Why don't cyclists use bike lanes? What is a bike lane? (In Queensland anyway)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ส.ค. 2024
- Regular viewers will know that I share the occasional video of ordinary driving around me while I'm cycling. When I share those videos as shorts, and they go to a wider audience beyond subscribers, I get some hilariously uninformed comments about how I should "get in the bike lane" - invariably when there is no bike lane in the video.
So, let me help you by defining what a bike lane is (in Queensland), the other types of cycling infrastructure and the rules around using them.
0:00 Intro
0:52 What is a bike lane?
2:45 Why don't cyclists always use bike lanes?
3:35 Resist the red mist
4:15 Footpaths
4:50 Shared paths
6:00 Dedicated cycle paths
6:50 What is a car lane?
7:38 Summing up
![[TH] LEV vs TLN | TE vs VIT - VALORANT Champions 2024 DAY 3](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_AbmrWv2lO0/mqdefault.jpg)
Even the police have no idea what a bike lane is.
When I reported a driver for squeezing me off the road. The police response was to tell me I should have been in the bike lane.
But like your video, there was no bike lane anywhere on the road.
Sadly not surprising.
More Aussies could do with seeing this video! Nice one mate 👍🏼
Feel free to share it so more do 😉 Thanks for watching!
Thanks Chris. I'm 100% of the opinion that if a car can park in a bike lane, then it is a car park, not a bike lane!
💯
Absolutely with you on road safety, Chris- that's why my bike has a full motorcycle lighting system, with high-mount brake lights and a horn.
Happy cycling, mate.
Thank you, Chris Cox, for sharing this informative video about bike lanes and cycling infrastructure in Queensland! As a fellow cyclist, I can't express enough how valuable it is to educate others about the reality of using bike lanes.
It's unfortunate that some people leave uninformed comments about cyclists not using bike lanes when, in fact, there might not even be one present in the video. Your video clears up any misconceptions and helps viewers understand the different types of cycling infrastructure available, from bike lanes to shared paths and dedicated cycle paths.
By promoting awareness about these various options, you're not only ensuring the safety of cyclists but also fostering a better understanding between cyclists and motorists. It's essential to highlight that cyclists choose the appropriate paths depending on their safety, traffic conditions, and local regulations.
Keep up the great work of sharing your cycling experiences and promoting cycling education. Your efforts contribute to a more bike-friendly community and encourage others to adopt a positive attitude towards cyclists. I've subscribed to your channel, and I'm excited to see more of your informative content in the future. Happy cycling! 🚴♂😊
Thanks so much for your kind comment!
Good video, Chris and very well presented. NSW police could do with using this as a training tool for some of their officers.
I considered getting a car license last year (didn't, just built a trailer for my bike instead), but one interesting thing I found while doing the theory part of a car license is that (in QLD at least) there's no such thing as "right of way"; you can give the way to another road user, but no one has the right to the way at any time.
One of your comments in this reminded me of that.
Absolutely. There's no concept of "right of way" in Australia or the UK. That's a US term. In Australia, it's about giving way, or giving priority. There are rules that say when priority should be given and by who, but that doesn't mean you get to "take" priority.
As cyclists and pedestrians I think we know yet we can't ever "take" our priority because we would be putting ourselves in danger. But in a car, especially giant wankpanzer utes and 4wds, people tend to more aggressively try and "take" priority.
The point I was really trying to make was every road user has a responsibility to look out for the more vulnerable road user. As a cyclist, I'm very aware of pedestrians, and as a driver I'm very aware of cyclists AND pedestrians. Slowing down is no big deal.
I call the bike lanes around me "close pass lanes" Because it is either a narrow strip that encourages cars to pass too close, or a picure of a bike on a narrow pavement that forces you close to pedestrians. Bike lanes in most of Scotland: Somebody's getting close passed!
This video does a great job at showing the flaw in relying on shared paths to provide safe infrastructure for cyclists. It makes the assumption that cyclists are only out for a leisurely ride. It completely ignores the reality that many rely on them for their main method of transport (even in a country as hostile to cyclists as Australia).
Any task that is time constrained (such as commuting) will always lead to faster cycling, which is completely incompatible with shared paths. It just goes to show that you need both shared paths for the very real contingent of people who cycle for leisure (and which act as a gateway drug to active transportation), and on-road infrastructure for those using their bikes for getting to work, the shops, or running errands.
And while I don't recommend it, we'd all be safer if people doing a run to the bottle-o did it on a bike, rather than half munted in a car.
Very much agree. Shared paths are nice, and I enjoy using them even for transport trips - but it generally adds 2-3km or more to a trip. As you say, if you have time constraints, that extra 10 minutes is a deal breaker between riding and driving.
Direct, protected routes on main roads between destinations is what's needed in addition to the shared paths.
"Bike lanes" trying to trick people into cycling in the car door zone surely had to have been conceived as a mean-spirited prank
See my previous video where I give traffic engineers a serve. Hehe, same mentality I reckon... "How can we pretend to be providing for cyclists while maximising space available to cars...I know! Let's shove a bike lane in between parked cars and traffic lanes that are just the width of a door."
I wonder if the State Government could, I don't know, maybe ban parking in a bike lane.
Whoops! I need to be careful. The Transport Minister blocked me on Twitter for suggesting he should do that. ;-)
Banning parking in bike lanes would be the easiest change the state govt could make. They could do it tomorrow.
