Cycle Lanes

[duffman 10]

Originally posted by lalaland

Although it would be easier if the terrain was flatter, I look forward to maybe having the chance to ride on the Sheffield terrain and adding it to my current workout at the gym.

 

The hills will do you some good...

 

I would love to cycle to work and back but the route I know can get me there quicker than the bus is also the most dangerous, As said before some cycle lanes run out then you have to tackle a tram thats running behind you. I am not a cycling fanatic and I have never figured out why the cycle lanes go against the flow of traffic:confused: I have seen people nearly get run over by cars parked up coming out of the parking bay.

 

If it was safer to cycle then I would go to work and the gym on it.

[lalaland 10]

I saw street farce marking more cycle lanes today on Abbey Lane, near the golf course area. If you get chance to go along here, then take a look at the cycle lanes on what is a very busy and considerably dangerous road!

 

They keep starting and stopping every few seconds with the word END after a few meters.

 

What's the point???

[mega_monty 10]

Originally posted by ptigga

You better tell that to me and the other cycle commuters then, there's plenty of them and none of them seem to be overly bothered by the hills.

 

Your probably what I would class as a keen cyclist, not like the average Joe public, hardly thousands of you reguarly cycling to work as opposed to commuters in cars or buses.

 

How many people do you see cycling to Asda, etc to do the family weekly shop, complete with a handful of small children to accomodate, not practical is it ?

 

What about service / utility workers do you expect them all to have old fashioned "butchers boy" bikes to transport their tools / equipment around ? again not prcatical

 

If you and other cyclist wish to cycle up steep hills, thats fine, but dont expect everyone else to. Sheffield is just not the right terrain to expect everone to give us their cars and migrate to push bikes in their thousands, its just not going to happen.

 

So how many steep hills do you cycle up, just for interest ?

 

East Bank Road anyone ?

[duffman 10]

Originally posted by lalaland

I saw street farce marking more cycle lanes today on Abbey Lane, near the golf course area. If you get chance to go along here, then take a look at the cycle lanes on what is a very busy and considerably dangerous road!

 

They keep starting and stopping every few seconds with the word END after a few meters.

 

What's the point???

 

Ah may the street force be with you! Always!!! I cycle down Penistone road after going Down Stannington road and Holme lane, it's a complete nightmare. Going home I do the same but go through Rivelin instead of going up stannington road (i'm not that fit yet) Rivelin has a cycle lane but the way people drive on there is stupid sometimes. That plus the cycle lanes are covered in wet mushed up leaves and is as slippy as the tram tracks (I have reported this and so far they have not been done)

[nuf_said 10]

Originally posted by lalaland

I saw street farce marking more cycle lanes today on Abbey Lane, near the golf course area. If you get chance to go along here, then take a look at the cycle lanes on what is a very busy and considerably dangerous road!

 

They keep starting and stopping every few seconds with the word END after a few meters.

 

What's the point???

 

The reason:-

Street Farce (like that!) put in obstructions (sorry pedestrian islands) in the middle of that road. If you look you'll see the islands have made the road v narrow at one side and wider at the other side. To try and stop cyclists getting scraped off on the narrow part of the design **** up, they've painted the red cycle lane at each of the offending islands.

Turn up Bocking Lane(?) and you'll see daft bits of kerb that stick out and form chicanes with the centre islands. Try riding your bike round that lot with cars passing that can only just fit the gaps - no room for you.

[Cycleracer 10]

Originally posted by mega_monty

how many steep hills do you cycle up, just for interest ?

 

East Bank Road anyone ?

LOL,if your going to talk about steep hills then at least mention one.

East Bank Rd, is a hill not at all steep.

[vidster 10]

East bank Rd is a bump not a hill!!.

Try going up Winnats (is that how you spell it?)pass!. Now THAT'S a hill

 

Cycling is not as much about being fit as people think. I am in no way slim but i manage to ride up Duke St and part of City Rd every day. Failing that, i ride up Manor Lane (depending on the weather).

 

If i do any work on one of my bikes i use East bank Rd as part of a test circuit.

