The natives are revolting?

[whole diary]

[froome]

The Pill path, which runs from Bristol to Pill, runs beside the river Avon under the Suspension Bridge, and is far away from any parallel road, so the SandTEngineers of this world would never know it existed, as they wouldn't see it from their cars. It is one of the longest established cyclepaths in the country, having existed now for about 40 years, and has always been popular. However, it has a rough surface and is very narrow, so social distancing along it would be impossible when passing other people, and being isolated from any roads, can feel insecure for anyone who feels vulnerable.

At the Pill end of the path used to be Ham Green Hospital, which in this century has been turned into a modern and fairly exclusive housing estate. I suspect it will be mainly these residents who are doing the complaining rather than those in the village itself, who will be used to large numbers of cyclists on their greens.

Incidentally, from Pill it links into the cyclepath which runs beside the M5 over Avonmouth Bridge and then to the cyclepath that runs beside the Portway (A4) back into Bristol.

[SandTEngineer]

The Pill path, which runs from Bristol to Pill, runs beside the river Avon under the Suspension Bridge, and is far away from any parallel road, so the SandTEngineers of this world would never know it existed, as they wouldn't see it from their cars. It is one of the longest established cyclepaths in the country, having existed now for about 40 years, and has always been popular. However, it has a rough surface and is very narrow, so social distancing along it would be impossible when passing other people, and being isolated from any roads, can feel insecure for anyone who feels vulnerable.

At the Pill end of the path used to be Ham Green Hospital, which in this century has been turned into a modern and fairly exclusive housing estate. I suspect it will be mainly these residents who are doing the complaining rather than those in the village itself, who will be used to large numbers of cyclists on their greens.

Incidentally, from Pill it links into the cyclepath which runs beside the M5 over Avonmouth Bridge and then to the cyclepath that runs beside the Portway (A4) back into Bristol.

The view I posted was based upon my regular walking use of both shared roadside and dedicated walkway/cycle paths.  The point I was trying to make is that they are installed at great expense but never used (value for money and all that thing), cyclists preferring to stick to the road.

[Red Squirrel]

...At the Pill end of the path used to be Ham Green Hospital, which in this century has been turned into a modern and fairly exclusive housing estate. I suspect it will be mainly these residents who are doing the complaining rather than those in the village itself, who will be used to large numbers of cyclists on their greens...

Having read the Facebook thread and road.cc posts, it seems clear to me that they're talking about the area around the Duke and the Star, possibly extending to Marine Parade. Ham Green is a different place with a different atmosphere.

The view I posted was based upon my regular walking use of both shared roadside and dedicated walkway/cycle paths.  The point I was trying to make is that they are installed at great expense but never used (value for money and all that thing), cyclists preferring to stick to the road.

I'm not sure about 'at great expense'. For tens of thousands of pounds, good cycle paths can deliver the kind of capacity that rail would need hundreds of millions to match.

I would certainly agree that roadside cycle paths can make good footpaths. The trouble starts when you try cycling along them, and find that they are often slower and more dangerous than the road. Here are some examples: https://www.buzzfeed.com/jonstone/22-london-cycle-lanes-that-hate-cyclists

If cycle paths are quick, safe and convenient then cyclists will use them. If they aren't, they won't.

[Bmblbzzz]

I doubt if the Pill path cost much. It's basically a riverside path with occasional bollards dating from the 19th century when ships used to moor there. I expect bollards is not the correct technical term. It is, during normal times, quite popular with cyclists, walkers and runners. I haven't ventured that far under social-distancing regime so can't say how busy it is now.

[Marlburian]

To hark back to the thread we had about tunnels, bridges and subways in Purley and featuring the Roebuck Hotel, it was proposed not so long ago to turn the towing-path from there to Caversham Bridge into a route for cyclists. It would mean hauling bikes up and down the Roebuck footbridge and the existing path seems a bit narrow for dual use in places.

From Scours Lane into Reading it's already used "informally" by cyclists, and as a walker I tend to avoid it during the travel-to and travel-from-work periods. I don't mind standing aside for oncoming riders but get startled by those coming from behind and whizzing past with inches to spare.

[froome]

I doubt if the Pill path cost much. It's basically a riverside path with occasional bollards dating from the 19th century when ships used to moor there. I expect bollards is not the correct technical term. It is, during normal times, quite popular with cyclists, walkers and runners. I haven't ventured that far under social-distancing regime so can't say how busy it is now.

It didn't cost much, but its maintenance costs a lot more. About 20 years ago now it was closed for a while when a large boulder slid down the hillside and completely blocked it, and others threatened to do the same.

I would hope that if the Portishead rail line is opened for passengers, any works that take place to enable that will also allow for widening of the path and improving its surface, though both jobs would be expensive (though as Red Squirrel notes, nothing like the cost of widening a road).

[CyclingSid]

Must be catching: https://road.cc/content/news/village-signs-tell-cyclists-stay-your-local-area-272855
Is the sale of net curtains increasing?
More clarification (?) from CPS https://road.cc/content/news/exercising-more-once-day-reasonable-says-cps-272833.
Do you cause problems if you go from short, sharp and to the point, by continually trying to clarify it. Example in supermarket yesterday, one person per household allowed in, but young couple seemed unable to understand that.

[Robin Summerhill]

Cor blimey.  The cyclists are actually using the cycle path. Around these parts, despite many dedicated cycle paths installed at great expense, they still cycle on the parallel road......

I'll get my tin hat out of the cupboard.....

Sorry about the three-day delay in responding to this, but I have been trying to find an old website which gives examples of crap cycle lanes and I've now found it.

As a former car driver and cyclist (I can't do either now because of my eyesight) I am well aware that what might look to a non-cycling driver from behind the driving wheel as a "perfectly good cycle lane," often fails to live up to that description when you actually use the bloody thing. Leaving to one side potholes, stupidly-placed bollards and the like, some of the pitfalls that "perfectly good cycle lanes" suffer from include:

* A "cyclists dismount" and a "give way" sign at each and every minor road crossing
* Cycle lanes that abruptly stop where you really need them (eg hazardous points)
* Short cycle lane that lead nowhere (see the link below which includes an example of a cycle lane that is shorter than a cycle...)

Enjoy - click the double arrows at the top to go back through the "Cycle Facility of the Month" graphics.

http://wcc.crankfoot.xyz/facility-of-the-month/March2019.htm

[Red Squirrel]

Thanks for that Robin. This one is a particular gem; only the most churlish of cyclists would turn their nose up at it: http://wcc.crankfoot.xyz/facility-of-the-month/May2017.htm

[eightonedee]

As someone who last cycled regularly over 40 years ago, and who sometimes does get disgruntled about cyclists in the carriageway when there is a cycle way alongside, some of these examples do make me sympathize with my two-wheeled co-forum members.

However, as someone who (indirectly) has had to deal with the requirements of highway authorities and their impact on my clients, I am surprised at how poor the authorities seem to be at designing cycle facilities, in contrast to their often unbending adherence to design rules when it comes to vehicular and pedestrian facilities. Are there any highway engineers lurking behind forum names (none have "come out" in our recent self identification thread!) who can explain?

[TonyK]

Are there any highway engineers lurking behind forum names (none have "come out" in our recent self identification thread!) who can explain?

Not even barrack-room in my case.