“The more separation you can create between cyclists and motorists the better” – well that is true, so long as the provision is made as least as good as the road system i.e. following the dutch model and not the shared use approach.
“He wants to encourage cycling: “We have to make it less risky. The more separation you can create between cyclists and motorists the better”.”
Well that is the only sensible comment he makes. Works in the Netherlands and Copenhagen etc.
Essential if we are going to get 50% of journeys by bike for the whole city.
Brent
May 29, 2010, 20:38
Uh…most of these examples are roads made with oil, and painted with oil based paint. When we run out of oil, we’re probably going back to dirt, mud, cobblestones, or maybe cement.
Rosco
May 30, 2010, 11:53
Firstly – I don’t think we’re happy to be ‘masochistically happy to be butchered by bus and lorry drivers’. In this country we are in a position where cyclists are still struggling to get our status on the road taken seriously by those in government. It’s not a British past time to ’slaughter the cyclists’ either – your choice of word ’slaughter’ invokes images of bloodthirsty murder and violence! Murder is intentional. I don’t think any of these cyclists deaths could be classed as murder, no matter how harrowing or shocking the deaths remain.
I think what we have here is a nation only just waking up to the fact that cycling can be a part of everyday life, and the roads nor motorists are equipped to deal with it properly yet. We are not as progressive as some European nations in this respect – but i believe things can and will change. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
Cycle lanes are not well designed in this country. There are some particularly silly ones on my route to work around Bloomsbury where cyclists have to swap sides of the separated lane which causes quite a lot of confusion. Because the lane is separates from the traffic, it also causes big problems when cars wish to turn right – because the cycle lane is separate from the road, the cars have forgotten cyclists are there. I have seen so many near misses What bad planning!
When I did cycle training with Islington council, the trainer encouraged me to think twice before using cycle lanes for the same reason – they could lead you into bad situations. I wonder if cycle lanes also lull cyclists into a false sense of security about the hazards that are around them.
What can we do to improve this dangerous situation? What’s going to happen when thousands of casual and perhaps inexperienced cyclists are unleashed on the roads this summer with London’s cycle scheme?
In the meantime I’m happy to adopt a wide position in the road – and encourage those who have the audacity to beep me or criticize my position on the road to ’swivel on it’.
A University of Bolton report will confirm the cycle lane experience: “Effect of cycle lanes on the proximity between motor traffic and cycle traffic”. From the abstract, “The results suggest that in the presence of a cycle lane, drivers may be driving within the confines of their own marked lane with less recognition being given to the need to provide a comfortable passing distance to cycle traffic in the adjacent cycle lane.”
You asked: “What is wrong with this nation, so masochistically happy to be butchered by bus and lorry drivers?” I doubt the bus, lorry of HGV drivers are intentionally trying to kill anyone riding cycle lane.
Consider the numerous blind zones in any large vehicle? Portland, Oregon (USA) has same problem with large trucks, here is a Water Dept safety video: http://tinyurl.com/27ahlgf
What is the alternative to the cycle lane? Control the lane, take the primary position! This nothing magical about the paint or laws that will increase a cyclists safety on narrow streets (<14 ft, 4.3M) with large vehicles. Being visible, in front of the vehicle is very counter-intuitive.
Yes it is pure filth. It is supposed to be. You must not be cycling hard enough, lol. Cycling can be filthy – and isn’t exlusively populated by over educated graphic designers who make thoughtful “designerly” posters about cycling to be framed and hung in the “study”. Our poster is a working man’s poster, a wrenching man’s poster – at home a garage or shop. Plus, no girls or bikes were harmed during the photoshoot or photoshopping. I’m no sexist right wing douche bag, far from it – i just believe there are too many people who ride bikes for vanity, that have a hard time relating to the common urban man with no car who might just want to see a hot girl and a hot bike…touching.
Hamilton Grayton
Jun 2, 2010, 11:41
I’m troubled by your emotive use of the word “Britain” and “British” in your post. It seems to suggest a fundamental and nationwide problem with behaviour that does not exist elsewhere in the world. If you are accusing the British of having an anti-cycling behaviour then you should observe in the video you embed that the coach squeezing past the cyclists is actually a foreign vehicle!