[dinp 10]

Whoever said that cycle lanes are well used is talking utter rubbish.

 

I've lived in Sheffield since September last year and in that time, I am lucky if I have seen three cyclists using cycle lanes in that time.

 

Youd think that the city centre ones would be frequently used - Er No they aren't. The one on Pinstone Street for example, which runs the opposite way to the traffic. Never seen one.

 

Queens Road Bus/Cycle Lane (what numpty put them two together ) - Never seen one.

 

I've seen a couple of cyclists using the roads and have seen one using a cycle lane at the Shoreham Street/St Marys Road crossroads on the edge of town.

 

Thats it.

 

The lanes are cropping up everywhere around the city centre and yet nobody seems to use them. I've seen loads of bikes at Hallam Uni, but never anybody approaching a bike park or leaving one.

 

These bikes must have phantom owners.

 

And before anyone says i'm not observant, I am. I'm at uni studying town planning, and so i'm always aware of what's happening, particularly in the city centre.

 

Cars use the road and have to pay tax

Buses use the road and have to pay tax

Lorries use the road and have to pay tax

 

Cyclists don't though. Not fair is it?

 

Yes, yes cars pollute and, to quote ptigga....

 

The road tax you pay doesn't even cover the cost of cleaning up the pollution that your car creates.

 

Course it doesn't. You can't put a price on pollution. What is true though is that far more funds come out of the road network than is ploughed into it.

 

Joe Public in his car is paying more tax to use less road these days. Many of them now have 24 hour, or peak time bus lanes, cycle lanes, or have been narrowed (Arundel Gate) to accommodate anyone and everyone BUT the car user.

 

If the government succeed in driving people out of their cars, they will be shooting themselves in the foot as the taxes that the were paying, which fund a variety of different things, will go into the pockets of First instead.

 

And then our roads will become a state with no money to improve them. Sure, buses wont be subsidised, which'll save Mr Blair a bit, but there will be a huge hole in the treasury.

 

The car is not the devil. We car drivers pay a lot of tax and I think its only fair that cyclists should contribute a bit as well.

[Abdul 10]

Originally posted by Cycleracer

The government should give people a grant if they are willing to cycle to work to purchase a bike and lower public transport charges because its still cheaper to drive to work than it is to get on a bus.

 

Speak to your employer.

 

Some have schemes where you can purchase a bicycle at a reduced price, thanks to tax, NI and VAT refunds provided that you 'mainly' use your bike to travel to and from work.

 

It's on your bike and apply the tax breaks

[ptigga 10]

Originally posted by dinp

Whoever said that cycle lanes are well used is talking utter rubbish.

 

I've lived in Sheffield since September last year and in that time, I am lucky if I have seen three cyclists using cycle lanes in that time.

 

Youd think that the city centre ones would be frequently used - Er No they aren't. The one on Pinstone Street for example, which runs the opposite way to the traffic. Never seen one.

 

Queens Road Bus/Cycle Lane (what numpty put them two together ) - Never seen one.

 

I've seen a couple of cyclists using the roads and have seen one using a cycle lane at the Shoreham Street/St Marys Road crossroads on the edge of town.

 

Thats it.

 

The lanes are cropping up everywhere around the city centre and yet nobody seems to use them. I've seen loads of bikes at Hallam Uni, but never anybody approaching a bike park or leaving one.

 

These bikes must have phantom owners.

 

And before anyone says i'm not observant, I am. I'm at uni studying town planning, and so i'm always aware of what's happening, particularly in the city centre.

 

Cars use the road and have to pay tax

Buses use the road and have to pay tax

Lorries use the road and have to pay tax

 

Cyclists don't though. Not fair is it?

 

Yes, yes cars pollute and, to quote ptigga....

 

 

 

Course it doesn't. You can't put a price on pollution. What is true though is that far more funds come out of the road network than is ploughed into it.

 

Joe Public in his car is paying more tax to use less road these days. Many of them now have 24 hour, or peak time bus lanes, cycle lanes, or have been narrowed (Arundel Gate) to accommodate anyone and everyone BUT the car user.

