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Originally Posted by earthdragon64  ....Most cyclists are fine, but there is a significant minority who are dangerous.... |
I am pleased you accept that most cyclists are fine.
What I cannot stand, are the oft heard generalisations that some people make, with ludicrous statements like "all cyclists should be banned from the roads etc. etc."
Quote:
Originally Posted by earthdragon64 ....My biggest bugbear though is why cyclists ride on a main road when there is a perfectly good cycle track just yards away. Highland council has recently spent a lot of money to put in a cycle track/footpath up to Glenmore, but some cyclists still insist on riding on the road which is really busy with tourist traffic and buses. There is also a cycle track running alongside the A9 on the approach to Slochd summit, which has had several fatal accidents on it, but again, some cyclists still ride on the road, why?  ... |
Cycle lanes are for the most part, provided for the slower, or more timid, or younger cyclists. They are often completely useless as a viable route, having been constucted purely by councils thinking more about their "perceived" green policies, than any actual thought for the safety of cyclists.
I don't particularly want to divert this thread into that specific area, but I could bore you with countless examples of totally useless, and in some cases downright dangerous cycle lanes.
Proper road cyclists, and I mean those who abide by the rules of the road
, will almost unanimously avoid cycle lanes, because they just don't allow a good (road) cyclist to maintain good speeds - too many kerbs, silly junctions, and quick changes of direction, etc. etc. (As I say, even when cycle lanes are of sufficient length to make them viable, they are mostly constructed with the slower cyclist in mind).
You may (possibly) argue that if there is a cycle lane there, then it would be incumbent upon all cyclists to use it. Not so - there is no legal requirement for cyclists to use these facilities. There is however, a legal requirement for vehicle drivers to abide by the highway code with respect to travelling alongside cycle lanes.
A good cyclist obeying the rules of the road is no hindrance to traffic flow, but quite a few drivers seem to think it is good fun to overtake giving minimal clearance to frighten the cyclist. Such games are dicing with death, because cyclists do need room to manouvre around potholes and other road debris.
As a driver, as well as a cyclist, I can see things from both sides of the argument, but if both cyclists and drivers always behaved responsibly, the roads would be safe enough for all.
Regards
Mike.