Cyclists !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The riverside, between Richmond and Ham

Is it really safe for pedestrians ?

A typical stretch of Kennet & Avon Canal towpath. Mixed use is permitted. A bit like our roads, I guess !

Don Atkinson posted:

The riverside, between Richmond and Ham

Is it really safe for pedestrians ?

They just can't walk like everybody else. Lazy b****s!

Well, we CAN squeeze past.......................

And SOME (well, ONE really) was an absolute gent !

Don Atkinson posted:

The riverside, between Richmond and Ham

Is it really safe for pedestrians ?

Nothing wrong there, but the path would be best clearly signposted for mixed use at each main entry point - and both pedestrians and cyclists then need to recognise the right of the other to be there, and pedestrians accept that cyclists inherently are faster than them, , and cyclists accept that pedestrians are inherently slower than them,  and all apply good manners and consideration for others. 

Ease of use does of course also depend on the size of the crowds, and whether predominently one direction of movement or both - and use applies differently depending which is the minority - at one end of the scale it is mass of generally randomly inter-weaving, stopping, starting crowd of people, where a cyclist would expect to scarcely manage to negotiate through marginally faster than walking pace, at the other it extreme a mass of cyclists in one direction would be just as daunting for a pedestrian to face, though if two-way it would be more likely to strart to coalesce into something resembling normal road traffic, whence a pedestrian might a tually see a more obvious safe route.

Don Atkinson posted:

A typical stretch of Kennet & Avon Canal towpath. Mixed use is permitted. A bit like our roads, I guess !

i would hestitate to cycle on that unless it was completely clear, and would expect to have to dismount before passing pedestrians except in wider parts. 

Innocent Bystander posted:

Don Atkinson posted:

A typical stretch of Kennet & Avon Canal towpath. Mixed use is permitted. A bit like our roads, I guess !

i would hestitate to cycle on that unless it was completely clear, and would expect to have to dismount before passing pedestrians except in wider parts. 

I have run along the K&A towpath from Devizes to Bath on many occasions when marathon training and have never really had any issues passing or being passed by cyclists. The only real issue with this so called cycle path is that it's only suitable for mountain bikes. I wouldn't dare venture on that surface with a road bike.

Clive B posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

Don Atkinson posted:

A typical stretch of Kennet & Avon Canal towpath. Mixed use is permitted. A bit like our roads, I guess !

i would hestitate to cycle on that unless it was completely clear, and would expect to have to dismount before passing pedestrians except in wider parts. 

I have run along the K&A towpath from Devizes to Bath on many occasions when marathon training and have never really had any issues passing or being passed by cyclists. The only real issue with this so called cycle path is that it's only suitable for mountain bikes. I wouldn't dare venture on that surface with a road bike.

This section is between Bedwyn and Pewsey and fairly typical. 

The section from Bradford-on-Avon to Bath, for example, is consistently wider and more stable.

Don Atkinson posted

This section is between Bedwyn and Pewsey and fairly typical. 

The section from Bradford-on-Avon to Bath, for example, is consistently wider and more stable.

Yes, agreed, but even that is only suitable for leisure cycling on mountain or multi-terrain bikes. The French do cycle routes so much better, but then they do have more space. French motorists also seem to be more accommodating of cyclists, particularly in the cycling hotspots such as the Alps, the Pyrenees, Mont Ventoux etc.

I have found the perfect city.....no cars........no cyclists.......

........ I will post a few pictures when I get back 

Why do a lot of modern cyclists don't have bells on their bikes?  Often I am walking by the river and cyclists either keep stum or voice their presence.  Whats wrong with ringing the bell, such a simple procedure and the pedestrian is aware of the presence.... ?

I have a ping bell on my bike so not guilty.... PING!  PING!  

Ron, is that the remains of a disused railway platform in your picture?

I just yell, "Bike!"

That usually works quite well.

Don Atkinson posted:

I have found the perfect city.....no cars........no cyclists.......

........ I will post a few pictures when I get back 

Venice!

Cdb posted:

Don Atkinson posted:

I have found the perfect city.....no cars........no cyclists.......

........ I will post a few pictures when I get back 

Venice!

Why bother... Birmingham has more canals :-)

Cdb posted:

Don Atkinson posted:

I have found the perfect city.....no cars........no cyclists.......

........ I will post a few pictures when I get back 

Venice!

Yeah but it smells and is full of boats that cost a fortune to go anywhere in...

About the same area as London's congestion zone

No cyclists, skate-boarders or roller-sates !!!!

Pedestrians can walk without fear of being run down by cyclists.

OK, Clive was right with Venice.

The main island is similar in size to the Congestion Zone in London. No, not exactly the same, but similar.

There are no cars and no cycles on the island. Either walk or take a water bus or water taxi.

There are crowds of pedestrians, all safe in the knowledge that some half-twit on a bike is non-existent ! And it’s no real effort to walk from one side of the island to the other, whether that’s north/south or east/west.

So, it wouldn’t be any hardship for people in London to walk. And with the streets of London being so much wider than those of Venice, there would plenty of room to accommodate the daily population as they stroll down The Avenue. Good for exercise and healthy clean air.

The area between Euston and the Thames (N/S) and Mayfair and Bishop’s Gate (E/W) is adequately served by the Underground if you don’t want to walk too far. Cars and bikes to be parked just outside the Congestion Zone (including Boris Bikes).

I’m sure that Manchester, Birmingham and our other great cities here in the UK could establish similar arrangements, incorporating trolley-bus routes or tram routes rather than the water buses of Venice.

I'm astonished this sort of proposal hasn't appeared in any election manifesto

Closer to home, ISTR that St Malo was re-built after the 39-45 war and is virtually a pedestrianized zone.

It would work if we so wanted.

Two bits of tarmac are sitting at a bar when their mild disagreement turns into a full blown row. The red piece of tarmac starts throwing insults at the black piece of tarmac and is going nuts, chucking glasses, bottles, stools all over the place. Black tarmac shouts out " That's it, I've had enough of you, you're like a ****ing cyclepath."

Don Atkinson posted:

Pedestrians can walk without fear of being run down by cyclists.

Far better than no cyclists, is no cars!

But it's small enough to go on foot almost everywhere.

Innocent Bystander posted:

Don Atkinson posted:

Pedestrians can walk without fear of being run down by cyclists.

Far better than no cyclists, is no cars!

But it's small enough to go on foot almost everywhere.

Well, that's the point ! There are no cars AND no cyclists !

It's a pedestrian paradise! 

And, the point I am making is that the congestion charge area of London is about the same size QED if it works in Venice in can work in London and elsewhere.

Cyclists can park up on the edge of town just like cars and WALK.