Is this cycle lane a bit stupid or is it just me?

thelawnet

victor2 wrote: »

I would think that encourages cyclist to ignore road signs and rules of the road in general, such as the No Entry sign on the road pictured, although there isn't one on the left - they probably had to remove it to get the cyclepath in.

Eh? They aren't ignoring the rules of the road, because the rules provide for a contraflow cycle lane. There is a sign on the left too. If you rotate the streetview you can see exactly how it works.

Cyclists are criticised for ignoring rules of the road anyway, this does nothing to help. Presumably they can also ride down the hill by using the road along with the other traffic. Wouldn't want them to risk a head-on collision with another cyclist going the other way would we now?

Basically a lot of cyclists are obviously coming out of the station (there's also an underpass there that some use), and in order to head straight ahead they would have to turn left and follow the road around. This is quite a detour.

Why would there be a head-on collision? The other entrance is well-signed with arrows.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=woking&hl=en&ll=51.316913,-0.55569&spn=0.000813,0.001635&sll=51.516516,-0.180911&sspn=0.051595,0.104628&t=h&hnear=Woking,+Surrey,+United+Kingdom&layer=c&cbll=51.316913,-0.55569&panoid=OHujmQxgIFTnsWtuRLF5QQ&cbp=12,3.41,,0,2.81&z=20

Nobody heading the other way is going to cycle in the cycle lane on the wrong-side of the road.

victor2

thelawnet wrote: »

Eh? They aren't ignoring the rules of the road, because the rules provide for a contraflow cycle lane. There is a sign on the left too. If you rotate the streetview you can see exactly how it works.

Missed that. As a driver I wasn't aware that cyclists can ignore No Entry signs under certain circumstances, but I am aware they can freely ride along many roads other vehicles use.

custardy

victor2 wrote: »

Missed that. As a driver I wasn't aware that cyclists can ignore No Entry signs under certain circumstances, but I am aware they can freely ride along many roads other vehicles use.

yup,we have them in Edinburgh
common for drivers to drive headlong at us,I assume to teach us the error of our ways.........

ericonabike

The govt is looking to make it much easier for local councils to designate one way streets as two-way for cyclists - see http://www.ctc.org.uk/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=5088 . This is the norm in Belgium and Holland, in particular, and appears to have been introduced without the indignation apocalypse that we can expect here. I agree that it can be unnnerving for pedestrians - it needs to be introduced with a lot of publicity and advance notice. But it works well - just try visiting Bruges sometime, where a combination of 30kph [20ish mph] speed limits and permissive one-way streets makes walking and cycling around the place a pleasure rather than a pain.

scotsbob

Cycle lanes are money spinners for the council

They get a grant for every metre of cycle lane but the cost of the paint is minimal and the council make a profit on every metre.

Put in a Freedom Of Information request to your council and find out the profit made. One town in Ayrshire made £10,000 profit and they have doubled the lanes since that was revealed

discplayer

victor2 wrote: »

Missed that. As a driver I wasn't aware that cyclists can ignore No Entry signs under certain circumstances, but I am aware they can freely ride along many roads other vehicles use.

This and the bit mention by lawnet about viewing Streetview in the opposite direction, is often the problem with these contraflow cycle lanes. Namely that a nice clear cycle route sign is affixed at one end of the road next to the no-entry sign but there's little indication at the other end of the road where cyclists exit and drivers (and other cyclists) enter the road. Some of these roads have very clear road markings the length of the road, others do not and drivers get irate at cyclists who've been encouraged to go that way.

rev_henry

We have quite a few round here, they can be quite useful as a cyclist. Pedestrians should just pay more attention.

However round here a minicab will usually be parked in said contraflow cycle lane, forcing you out into the road with oncoming vehicles. :eek:

Keith

I cycle through London, and twice I've hit people on this junction.

http://g.co/maps/2r55c

People just don't look right so they've painted on the road "LOOK RIGHT" when the motorised traffic comes from the left.

victor2

Keith wrote: »

People just don't look right so they've painted on the road "LOOK RIGHT" when the motorised traffic comes from the left.

So your humble pedestrian carefully looks right to avoid getting hit by a bicycle and gets flattened by a Transit van coming from the left instead!

rev_henry

Keith wrote: »

I cycle through London, and twice I've hit people on this junction.

http://g.co/maps/2r55c

People just don't look right so they've painted on the road "LOOK RIGHT" when the motorised traffic comes from the left.

They're obviously stupid - its a huge green lane with its own kerbs and everything, hardly just an extra line down the road!