Rye Lane Cycle Path

[Renata Hamvas]

I'm on the case,

Renata

[Medley]

I don't know what case Renata is on exactly, but my point of view as a cyclist is that I want to make as rapid progress as reasonably possible, while still being safe for myself and other users of that path. No, it's not a road but yes, it is a cycle path. The design's a joke, but that's usually the case in the UK with cycle paths. And it's a super-useful link to have. And a paragon compared to that cycle path on Rye Lane, the one way for buses bit.

More clear markings - what does that mean? A dividing line? The path's very twisty for that, and people will never respect the boundaries, either through not seeing them, not understanding them or deliberately contravening them.

[benevetts]

I use the paths every day, have done for five years and they work fine. You could paint the one on rye lane in bright pink and you would still have pedestrians walking across it, popping out from behind buses etc because of where it is. Surrey Canal path works fine too. Don't mean to sound like a hippy but we just all need to get along, cyclists need to ride defensively, as they are the one's most likely to cause damage to others. They should also not ride with headphones, not just because its blooming stupid but also because then they can hear and sense others around then more easily.

[Medley]

Agreed on the headphones. Madness.

[titch juicy]

Medley Wrote:

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

> I don't know what case Renata is on exactly, but

> my point of view as a cyclist is that I want to

> make as rapid progress as reasonably possible,

> while still being safe for myself and other users

> of that path. No, it's not a road but yes, it is a

> cycle path. The design's a joke, but that's

> usually the case in the UK with cycle paths. And

> it's a super-useful link to have. And a paragon

> compared to that cycle path on Rye Lane, the one

> way for buses bit.

>

> More clear markings - what does that mean? A

> dividing line? The path's very twisty for that,

> and people will never respect the boundaries,

> either through not seeing them, not understanding

> them or deliberately contravening them.

are people not talking about the straight cycle path, where the buses come the opposite way at the top of rye lane, by wh smiths etc?

[DJKillaQueen]

I agree on the comments regarding the surrey canal path....some cyclists do ride too fast when encountering pedestrians and indeed other cyclists. I've had to slow down myself to avoid other cyclists charging at me during peak hours sometimes. It is though only 'some' cycists.

[James Barber]

Blue cycle paths are only used where its parts of the Cycle Superhighway.

Blue is the chosen colour in Copenhagen as the tarmac seems to keep its colour better than red or green apparently.

AS its not cycle superhighway the only colour it would be is red.

Council officials decided to rigidly follow the street design guide. Hence the block paving which is more expensive and the minimalists i.e. impossible to spot cycle logos.

Hopefully common sense will preval but I fear ward councillors there are happy with things as they are and collissions will be required.

[henryb]

As there have been zero reported collisions between pedestrains and cyclists on the path - that makes sense to me. There many places in southwark that don't have a zero collision rate - in fact most streets.

[Medley]

To be clear, James is talking about the short Rye Lane stretch, with its absurd design, whereas most of the thread is about the Surrey Canal path, which is quite different in design (if also a bit absurd).

[henryb]

No reported collisions along there either.

There is a world of difference between a near-miss or slight knock between a cyclist and a pedestrian on a shared pavement and a pedestrian being hit at high speed by a car or crushed under the wheels of a lorry. It seems to me it is more important to focus on reducing the later rather than the former.

[Medley]

Agree with that

[Renata Hamvas]

What I have raised is the cycle lane at the top of Rye Lane,

it's straight and the paving slabs are slightly darker grey than the paving area. currenlty there is no line as such separating the two areas. Yes, they will always be shared to a certain extent as people cross the road and walk across the cyclists section. I have also seen cyclists cycle through the pedestrian area , weaving between pedestrians! Painting the area blue has been ruled out (that is a Boris bike thing), but maybe painted lines would help?

Renata

[Medley]

Painted lines certainly couldn't hurt, but I fear the design is fundamentally flawed for 3 reasons:

1. It's just not obvious to all parties that it's a one way cycle lane southbound;

2. The fact that you can't overtake on a cycle once a bus is at a stand in the road means cyclists will in reality always use it northbound too;

3. It's also not obvious to many pedestrians that it's a cycle lane at all. The look I mostly get when tootling my bell to warn them I'm coming is one of total surprise. Then they look at the ground and, if they're near one of the bike symbols and it's light enough to see one, they get it.

[titch juicy]

why can't it be used as a north and southbound cycle lane- there doesn't seem to be any harm in that?

[Medley]

It's not big enough, as it currently exists.

I think the only half decent solution is to widen it at the expense of either road or pavement, probably pavement as that'd be cheaper and the pavement's reasonably wide as it is, segregate it and make it two-way.

[DuncanW]

For the record, I was involved in a collision on this stretch of 'cycle path' about a month ago.

A guy who was texting walked out in front of me. I was able to apply my brakes and swerve to try and avoid hitting him, but I did still make contact and then wiped-out and ended up on the floor in the road proper.

Luckily there was no bus on the road at the time. Still I came away fairly bruised and battered, nothing too serious, and needed ?80 of repairs to my bike. I didn't relaise I was supposed to report this...

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi all, I don't think it could be totally cycle/pedestrian separated as people get off buses and cross the road. It also gets very busy along that stretch, so I don't it would be feasible to make the pavement. I am going to highlight this thread to one of the Lane Councillors who is a keen cyclist (I used to be years ago but am not at the moment). Sounds nasty Duncan and you ended up forking out for someone's irresponsible behaviour. please do report any incidents.

Renata

[Medley]

Renata, if all your objections win the day then what's the point of even raising it? I suppose another - horrendously expensive - alternative would be to shift the road slightly westwards and thus extend the bike path into the road to make it wide enough for two-way.

Sounds like we'll continue to have a good old British muddle; there are worse things after all.

[miss_mystra]

ah yes the old text and walk out.... had a number of near misses (though none as close as yours) in similar situations. Unfortunely no kind of brightly coloured signs and pavement/road markings can cure a complete lack of common sense in people tuned into nothing but their mobiles... they'd walk across a motorway if there wasn't bariers up! :(

DuncanW Wrote:

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

> For the record, I was involved in a collision on

> this stretch of 'cycle path' about a month ago.

> A guy who was texting walked out in front of me. I

> was able to apply my brakes and swerve to try and

> avoid hitting him, but I did still make contact

> and then wiped-out and ended up on the floor in

> the road proper.

> Luckily there was no bus on the road at the time.

> Still I came away fairly bruised and battered,

> nothing too serious, and needed ?80 of repairs to

> my bike. I didn't relaise I was supposed to report

> this...

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Medley, I'm just trying to be realistic, I agree with Miss Mystra, I would just hope that the actual presence of the cycle Lane could be made more apparent to pedestrians and likewise that some the cyclists ( a minority of total though)wouldn't meander in an out of pedestrians in the pedestrian section.

Renata

[intexasatthe moment]

medley and tich juicy - the shared space cycle way between Boots And Smiths IS a two way cycle lane ,north and south bound ?

Isn't it ?

[DJKillaQueen]

No it's meant to be one way but the stupid design of the bus lane means cyclists use it as a two way lane.

[titch juicy]

How does anyone know it's one-way? I don't recall any signs

[Medley]

Renata - fair enough on making it more obvious, that would help everyone.

The recent comments beautifully illustrate the point!

No, folks, it's one way - southbound only.

[intexasatthe moment]

Sorry ,I see what you mean .

Northbound cylists share the bit of the road - marked with bikes painted on to the surface - with buses .