The problem Britain does have is that it is overpopulated and much of the infrastructure is overstretched, especially in urban areas. Combined with a competitive spirit there is an awful lot of friction between people – regardless of activity.
It seems to me that “cycling infrastructure” is being pushed out to encourage cycling. However, as we all know, poor cycling infrastructure is just dangerous. The paradox is that if excellent cycling provision was made country wide then cyclists would be expected to use it at all times rather than the road. This would actually restrict one of the freedoms that cycling currently has.
I cannot put all my theories onto a short blog comment, and you wouldn’t want me to, but please don’t mix up road-user behaviour with national culture, it could be considered xenophobic.
I don’t seem to get “what” is pornographic in this image.
Is there any scene of sex? Is it vulgar?
Anyone said that Queen’s “bicycle ride” video was a porn movie and better be shown in Soho rathere than on tv??
C’mon, there’s A LOT worse on tv, I’d say…
Grim Wilo
Jun 4, 2010, 20:25
I have to agree that this bridge can be a problem. I tend to use it in both directions, on my way to and from work. It is very poorly designed and the bus lane tends to encourage both bus driver and taxis to overtake too closely to cyclists; on the northbound bus lane. The southbound cycle lane is too narrow and curiously, often blocked by police cars. This may have something to do with the proximity to MI6 and MI5.
Last year the start of Bike Week was welcomed in by the sight of TfL staff and Police handing out tickets to cyclists; who were forced to use the pavement by ongoing works at the horrible St George’s Wharf project. I did e-mail TfL who acknowledged that there was a problem, but did not explain why ticketing cyclists was the correct response.
Interestingly, we take a totally different route when crossing the river in our Christiana; both my wife and I recognise the inherent bad design of this part of London.
Personally, I’d be happy to scrap the whole of Vauxhall Cross and redesign it and the Bridge to make the area more user friendly for cyclists and pedestrians.
Davw
Jun 6, 2010, 0:17
Oh for gods sake, the LCC has been the major block against the type of cycle facility in that fantasy picture for the last 20 years. They are dogmatic vehicular cycling advocates who totally ignore the success denmark and holland have had in getting non cyclists to ride bikes.
Shufei
Jun 6, 2010, 22:21
For the love of all that is holy, bring the Christiania to the USA!!!
Ivor
Jun 7, 2010, 14:32
Oh for goodness sake!
Emma
Jun 8, 2010, 0:18
If she wasn’t on the Tweed Run she should have been. She looks fantastic.
[...] And here is the first, from the BBC… (velorution) [...]
DAIGUEMORTE
Jun 12, 2010, 14:00
Is this SP chair available anywhere?
I am waiting for your answer. Thank you.
Fabien
admin
Jun 15, 2010, 21:14
It is available. Please be aware that it is not a Brompton approved item
DAIGUEMORTE
Jun 16, 2010, 9:36
Thank you for your answer.
Can you give me the adress or the web site where to buy this article.
DAIGUEMORTE
Jun 16, 2010, 9:39
How much is it?
Thant you for your answer.
DAIGUEMORTE
Jun 16, 2010, 9:40
Can you give me the adress or the web site where to buy this article.
How much is it?
Thant you for your answer.
john
Jun 20, 2010, 23:38
you said it andrea. there is nothing pornographic about the image. it has artisitc merit and doesn’t cause sexual thought. i actually really like the image, if it was a poster or a flyer
The other day I pulled up next to a fellow cyclist who was shouting at a 4×4 for stopping at some traffic lights in the outside lane, but covering the green boxed area allocated for cyclists.
I wouldn’t have minded if the 4×4 had nearly crashed into said cyclist, but the car was stationary there before the cyclist had even pulled up – and the cyclist had gone out of his way to complain to the driver.
People should care more about what they’re doing on the road – the cyclist in the video above could clearly see the car approaching and pulling out – so he could’ve slowed down or stopped to let the car pass without causing any unnecessary aggravation or encouraging road rage.
[...] Campag for Paul Smith by James Straffon – Coinciding with the 97th Tour de France’s snaking journey across French mountains and vineyards, Paul Smith has again opened up his ‘art wall’ to cycling-inspired art. (velorution) [...]
