Cyclists obliged to use cycle lanes?

custardy

thescouselander wrote: »

And there is the problem I think. Too many cyclists are prepared to flout the law and that is one of the reasons they should be kept separate from traffic.

As I cyclist myself I prefer to stay on the cycle tracks as its safer and I don't feel the need to wear a helmet. Also I am away from the diesel fumes of passing busses and lorries which is a bonus. Luckily round here (Bristol) there are some really good cycle tracks that don't suffer from the problems you describe.

I can understand why people wouldn't want to use a substandard cycle track but my point was that good quality cycle tracks should be provided and only then could you force cyclists to use them.

the route in question here gives you 2 options
go straight over the bridge with traffic
go down the hill with the cyclepath/pavement,cross over the roundabout and then climb the hill on the other side

regardless the cyclepath does not carry on all the way into town so you will be joining the road at one point or another

thescouselander

custardy wrote: »

the route in question here gives you 2 options
go straight over the bridge with traffic
go down the hill with the cyclepath/pavement,cross over the roundabout and then climb the hill on the other side

regardless the cyclepath does not carry on all the way into town so you will be joining the road at one point or another

Yes, I go over a similar junction on my way to work. You have to cross the roads onto the roundabout but there are signal controlled crossings at the junctions so it no bother. In my case if you went on the road you'd only be stopped by the traffic lights on the roundabout anyway. I cant see from the picture if its the same on this junction - maybe it appears not.

olly300

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! wrote: »

Sorry, but no. Any law that requires me, as a cyclist, to use a cycle lane where possible, will be ignored.

They're !!!!. We didn't ask for them. We don't want them. They're impractical. They terminate at right angles to junctions, where visibility is extremely poor. They give way to everybody else.

They're a travesty. Nobody I know likes them. A complete and utter waste of money, and I will use them only when it is convenient for me.

You are wrongly presuming that all cycle lanes are the same around the country.

Near where I live there are loads of safe, flat and wide enough cycle lanes with proper parking enforcement that don't end up in the middle of nowhere, however there is also one of the most dangerous cycling lanes in the country.

ZootHornRollo

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers! wrote: »

So what? That's the cyclist's problem, not yours.

all road users on that stretch of road at the time are effected. not only the cyclist.

ZootHornRollo

custardy wrote: »

the route in question here gives you 2 options
go straight over the bridge with traffic
go down the hill with the cyclepath/pavement,cross over the roundabout and then climb the hill on the other side

regardless the cyclepath does not carry on all the way into town so you will be joining the road at one point or another

no need to 'cross' the roundabout if using the cyclepath on the south side of the A8 - currently used by cyclists travelling both east and west.

join at/around the Gogar roundabout would be joining at 30/40mph traffic. not 70mph traffic at a busy junction.

custardy

ZootHornRollo wrote: »

no need to 'cross' the roundabout if using the cyclepath on the south side of the A8 - currently used by cyclists travelling both east and west.

join at/around the Gogar roundabout would be joining at 30/40mph traffic. not 70mph traffic at a busy junction.

at the airport?

ZootHornRollo

aye. is that not where you were taking about?

custardy

ZootHornRollo wrote: »

aye. is that not where you were taking about?

right so going along the road you go straight across
going down the hill via the cycle path how to you get back up to road level?

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

thescouselander wrote: »

And there is the problem I think. Too many cyclists are prepared to flout the law and that is one of the reasons they should be kept separate from traffic.

As I cyclist myself I prefer to stay on the cycle tracks as its safer and I don't feel the need to wear a helmet. Also I am away from the diesel fumes of passing busses and lorries which is a bonus. Luckily round here (Bristol) there are some really good cycle tracks that don't suffer from the problems you describe.

I can understand why people wouldn't want to use a substandard cycle track but my point was that good quality cycle tracks should be provided and only then could you force cyclists to use them.

Excuse me? The problem isn't cyclists flouting the law. Motorists do that every day. So do pedestrians. In fact you'll find idiots using all forms of transport.

Nobody will ever force me to use a cycle lane.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

ZootHornRollo wrote: »

all road users on that stretch of road at the time are effected. not only the cyclist.

Affected how?