Comments on: Photo of the Day: Auckland Pathways

By: Rich

Rich — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 23:37:22 +0000

More cyclists would probably help the issue – along with appropriate education. It seems that the issue – like with other issues of cyclist visibility – is that currently they are too infrequent to remain front of mind.

By: Colin Pearson

Colin Pearson — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 20:11:38 +0000

In reply to rob5chch6. Schools and businesses should be reminding their students (& parents) and employees about safety in the areas surrounding their sites. An obvious example on my commute is western end of Tuam Street. Seems like the majority of the CDHB staff going to the hospital don't cross the road at the lights, pedestrian crossings or corners that are provided. Instead they go shortest route. It's human nature to be lazy. Culture changes take much reinforcement and a long time before the change become habit

By: rob5chch6

rob5chch6 — Sun, 13 Mar 2016 04:42:00 +0000

At 3.00pm on a school day, the Rutland Reserve shared pedestrian/cycleway section of the soon to be built Papanui Parallel cycleway is used as a meet and greet assembly area for parents and children as they begin their journey home along the path. This makes it difficult to proceed without dodging ( and annoying ) everyone taking up both sides of the path . As kids we were taught to keep to the left when on any route, path , road , or track. It is disappointing to see parents ignore the signs , and walk over the painted instructions and setting a bad example to children about safety and etiquette. Disappointing also hear opponents of the cycleways describing this path as a complete failure, when in actual fact it is excellent in design and structure but used incorrectly. The Paparoa Street School imo needs to emphasise the fact that whilst this route is a nice safe route to walk children home from school, it is also a transport route and needs to be treated as such .

By: Colin Pearson

Colin Pearson — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 03:42:17 +0000

Ultimately I’d still rather be dodging pedestrians than cars, buses and trucks

By: meltdblog

meltdblog — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 03:31:51 +0000

In reply to Alastair.

It doesn’t seem to matter how loud the message is, pedestrians will just try and own the space:
https://meltdblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/try-harder/
Being polite works well on paths with low numbers of users, and simply fails in congested areas.

By: AngryOfAshley

AngryOfAshley — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 19:09:12 +0000

Unfortunately humans are designed to look forward not back. Same problem the country over and not just a cycling issue. As a Hagley park user for 40 years I have had more problems when out running round the shared paths as cycling. Keeping left, paying attention and looking over your shoulder when not keeping left seems to be something we don’t all get. As a pedestrian who has been hit by a car in my time, I can tell you that a close encounter with a bike makes the heart jump a bit, but rolling across a car bonnet while the driver change UP a gear focuses the mind on survival in ways that a brush with a cyclist just can’t compete with! Tolerance and a strong hand on the brake…

By: Alastair

Alastair — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 05:05:41 +0000

Certainly the fact that it’s the desire line is the reason pedestrians use this section. I think a lesson is that if we want to have cycle only paths, they need to look like roads, which is the case with the other part of the beach road cycleway.

By: Jolisa

Jolisa — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 04:25:28 +0000

The pathway closer to the road tracks the desire line for both sets of path users, so it’s no wonder everyone gravitates to it. As you say, at the moment it’s not a huge deal, as speeds are generally slow and numbers of both pedestrians and cyclists are manageable.

What will become an issue as numbers increase, and gives me the willies: the sunken gardens on either side of the path. Not clear from the photo, but the garden surface is probably a good six inches lower, with a sharp 90deg edge to the concrete. I often feel as if I’m just one pedestrian-dodging swerve away from a bent rim and unhappy tumble.

By: Colin Pearson

Colin Pearson — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 02:43:33 +0000

The paint will soon fade and it’ll be ‘one’ pathway. I’ve noticed most pedestrians move across when they see cyclists approaching from their front but they instantly move back across full width with near zero thought about cyclists approaching from behind. Not sure of the answer other than something more solid or visible in the middle, plus lots and lost of educational signage