[...] “Do it because it feels good” – David Byrne – First, I’m not a sports cyclist. I’m no Lance Armstrong, but I do use a bike to get from place to place in Manhattan, a little bit of Brooklyn. I use it to get to work, that kind of thing. And I’ve done so for two, almost three decades now. (velorution) [...]
What, it actually is just paint ? I assumed they were at least doing a proper job of the surface. i.e. taking up the surface and putting down coloured tarmac. The more I read about it, and the more I see, the more the “superhighways” disappoint.
Heard these ones too?
“There are no showers and changing facilities at work”
“There’s no where to store my gear”
“There isn’t anywhere nearby to store my bike securely”
“My clothes get crumpled in my bag”
“What if I get a puncture or something happens to my bike? There’s nowhere convenient to get it serviced”
From the experience with Bixi here in Montreal, the low gearing might actually be on purpose, to keep the speeds low. Many people new to cycling use them, and frankly, they’re fast enough to be quite useful without causing too many problems.
The lack of lock isn’t really a problem either, as long as there are enough docks, since the concept is that you dock it, and get another one after you’re done. At first, it was a bit restrictive, but as the coverage and the density of docks increased, it’s now fairly typical to notice a shop while biking, deciding to go on the spot and just keep riding to the next dock, which usually isn’t much further.
Don’t wait for ebay to get back to you. They can take ages. Inform the Police and get them involved. Maybe you’ve done this already as it was a theft from the shop?
In which country is it safest to cycle? Holland. In which country does almost nobody wear a helmet? Holland. Way to go the Dutch! Please show me the link between safe cycling (and safe parenting!) and helmet wearing? BTW, I have two kids and neither of them wear helmets.
[...] blogging site member on Velorution.biz suggests that a well known auction site may be supporting the trade of stolen bicycles. [...]
Dang, I’m sure gonna miss all the pedestrians when the oil runs out.
(Looks more like the morning after terrorists poisoned the water.)
Here here!
“The more separation you can create between cyclists and motorists the better” – well that is true, so long as the provision is made as least as good as the road system i.e. following the dutch model and not the shared use approach.
“He wants to encourage cycling: “We have to make it less risky. The more separation you can create between cyclists and motorists the better”.”
Well that is the only sensible comment he makes. Works in the Netherlands and Copenhagen etc.
Essential if we are going to get 50% of journeys by bike for the whole city.
Uh…most of these examples are roads made with oil, and painted with oil based paint. When we run out of oil, we’re probably going back to dirt, mud, cobblestones, or maybe cement.
Firstly – I don’t think we’re happy to be ‘masochistically happy to be butchered by bus and lorry drivers’. In this country we are in a position where cyclists are still struggling to get our status on the road taken seriously by those in government. It’s not a British past time to ’slaughter the cyclists’ either – your choice of word ’slaughter’ invokes images of bloodthirsty murder and violence! Murder is intentional. I don’t think any of these cyclists deaths could be classed as murder, no matter how harrowing or shocking the deaths remain.
I think what we have here is a nation only just waking up to the fact that cycling can be a part of everyday life, and the roads nor motorists are equipped to deal with it properly yet. We are not as progressive as some European nations in this respect – but i believe things can and will change. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
Cycle lanes are not well designed in this country. There are some particularly silly ones on my route to work around Bloomsbury where cyclists have to swap sides of the separated lane which causes quite a lot of confusion. Because the lane is separates from the traffic, it also causes big problems when cars wish to turn right – because the cycle lane is separate from the road, the cars have forgotten cyclists are there. I have seen so many near misses
What bad planning!
When I did cycle training with Islington council, the trainer encouraged me to think twice before using cycle lanes for the same reason – they could lead you into bad situations. I wonder if cycle lanes also lull cyclists into a false sense of security about the hazards that are around them.
What can we do to improve this dangerous situation? What’s going to happen when thousands of casual and perhaps inexperienced cyclists are unleashed on the roads this summer with London’s cycle scheme?
In the meantime I’m happy to adopt a wide position in the road – and encourage those who have the audacity to beep me or criticize my position on the road to ’swivel on it’.
Thanks for sharing the video.
A University of Bolton report will confirm the cycle lane experience: “Effect of cycle lanes on the proximity between motor traffic and cycle traffic”. From the abstract, “The results suggest that in the presence of a cycle lane, drivers may be driving within the confines of their own marked lane with less recognition being given to the need to provide a comfortable passing distance to cycle traffic in the adjacent cycle lane.”
