Overtaking at traffic islands

[Colin Blackburn]

I was up in Penicuik at the weekend for a hill race (running not cycling) and I noticed that they
had rather a lot of big yellow advisory signs asking drivers not to overtake pedal cycles at traffic
islands. The road did have a lot of traffic islands and the onroad cycle lane did disappear each
time there was an island. I wondered if these warnings were peculiarly Scottish or if that area has
seen accidents due to overtaking.

Colin

 

[Ianb]

"Colin Blackburn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:MPG.18bc263f7e766474989788@localhost...
> I was up in Penicuik at the weekend for a hill race (running not cycling) and I noticed that they
> had rather a lot of big yellow advisory signs asking drivers not to overtake pedal cycles at
> traffic islands. The road did have a lot of traffic islands and the onroad cycle lane did
> disappear each time there was an island. I wondered if these warnings were peculiarly Scottish or
> if that area has seen accidents due to overtaking.
>
> Colin

We had something similar. A "Hospital Safety Scheme" introduced about 5 traffic islands in a half
mile on a nearby B road. The southernmost island had a notice in letters about 2cm high stating
"cycle priority through islands". As a car driver I found I needed 3 passes to read this message, I
challenged a colleague at work to read & interpret it. He also took several passes to absorb it (due
to the small font used) and decided that it meant that County Hall had a rota defining what class of
Vehicle had priority on what day (i.e. the priority was cycled through the various possible vehicle
types). This scheme also had signs on two of the islands claiming that "Pedestrians do not cross
here" which I know was wrong because I did (several times)!
--
IanB

swap my names around to reply to me

 

[Howard]

These signs are very much a token gesture towards cyclists safety, although they might help in court
if a cyclist is mown down at an island by some driver (assuming they stop/ are caught that is...).

Fact is that despite repeated claims that cycle casualties are due to an 'irresponsible minority' of
drivers, in excess of 70% of drivers will cut a cyclist up at these features.

There is extensive 'best practice' regarding the use of central traffic islands. However many local
authorities don't give a damnn about the safety of cyclists and ignore it.

For a full run down on this problem see

http://www.thebikezone.org.uk/thebikezone/campaigning/pinchpoints.html

and

http://www.thebikezone.org.uk/thebikezone/confessions/coaco6.html

Regards,

Howard.

 

[Tony Raven]

Howard <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Fact is that despite repeated claims that cycle casualties are due to an 'irresponsible minority'
> of drivers, in excess of 70% of drivers will cut a cyclist up at these features.
>

While I agree that we are better of without them my experience of regularly commuting along a
stretch with multiple traffic islands is that nearly all motorists will hold back if you cycle
appropriately. Some way before the island I will move slowly out so that it is clear that there is
no chance of squeezing past at the island and post island I will move promptly back in to let them
pass. The ones I find are dangerous are the long island, typically post traffic lights, where the
road space tapers. At the start there appears to be plenty of room to pass but it rapidly
disappears. You really need to take control of the lane at the start of those islands.

Tony

--
http://www.raven-family.com

"I don't want any yes-men around me. I want everybody to tell me the truth even if it costs them
their job."

Samuel Goldwyn

 

[David Hansen]

On Mon, 24 Feb 2003 11:22:13 -0000 someone who may be "IanB" <[email protected]>
wrote this:-

>The southernmost island had a notice in letters about 2cm high stating "cycle priority through
>islands".

I have seen a different approach, ISTR in Bristol. There are give way lines across the "main" part
of the road, with none on the "cycle" part of the road. I have no idea if this makes any difference.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked
keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.

 

[Howard]

All these signing and road marking schemes are nothing more then a token gesture towards cyclists
safety. However, they might help should a driver be brought to court for mowing down a cyclist.
(Assuming they stop or the police bother to catch them that is...).

Despite suggestions that cycle casualties are due to a 'irresponsible minority' of drivers,
extensive research repeatedly shows that over 70% of drivers are quite willing to 'cut up' a cyclist
at a pinch point created by a central traffic island.

There are extensive 'best practice' guidelines for highway engineers laying out just where these
islands should be used. Unfortunately many traffic engineers don't give a damnn about cyclists
safety and blatently ignore it....

For more see

http://www.thebikezone.org.uk/thebikezone/campaigning/pinchpoints.html

and

http://www.thebikezone.org.uk/thebikezone/confessions/coaco6.html

Regards,

Howard.