Cycle path vandalism

[Gonzalez]

Today myself and two friends cycled NCN 1 from Greenwich to Gravesend.

Between Woolwich and Dartford there are a series of barriers which allow an unladen bike to be
pushed through with ease, a laden bike to be pushed and lifted, and recumbents and motorbike have no
chance of getting through.

Several of these barriers had been cut down - they'd been vandalised sometime in the last
three weeks.
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[Richard Goodman]

"Gonzalez" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Today myself and two friends cycled NCN 1 from Greenwich to Gravesend.
>
> Between Woolwich and Dartford there are a series of barriers which allow an unladen bike to be
> pushed through with ease, a laden bike to be pushed and lifted, and recumbents and motorbike have
> no chance of getting through.
>
> Several of these barriers had been cut down - they'd been vandalised sometime in the last
> three weeks.
> --
> remove remove to reply

So these barriers normally obstruct cycle traffic on a cycle path, requiring bikes to be pushed or
lifted to pass, and some couldn't go through at all? And now they've been cut down so that they
don't impede cycle passage any more? What a pity.

Rich

 

[Adrian Tritschl]

Richard Goodman wrote:

> "Gonzalez" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>Today myself and two friends cycled NCN 1 from Greenwich to Gravesend.
>>
>>Between Woolwich and Dartford there are a series of barriers which allow an unladen bike to be
>>pushed through with ease, a laden bike to be pushed and lifted, and recumbents and motorbike have
>>no chance of getting through.
>>
>>Several of these barriers had been cut down - they'd been vandalised sometime in the last
>>three weeks.

Maybe they've been removed by the council who've decided that they cause inconvenience or danger
to cyclists?

> So these barriers normally obstruct cycle traffic on a cycle path, requiring bikes to be pushed or
> lifted to pass, and some couldn't go through at all? And now they've been cut down so that they
> don't impede cycle passage any more? What a pity.

I'd have to agree.

When touring in the UK in 2001 I had the unfortunate experience of using a few bike paths - like
bike paths here in Australia they have a large chunks of steel frequently placed so as to cause
maximum inconvenience. Having to stop and unstrap a pannier, lift the pannier through the gap, wheel
the bike through, strap the pannier back on and then ride off half a block to the next one quickly
becomes tiresome.

Not to mention the fate of any poor sod who's trying to ride a tricycle, recumbent, tandem, or
towing a trailer.

...then there's always the dark-green stealth bollards in the middle of the paths. Guaranteed
invisibility.

> Rich
Adrian

---------------------------------------------------------------
Adrian Tritschler mailto:[email protected] Latitude 38°S, Longitude 145°E,
Altitude 50m, Shoe size 44
---------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Gonzalez]

Adrian Tritschler wrote:

>Maybe they've been removed by the council who've decided that they cause inconvenience or danger to
>cyclists?

The council wouldn't leave a 6 inch stub of poorly cut metal.
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[J-P.S]

On Mon, 12 May 2003 07:00:49 +0100, Gonzalez scrawled: )>Maybe they've been removed by the council
who've decided that they cause )>inconvenience or danger to cyclists? ) ) The council wouldn't leave
a 6 inch stub of poorly cut metal.

Really. Do you have the Magic Roundabout Council from the teeny fairy ring somewhere over
the rainbow?

J-P
--
"THEREFORE: FREE DICKS OR ELSE WE WORSHIP FALSE IDOLS" "HEY THE SMOOTH FONTS ARE GONE"

 

[John Hearns]

On Sun, 11 May 2003 21:23:51 +0100, Gonzalez wrote:

> Today myself and two friends cycled NCN 1 from Greenwich to Gravesend.
>
> Between Woolwich and Dartford there are a series of barriers which allow an unladen bike to be
> pushed through with ease, a laden bike to be pushed and lifted, and recumbents and motorbike have
> no chance of getting through.

You can report damage, mssing signs etc. to the Sustrans Ranger who volunteers to take
responsibility or that stretch.

Personally, I'm against these barriers too. But then again, what's to stop mopeds etc. tearing
along the path?

Funnily enough, there's also a stretch in Woolwich where paving slabs have been removed
from the path.

 

[Marc]

Gonzalez <[email protected]> wrote:

> Today myself and two friends cycled NCN 1 from Greenwich to Gravesend.
>
> Between Woolwich and Dartford there are a series of barriers which allow an unladen bike to be
> pushed through with ease, a laden bike to be pushed and lifted, and recumbents and motorbike have
> no chance of getting through.
>
> Several of these barriers had been cut down - they'd been vandalised sometime in the last
> three weeks.

Militant recumbentists?

--
Marc Tabards, banners and signs for fundraising events and charities
http://www.jaceeprint.demon.co.uk/

 

[Keith]

Adrian Tritschler <[email protected]> wrote

> When touring in the UK in 2001 I had the unfortunate experience of using a few > bike paths - like
> bike paths here in Australia they have a large chunks of steel frequently placed so as to cause
> maximum inconvenience.

But we are making some progress in Australia. Here in Canberra, most of the more dangerous barriers
have been removed and 'Australian Cyclist' magazine frequently carries articles and before-and-after
photographs where the chunks of steel have been removed.

I get the inpression that concerted local effort will bring a change, provided the risk of
motorbikes or cars squeezing through is not made more likely (I guess that's the reason for the
barriers - am I correct?

