Tavistock has had for some time a Grade A cycling farcility: a short and narrow stretch of green paint on a little bit of the A390 to Gunnislake and Callington. It disappears when the road narrows. Fortunately it's so obviously useless that motorists don't expect cyclists to take any notice of it.
Now we have another. Approaching tavy on the A386 from Plymouth, there's a little blue bike pointing up onto a pavement. It's by no means a wide pavement, and goes past lots of houses with front gardens, high hedges, and concealed entrances.
It has one thing in its favour: very few pedestrians. That's because most pedestrians use the other side of the road. And for a good reason - the new farcility is always blocked by so many parked cars that it's neither easy nor pleasant to walk.
Someone - probably on the council - needs to be ridiculed. Can I be arsed to try a letter to the local paper?
Someone - probably on the council - needs to be ridiculed. Can I be arsed to try a letter to the local paper?
At least they're trying. Write a letter praising them for having a go at it, but suggesting ways in which the cycle path could be better designed. Hopefully that'll point 'em in the right direction without making them give up in a huff.
