doubt, but that doesn’t mean others can’t offer their opinion based on previous experience and the resources that are available.

some folk just don’t ride on cycle paths and I don’t know the reason, nor care really, each to their own.

But the OP was specifically about trying to get such an answer, if you don’t care fair enough, but someone asked why, people are trying to answer!

If all the people who have offered up reasons why a path might not be getting used are wrong, then what does that leave as the answer?

Particulary the truck driver who was found to be using his mobile ‘phone the split second before his truck drifed across the carriageway and killed my cousin last year.

I don’t want to make any comment on that other than to offer my sympathies. Many of us on here have similar stories in family or friendship groups and it’s proper sh*t. 🙁

No doubt, but that doesn’t mean others can’t offer their opinion.

Didn’t say they couldn’t, at any point.

If all the people who have offered up reasons why that path might not be getting used are wrong, then what does that leave as the answer?

The path I use does get used, it’s a very small minority that choose to ride the road at that section. Pretty much everyone takes to the cycle path at that point.

Click on the 3 dots top right of the box to the top left, “share or embed image”, then select the “short URL” tickbox.

Yeah, I know, but I only found out that the long option didn’t work after I’d posted all those links, and I was too lazy to go and convert them all 😉