Are cycle paths a good thing? There are times - when a lorry passes me with inches to spare - that I think that I would like to see a wide network of cycle-only paths. Other times I think that Cycle Paths are a form of segregation, an attempt to keep bicycles bicycles off the main roads. Bicycles after all, are just one form of road transport and all road vehicles have a right to use the roads. In actual fact, Bicycles have more right than cars to be on the road. Bicyces, Pedestrains, Horses, Horse-Drawn Vehicles - all these have an absolute right to use Public Roads. Motor-vehicles do not have an absolute right, and may use Public Roads only by license - the Vehicle Excise Duty (erroneously known as the Road Tax or Road Fund License). The Vehicle Excise Duty does not pay for the roads as Motorists' Organisations would have you believe, it's not ring-fenced for transport and in fact goes directly to the Exchequer for general use. The roads are paid for out of general taxation. The Income Tax we all pay is what goes to pay for the roads, so in answer to the ABD and other such groups, I do pay for the roads.
Many people are put off cycling by a perceived risk, that the roads are dangerous to cyclists. Anything that gets people out cycling, and replaces car journeys with other forms of transport has to be a good thing. Cycle Paths do encourage people to get out cycling, so they have to be a good thing. Well, they do if they're good cycle paths. If they are bad cycle paths then they can put off people even more.
So what makes a good cycle path? Can't give you a definitive answer to that question, but I can show you some bad ones...
Someone at the council got a little bit crazy with the cycle lane planning. It kind of makes sense. Whatever the logic behind all this, the upshot is that two lanes of traffic on what is supposed to be one of London's bike arteries have to cross over each other face to face. Great work council guy! The right conclusion to draw from this is that segregated cycle lanes of this kind are a bad idea. There are already plenty of serious studies showing just how bad an idea, for various reasons; this photo can be added lightly to the pile.
What a terrible cycle lane! Turn left off the road and straight into a fence. Not very cyclist-
friendly at all.
Lets do something crazy! Let's put a sign for the cycle lane in the middle of the cycle lane.
Seats 6, option to hire it for business lunches.
And into fast oncoming one-way traffic. Note the give way line, rather than any kind of diversion on to the pavement or anything else indicating a need to leave the road. Thankfully just downhill from the hospital.
Not sure how they were planning on suspending the cycle lane ... strong wires perhaps? Either way it doesn't seem to have worked, as it's still on the ground. This is also probably one of the most dangerous cycle lanes in Horsham, as this is a one way street, but the cycle lane goes in the reverse direction. Despite the double yellow lines on the other side of the road, they do not stop many people from parking there, this means that lorries and cars generally come straight at you and seem to have no intention of stopping or moving over.
Luckily, this section of cycle lane is only about 300 yards long, as there is no indication that you are going to round a bend and come across a complete dead end.
This farcical cycle path measures a massive 32ft 5in long. This one must be unique in having a two-way system, small enough for a head on handlebar collision should two bikes pass. It leads straight onto the junction of a main road at one end, and a pedestrian pavement at the other.
The mind boggles at times! I'm not really sure what the city council was thinking of when it made this ludicrous cycle path. If you navigated this cycle path at any speed you would be sure to fall off.
Firstly, it should be safe. And secondly, it should be easy to use, therefore making the road easier to use.
An obstacle I encounter every day on my way to work. England just isn't really clued up yet with cycle path design.
What on earth is this?!