Pedestrians and cyclists only crossing at controlled intersections such as Main north Road, Cranford street, QE2 drive, Marshlands Rd, Main South Road for example particularly during peak school travel hours rather than using the back streets.

Much better than facing the speeding rat racing vehicles who try to avoid the arterials and instead use local or collector roads as heavy traffic arterials.

Soon they’ll have to put more controlled crossings in local and collector roads which they’ve effectively turned into arterials. Because safer streets is in the LTCCPs and the urban development plans, has been for decades.

What a mess they’ve created.

Trafalgar Street is bad in so many ways. Sending thoughts and prayers, there but by the grace of god go I (-: .

Yes it may qualify for a ‘greenway’ category based on vehicle counts over a 24 hour period ( Vancouver data examples ) but did they consider a good % of those vehicles travel in a 2 hour window twice a day in a rat-running macho style convoy. Sadly these also are the times the majority of cyclists who commute would like to enjoy their journey on what as been touted as a major cycleway built to a standard of safe and enjoyable travel for the 8 to 80 year olds. And don’t get me started on the Trafalgar St and Edgeware Road intersection. Solution ? Cul de sac the street as originally planned, or restrict turning at Edgeware Road to left turn, in and out only. And do it soon.

Did the motorist stop on the broken yellow lines on Trafalgar Street?

In which case they broke the law in order to berate you about an imaginary law. Par for the course with some motorists.

So, yes, I sometimes leave the cycleways/cyclelanes – as others have noted, there are always going to be times where people will need to make a manoeuvre that they can’t make from within the cycleways, regardless of their skill level. And, unfortunately, I encounter drivers like the poster almost every day as I bike in this city: blindingly selfish, stupidly aggressive, and completely ignorant of the rules of the road. In my personal experience, I don’t see any improvements happening; if anything, things may be getting worse.

+1 for the friendly wave effect !

Sometimes the bike lane isn’t suitable because its got slow riders, walkers, parked cars, road works, vegetation, standing water, mud, poor surface finish, etc in it. “ride as far left as practical” might just mean to ride the car lane.

Sometimes I want to go roadie-fast and I can do the speed limit. Tuam/St Asaph street’s are good examples where one can stay with the flow and hit all the greens. I’m doing the posted speed, why would a driver want to go faster ?

So yes – I occasionally eschew “cycle facilities” and use road vehicle facilities, of which I am one.

Nicely said, and I would agree. Most people driving in Chch are pretty good and courteous (and of course sometimes that is us behind the wheel). Unfortunately a very few enraged people spoil it for the rest (and put some people off biking), but then that occasional bad behaviour probably applies both to some people cycling and driving…

We should not let us divide this way! I know lots of people who drive and not cycle and they are perfectly reasonable people. Most cyclists are drivers too and an increasing numbers of drivers have become cyclists over the past few years. If you are on the bike do your cycling advocacy work and be courteous and considerate towards other road users. A friendly wave when you get the right of way or when a driver slows down for you goes a long way.