Part-time Cycle lanes

[Tom Crispin]

Is this the future?

Part-time mandatory cycle lanes valid in weekday morning and afternoon
rush hours only.

Lovers of cycle lanes are free to use them in marked hours, and those
who despise the white paint can happily cycle along the road off-peak
without any rising feeling of resentment at the farcility they didn't
ask for.

www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/misc/ptlane

 

[burtthebike]

"Tom Crispin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Is this the future?
>
> Part-time mandatory cycle lanes valid in weekday morning and afternoon
> rush hours only.
>
> Lovers of cycle lanes are free to use them in marked hours, and those
> who despise the white paint can happily cycle along the road off-peak
> without any rising feeling of resentment at the farcility they didn't
> ask for.

But they are only mandatory for drivers, cyclists can ignore them as and
when.

They also look to be dangerously narrow.

 

[Tom Crispin]

On Sun, 15 Jun 2008 08:15:39 +0100, "burtthebike"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Tom Crispin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Is this the future?
>>
>> Part-time mandatory cycle lanes valid in weekday morning and afternoon
>> rush hours only.
>>
>> Lovers of cycle lanes are free to use them in marked hours, and those
>> who despise the white paint can happily cycle along the road off-peak
>> without any rising feeling of resentment at the farcility they didn't
>> ask for.
>
>But they are only mandatory for drivers, cyclists can ignore them as and
>when.

But drivers may only ignore them outside posted hours.

>They also look to be dangerously narrow.

Yeah - but do you notice the wide margin between the edge of the lane
and the passing vehicles. Hell! At least two vehicles have crossed
the road's centre line to give the (unhelmeted) cyclist a wide margin.

 

[Martin]

Tom Crispin wrote:
> Is this the future?
>
> Part-time mandatory cycle lanes valid in weekday morning and afternoon
> rush hours only.
>
> Lovers of cycle lanes are free to use them in marked hours, and those
> who despise the white paint can happily cycle along the road off-peak
> without any rising feeling of resentment at the farcility they didn't
> ask for.
>
> www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/misc/ptlane

I think the reason for them being part time, could be to allow on street
parking whilst they are not in use. Note the single white line, it would
be interesting to see what the parking restrictions are.
I wonder if the cycle lane is there not for the benefit of cyclists, but
simple to discourage parking.

PT lanes like this, when not in use, could encourage bad cycling by
inexperienced cyclists, by suggesting that they dive out of and into the
gutter whenever they meet a parked car.

 

[Roger Merriman]

Tom Crispin <[email protected]> wrote:

> Is this the future?
>
> Part-time mandatory cycle lanes valid in weekday morning and afternoon
> rush hours only.
>
> Lovers of cycle lanes are free to use them in marked hours, and those
> who despise the white paint can happily cycle along the road off-peak
> without any rising feeling of resentment at the farcility they didn't
> ask for.
>
> www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/misc/ptlane

Kew Road and Hampton court road have simular i suppose rather like bus
lanes, the problem is people are tend to not notice the times which is
handy for bus lanes as you get your own lane...

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

 

[Roger Merriman]

Nick <[email protected]> wrote:

> Martin wrote:
> >
> > Tom Crispin wrote:
> >> Is this the future?
> >>
> >> Part-time mandatory cycle lanes valid in weekday morning and afternoon
> >> rush hours only.
> >>
> >> Lovers of cycle lanes are free to use them in marked hours, and those
> >> who despise the white paint can happily cycle along the road off-peak
> >> without any rising feeling of resentment at the farcility they didn't
> >> ask for.
> >>
> >> www.johnballcycling.org.uk/photos/misc/ptlane
> >
> > I think the reason for them being part time, could be to allow on street
> > parking whilst they are not in use. Note the single white line, it would
> > be interesting to see what the parking restrictions are.
> > I wonder if the cycle lane is there not for the benefit of cyclists, but
> > simple to discourage parking.
> >
> > PT lanes like this, when not in use, could encourage bad cycling by
> > inexperienced cyclists, by suggesting that they dive out of and into the
> > gutter whenever they meet a parked car.
>
> Often roads get blocked by traffic jams. A bike lane such as this makes
> it much easier to get up the inside so I'm in favour.

it does but this road Hampton court, you do have to watch cars over the
line or more likely buses it's normally easyer and allows more space if
you just pootled down the middle.

though to be honest it's a nicer ride though Bushy Park and not a lot
slower.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

 

[POHB]

On 15 Jun, 07:43, Tom Crispin <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Is this the future?
>
> Part-time mandatory cycle lanes valid in weekday morning and afternoon
> rush hours only.

I'd vote for simply banning private cars and delivery vehicles from
urban roads during those hours instead.

 

[Mark]

On Sun, 15 Jun 2008 08:38:14 +0100, Tom Crispin
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sun, 15 Jun 2008 08:15:39 +0100, "burtthebike"
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Tom Crispin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:[email protected]...
>>> Is this the future?
>>>
>>> Part-time mandatory cycle lanes valid in weekday morning and afternoon
>>> rush hours only.
>>>
>>> Lovers of cycle lanes are free to use them in marked hours, and those
>>> who despise the white paint can happily cycle along the road off-peak
>>> without any rising feeling of resentment at the farcility they didn't
>>> ask for.
>>
>>But they are only mandatory for drivers, cyclists can ignore them as and
>>when.
>
>But drivers may only ignore them outside posted hours.