 

If the government succeed in driving people out of their cars, they will be shooting themselves in the foot as the taxes that the were paying, which fund a variety of different things, will go into the pockets of First instead.

 

And then our roads will become a state with no money to improve them. Sure, buses wont be subsidised, which'll save Mr Blair a bit, but there will be a huge hole in the treasury.

 

The car is not the devil. We car drivers pay a lot of tax and I think its only fair that cyclists should contribute a bit as well.

 

Do you have to have a licence for those opinions? I've lived here 7 years and I can safely say that everything you've said in this post is a comple load of twaddle.

 

Lets take your more coherent points one by one:

 

1) Pinestone street cycle lane: I use it a fiar bit myself - I woudn't like to count but I'm guessing about 3 times a month. And I know it gets used at least once a day by a bloke in a reflective jacket who uses it on his commute - but that's not the point. That is a counterflow cycleway - it allows cycles to go in the opposite direction to the traffic without getting off and walking. It also does not have any detrimental effect on the rest of the road. The road would not be any more useful if the cyckeway was removed (except that the Panasonic Shop would have to park their skips on the pavement instead of on the cycleway).

 

2) Bus/Cycle lane. All bus lanes in Sheffield are cycle lanes. What the bloody hell is your problem with this. Is there something wrong about using a cycle in a bus lane that you'd like to tell me about.

 

3) You've seen a couple of cyclists using the roads: Do you walk around with your eyes shut? I'm absolutely positive that you have seen more than two cyclists using the roads in Sheffield in the space of a year.

 

4) Cycles don't pay road tax. Neither do pedestrians? Shall we dig up all the pavements and turn them into roads? Cars only pay road tax in order to provide money to a) build more roads to cope with the congestion created by the cars. b) deal with the pollution problems caused by cars. Why would we want to tax cyclists? They don't pollute and they don't cause congestion.

 

5) Joe Public is paying more tax to use less road: Well boo hoo! Do you suddenly have a god given right to use you car for every single journey? Have you not considered how selfish it is to force your pollution on other people? Do you really need to take you car everywhere? Have you forgotten how to walk?

 

6) Lots of bikes at Hallam Uni. Yes there are. If you look at the bike racks at 11 oclock at night then you'll notice that there's a lot less bikes on there than at 11 oclock in the morning. They may not arrive and park all at the same time but I know for a fact that those bike stands are well used every day. I work right near them.

[dinp 10]

Originally posted by ptigga

Do you have to have a licence for those opinions? I've lived here 7 years and I can safely say that everything you've said in this post is a comple load of twaddle.

 

No it isn't, most of its observational. Not calling me a liar are you?

 

Lets take your more coherent points one by one:

 

1) Pinestone street cycle lane: I use it a fiar bit myself - I woudn't like to count but I'm guessing about 3 times a month. And I know it gets used at least once a day by a bloke in a reflective jacket who uses it on his commute - but that's not the point. That is a counterflow cycleway - it allows cycles to go in the opposite direction to the traffic without getting off and walking. It also does not have any detrimental effect on the rest of the road. The road would not be any more useful if the cyckeway was removed (except that the Panasonic Shop would have to park their skips on the pavement instead of on the cycleway).

 

Put it this way. I have never got in the way of a cyclist whilst crossing that road. I'm guilty of not looking in the direction of where a cyclist would come from and was sure that, by now, i'd have an irate cyclist shouting at me for getting in ther way. I haven't. Ever. I'm not debating the size of this road or the cycle lane's effect upon it, so calm down.

 

2) Bus/Cycle lane. All bus lanes in Sheffield are cycle lanes. What the bloody hell is your problem with this. Is there something wrong about using a cycle in a bus lane that you'd like to tell me about.

 

I'm glad you asked. Bus drivers are the most dangerous and inconsiderate people on the roads in Sheffield. Putting them next to a vulnerable cyclist on the same lane of traffic is nothing short of a death wish.

 

I cycle myself sometimes and would rather be in a lane of cars than a lane of buses - especially SHEFFIELD buses of all things.

