Cycle Lanes - really safe?

usignuolo

I had to run an errand by car tonight out to the east of my town (in outer London) on a main trunk road for the first time since the new cycle friendly routes were introduced. Now it was all a bit glary as the roads were damp but what I really noticed were the cyclists and their flashing lights.

Previously there was quite a low key cycle lane marked out on the edge of the pavement but this has been replaced by resubdividing the main road from two small car lanes (where that was possible) into one single larger car lane and a substantial cycle lane. In several cases the cycle lanes have been added to the outside edge of rows of parked cars. These lanes are full of cyclists in high vis gear many with several winking red lights or worse, from my point of view, those intermittant flashing strobe ones.

Periodically the road is too narrow for a cycle lane and then they are merged in with us car drivers. Even where there is a cycle lane, some cyclists prefer to take their chances along with the cars and motorbikes in the main lane.

I was waiting at a flashing belica beacon crossing tonight, behind a red london double decker bus (which now has three sets of red lights mounted in parallel down its back, excluding its rear lights), under a light drizzle, when a motor cycle came up on my right. At more or less the same time three cyclists all of different ability wobbled up on my left in the cycle lane, along with a taxi (it doubles as a bus lane here) all with at least two winking red lights apiece and at the same time coming up fast from behind on my right, on the main road, a Mark Cavendish wanna be completed with a cluster of red lights and a winking strobe light, going full steam ahead to pass me.

I started to feel quite disoriented. Is this really safer for everyone? I am sure it must give some cyclists a false sense of security. One thing no one is bothered about is clearly light pollution....

martinthebandit

As someone who has returned to cycling after 40 plus years or so I have to say that I find that cycle lanes are generally so badly thought out or designed that it seems safer cycling on the road.

JustinR1979

People don't see 40 foot lorries, so I don't begrudge them having all these flashing lights.

theEnd

martinthebandit wrote: »

As someone who has returned to cycling after 40 plus years or so I have to say that I find that cycle lanes are generally so badly thought out or designed that it seems safer cycling on the road.

This.

But also agree with the OP over lights.
There seems to be an arms race on who can get the brightest flashing lights and more power is not always better.

Strider590

Light pollution.... LMAO :rotfl:


I don't think all the flashing lights are necessary, the problem is not that drivers don't see cyclists, it's that they think "hey I can afford a car, I must be superior and I pay road tax, so they have to get out of MY way". These idiots get too close to a cyclist, cyclist gets scared and then fits more lights.

It won't change until drivers drop the attitude.

Johnmcl7

martinthebandit wrote: »

As someone who has returned to cycling after 40 plus years or so I have to say that I find that cycle lanes are generally so badly thought out or designed that it seems safer cycling on the road.

Agreed, I frequently see comments about how cyclists don't use cycle lanes so why build more but don't appreciate how bad the cycle lanes are until they actually try it themselves. There seems to be little planning and thought that goes into them bar sticking some markings on the road or pavement.

John

Ectophile

I get the feeling that many cycle lanes are just there as traffic calming measures. By pushing the cars closer to the centre of the road, it discourages overtaking. The moment the road gets a bit narrower, the cycle lane disappears.

StrongWork

Cycle lanes in London are an utter joke. A bit of blue paint does not a cycle lane make. They were only done for the Olympics. Typical half arsed approach especially when compared to those in Europe.

Mr_Toad

usignuolo wrote: »

I had to run an errand by car tonight out to the east of my town (in outer London) on a main trunk road for the first time since the new cycle friendly routes were introduced. Now it was all a bit glary as the roads were damp but what I really noticed were the cyclists and their flashing lights.

Previously there was quite a low key cycle lane marked out on the edge of the pavement but this has been replaced by resubdividing the main road from two small car lanes (where that was possible) into one single larger car lane and a substantial cycle lane. In several cases the cycle lanes have been added to the outside edge of rows of parked cars. These lanes are full of cyclists in high vis gear many with several winking red lights or worse, from my point of view, those intermittant flashing strobe ones.

Periodically the road is too narrow for a cycle lane and then they are merged in with us car drivers. Even where there is a cycle lane, some cyclists prefer to take their chances along with the cars and motorbikes in the main lane.

I was waiting at a flashing belica beacon crossing tonight, behind a red london double decker bus (which now has three sets of red lights mounted in parallel down its back, excluding its rear lights), under a light drizzle, when a motor cycle came up on my right. At more or less the same time three cyclists all of different ability wobbled up on my left in the cycle lane, along with a taxi (it doubles as a bus lane here) all with at least two winking red lights apiece and at the same time coming up fast from behind on my right, on the main road, a Mark Cavendish wanna be completed with a cluster of red lights and a winking strobe light, going full steam ahead to pass me.

I started to feel quite disoriented. Is this really safer for everyone? I am sure it must give some cyclists a false sense of security. One thing no one is bothered about is clearly light pollution....

You spotted, and remembered, every bike and vehicle out there so the lights did the job they were designed to do. A perfect outcome and safer for everyone.

What you seem to be inferring is that if the lights were less intrusive you wouldn't notice them and be disoriented. Nice for you but potentially deadly for someone you didn't see.

Mr_Mink

Mr_Toad wrote: »

You spotted, and remembered, every bike and vehicle out there so the lights did the job they were designed to do. A perfect outcome and safer for everyone.

What you seem to be inferring is that if the lights were less intrusive you wouldn't notice them and be disoriented. Nice for you but potentially deadly for someone you didn't see.

I agree about the lights being good.

I think the problem really comes from them flashing. I get that they want to be noticed but if it's the same brightness as any other vehicle's lights, there's no need for it to flash.

Hedgehog99

I used to cycle in a supposedly cycle-friendly city. I tried the Christmas tree method, but all I got was worse treatment from drivers and daft comments from drunks and kids, so I went for the single light front & back method after that. As a former cyclist and as a driver, I like the flashing lights as a way of distinguishing a cyclist's rear light from rear lights of cars in a queue of traffic. I hate the really bright headlights on some cars these days - and the idiots who go round with them on in daylight.
The CTC studied the passing distance of drivers from cyclists wearing & not wearing helmets. Cyclists not wearing helmets got a little bit more room. There are some cycle helmets that are disguised as normal hats, so I got one of those.