Keith

 

[John B]

marc wrote:

> Gonzalez <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Today myself and two friends cycled NCN 1 from Greenwich to Gravesend.
> >
> > Between Woolwich and Dartford there are a series of barriers which allow an unladen bike to be
> > pushed through with ease, a laden bike to be pushed and lifted, and recumbents and motorbike
> > have no chance of getting through.
> >
> > Several of these barriers had been cut down - they'd been vandalised sometime in the last three
> > weeks.
>
> Militant recumbentists?
>

I've found the light sabre most effective ;-)

John B

 

[Tony W]

"John Hearns" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Funnily enough, there's also a stretch in Woolwich where paving slabs
have
> been removed from the path.

Definitely a place not to be wearing the bibshorts then.

 

[Tony W]

"John B" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >
> > Militant recumbentists?
> >
>
> I've found the light sabre most effective ;-)

Surely that would provide a very clean cut and wouldn't leave the 'ragged edge' originally
described.

No, I suspect the Trolls did it.

T

 

[John B]

Tony W wrote:

> "John B" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > >
> > > Militant recumbentists?
> > >
> >
> > I've found the light sabre most effective ;-)
>
> Surely that would provide a very clean cut and wouldn't leave the 'ragged edge' originally
> described.

I'm a bit of a newbie to the darkside

> No, I suspect the Trolls did it.
>

Has he come down from Inverness?

John B

 

[Tony W]

"John B" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> > > I've found the light sabre most effective ;-)
> >
> > Surely that would provide a very clean cut and wouldn't leave the
'ragged
> > edge' originally described.
>
> I'm a bit of a newbie to the darkside

You cannot be a Jedi knight (even on the Dark Side) until you have completed light sabre training.
Its a requirement.
>
> > No, I suspect the Trolls did it.
> >
>
> Has he come down from Inverness?

If so, I hope the Ents get him.

T

 

[Guy Chapman]

"John Hearns" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> You can report damage, mssing signs etc. to the Sustrans Ranger who volunteers to take
> responsibility or that stretch.

Please tell me there's only one of them...

 

[Seamus]

There are 1450 Sustrans Rangers, each looking after a section of the National Cycle Network near their home.

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/webcode/content.asp?ID=162&

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On 13 May 2003 01:00:41 +0950, Seamus <[email protected]> wrote:

>There are 1450 Sustrans Rangers, each looking after a section of the National Cycle Network near
>their home.

<hums Willam Tell overture>

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. http://www.chapmancentral.com (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

 

[Gonzalez]

John Hearns wrote:

>Funnily enough, there's also a stretch in Woolwich where paving slabs have been removed from
>the path.

Yes, I noted that, it's just after the old docks where people from the local estates fish. I wonder
if the PSF noticed someone in b*b sh*rts as she cycled by.
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[Nemo]

.
>)>Maybe they've been removed by the council who've decided that they cause )>inconvenience or
>danger to cyclists? ) ) The council wouldn't leave a 6 inch stub of poorly cut metal.
>
>Really. Do you have the Magic Roundabout Council from the teeny fairy ring somewhere over
>the rainbow?
I can't see the point of that (unless it's a troll).

To return to the original thread, I for one am quite happy to accept the occasional/regularly-spaced
gate-type thingie on cycle-paths. Without these, I believe that motorcycles would very soon make
their appearance. The intention of cycle-paths is surely to provide leisure routes and safe routes
for those (parents, tourists, etc) who prefer to avoid the risk inherent in riding on today's
highways. The cost of a few moments every half-mile or so is surely not excessive.

 

[John Hearns]

On Tue, 13 May 2003 07:22:23 +0100, Nemo wrote:

> I can't see the point of that (unless it's a troll).
>
> To return to the original thread, I for one am quite happy to accept the
> occasional/regularly-spaced gate-type thingie on cycle-paths. Without these, I believe that
> motorcycles would very soon make their appearance. The intention of cycle-paths is surely to
> provide leisure routes and safe routes for those (parents, tourists, etc) who prefer to avoid the
> risk inherent in riding on today's highways. The cost of a few moments every half-mile or so is
> surely not excessive.

As has been said on this thread, how about people on recumbent bicycles or heavily laden tourers?
Also, these barriers prevent wheelchair disabled people using the routes, and so when the
Disability Discrimination Act comes fully into force next year or the year after, they will all be
removed anyway.

You make a point about the risk of todays highways. I won't try and pooh-pooh you, as these are very
real, and are genuine concerns for many people - myself included.

I'm not going to express myself very well, but having owned a car in the past, there is a place for
fast roads, which will be unsafe for bibycles and mopeds under 50cc, horses and carts etc.

But for the vast majority of our roads, why do we have to accept that bicycles, and other slower
forms of transport e.g. horses are somehow 'second class citizens'?

And thinking of dedicated bike paths - great. I use them and enjoy them all the time. But think - if
you are (say) commuting to work, or going somewhere in a hurry you will take the most direct route -
a road. And you have every right to do so.

In another thread on this group, someone pointed out the stupidity of a Scottish local authority
lauding a cross-country Sustrans route as a convenient commuter facility.

 

[Dave Kahn]

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> On 13 May 2003 01:00:41 +0950, Seamus <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >There are 1450 Sustrans Rangers, each looking after a section of the National Cycle Network near
> >their home.
>
> <hums Willam Tell overture>

But who was that masked cyclist?

--
Dave...