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Orca positoning

by IanMSpencer
Fri, Mar 18, 2022 08:13
3

I was pondering bike lanes with orcas (the rubber bumpers by the side of a bike lane, about 18" long and 3" high, and a peculiar thing about their positioning.

Highways guidance is that they must not be positioned ON the white line but inside the white line because, I believe, cars are entitled to encroach on the white line as long as they do not cross it. Obviously we cannot allow cars to have any of their space threatened with obstacles.

This means that the cyclist - who I believe is entitled to cross the white line gets obstructions placed where they are entitled to cycle.

Why is a potentially life threatening collision with an obstacle acceptable for cyclists but a minor bump which is unlikely to cause damage to a car unacceptable?

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3 comments

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IanMSpencer | 2 years ago
3 likes

If you have a quiet moment, this might be worth a read - well, someone ought to because it is clear that highways officers haven't taken a peak.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...

Page 33 has a typical gem of our motoring oriented outlook explaining the appropriate type of cycle infrasctruture depending on road speed (the table is great, though I'd like to see a real world example outside London). 

Notes: if the 85th percentile speed is more than 10% above the speed limit, the next highest speed limit should be applied. 

In other words, you need to design to 40mph guidelines for most 30mph roads in the UK because drivers can't be trusted to abide by the speed limits.

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Adam Sutton replied to IanMSpencer | 2 years ago
3 likes

I reported the state of a painted cycle lane I use to the council. It was full of debris and a section of it has pine trees on the verge, so it was full of pine needles and pine cones. This was back in the first lockdown, so a lot of new cyclists about which had me concerned. 

I was surprised that the council took the time to actaully phone me, but the response was frankly baffling. I was told the road was too dangerous to send a roadsweeper down without closing a lane! (it's a 40mph dual carruageway) Apparently fine to have cyclists having to dodge into the traffic because the cylce lane is unusable at points though! Weirdly a short while after I did see a roadsweeper there with no closure. I have seen it cleared only one time since then though.

In general though I often wonder if the people planning roads and junctions actually use the roads at all, even as drivers. A lot of what has been done near us makes absolutely no sense to any road user.

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brooksby | 2 years ago
4 likes

Cos 'cars', innit 3

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