What Do Cyclists Have Against Cycle Tracks ?

molerat

The other day whilst driving home during peak period came across 3 lycra fetishists without a single piece of hi viz between them riding along the single carriageway A road holding up a massive queue of vehicles that could not overtake. There is a proper tarmacced cycle track running along that road, the scene of many accidents, put there because of the danger to cyclists but this bunch of morons decided that the road was the place to be. WHY ? :mad:

Nasqueron

Is it an enclosed lane (separated with a barrier of some kind) or just a painted bit of road or a shared path with walkers?

Enclosed lanes are fine
Painted road - where all the debris ends up after road accidents = bad for punctures
Shared path with walkers = too stop / start if you are a serious cyclist particularly if it crosses side roads, pedestrians (especially with dogs) are a danger

Hi Viz is a recommendation, not a requirement, driving home at 5-6 it is perfectly good light so you don't need it, if you can't see a bike you shouldn't be driving

How is it different to a learner / tractor / slow driver ?

Norman_Castle

Probably for the same reason you choose a motorway over A or B roads. So they can get up to speed and stay there. The cycle track may look good to motorists but for road cyclists they can be an disjointed, object strewn mess.

Realistically how much of a delay was it? Driving at a slower speed for a short while isn't that bad but courtesy dictates not slowing traffic for extended periods.

silverwhistle

Because they're crap? Below just one collection of examples if you do a search on crap cycle paths...

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2009/oct/20/crap-cycle-lanes

Altarf

Nasqueron wrote: »

Hi Viz is a recommendation, not a requirement, driving home at 5-6 it is perfectly good light so you don't need it, if you can't see a bike you shouldn't be driving

So you trust your life to what someone else shouldn't be doing.

Either brave or stupid.

sysadmin

Any particular you couldn't walk to where you need to be as there is a perfectly good pavement next the the road ?

Your car (and the others in the queue), which you were probably in alone were the cause of the queue, not the cyclists.

Also, does your car have a hi-viz jacket / coating of paint ?

Altarf

sysadmin wrote: »

Also, does your car have a hi-viz jacket / coating of paint ?

But that would prevent videos like this -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OrKLGEOVRA

Johno100

Altarf wrote: »

But that would prevent videos like this -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OrKLGEOVRA

Or this one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9ViYB9wpsY

culpepper

It only takes one hole to throw a cyclist off and cycle paths in the UK are often ridiculously under maintained.
We have a cycle route which we ride along weekly ,going through the local park(part of a national cycle route), it should be lovely but it is so full of pot holes that it can be dangerous no matter how slowly and carefully it is cycled along.
In our town it isn't unusual to see lorries or skips parked right across the cycle path where one has been marked out separately from the road. Most of the paths though, are just a line at the edge of the road and while cars will drive outside of them when in motion, they often stop so close to the edge that a bicycle cant possibly continue even if there is no reason not to.
Those cyclists riding straight into the back of cars are just being idiots and would do so no matter how good their own clobber is or how visible the 'target'.

Nasqueron

Altarf wrote: »

So you trust your life to what someone else shouldn't be doing.

Either brave or stupid.

I trust my life to drivers not on the phone, drunk, on drugs, jumping red lights, cutting across me, driving into me etc. High viz during the day nah, bright colours are fine for me.

Can never mitigate for any stupid driver, might as well never leave the house without a bubble wrap coat if that is your attitude

Altarf

Nasqueron wrote: »

Can never mitigate for any stupid driver

An odd statement, as wearing high viz clearly would mitigate the risk from inattentive drivers.