Worst cycle lanes, even cycle haters should love this

[London Calling]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2009/nov/05/readers-worst-cycle-lanes

 

[Simster]

There are so many shit examples of cycle lanes. I cycle along Cable Street every morning, where the junctions are all arse about face. As a cyclist you are expected to yield to traffic coming onto the road on half of the junctions on the 3 mile stretch. And there's no real reason for it at all.

Cyclists in this country are a complete afterthought. No wonder so many of them jump lights - they're not really thought about!

 

[London Calling]

There are so many shit examples of cycle lanes. I cycle along Cable Street every morning, where the junctions are all arse about face. As a cyclist you are expected to yield to traffic coming onto the road on half of the junctions on the 3 mile stretch. And there's no real reason for it at all.

Cyclists in this country are a complete afterthought. No wonder so many of them jump lights - they're not really thought about!

I know it well and will be using it tomorrow!

 

[The Large One]

There's a cycle path along Preston Road, just under the viaduct.

The path has a tree in the middle of it.

 

[clapham_gull]

The police did an little operation in Clapham last week, pulling the cyclists off the road who were riding through the red lights.

I had so much enjoyment watching it, I was late for work.

 

[Acker79]

Number ten looks like it is intended the same was as by the level at the bottom of elm grove. You're supposed to follow the path onto the pavement, and wait for traffic to clear to get across to the level (very few cyclists actually use it, either cycling straight across, or using one of the nearby crossings)

17, and the earlier one from Horsham share issues with lewes road heading away from the town centre. There are parts where cars park in the cycle lane, and parts where there are parking spaces to the left of the cycle lane, and a busy bus route to the right.

 

[Easy 10]

Have to say, that one is a GREAT effort

 

[Superphil]

I lived in Holland back in the early 80s for 3 years, cycle paths everywhere. No-one ever seemed to have a problem with them. Motorists knew to give way to them, cyclists wouldn't dare not use them, and also mopeds under 50cc were allowed to use them. You never had cars parking in the lanes, and in many instances the lanes were separate roads in their own right, running parrallel with the motor roads. When cars approached a junction they knew they had to give way first to the cycle lane, then second to the road.

It seems to me that it is the half arsed attempts to introduce cycle lanes in countries like ours that is the problem. The attitude is "oh we must put cycle lanes in" even though they don't have the space, won't allocate the space, don't know how to implement the system, and are already resigned to the fact that the aggresive cyclists won't take any notice, and cars, buses and trucks will drive in them and park in them.

This is born out by the photos showin trees in the middle of lanes, bins and signs too. Why don't they just say "f*** off, you're not having cycle lanes" rather than wasting scant resources on pointless and ill conceived schemes that are un-usable and unsafe.

 

[Easy 10]

This is a beauty as well. Heart-in-your-mouth time using this one

 

[Acker79]

Have to say, that one is a GREAT effort

If you look to the right of the car, there's markings for the continuation of the lane, which makes me think it is intended that cyclists go up on the pavement to get out the traffic's way to wait for it to be clear to cross.

 

[tinx]

Two of them are in Horsham which is fairly good going. Having used both at one point or another I can agree they are both dangerous and useless as cycle lanes.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

There are some particularly crap cycle lanes along the A4. Certainly a heart in the mouth type situation as per described by Easy 10. One has to tread (pedal) carefully, but there is the temptation to rush through Slough for fear of never escaping.

I almost got lampooned by a blasted bendy bus on my previous visit.

 

[Easy 10]

If you look to the right of the car, there's markings for the continuation of the lane, which makes me think it is intended that cyclists go up on the pavement to get out the traffic's way to wait for it to be clear to cross.

Indeed. How on earth would cyclists cope with crossing the road otherwise.
Thank GOD for local councils.

 

[Brovion]

I lived in Holland back in the early 80s for 3 years, cycle paths everywhere. No-one ever seemed to have a problem with them. Motorists knew to give way to them, cyclists wouldn't dare not use them, and also mopeds under 50cc were allowed to use them. You never had cars parking in the lanes, and in many instances the lanes were separate roads in their own right, running parrallel with the motor roads. When cars approached a junction they knew they had to give way first to the cycle lane, then second to the road.

