Comments on: Guest Post: Are Cycleways Really that Controversial?

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 06:06:03 +0000

In reply to Emma.

Yes, try heading north on Colombo crossing Bealey Avenue to start the Papanui Parallel. Inconsistent lights – sometimes a short red left turn arrow ( which can be ignored but vehicles ) other times, nothing. Inconsistent with south bound journey also. A dogs breakfast for everyone . I watched 4 cyclists with right of way – 3 fending off the left turning vehicle that was trying to nudge around, the 4th – a little less confident and was diverted into the gutter.

By: Emma

Emma — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 01:35:54 +0000

Cycleways which seperate cyclists from vehicles benefit all surely.

Was driving from Gasson Street north toward the CBD, cyclists on the left went through the intersection of Moorhouse and Gasson street, opposite Ara before Gordon Harris.

There was plenty of room for me to turn into Countdown, planet of room for one or two behind me as the cyclists were slow. There was no room for vehicles turning and cyclists proceeding straight ahead …for the cars several behind us who should have stopped.

So what did they do? cut off the cyclists.

A scenario I’m sure many of us have seen over the years. So I ask you what can and what should I do about it, I tried to locate at least one of the cars and wanted to say something quietly, but I couldn’t identify any. Perhaps just as well.

Surely just as happened for pedestrians and buses, cyclists must get a head start signal or maybe by spreading out the pedestrian crossing and putting huge 30k signs on Gasson Street it can be made safer.

I’m very concerned that someone will get hurt or that cyclists will be deterred. What can I do to change this? because presently if I do nothing, I am responsible for that inaction and it must sit on my conscience.

By: Rich

Rich — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 20:11:25 +0000

I’m not sure that any of those numbers would prove that the routes aren’t controversial – only that they are popular with cyclists. I have heard plenty of people complaining about the cycleways away from the Stuff comments, talking in such a way that they expected me to see the ridiculousness of the cycleways as self-evident. As a driver, I can see their point because many of them are very clumsy and often difficult to negotiate, especially the unpopular St Asaph St one. I think people were objecting more to the in elegant implementation than the idea of the cycleways themselves – but I’m not sure that there would be any design that motorists would accept outright. Somehow, in places like Copenhagen it looks like they manage to keep it much simpler, but that has taken time to settle in.

By: Jan Jakob

Jan Jakob — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 08:18:10 +0000

In reply to Robert fleming. Back in the day, the same collective source had a habit of telling its members who to vote for in elections (at least in Germany).

By: Robert fleming

Robert fleming — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 06:44:46 +0000

Interesting to note in the case of the South Express cycleway that there were 25 identical submissions from one collective source. Each of these submissions was completely opposed to the 16km cycleway even though the perceived negative effects to them related to less than 500m of one street only.

By: Luuk paulussen

Luuk paulussen — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 22:50:38 +0000

In reply to James. I disagree with the comment above regarding the awkwardness. I have been riding the section between Barrington street and the Wigram overbridge daily for a number of years. The addition of the lights, particularly at Wrights road has made a huge difference in terms of ease and safety. Previously during rush-hour, it was almost impossible to get across Wrights road safely. Of course it would have been nice if they hadn't decided to put a giant hill in the middle of the crossing. That being said, I often see cyclists choosing to shoot across directly across from the cycleway from Lincoln road, rather than going down to the lights. All of the crossings mentioned are across busy roads. Personally I'd rather wait a few extra seconds and get across in a way that is also makes it safe for my kids.

By: James

James — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 21:26:11 +0000

I use the Little River Link on any trip into the city, conveniently I have an access point one block from my door. One reason it may not be seeing growth is how awkward it becomes as you near Addington. Signal crossing at Wrights Road, then Lincoln Road 90 seconds later, Barrington Street 90 seconds after that, then Brougham Street which I believe requires you to stop in the middle, in a way doubling the time to get across.
Personally I exit the link at Wrights Road and cut through Horncastle Arena directly to Lincoln Road because it more than halves the time to reach South Hagley from that point, and there is still a painted cycle lane at least. The section alongside the motorway has always had good usage from what I’ve observed, I once counted more than 60 riders in the 7 or 8 minutes that I was on it for a work commute.