Enjoy your videos even though I'm a Pommy. As a daily cycle commuter it's interesting to see what cycling is like Down Under 👍
Cheers! Thanks for watching. I like checking out what's going on in the UK and London in particular. I love all the bike lanes and cycleways being built - I have to admit when I see the videos it looks almost scary with so many bikes and a lot of people riding quick. But it seems to work.
Here there's a real paranoia about cyclists riding "too fast", so new bikeways and bike lanes are designed to slow us down as much as possible - to the point engineers even use humans as bollards. Direct bike routes into shared plazas with no priority and hope for the best...
I feel a big part of the road abuse of cyclists is due to these simple rules not being widely known.
Would love to see more focus on driver education around this, and simple respect of people (outside of the car) on the road .
Great video btw 😊
People not understanding road markings and signs is a huge problem in a lot of areas.
@@ChrisCoxCycling
> these simple rules not being widely known
Believe me, they are known, it's just that when one drives something bigger, what is known is thrown out the window, and ego takes over instead.
They should really add a few practical lessons on cycling in traffic to drivers ed, to give drivers first hand experience of what it's like being passed to close.
Shout out to the 2 drivers who were looking out for me this afternoon as I tried to get to the pedestrian crossing outside of Eagle Junction station.
If only there was a northern bikeway!
Imagine that. BCC has only been squibbing it for 5 years...
Great video Chris,
Cheers Grant!
But what if I do want to complain about the state of bike lanes and registration? :) Great video Chris.
Ah, touche! Those kinds of comments are always welcome 😉 Thanks for watching!
I love the hat under the Helmite. It's just common sense really. I think most of the time pedestrians and cyclists get on as a rule because they can see each other and even have a chat. Where as if your in a car your in a box and are cut off from the rest of the world. Which my give people the confidence to shout out of the window. It spooks me a bit when bikes ride to close when I'm walking bit that doesn't happen that often. The naughbures may not be out to get you but the Traffic department maybe after the last video lol. Great video keep up the good work
Haha, yes I might upset a few council folks, but I tell it like it is...
You're spot on about cars cutting drivers off from the world. It is dehumanising. Everyone outside your car isn't perceived to be a human. That's why there's so much road rage.
As for the helmet, that's a Da Brim. It attaches to the helmet to give sun protection. Great little product.
Hi@@ChrisCoxCycling I went cheap and butchered a sunshade designed for hard hats. Bit of (careful) work with stanley knife and scissors and a couple of small cable ties and you have yourself and ugly but extremely effective sunshade for your helmet. Good budget alternative. Keep up the excellent videos - the voice of cycling sanity needs shouting from the back of wank panzas everywhere.
Great video Chris. However, I have to point out that the presence of a white bicycle symbol or green paint has no bearing on whether a 'bicycle lane' really is a bicycle lane. The only thing that makes a lane a bicycle lane is the bicycle lane sign... it is usually a sign, but it can be a road marking. In other words, a while bicycle symbol must also have the work 'lane' painted with it in order for it to denote a bicycle lane. There are thousands of 'bicycle lanes' that look like real bicycle lanes but actually aren't. Bribie Island is full of them. In fact I don't think there is one single bicycle lane on Bribie Island!
100%, and I talk about that in my What Is A Bike Lane video I mentioned.
@@ChrisCoxCycling Hi Chris. In the 'what is a bike lane' video you state that one of the requirements to make a 'bicycle lane' legal is a white bicycle symbol. This is not the case. What is required is a white bicycle symbol together with the painted word 'lane' with it. A white bicycle symbol alone does not make a lane a bicycle lane.
The only item of infrastrucure that makes a 'bicycle lane' a real bicycle lane is the bicycle lane sign or bicycle lane road marking. A white bicycle symbol on its own has zero legal authority.
audio only coming out of the left headphone on this video
Odd. Seems fine for me.
Can confirm, left channel only for the narration in this video (it's very slightly in the right channel but mostly left)
Even if someone is breaking the law, you are not allowed to take vigilante action and punish them! That is itself against the law!
Exactly right. Yet you so often see drivers "punish" people who they perceive have "wronged" them.
Good reality check for a lot of drivists out there!
If car owners don’t like to share the road with other types of vehicles like bicycles, scooters etc then how about paying for those roads on their own- like building roads from now on comes exclusively out of petrol tax 😏 and we will pay for one lane for buses/police/ambulances/deliveries- they don’t take up more than that
Are my neighbours out to get me?😂
I'm still not sure... 😉
I just want to be the first to comment.
And nothing about getting in the bike lane/ footpath/ pay rego? Based!
@@ChrisCoxCycling oh, and cyclists should pay for roads, you are all a nuisance. 🤣 Nice video. I appreciate what you are doing - just having the conversation can help save lives.
Well I’m here in the comments and my question is… why the fuck doesn’t Queensland have more protected bike lanes?
Amen!
Is that bloke in the van from Hybrid Auto Electrics unhinged? No wonder people dont feel safe with bullies like him driving like that.
Yeah I've seen him out and about a fair bit. He drives like a maniac. They certainly won't get my business.
All lanes are bike lanes
Well no. Bus only lanes are not bike lanes.
Motorway lanes are not bike lanes (if they are signed no bicycles).
Pedestrian paths are not bike lanes (if they are signed no bicycles).
There are specifics that define a bicycle lane, as in a special purpose lane designated as a bike lane, which differ significantly from a general traffic lane which, unless signed otherwise, you are right that bicycles can use.