You asked: “What is wrong with this nation, so masochistically happy to be butchered by bus and lorry drivers?” I doubt the bus, lorry of HGV drivers are intentionally trying to kill anyone riding cycle lane.
Consider the numerous blind zones in any large vehicle? Portland, Oregon (USA) has same problem with large trucks, here is a Water Dept safety video: http://tinyurl.com/27ahlgf
What is the alternative to the cycle lane? Control the lane, take the primary position! This nothing magical about the paint or laws that will increase a cyclists safety on narrow streets (<14 ft, 4.3M) with large vehicles. Being visible, in front of the vehicle is very counter-intuitive.
Yes it is pure filth. It is supposed to be. You must not be cycling hard enough, lol. Cycling can be filthy – and isn’t exlusively populated by over educated graphic designers who make thoughtful “designerly” posters about cycling to be framed and hung in the “study”. Our poster is a working man’s poster, a wrenching man’s poster – at home a garage or shop. Plus, no girls or bikes were harmed during the photoshoot or photoshopping. I’m no sexist right wing douche bag, far from it – i just believe there are too many people who ride bikes for vanity, that have a hard time relating to the common urban man with no car who might just want to see a hot girl and a hot bike…touching.
I’m troubled by your emotive use of the word “Britain” and “British” in your post. It seems to suggest a fundamental and nationwide problem with behaviour that does not exist elsewhere in the world. If you are accusing the British of having an anti-cycling behaviour then you should observe in the video you embed that the coach squeezing past the cyclists is actually a foreign vehicle!
The problem Britain does have is that it is overpopulated and much of the infrastructure is overstretched, especially in urban areas. Combined with a competitive spirit there is an awful lot of friction between people – regardless of activity.
It seems to me that “cycling infrastructure” is being pushed out to encourage cycling. However, as we all know, poor cycling infrastructure is just dangerous. The paradox is that if excellent cycling provision was made country wide then cyclists would be expected to use it at all times rather than the road. This would actually restrict one of the freedoms that cycling currently has.
I cannot put all my theories onto a short blog comment, and you wouldn’t want me to, but please don’t mix up road-user behaviour with national culture, it could be considered xenophobic.
Hello.
I don’t seem to get “what” is pornographic in this image.
Is there any scene of sex? Is it vulgar?
Anyone said that Queen’s “bicycle ride” video was a porn movie and better be shown in Soho rathere than on tv??
C’mon, there’s A LOT worse on tv, I’d say…
I have to agree that this bridge can be a problem. I tend to use it in both directions, on my way to and from work. It is very poorly designed and the bus lane tends to encourage both bus driver and taxis to overtake too closely to cyclists; on the northbound bus lane. The southbound cycle lane is too narrow and curiously, often blocked by police cars. This may have something to do with the proximity to MI6 and MI5.
Last year the start of Bike Week was welcomed in by the sight of TfL staff and Police handing out tickets to cyclists; who were forced to use the pavement by ongoing works at the horrible St George’s Wharf project. I did e-mail TfL who acknowledged that there was a problem, but did not explain why ticketing cyclists was the correct response.
Interestingly, we take a totally different route when crossing the river in our Christiana; both my wife and I recognise the inherent bad design of this part of London.
Personally, I’d be happy to scrap the whole of Vauxhall Cross and redesign it and the Bridge to make the area more user friendly for cyclists and pedestrians.
Oh for gods sake, the LCC has been the major block against the type of cycle facility in that fantasy picture for the last 20 years. They are dogmatic vehicular cycling advocates who totally ignore the success denmark and holland have had in getting non cyclists to ride bikes.
For the love of all that is holy, bring the Christiania to the USA!!!
Oh for goodness sake!
If she wasn’t on the Tweed Run she should have been. She looks fantastic.
Who took this picture? It’s a girl who lives in my building! I see this bike from my window everyday!! hehehehe
[...] And here is the first, from the BBC… (velorution) [...]
Is this SP chair available anywhere?
I am waiting for your answer. Thank you.
Fabien
It is available. Please be aware that it is not a Brompton approved item
Thank you for your answer.
Can you give me the adress or the web site where to buy this article.
How much is it?
Thant you for your answer.
