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PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 17:45 
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I wonder if any of our keen cyclists can comment on this.

I was reading the other day that the accident rate for cyclists using properly separated cycle paths (not just white lines on a carriageway) is higher than for cyclists using the road with all the other traffic. Is this really correct? If so, it puts into question the campaigns to provide separate dedicated cycle lanes.

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 20:47 
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I've seen this discussion before and IIRC the increased danger occurs at intersections with roads rather than on the paths themselves.

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 22:21 
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PeterE wrote:
I've seen this discussion before and IIRC the increased danger occurs at intersections with roads rather than on the paths themselves.


Suggested as cause of this one
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=17069&hilit=Cyclist+dies+near+Fort+William

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 14:00 
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malcolmw wrote:
I wonder if any of our keen cyclists can comment on this.

I was reading the other day that the accident rate for cyclists using properly separated cycle paths (not just white lines on a carriageway) is higher than for cyclists using the road with all the other traffic. Is this really correct? If so, it puts into question the campaigns to provide separate dedicated cycle lanes.


happy to comment before the thread degenerates :wink:
no idea about the stats, where were you reading it ?

i suspect dedicated cycle lanes either need to be continuous and uninterrupted for a reasonable distance or not at all.

they have a bad habit of dumping you at dropped kerb straight into the traffic, there's one very near me where it does this just before the top of a hill. this is one path i use often as it's a good path, mostly clear of debris and keeps me out of the way when i'll be going slowly anyway. most of the time where it ends i make a full loop on the pavement to approach the dropped kerb at 90degrees so i can have a good long look down the hill and find a gap to go in. the ideal would be a widened section of road for 10-20m that the path filters in to with a solid white line so cycle & vehicle traffic can merge.
i digress.... if that kind of thing happens on a regular basis the risk & exposure is increased especially for less competent cycle users!


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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 14:18 
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ed_m wrote:
no idea about the stats, where were you reading it ?

See here relating to the Milton Keynes "Redways":

http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/digest/redway.html#Safety

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PostPosted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 17:00 
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PeterE wrote:
ed_m wrote:
no idea about the stats, where were you reading it ?

See here relating to the Milton Keynes "Redways":

http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/digest/redway.html#Safety


interesting as the redways are probably amongst the best, from the ground up, cycleway solution we have in the country.
aren't they all/mostly shared use paths ?
i almost added hapless pedestrians/prams/dog walkers to my original reply!

edited to add just read more fully and interesting reading.... inappropriate speed seems to be the main problem :lol:


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 11:05 
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malcolmw wrote:
I wonder if any of our keen cyclists can comment on this.

I was reading the other day that the accident rate for cyclists using properly separated cycle paths (not just white lines on a carriageway) is higher than for cyclists using the road with all the other traffic. Is this really correct? If so, it puts into question the campaigns to provide separate dedicated cycle lanes.


Some cycle paths are some of the most dangerous places for a cyclist to be.

Thankfully a recent proposed change to the hc to say cyclists must use a path if available was muted to 'may find it safer to' after pressure from stakeholder groups.

At their worst they are lethal. Take one near me, solid white line separates the cycle lane from the main carriageway. However, the cycle lane runs right down the side of parked cars, giving the cyclist the option of riding along in the dooring zone, or riding out in the carriageway, putting themselves at the mercy of some drivers who think they should be in the cycle lane, who will often let said cyclist know they are offended by them riding out in the road by close passing them to scare them back to the cycle lane, in the dooring zone. Far better there to not have a cycle lane at all.

Look up 'bow roundabout', a lethal piece of infrastructure.

Many physically separated cycle paths along main roads will make cyclists cross the side roads by having to look back to ensure a vehicle is not turning across them, one small error and the cyclist is down and at worst over the bonnet of a car.

Check out Warrington cycle campaign's 'facility of the month' for some fantastic examples of cycle paths gone wrong.

So I can well believe that riding along in traffic can be safer than attempting to navigate some of the frankly outright dangerous pieces of track put down by local councils by way of spending their allocated monies on cycling infrastructure.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:03 
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Funny how the cycle lobby are constantly bleating for more spending on cycle infrastructure when none of it actually seems to meet their needs.

Cycle Facility of the Month is here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:57 
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PeterE wrote:
Funny how the cycle lobby are constantly bleating for more spending on cycle infrastructure when none of it actually seems to meet their needs.

Cycle Facility of the Month is here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/


Bleating?

We know how your card's marked then!


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 23, 2012 21:54 
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weepej wrote:
PeterE wrote:
Funny how the cycle lobby are constantly bleating for more spending on cycle infrastructure when none of it actually seems to meet their needs.

Cycle Facility of the Month is here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/pete.meg/wcc/facility-of-the-month/


Bleating?

We know how your card's marked then!


My post on dangers ( using a fatal example ) was an example of how easly it's possible for a so called good cycle path to cause problems. Instaed of infighting between groups of road users, perhaps we need a bit more solidarity between groups to get the safest for all . Road/cycle planning- some of it seems to be done by members of the WRI, after a night on the Sherry. Don't tar all as being anti cycling. Some so called cyclists are the worst adverts for that mode of transport. And some of us ( although sympathetic to the needs/dangers of being on two wheels) have met the worst of two wheeled idiots.

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