Why do some cyclists ride on the road when there's a bikeway?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 มี.ค. 2024
- I was riding home from the shops yesterday and I had to use the road. A passenger in a van seemed upset that I was not on the bikeway alongside the road.
How did it come to this?
March 16 is the Local Government Elections across Queensland. Make sure you vote for candidates who proactively and enthusiastically support active transport - walking and cycling.
If you live in Brisbane City Council, that means vote 1 for Labor or the Greens, number EVERY BOX and put the LNP last - because that's where they put you.
Bikes are always allowed, unless otherwise designated. Even if a bike lane/path makes more sense, if someone wants to bike on the road, it's their right and cars can afford the extra minute or so to make sure they're not killed.
If I could double love your comment I would. 1000% correct.
Its safer to hit another car, as you're less likely to cause an injury or loss of life than if you hit a cyclist. Gotta think about others safety, not just your own.@Elhesh
In psychology there is something called the "fundamental attribution error". That's the tendency that people have where they misjudge other people by assuming that their actions are due to personality rather than circumstances. So the guy in the van probably thought that you were on the road just to be annoying, not because you had good reasons to be there.
I was thinking about this the other day when driving. A lot of the time when I need to change lanes, the person I get in front of gets salty and starts tailgating me. They probably think I'm trying to annoy them or I'm trying to cut in to cheat and get ahead, but really I'm just changing lanes because I need to. (I do try to change lanes as nicely and respectfully as I can, BTW.)
Anyway, I find it helpful to be aware of this bias that people have. If someone gets upset at me when I've done nothing wrong, I don't have to take it personally. I can just understand that they have problems.
I never knew the name for it, but from young I had learnt how to avoid it: whenever I see someone doing something I think of as stupid or incorrect, I take a second to think of one or two reasons why they might be doing it before reacting. The reason I started is because I was constantly misunderstood growing up and simply didn't want anyone else to feel that way.
Now, I usually take the approach of asking a person why they're doing something, rather than jumping to being aggressive towards them or acting confused in a judgey sort of way. To other's though, I often come across as naïve or an on-the-fence guy, always making excuses for people.
I had the opposite thing happen the other day. I was cycling on the path next to the road, which is actually a cycle path, and some guy yells at me "you gotta follow the rules of the road too!"
I had just used the pedestrian crossing to get on the other side. I only use bike paths when I can, because I hate being on the road with idiotic drivers. Bizzare.
Ah yes, the "you have to get off and walk across a crossing" myth. Amazing how people who preach about cyclists needing to follow the road rules invariably don't understand the road rules...
@@ChrisCoxCycling May be a common myth because a lot of countries actually do enforce that rule.
As my driving instructor taught me when I learnt to drive (in the UK in early 80's) cyclists and horse riders are on the road by right, drivers are on the road by licence. I have yet to see a cycle lane/roundabout configuration that makes sense, always felt it better to go round the roundabout as any other vehicle would.
I've been doing more "analog" riding on my ebike lately, but the one time I'll crank the assist to maximum is pulling onto a roundabout - otherwise very sketchy.....
"if there's a bikeway and they're not on it there's probably a good reason for it…it's not really up to you to question why they're there. Just deal with it. Go slow, pass when it's safe to do so, get on with your day."
Hear hear! That's really all there is to it.
The real question is; why does anyone care?
Social media has created the soapbox for idiots to stand upon and screech their stupidity. Additionally, prior to the invention of smart phones I've never experienced or witnessed such derelict driving.
In my experience, bike lanes are often filled with debris. Roads lack this debris because the airflow from cars pushes this debris off the road (and often onto the bike lane).
There is a "dutch" style cycling intersection in Hamilton Brisbane, (Intersection of Hercules St, Remora Rd and Macarthur Ave) it's not exactly like a dutch intersection, more like what you would expect from TMR but it's the closest thing you'll find in queensland.
Can you do a video on it? Thanks
Cars also have the right to go onto a freeway where the speed limit can be 100kph and choose not to use back roads doing 50kph. Just like cars bikes can choose to use the road where they can go above the pathetic speed limit imposed on bikeways.
In Queensland unless signed otherwise, the speed limit on bike paths is the same as the adjacent road.
@@ChrisCoxCycling I did not know that. Thank you !
But your point is still right - bicycle riders can choose the road if that's their best option. They are not required to use a bikeway or bike lane - and there's usually very good reasons why not to.
It's not up to a following driver to make that judgment.
2:17 is the footpath that i use to ride home every night after work at like 3 in the morning when massive trucks come flying over the bridge less than 40cm from me and its terrifying
It is terrible, I agree.
In the NT, bicycles using a round about were only allowed to go on the outside lane when making a right hand turn direction and also had to give way to every motor vehicle wanting to exit at every exit. This law was 20 years ago. I hope it has changed like it appears be in QLD.
Yeah the law changed in Queensland. Turning right from the left lane on the roundabout would have been a nightmare
Round our way the main road has been narrowed in both directions to create cycle lanes on both sides of the road separated by a verge. As a result if a cyclist decides to ride on the road its very difficult for other road users to get past them and we end up with a line of slow moving traffic. Whilst I appreciate that a cyclist doesn't have to use the cycle lane, for their own safety and out of consideration for other road users I would have thought it would be a good idea to do so.
If you can get to the bike lanes, that's fine
Wave and smile!
There are so many permanent interruptions to bike paths you end up using the road that have less of them even with traffic lights....Stopping and starting constantly is a much bigger deal on a bike using your legs.
Bike lanes I would say are more for the commuter cyclist.....I wouldn't ride my road bike on one at the speeds I go it's not safe.
