5% of Transport Budget
Discussion
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/campaigning/arti...
Gist is that Trott, Kenny, Boardman, Cav et al want the PM to spend 5% of total transport budget on Cycle Lanes etc. To increase the amount of people who ride. Since safety is one of the things that puts people off.
Great idea. In theory.
We've all seen those stupid bike lanes that were a councils tick sheet option as they go nowhere. Or the ones that take you away from the road you're riding along, down an alley to a crossing where you are supposed to dismount, walk across a road, remount and carry on back to the road you were on. The problem with more cycle lanes and costs is that it treats Cycles as something other than traffic. And that attitude encourages the divide into them and us. So I was thinking today if I was in charge of cycling for the Government what do I want to happen?
My only day to day issue. The only thing that ges my ire and happens relatively regularly is close passing. (IME 95%+ of drivers are fine. It's only ever 1 or 3 d
heads) So I'm stealing and modifying the 3 foot law from America (and possibly Australia.)
I'd like a national campaign with adverts and posters. And change the law to give points. Not fines. To people who break it.
Minimum 3 Foot gap (You can market it as "half a lane") under 30mph.
Minimum 6 foot gap (1 car width) Over 30mph
Obviously remind people that this counts around parked cars and traffic islands.
The other thing would be the "overtake and turn left into a side street". Does happen of course, but not daily. Probably just making a distance of 50metres or so before the junction that you cannot overtake a SLOWER moving vehicle. Whatever type it is
Over to you guys for alternatives
Gist is that Trott, Kenny, Boardman, Cav et al want the PM to spend 5% of total transport budget on Cycle Lanes etc. To increase the amount of people who ride. Since safety is one of the things that puts people off.
Great idea. In theory.
We've all seen those stupid bike lanes that were a councils tick sheet option as they go nowhere. Or the ones that take you away from the road you're riding along, down an alley to a crossing where you are supposed to dismount, walk across a road, remount and carry on back to the road you were on. The problem with more cycle lanes and costs is that it treats Cycles as something other than traffic. And that attitude encourages the divide into them and us. So I was thinking today if I was in charge of cycling for the Government what do I want to happen?
My only day to day issue. The only thing that ges my ire and happens relatively regularly is close passing. (IME 95%+ of drivers are fine. It's only ever 1 or 3 d
heads) So I'm stealing and modifying the 3 foot law from America (and possibly Australia.)I'd like a national campaign with adverts and posters. And change the law to give points. Not fines. To people who break it.
Minimum 3 Foot gap (You can market it as "half a lane") under 30mph.
Minimum 6 foot gap (1 car width) Over 30mph
Obviously remind people that this counts around parked cars and traffic islands.
The other thing would be the "overtake and turn left into a side street". Does happen of course, but not daily. Probably just making a distance of 50metres or so before the junction that you cannot overtake a SLOWER moving vehicle. Whatever type it is
Over to you guys for alternatives
Rich_W said:
I'd like a national campaign with adverts and posters. And change the law to give points. Not fines. To people who break it.
You'd better also campaign to have some actual police around to witness these offences because right now they couldn't give a toss unless you've been pancaked.And police that give a st about cyclists.
However, I agree that cycle lanes are stupid. Drivers get aggressive because they think we have to use them, dispite going stupid routes, having to stop every 20m at every junction, as cars are given priority and telling drivers that the width of the cycle lane is all they need to give us. I would say that cycle lanes just increase the problem, and safety is not a big issue, more the perception of safety. Mostly due to aggressive drivers.
Personally I would start by looking at the canals in every city and large town with one and looking at the viability of each one to become a cycle highway. Many cities have a canals through them and they would make a good, safe car free route relatively cheaply.
Secondly some national free cycling education. Teach things like good road positioning, assertive riding etc. Include this in the driving test too.
Unfortunately I don't think education would work with most drivers that are the problem and we need a way to address this. Perhaps an education campaign might be needed, along with some enforcement. But this would need to be balanced with the same against the cyclists who ride like tts. But I am not sure how good this will be. The big thing in other more cycling friendly country's seems to be just down to drivers respecting cyclists right to be on the road and most cyclists respect for rules of the road. Unfortunately cycling is still seen as a mode of transport for the young, the poor and generally non drivers in the UK.
t about cyclists. However, I agree that cycle lanes are stupid. Drivers get aggressive because they think we have to use them, dispite going stupid routes, having to stop every 20m at every junction, as cars are given priority and telling drivers that the width of the cycle lane is all they need to give us. I would say that cycle lanes just increase the problem, and safety is not a big issue, more the perception of safety. Mostly due to aggressive drivers.
Personally I would start by looking at the canals in every city and large town with one and looking at the viability of each one to become a cycle highway. Many cities have a canals through them and they would make a good, safe car free route relatively cheaply.
Secondly some national free cycling education. Teach things like good road positioning, assertive riding etc. Include this in the driving test too.
Unfortunately I don't think education would work with most drivers that are the problem and we need a way to address this. Perhaps an education campaign might be needed, along with some enforcement. But this would need to be balanced with the same against the cyclists who ride like t
ts. But I am not sure how good this will be. The big thing in other more cycling friendly country's seems to be just down to drivers respecting cyclists right to be on the road and most cyclists respect for rules of the road. Unfortunately cycling is still seen as a mode of transport for the young, the poor and generally non drivers in the UK. Edited by SteveSteveson on Friday 2nd September 08:35
Close passes are the worst and when they go wrong the driver only has to say "the sun was in my eyes" to get let off 
http://beyondthekerb.org.uk/2014/01/31/at-the-goin...
http://beyondthekerb.org.uk/2014/01/31/at-the-goin...
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