Cycling

Lord_Baltimore

This may have been suggested before but couldn't cycling be separated from public transport?

As a cyclist, all the cycling tips here are great but wading through all the other stuff is a pain. I know there's a public transport aspect and this can still be discussed in a dedicated cycling forum.

WiggyDiggyPoo

Would be very useful.

Kernel_Sanders

No, there are enough sub-forums to 'wade through' as it is.

Lord_Baltimore

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

No, there are enough sub-forums to 'wade through' as it is.

Perhaps you should leave all this internet techie stuff to those that can cope with it grandma ?

Johnmcl7

There doesn't seem to be that many cycling topics to warrant a further split and a lot of the existing cycling topics quickly degrade into pointless motorist vs cyclist nonsense.

John

Lord_Baltimore

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

.......and a lot of the existing cycling topics quickly degrade into pointless motorist vs cyclist nonsense.

John

That's very true John. It's a shame that motorists vs. cyclists has become a fact of life; I doubt that the two groups can ever become suitable bedfellows which means permanent segregation is the only option.

As cycling provision has always been 'bolted-on' to the highway infrastructure as an afterthought, it might take a more radical approach to separate the 2 groups other than splashing a bit of paint on the road and calling it the cycle route.

Perhaps whole side roads could be designated cycle/pedestrian only with each local Council charged to develop routes with residents.

Cyclists are banned from motorways for safety reasons; motor vehicles could be banned from (whole road) cycleways.

Marco_Panettone

There aren't enough cycling topics to justify a sub-forum. There's the (very good) Beginner's Guide, then there's stuff about electric bikes (fine), then things generally slide into trolling ("why do cyclists..." etc) and the good old helmet/high-viz debate (again).


It's a bit weird having a cycling board anyway on MSE. How can you save money on your transport? - cycle where possible. Job done.

Billy-no-Money

I think that rather than split by mode of transport, it would make more sense to group topics by type of journey - e.g. separate commuting from leisure and holiday.

That would help with the moneysaving focus of the site, i.e. making the right decisions for the journey(s) you need to make. Currently you have to have already made the decision on whether to drive, cycle or catch the train.

I'd supplement that with a 'technical' topic area for specific modes - though I don't think MSE is the right place for that anyway, there are lots of specialist forums that give much better support.

It wouldn't stop the anti-cycling drivel that gets posted of course :mad:

Strider590

Go to an actual cycling forum like Bikeradar or something, too much hate on forums like this.

Lord_Baltimore

Strider590 wrote: »

Go to an actual cycling forum like Bikeradar or something, too much hate on forums like this.

I know what you mean but you can't let hate marginalise us. It's a bit like how they try to make us cycle in the gutter so they can have the best bits of road all to themselves.

Nope, cycling is important and needs to be represented everywhere. There are financial aspects to it so it's relevant here. Besides, spreading the word is wasted if we're preaching to the converted.

There a lot of stressed out people here who would find cycling a gift if they would only give it a go.

hugheskevi

I know what you mean but you can't let hate marginalise us. It's a bit like how they try to make us cycle in the gutter so they can have the best bits of road all to themselves.

Nope, cycling is important and needs to be represented everywhere

I entirely agree with the sentiment, but personally I've given up.

On fora such as this, YouTube cycling clips and the comments sections, etc, it is depressing to see such widespread ignorance of legislation and the Highway Code. It almost always degrades into ranting about road tax, red light jumping, lights, insurance, registration and cyclists getting in the way (even when they are far quicker than vehicles, which most cycle commuters in urban areas will be).

I'd take a lot more interest if there was support from official bodies, but the police at best take an occasional interest (eg Roadsafe, which was good for a while but now seems to have now lapsed into being ineffective) and it is generally a waste of time engaging the police if there wasn't actual injury, even with video evidence. In one case I was reading about that a cyclist reported (with video evidence), the cyclist was told by the police that he was in the wrong for a close overtake as he was getting in the way of traffic.

Operation Safeway demonstrates that officials are far more interested in being seen to be do something than actually responding with any coherent medium/long-term plan. It was particularly depressing to see a recent YouTube clip of a driver ranting to a cyclist about how police were "cracking down on you lot" - demonstrating that Operation Safeway could actually be to overall detriment once it is over, reinforcing negative perceptions of road ownership and victim blaming.

Councils meanwhile insist on wasting cash on infrastructure which frequently makes cycling more dangerous, or at best does nothing. Good infrastructure is very much the exception to the rule, and only ever in isolated pockets. The width of many cycle lanes is comical, but there is no sign of this changing. It is depressing to see lots more money for infrastructure being pumped into the system which has demonstrated it cannot produce usable infrastructure and yet officials expect the same system to produce different results.

Personally I'm fortunate to live on a route in London that has a lot of bus-lanes and on which traffic can rarely move at any speed so I don't come into conflict with vehicles as often as most cyclists in London. I ride in primary position only where essential, as whilst there are many positions where it would be correct to be in primary it just leads to conflict with ignorant drivers forcing their way past regardless, or using horn repeatedly followed by a dangerous overtake or in the worst cases (happened to me once) forcing you off the road to rant and threaten violence. I do think many who advocate cycling in a correct primary position fail to factor in these extra dangers which are very real, particularly when they are not going to get any protection from the authorities.

Despite being (in my opinion) one of the better cycling routes into London, on my route it isn't about 2 miles from the centre of London that there are any number of cyclists. The scope for expansion is massive, but at the moment I wouldn't advise most to consider commuting longer distances into London by bike unless they are confident cyclists.