Yeah, definitely have to ride to the conditions. I'm quite happy travelling at 20-25kph on average, so bike lanes, bikeways and shared paths (mostly) work fine for me, and I avoid riding on roads like this where I can.
But when I have to, I'm allowed to, and drivers just have to treat me like another member of "traffic" in front of them. They aren't special or more entitled to use the space than me on my bike just because they're in a big, metal box.
Its always the passenger isn't it. Its up to the driver to keep his passenger under control he is doing the driving and none of it is anything to do with passengers.
I always own the lane, when riding on the road. The fact that my bike has indicators, brake lights, etc, means most motorists are fine with me, mate.
With the way drivers (dangerously) drive, I don't see any reason to consider them if it restricts me. I've more or less learned to ignore them, and I don't even get upset about them. It's not worth it.
I avoid the roads if I can, even at the cost of slowing down for lots of dogs running around (there are lots of dog people here, and they like the shared paths best).
Yeah I know what you mean. I didn't react in the slightest to this guy. I could see what he was annoyed about, and could see he had no idea why I was where I was. The driver of the van passed me fine, was perfectly safe so no issue for me.
Obviously this depends on where it happens, rules of the road etc. differ per country. If it's allowed, it's allowed. Simple as that.
The thing is, I encounter cyclists on the road quite often during the nicer months of the year. Living close to the border with two other countries, where the rules are rather different, this is frustrating as all hell. Because over here the rules are simple, if there is a bike path cyclists must use it. It is not optional, they do not have a right to be in the road with motorised traffic by default, only if there isn't a bike path.
In both neighbouring countries there are archaic rules still about groups of cyclists being allowed to ride on the road for "safety" with a "road captain" who magically gains the power to direct traffic, despite not wearing the required jacket to be recognisable as a such in my country.
I've had more than my fair share of Lance Armstrong wannabees completely lose their mind arguing their foreign laws to me, when that stuff just does not apply here.
The most common thing I've heard is "there's more than 15 of us, so we can ride as a peloton", but that is just not a thing here. Just because there's 15 cyclists together going the same way, that doesn't make them a military column or a funeral procession. They still have to yield to traffic that has the right of way, even if that means their "peloton" gets split up.
Personally, I just wouldn't take the risk. If there's a bike path, I'd rather use that for my own safety. I'd rather take a few minutes longer to cycle home over not getting home because an incompetent driver in a far too large SUV wasn't paying enough attention.
Lots of words to say you just need to drive safely. Also lots of words completely irrelevant to the situation. There was no bike path on the route I was on.
@@ChrisCoxCycling I agree that the situation on the roundabout at 1:38 there is not even a half-way decent bike path. Very bad road design there. I looked it up and frankly I do not see how you could have made a right turn there without leaving the bike lane and entering into traffic. Same applies for the bridge over the M5, there is nothing that even remotely resembles adequate infrastructure present there. That kind of road design would get someone fired, if not sued over here.
Still when you said you couldn't cross 2 metres of gravel and grass to get to the bike path afterwards, that sounds like the excuse of a bad cyclist to me. Like you're so insecure about your own skills as a rider, that you'd prefer to not even attempt to get out of traffic. Maybe time to work some on your "offroad" riding skills.
Either way, considering AU injury and fatality stats for bicyclists, be safe dude.
I noticed in the video that the ignorant van passenger and driver, who I would assume had the same level of ignorance, would have seen you go by on that road as they were waiting to enter it. Unfortunately, these types of people are conditioned to carry on with this entitled mindset towards cyclists no matter the situation.
There was a path on the left you could go in which is also out of the way of cars, not causing accidents and protecting the riders. If I ride this is where I go so I'm far away from the cars, both to not get in their way, and also for personal safety. Road bikers think they have privilege
Watch the video. The path was not connected to the direction I was riding from.
Bicycles are legally vehicles and can be used on the road. Drivers have to treat bicycles as another vehicle in traffic. It's that simple.
Good point, but I do see a lot of clowns (especially pedestrains) that think it's smarter to walk up the shoulder of a 3 lane road with 80 km/h speed limits at 8pm at night then it is to use the perfectly open footpath on the side of the road.
I'm glad you got that off your chest. I'm sure you feel better.
Sooo, a car isnt allowed to use a bikeway instead of waiting 15 mins for roadworks, but you can't wait 15mins for your bikeway to be clear?
If a motorist encounters a road closed for works, they take a detour on another route they are able to drive on.
That's exactly what I did.
Yes. hope this helps!
" Theres no way for me to get off the road and on to the bike way......."
You could....but here we are.
Tell me what I should have done in your ultimate wisdom, Noneck the 3099th.
@@ChrisCoxCycling I think noneck is under the impression you should have dismounted on the road and walked over the bit that was unsuitable for biking - you know, putting your self in a dangerous position on the main road to get on to a dedicated bike path - cos using the infrastructure is more important than your safety ;) just a guess though.
Rode on the gravel? It wouldn't have been hard. Or do you ride a bike with a stupid sports tyre unsuitable for actual use cases?@@ChrisCoxCycling
@@ChrisCoxCycling ..if you see the simple answer as inciteful wisdom, i wonder if you should be operating ANY kind of machinery. 🤔
Why would I do that when it is perfectly fine to ride on the road?
you were riding way in the middle of the road and blocking traffic
No. I was traffic.
2:35 Of course there isn't a ramp to get onto the bike path from the road, as the path was designed for the cyclist to already be on it at that point. Skipping the cycling path on the roundabout because it's an inconvenience and then complaining the city planners didn't build a way to encourage that behaviour is just wild.
There's no cycle path around the roundabout.
I mean, a profile picture of a car is a dead give-away that you're a troll.
use the fucking bike lane
Watch the fucking video.