Can you give me the adress or the web site where to buy this article.
How much is it?
Thant you for your answer.
you said it andrea. there is nothing pornographic about the image. it has artisitc merit and doesn’t cause sexual thought. i actually really like the image, if it was a poster or a flyer
Plastiscines – Bicyclette is the song, but video is Picnic by Merily Leis
Front light pointing at the sky?
I hate cyclists like this.
The other day I pulled up next to a fellow cyclist who was shouting at a 4×4 for stopping at some traffic lights in the outside lane, but covering the green boxed area allocated for cyclists.
I wouldn’t have minded if the 4×4 had nearly crashed into said cyclist, but the car was stationary there before the cyclist had even pulled up – and the cyclist had gone out of his way to complain to the driver.
People should care more about what they’re doing on the road – the cyclist in the video above could clearly see the car approaching and pulling out – so he could’ve slowed down or stopped to let the car pass without causing any unnecessary aggravation or encouraging road rage.
I can’t help but think the Alpe d’Huez ought to be a bit more pointy and less comfortably shaped than this saddle…
[...] Campag for Paul Smith by James Straffon – Coinciding with the 97th Tour de France’s snaking journey across French mountains and vineyards, Paul Smith has again opened up his ‘art wall’ to cycling-inspired art. (velorution) [...]
[...] “Do it because it feels good” – David Byrne – First, I’m not a sports cyclist. I’m no Lance Armstrong, but I do use a bike to get from place to place in Manhattan, a little bit of Brooklyn. I use it to get to work, that kind of thing. And I’ve done so for two, almost three decades now. (velorution) [...]
What, it actually is just paint ? I assumed they were at least doing a proper job of the surface. i.e. taking up the surface and putting down coloured tarmac. The more I read about it, and the more I see, the more the “superhighways” disappoint.
Heard these ones too?
“There are no showers and changing facilities at work”
“There’s no where to store my gear”
“There isn’t anywhere nearby to store my bike securely”
“My clothes get crumpled in my bag”
“What if I get a puncture or something happens to my bike? There’s nowhere convenient to get it serviced”
H2 Clubs offers a solution to all of these.
Please visit http://www.h2clubs.co.uk to download more information or contact info@h2clubs.co.uk
Great picture!
I hear though that cars are just disregarding the paint and driving in the lane anyway
From the experience with Bixi here in Montreal, the low gearing might actually be on purpose, to keep the speeds low. Many people new to cycling use them, and frankly, they’re fast enough to be quite useful without causing too many problems.
The lack of lock isn’t really a problem either, as long as there are enough docks, since the concept is that you dock it, and get another one after you’re done. At first, it was a bit restrictive, but as the coverage and the density of docks increased, it’s now fairly typical to notice a shop while biking, deciding to go on the spot and just keep riding to the next dock, which usually isn’t much further.
Don’t wait for ebay to get back to you. They can take ages. Inform the Police and get them involved. Maybe you’ve done this already as it was a theft from the shop?
Adam
Fantastic attitude there
Is this up on the Canning Town Flyover?
That’s my area – captured them when they were further back painting it blue:
http://velo-city-girl.blogspot.com/2010/07/canning-town-blues.html
[...] from London’s Oxford Street. It also has a retail website which is accompanied by one of the best branded blogs I have seen in a long [...]
I enjoyed this so mutch I brought the book
Wow and holy crap, hope it all goes well and the thief gets caught!!! That’s why http://www.goinggoingbike.com is such a great idea!!!!!
xa.
I spotted a kid on one of these the other day in Didsbury. I’d never seen one before and was amazed by it!
It would have been a cool ad – if only it wasn’t an ad for Gatorade. YUCK! It’s just another one of those bottled poisons.
A very cute photo!
Velorution, old friend, your blog, and this website, sure have come a long way since you beat me to the internet by one month in December 2002.
I can’t be exactly sure, but you in the UK, and I in the USA, just may have been the first Bike Bloggers, or at least among the first.
Keep up the great work, and Happy Cycling! ;-D
In which country is it safest to cycle? Holland. In which country does almost nobody wear a helmet? Holland. Way to go the Dutch! Please show me the link between safe cycling (and safe parenting!) and helmet wearing? BTW, I have two kids and neither of them wear helmets.