It seems to me that it is the half arsed attempts to introduce cycle lanes in countries like ours that is the problem. The attitude is "oh we must put cycle lanes in" even though they don't have the space, won't allocate the space, don't know how to implement the system, and are already resigned to the fact that the aggresive cyclists won't take any notice, and cars, buses and trucks will drive in them and park in them.

This is born out by the photos showin trees in the middle of lanes, bins and signs too. Why don't they just say "f*** off, you're not having cycle lanes" rather than wasting scant resources on pointless and ill conceived schemes that are un-usable and unsafe.

Agreed. I've cycled in Holland and it's a pleasure. (They've also got a decent road and rail network to say nothing of canals)

One of the problem with cycle lanes is that the Government keep giving councils money for them. Consequently, as you say, the most stupid schemes get the go-ahead. The ones up by Hollingbury Park are a case in point.

 

[Superphil]

This is a beauty as well. Heart-in-your-mouth time using this one

Now where I lived in Holland, the cycle lane would have been alongside the pavement with a physical barrier (kerb) separating it from the road, with the carparking on the road side.

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

I don't understand the point of the cycle lane in Dyke Road when cars park on it 24/7.

 

[Acker79]

Now where I lived in Holland, the cycle lane would have been alongside the pavement with a physical barrier (kerb) separating it from the road, with the carparking on the road side.

They do that on the Drive in Hove, and residents hate it, because they have to drive across the cycle lane to get to the road, and can't see if any cyclists are coming.

They also do that down madeira drive (minus the kerb bit) and it works fine, except that one bastard car driver who pulled into the cycle lane without looking so he could turn around. Thankfully I stopped in time.

 

[London Calling]

I lived in Holland back in the early 80s for 3 years, cycle paths everywhere. No-one ever seemed to have a problem with them. Motorists knew to give way to them, cyclists wouldn't dare not use them, and also mopeds under 50cc were allowed to use them. You never had cars parking in the lanes, and in many instances the lanes were separate roads in their own right, running parrallel with the motor roads. When cars approached a junction they knew they had to give way first to the cycle lane, then second to the road.

It seems to me that it is the half arsed attempts to introduce cycle lanes in countries like ours that is the problem. The attitude is "oh we must put cycle lanes in" even though they don't have the space, won't allocate the space, don't know how to implement the system, and are already resigned to the fact that the aggresive cyclists won't take any notice, and cars, buses and trucks will drive in them and park in them.


is born out by the photos showin trees in the middle of lanes, bins and signs too. Why don't they just say "f*** off, you're not having cycle lanes" rather than wasting scant resources on pointless and ill conceived schemes that are un-usable and unsafe.

The view from local Hackney campaigners is similar, !
They are totally againgst as the Council now is of cycle lanes.As they believe they are dangerous to cyclists and pedestrians.

There view is to train cyclists to cycle more confidently, especially holding their ground in the middle of the road and teaching cyclist to overtake on the outside and not the inside.

 

[Acker79]

The view from local Hackney campaigners is similar, !
They are totally againgst as the Council now is of cycle lanes.As they believe they are dangerous to cyclists and pedestrians.

There view is to train cyclists to cycle more confidently, especially holding their ground in the middle of the road and teaching cyclist to overtake on the outside and not the inside.

Hold ground in the middle? I was always taught in cycling proficiency classes both at school and in the cubs to stay to the left, just far enough away from the kerb to avoid drains.

I'd feel too guilty about slowing cars up by sticking to the middle.

 

[Gwylan]

Hold ground in the middle? I was always taught in cycling proficiency classes both at school and in the cubs to stay to the left, just far enough away from the kerb to avoid drains.

It's been some time since I looked at the Highway Code but the last time I looked cyclists were told to stick as close as possible to the nearside kerb unless turning right.

This guidance could, of course, have changed in the last 10 years since I looked but I agree with Acker, surely cycling in the middle of the road would annoy motorists even more.