So you start here:
Note the 'no entry' sign and the fact that you're going against the flow of traffic. It's not like it's a particularly wide piece of road either
So you pootle along for all of 20 yards when the cycle lane suddenly peters out:
Where do you go? Do you get off the bike and walk... do you carry on .... do you cycle on the pavement? You can see the the road narrows and it's unclear whether you can continue on the road. After all you'd be going against the one way system..
Then you hit the 'shared surface'. At least I think that's what it is? It's not really clear... the council didn't really bother to let anyone know.
At least there are double yellow lines to give a bit of definition and give folk an idea where the cars are supposed to not stop. No kerb though. And does anyone actually know what the grey bollards are for? Answers on a postcard please.
But look, the cycle lane is back, all ... uh... 4 metres of it? Thanks Highland Council for being so considerate to us cyclists!
But wait... this is a one way system and the traffic lights appear to have been switched off for traffic coming out of Ness Walk on to Young Street.. So if I try and go right I'm likely to get flattened by traffic who probably quite rightly aren't expecting me to pop out the 'wrong' way from a one way system.
The point is that cyclists should follow the rules of the road too and this rather bizarre cycle lane that they've created seems to be giving us cyclists a bit of a headache. I've tried to use it a couple of times but I really don't believe that it's safe to do so. I get looks of consternation from motorists when they see me cycling the 'wrong way' down a one way street. Surely it would have made more sense to have the cycle lane follow the flow of traffic not go against it?!
I gave up trying to figure it out and took a slightly nicer picture instead!
3 comments:
If it is confusing for cyclists....consider how this shared space can be for sight impaired and other disabled persons who use this area? Is this an accident waiting to hapen? I hope not but how can we be aware of hazzards if we don't know how to use the shared space/surfaces?
We really need an idiots guide or someting from the idiots who came up with this design...must hvebeen aFriday. Also the grey bollards.. can they be for sitting while you try to puzzle out what this surface is and why was it built?
I found your blog through a comment you left over at Pat Rothfuss's blog. It sounds very interesting stuff.
Did you actually do the cycling round Scotland in May part, or has that been delayed to some point in the future?
I'm just curious - I live over on the west coast, in Mid-Argyll. I don't really do 'real' cycling, though, only expeditions with my family in the summer.
It's not due to start till May next year. In the mean time I'm doing lots (and lots and lots and lots and lots!) of training.
If you're on a bike then it's 'real' cycling. As long as you enjoy it then who cares! We'll be asking people to cycle with us along the way so if we're passing by you feel free to jump on your bike and keep us company. We'll probably have fallen out with each other by then and will be desperate for someone else to talk to!
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