 

3) You've seen a couple of cyclists using the roads: Do you walk around with your eyes shut? I'm absolutely positive that you have seen more than two cyclists using the roads in Sheffield in the space of a year.

 

And i'm absolutely positive that I have not. Again you are implying that i'm a liar. I told you I am observant and what I have observed is that Sheffield's cycle lanes are worse than chronically underused.

 

4) Cycles don't pay road tax. Neither do pedestrians? Shall we dig up all the pavements and turn them into roads? Cars only pay road tax in order to provide money to a) build more roads to cope with the congestion created by the cars. b) deal with the pollution problems caused by cars. Why would we want to tax cyclists? They don't pollute and they don't cause congestion.

 

I expected this kind of response to be honest. Cars and cyclists arent allowed on pavements. They both use the same piece of tarmac, yet one is charged tax and one is not. I'm not suggesting that they pay much, as the wear and tear caused by them is minimal, but a contribution would be nice and fair.

 

Also, on that note, what if a cyclist causes a car to crash? What about his license documents? Insurance? Was the bike roadworthy? Again, it seems that the motorist, in more ways than one, is being penalised YET AGAIN.

 

5) Joe Public is paying more tax to use less road: Well boo hoo! Do you suddenly have a god given right to use you car for every single journey? Have you not considered how selfish it is to force your pollution on other people? Do you really need to take you car everywhere? Have you forgotten how to walk?

 

Once again, you are trying to paint a picture of me as some kind of pompous ogre. I walk into town and into uni. I enjoy walking thankyou very much.

 

Don't give me boo hoo, this is a genuine concern, not just mine either. Mr Motorist is being fleeced left right and centre for cash and then this cash is used to make life as difficult as humanly possible for them! Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth!

 

All the paint and red/green tarmac used for these cycle lanes will come from the motorist. Its a waste of time and money if no bugger actually uses them!

 

When pollution free cars come at a price I can afford, I will buy one, honestly. My car has a small engine (1.1) so its not a chronic polluter. Not a getout clause at all, but this congestion is partly being caused by the bus lanes/cycle lanes.

 

If public transport took me where I want when I wanted in decent comfort I would ditch my car. I dont see this happening though, do you?

 

6) Lots of bikes at Hallam Uni. Yes there are. If you look at the bike racks at 11 oclock at night then you'll notice that there's a lot less bikes on there than at 11 oclock in the morning. They may not arrive and park all at the same time but I know for a fact that those bike stands are well used every day. I work right near them.

 

There was a hint of sarcasm in that paragraph. Of course there will be less bikes at 11pm than 11am. Doesn't change the fact that I have yet to see anyone approach or leave these bike parks.

 

You failed to address the paragraph about funding if car drivers were driven out of their cars. Care to explain why.....

[mega_monty 10]

Originally posted by Cycleracer

LOL,if your going to talk about steep hills then at least mention one.

East Bank Rd, is a hill not at all steep.

 

Originally posted by vidster

East bank Rd is a bump not a hill!!.

Try going up Winnats (is that how you spell it?)pass!. Now THAT'S a hill

 

Cycling is not as much about being fit as people think. I am in no way slim but i manage to ride up Duke St and part of City Rd every day. Failing that, i ride up Manor Lane (depending on the weather).

 

If i do any work on one of my bikes i use East bank Rd as part of a test circuit.

 

Agreed its not the steepest gradient in Sheffield, its more of long drawn out process over a distance. But again how many cyclists do you see on daily basis commuting to work up East Bank Road ? probably nil, yet another pointless cycle track taking up road space just for the sake of it.

 

What i'm trying to say: The average member of public do not find it aceptable to cycle up steep gradients in Sheffield. If cycling was such an excellant mode of transport around Sheffield there would have already been thousands of cyclists taking to the roads years ago, long before the council introduced these ad hock cycle tracks.

 

What we did have in Sheffield was cheap reliable public transport, that cost 2p and 5p at a time, hence cheaper to use public transport than your car, but Mrs T put a stop to that. If your wanting to reduce the number of cars then invest in cheap / reliable public transport rather that trying to ram bicycles down peoples throats.