ChatterBank1 min ago
Cyclists & Bus Lanes
19 Answers
I am aware that this subject has been debated before but as it was on R4 news this morning I thought it might be worth mentioning again ( if you can access the link read comments)
http://news.bbc.co.uk...magazine/4789146.stm.
I feel that cyclists would be much safer away from other traffic, what are your thoughts about it being legal to cycle on paths & pavements bikes could be adapted to make a noise ( when I was a lad we used to have a piece of card that the spokes of the rear wheel made a sound like a motorbike.)
Ron.
http://news.bbc.co.uk...magazine/4789146.stm.
I feel that cyclists would be much safer away from other traffic, what are your thoughts about it being legal to cycle on paths & pavements bikes could be adapted to make a noise ( when I was a lad we used to have a piece of card that the spokes of the rear wheel made a sound like a motorbike.)
Ron.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk.../magazine/4789146.stm
Ron.
http://news.bbc.co.uk.../magazine/4789146.stm
Ron.
As a cyclist, I often do no use bus lanes especially in cities. I consider it to be very dangerous to share a lane with buses. I usually cycle in normal traffic and avoid the designated lane.
I do not think cyclist should be allowed to cycle on the pavement. If they are worried by a particular junction, they should get off and push their cycles on the pavement. If they are scared of general road traffic, they should not be cycling at all.
Regarding noise, the law is extremely stupid. All new cycles must be sold with a bell. But bells are not compulsory, so they can be taken off. Make bells compulsory.
I do not think cyclist should be allowed to cycle on the pavement. If they are worried by a particular junction, they should get off and push their cycles on the pavement. If they are scared of general road traffic, they should not be cycling at all.
Regarding noise, the law is extremely stupid. All new cycles must be sold with a bell. But bells are not compulsory, so they can be taken off. Make bells compulsory.
whiskeryron
The problem with allowing cyclists to ride on pavements will be the inevitable collision with pedestrians, say, coming out of shops. We'd have to look left and right to ascertain whether it was safe to go onto the pavement.
I think the problem boils down to this - all our existing (older cities) grew 'organically'. There was never a time when a Metropolitan organisation sat down and developed a 360 transport infrastructure which could equally accomodate public and private transport together with cyclists, pedestrians etc...
So what we have is a hodge-podge. Unless we're willing to rebuild great chunks of our cities, we will never have a satisfactory compromise between all of our disparate transport requirements.
If I lived in a village or a small town, I would certainly cycle - but wouldn't dream of cycling where I live now (north London). Just too dangerous.
The problem with allowing cyclists to ride on pavements will be the inevitable collision with pedestrians, say, coming out of shops. We'd have to look left and right to ascertain whether it was safe to go onto the pavement.
I think the problem boils down to this - all our existing (older cities) grew 'organically'. There was never a time when a Metropolitan organisation sat down and developed a 360 transport infrastructure which could equally accomodate public and private transport together with cyclists, pedestrians etc...
So what we have is a hodge-podge. Unless we're willing to rebuild great chunks of our cities, we will never have a satisfactory compromise between all of our disparate transport requirements.
If I lived in a village or a small town, I would certainly cycle - but wouldn't dream of cycling where I live now (north London). Just too dangerous.
I agree with d9.
Because of the recession there has been a big increase in people using cycling to commute. But there has not been much done to educate them. Cycling standards are very low and many are a danger to themselves and other road and pavement users. More should be done to improve cycling standards.
I have produced an information leaflet for cyclists which can be downloaded from here.
http://www.ratranspor.../mertcycleleaflet.pdf
Because of the recession there has been a big increase in people using cycling to commute. But there has not been much done to educate them. Cycling standards are very low and many are a danger to themselves and other road and pavement users. More should be done to improve cycling standards.
I have produced an information leaflet for cyclists which can be downloaded from here.
http://www.ratranspor.../mertcycleleaflet.pdf
When I am a pedestrian I tend to wander from one side of the pavement to the other, sometimes attracted by a flower or a bird I have just spotted. If a cyclist came up behind me and did not have a bell I think it would cause collisions.
When I am a cyclist I always ring my bell to warn other people of my approach. Not on pavements, but maybe on country lanes etc.
When I am a cyclist I always ring my bell to warn other people of my approach. Not on pavements, but maybe on country lanes etc.