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The _Observer_ on "deadly" bike lanes
[Note: I have not been on Blackfriars bridge, and the article seems quite vague on the "problem" with this particular cycle lane....] Scandal of our deadly cycle lanes snip Good article, which sounds like it was written by a cyclist, though I think the figure that UK cyclists are 10 times more likely to be killed or injured than those in Denmark is probably an exaggeration. Data I have studied (per person km cycled) indicates the ratio is more like 2 or 3. The problem on Blackfriars Bridge is essentially the high speeds, the long, exposed nature of the cycle lane between an ahead and a left-turn lane, and the way buses have to cross the lanes to stop to the left of the left lane and then get into the ahead lane again. The design cannot overcome the inherent conflict between trying to have a priority cycle route running ahead and a high-capacity left filter for other vehicles on the same road, and is a prime example of confused thinking about such things. The article also brings up problems with the position of CTC in the statements by Geffen and Russell (both of whom I know). The author rightly attacks the British systems compared to the far better segregated bike engineering of The Netherlands and Denmark. But CTC has always tended to oppose the segregating of cyclists and motor vehicles on British roads, wrong-headedly (in my view) fearing it that creates more danger and marginalisation for the cyclist - when anyone who looks at the situation in continental countries can see that exactly the reverse is true - the danger and marginalisation occur here, where we try to combine cyclists and motors in the same unsegregated space, not there. Russell saying "most accidents are caused by motorists not being careful" is a silly statement as it misses the point. We all know that. The object of cycle engineering is to protect cyclists from the mistakes of motorists. David Arditti |
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