Coming up on R4

Bryan said:

In you and yours (if you can stand it for 20 minutes :-) Cycling feature about how 6 cities gien £1mil are going about changing their cities for cyclists benefits.

Bryan

Well it was interesting. Interview with bloke from Lancaster council saying how they were putting new cycle paths (one 800m stretch cost £200 000). Complaints from those interviewd that they wouldn't cycle through Lancaster as it was still 'too dangerous' :-( Comments made by man from council that they were going to put more cycle paths in and lots of signs saying where the paths were; no comment that the paths actually went were people wanted them to go.. Oh and they are going to change a local by-law to permit cyclits on the promenade.

COmments form other citries included Derby where cycle training is being offeed to all 10 years old (A good thing), and Brighton, where 10000 homes will be offered the chance to buy 'discount bikes' (what will they be like I wonder?)

Anyway, as ever available on listen again, starts 15 minutes in (12:15).

Bryan

Bryan said:

Well it was interesting. Interview with bloke from Lancaster council
saying how they were putting new cycle paths (one 800m stretch cost
£200 000). Complaints from those interviewd that they wouldn't cycle
through Lancaster as it was still 'too dangerous' :-( Comments made by
man from council that they were going to put more cycle paths in and
lots of signs saying where the paths were; no comment that the paths
actually went were people wanted them to go.. Oh and they are going to
change a local by-law to permit cyclits on the promenade.

I'll listen on Listen Again later but your comments raise one of my
concerns which is that by installing cycle facilities we are reinforcing
the view that "its too dangerous" on the roads. Perhaps there should be
more focus on "no its not dangerous" rather than "yes we agree, we'll
build a cyclepath to reduce it". Its the equivalent of addressing fear
of flying by issuing parachutes to all the passengers

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

quote='Tony Raven'Bryan said:

Well it was interesting. Interview with bloke from Lancaster council
saying how they were putting new cycle paths (one 800m stretch cost
£200 000). Complaints from those interviewd that they wouldn't cycle
through Lancaster as it was still 'too dangerous' :-( Comments made by
man from council that they were going to put more cycle paths in and
lots of signs saying where the paths were; no comment that the paths
actually went were people wanted them to go.. Oh and they are going to
change a local by-law to permit cyclits on the promenade.

I'll listen on Listen Again later but your comments raise one of my
concerns which is that by installing cycle facilities we are reinforcing
the view that "its too dangerous" on the roads. Perhaps there should be
more focus on "no its not dangerous" rather than "yes we agree, we'll
build a cyclepath to reduce it". Its the equivalent of addressing fear
of flying by issuing parachutes to all the passengers

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci[/QUOTE]

Couldn't agree more. I can't believe cycling in Lancaster is more dangerous than cycling in many of the other large cities in the UK, and enough people cycle in London. Personally I thikng the Derby attitude of giving cycle training to be the best way to get people to cycle, althoguh they should offer it to adults as well as children.

Bryan

Bryan said:

Couldn't agree more. I can't believe cycling in Lancaster is more
dangerous than cycling in many of the other large cities in the UK, and
enough people cycle in London. Personally I thikng the Derby attitude
of giving cycle training to be the best way to get people to cycle,
althoguh they should offer it to adults as well as children.

Bryan

Yes but Derby already has a network of off-road routes (and an appalling
dual carriageway network of roads to contend with if you don't use them)

Simon

Simon Geller said:

Yes but Derby already has a network of off-road routes (and an appalling
dual carriageway network of roads to contend with if you don't use them)

But as has been covered here many times before, the roads are not
dangerous and to the extent there is any danger, its worse on the cycle
routes (read John Franklin on the Milton Keynes Redways and Stevenage
cycle network for chapter and verse of similar situations to Derby)

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Bryan said:

Couldn't agree more. I can't believe cycling in Lancaster is more
dangerous than cycling in many of the other large cities in the UK, and
enough people cycle in London.

Even if it was it is still no more dangerous than being one of the many
pedestrians in Lancaster.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

Quoted message said:

I've never had a problem cycling on that bit of the A6 in either
direction. The one way system round the town centre needs a bit more
confidence but is fine too

It's fine until you need to change lane. It's OK when quiet - let them
all speed past you, then move as the lights stop the next lot. It's
fine when it's gridlocked, but watch out for motorbikes. What's tricky
is when they're all tootling along, manoevring for position, and
they'll not always see you.

The little pink lanes at the side with bike signs on them are parking
facilities - at least, that's the chief usage of them.

Only accident I've ever had in the city was with a motorist coming the
wrong way down a one-way street (Middle Street). Clearly her fault.

The network of cyclepaths is fine for the nervous but not all of them
live near it. However, the Millenium bridge is great - much better
than Greyhound bridge which is a longer trip and has three narrow
lanes. This is one cycletrack I like to use, speeding along the
riverbank past the poor gridlocked sods on Morecambe Road. Avoids three
roundabouts with their pootling little mini-farcilities too.

The recent diversion of the Glasson Dock route got some publicity
because the temporary route surface had some glass in the mix. However,
it's OK because the sharp edges had been rounded off. How'd they do
that? Anyway, my test ride produced no punctures.

This means that National Route 6 now temporarily passes my house. I can
confirm that it's actually used - we see far more cyclists than we used
to.