https://cyclingchristchurch.co.nz/2012/12/23/aucklands-getting-separated-bikeways-too/ Regular people riding bicycles Thu, 22 Aug 2024 11:07:27 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://cyclingchristchurch.co.nz/2012/12/23/aucklands-getting-separated-bikeways-too/#comment-249 Fri, 04 Jan 2013 04:45:32 +0000 http://cyclingchristchurch.co.nz/?p=1726#comment-249 Interesting feedback Nina, and you are right that cycle facilities should be fairly intuitive and consistent (a reaction that came up frequently in our NZTA research too). The drawings aren’t the best for explaining what is going on in this case, esp. when no cyclists are actually shown anywhere and pedestrians seem to be wandering all around the place – possibly cyclists weren’t really the target audience? There is actually a “Transit” (high-occupancy veh) lane next to the kerb (quite common in Akld); hence the green/red markings there – it is not for cycling on (not pleasantly). The only reason there is a green cycle lane across the side-road is because it is the only currently legal way to give cyclists priority over side-road traffic (if you choose to stay on the path you would have to give way). Then it leads back onto the off-road pathway.
So the upshot is: ignore the peds in the pictures, they only confuse. And when you come to a side road, you can choose to stay off-road or go on-road, depending on your confidence, patience, etc.

]]> https://cyclingchristchurch.co.nz/2012/12/23/aucklands-getting-separated-bikeways-too/#comment-248 Thu, 03 Jan 2013 01:02:17 +0000 http://cyclingchristchurch.co.nz/?p=1726#comment-248 I am all for cycle lanes all over the country, but the last situation sketch shown above is showing nicely all that is wrong with cycling lanes in NZ. I have absoilutely no idea how to handle that situation?? Which is the cycle path? Why are there pedestrians on both pedestrian and cycle paths (supposing the dark grey path is the cycle path)? Why is the green on road cycle lane not continued? Why the green triangle, not connected to the green lane, and the red area?? How is a cyclist supposed to make sense of this situation without making a careful study first?
Sorry for the rant, but in my opinion there are way too many situations like this one in NZ where there are random coloured blocks on roads or paths, usually not connected to other cycle lanes or paths. If there is a cycle lane it has to go through all the way, also over intersections, also going left or right, also on bridges, also when crossed by side roads or exits. The alternatives shown above are only confusing.

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