Jump to content

Safe passing distance for towpath users


Jon57

Featured Posts

Having just read this article West Midlands Police target drivers too close to cyclists

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37384899what do you think the safe distance for the cyclist to pass someone on the towpath. And will the CRT police it !!!!

Will CRT police it? Not a hope in hell!! :)

Hard to say what a safe distance is. Depends on a few circumstances, but I would say the most important thing is that a pedestrian is aware the cyclist is present. Or put it differently "Use a freakin bell!" I cycle (and walk) on towpaths, but would never pass a pedestrian unless they were aware of my presence. I find that most cyclists are fine, but human nature being what it is, we tend to remember the idiots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't know on a towpath but round here there are a lot of roads which will have strings of traffic slowly following a cyclist as there isn't room to pass with those margins.

Indeed. Still the more people that get on their bikes as a result of not worrying so much about being killed to death, the better for traffic flow as there will be fewer cars....which in turn reduces further the danger to cyclists and encourages even more people onto two wheels.

Edited by Daz555
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indeed. Still the more people get off their bikes and walk - which we have evolved to do very efficiently, the better for traffic flow as there will be less differential speed on the towpath, the 'shared' (illegally) pavement, and shopping precincts ......... which in turn reduces further the danger to pedestrians and encourages even more people onto their feet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indeed. Still the more people that get on their bikes as a result of not worrying so much about being killed to death, the better for traffic flow as there will be fewer cars....which in turn reduces further the danger to cyclists and encourages even more people onto two wheels.

The problem being that up here a bike isn't a practical form of transport apart from leisure. Distances are too great. So more bikes more disruption to traffic.

 

Incidentally I like the phrase "killed to death" I wasn't aware you could be killed any other way other than to death, but I like the sound of killed to death.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The problem being that up here a bike isn't a practical form of transport apart from leisure. Distances are too great. So more bikes more disruption to traffic.

 

Incidentally I like the phrase "killed to death" I wasn't aware you could be killed any other way other than to death, but I like the sound of killed to death.

 

Not sure I'd agree with that. Bikes are perfect commuting vehicles, as I'd wager the vast majority of people live less than 10km/8 miles of their work, which is easily commutable on bike. I've been doing this for many years now. Of course, if you fill a road with bikes rather than cars, you'll still have a traffic problem. But with the right ratio of bikes to cars/buses on the road, commuting by bike to work saves many people a lot of time.

 

Edit. Sorry, missed "up here".

Edited by Guest
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Not sure I'd agree with that. Bikes are perfect commuting vehicles, as I'd wager the vast majority of people live less than 10km/8 miles of their work, which is easily commutable on bike. I've been doing this for many years now. Of course, if you fill a road with bikes rather than cars, you'll still have a traffic problem. But with the right ratio of bikes to cars/buses on the road, commuting by bike to work saves many people a lot of time.

 

Edit. Sorry, missed "up here".

Glad you realised the "up here".

 

To give two examples I worked with people one came from 70 miles north to work the other from 70 miles south. A second example I was at a meeting last night and I wouldn't have fancied setting off on a nearly 30 mile cycle at after 9:30pm on a cold wet night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indeed. Still the more people that get on their bikes as a result of not worrying so much about being killed to death, the better for traffic flow as there will be fewer cars....which in turn reduces further the danger to cyclists and encourages even more people onto two wheels.

Two wheels are good, but you need a right big engine to make them turn at a proper speed.

 

T.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

The use of bicycles on the canal towpath has been a practice carried on by some people long before BW chose to promote it. Though some canal companies chose to prohibit it they were often used by staff to get to work on others. Whether they rode their bikes on the towpath, and just wheeled them, is another matter, though. It could be a useful practice that cyclists could be restricted to specific lanes on the towpath, if wide enough, but then such infrastructure would be at a cost. From another viewpoint some towpaths have been improved for the cyclist and this has been beneficial to all towpath users 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Heartland said:

 From another viewpoint some towpaths have been improved for the cyclist and this has been beneficial to all towpath users 

Or would be if it wasn't for the few who insist on using them as a race track.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know a main road with, from left to right a cycle path about 2 metres, foot path about one metre, grass verge about one metre, kerb, another cycle path for another metre then the carriageway. So cyclists can choose their own passing distance. Guess where most of them ride, oh, forgot to make clear, that's ONE side of the road.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Sir Nibble said:

I know a main road with, from left to right a cycle path about 2 metres, foot path about one metre, grass verge about one metre, kerb, another cycle path for another metre then the carriageway. So cyclists can choose their own passing distance. Guess where most of them ride, oh, forgot to make clear, that's ONE side of the road.

Human nature being what it is probably in the road.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been cycling on towpaths for 20 years or so, never had one accident (well, apart from the near miss when I was trying to avoid a puddle and nearly went in the cut which my wife delights in telling anyone who'll listen about) but that's because I have consideration for other towpath users. Sadly, I come into contact with lots of cyclists who do not.

Mostly with bikes on towpaths, it's the Strava idiots on their thousand-pound-plus full-suspension bikes going at mach 3 with no bell or warnings chucking energy gel wrappers wherever they see fit. Perhaps CR&T could get Strava to remove any segments from towpaths so they have nothing to try and gain, but I doubt it.

With any activity there'll always be a minority who spoil it for the majority, sadly I just can't see an easy solution.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Murflynn said:

cyclists seem to have their own version of human rights.

cyclists can do whatever they like and are untouchable, 'cos they think the sun shines out of their proverbial.

nothing like a sweeping generalisation to go with your cornflakes on a morning

I suppose the comments about "road tax" will get trotted out next :rolleyes:

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

nothing like a sweeping generalisation to go with your cornflakes on a morning

I suppose the comments about "road tax" will get trotted out next :rolleyes:

Not road tax, but given their potential to damage third parties, cycles should in my opinion carry compulsory registration plates and insurance.

Edited by cuthound
To unmangle the effects of autocorrect.
  • Greenie 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.