And will lead to even more confusion for the poor persecuted motorist,
many of whom think that cylists must use cycle lanes and are not
allowed on the road.

>>They also look to be dangerously narrow.

Agreed - and will encourage bad practise by inexperienced cyclists.

>Yeah - but do you notice the wide margin between the edge of the lane
>and the passing vehicles. Hell! At least two vehicles have crossed
>the road's centre line to give the (unhelmeted) cyclist a wide margin.

I am amazed too! I wish motorists gave me that much room when
overtaking.

--
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(='.'=) Owing to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking most articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
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See http://improve-usenet.org

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

On Jun 15, 9:48 pm, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
> I think the reason for them being part time, could be to allow on street
> parking whilst they are not in use. Note the single white line, it would
> be interesting to see what the parking restrictions are.
> I wonder if the cycle lane is there not for the benefit of cyclists, but
> simple to discourage parking.

Yes, that's what I'd heard too. There was a suggestion that putting
these in requires less regulatory hassle for the local council than
doing a proper no-parking order.

Richard

 

[Jeremy Parker]

>>"Richard Fairhurst" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:53bedd50-acac-4412-923d-4a305653dd34@e53g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
On Jun 15, 9:48 pm, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
> I think the reason for them being part time, could be to allow on
> street
> parking whilst they are not in use. Note the single white line, it
> would
> be interesting to see what the parking restrictions are.
> I wonder if the cycle lane is there not for the benefit of
> cyclists, but
> simple to discourage parking.

>>Yes, that's what I'd heard too. There was a suggestion that putting
these in requires less regulatory hassle for the local council than
doing a proper no-parking order.

-------------------------

The sign, the yellow line, and the solid white line implies that the
council did go through a procedure to get a no-parking order,
although for only some of the day. It's a mandatory lane, according
to the signing, which would ban cars when the lane is in force
Politically it might be easier, I suppose, to ban parking for only
some of the time, rather than all of it.

Question: Suppose one parks a car, when the lane is not in force,
but leaves the car there past the transition time. The result will
be a car in the forbidden zone, but nobody driving a car in the
forbidden zone. Is that a loophole?

Jeremy Parker

 

[David Damerell]

Quoting Roger Merriman <[email protected]>:
>Kew Road and Hampton court road have simular i suppose rather like bus
>lanes, the problem is people are tend to not notice the times which is
>handy for bus lanes as you get your own lane...

I find that's a mixed blessing on Hampton Court Road, since the occasional
literate cager who reads the signs then zooms up the bus lane at warp
factor nine.
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> Oil is for sissies
Today is Second Chedday, June - a weekend.

 

[Roger Merriman]

David Damerell <[email protected]> wrote:

> Quoting Roger Merriman <[email protected]>:
> >Kew Road and Hampton court road have simular i suppose rather like bus
> >lanes, the problem is people are tend to not notice the times which is
> >handy for bus lanes as you get your own lane...
>
> I find that's a mixed blessing on Hampton Court Road, since the occasional
> literate cager who reads the signs then zooms up the bus lane at warp
> factor nine.

can't say i've had a problem with that road, as if it's out of rush hour
the car has plenty of room to pass.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

 

[Marc]

Mark wrote:

>
>> Yeah - but do you notice the wide margin between the edge of the lane
>> and the passing vehicles. Hell! At least two vehicles have crossed
>> the road's centre line to give the (unhelmeted) cyclist a wide margin.
>
> I am amazed too! I wish motorists gave me that much room when
> overtaking.

Look at the big manhole cover shaped depression in the foreground, my
money is on the male cyclist having either swerved or wobbled around it
and the drivers are reacting to that.
>

 

[Roger Merriman]

Marc <[email protected]> wrote:

> Mark wrote:
>
> >
> >> Yeah - but do you notice the wide margin between the edge of the lane
> >> and the passing vehicles. Hell! At least two vehicles have crossed
> >> the road's centre line to give the (unhelmeted) cyclist a wide margin.
> >
> > I am amazed too! I wish motorists gave me that much room when
> > overtaking.
>
> Look at the big manhole cover shaped depression in the foreground, my
> money is on the male cyclist having either swerved or wobbled around it
> and the drivers are reacting to that.
> >

no it's to do with the road works, further along, so the cars are moving
out.

cars normally give a bit of room on that road, for the most part you
can't park i think it's a clearway but i'd have to check.

they are widdening the pavenet into the road and thus looks like we'll
get a lovely shared foot path... now the only reason to use that road is
to get there, ie at some speed there are plenty of off road routes, ie
either bushy park or along the edge of the Thames, to Kingston i can't
see that many useing it. most who do are going some, and are unlikely to
want to play on the pavement.

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com