Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Cyclists and Wightman Road
Hi all,
Is it just me or has Wightman Road now become an absolute death trap for us cyclists with the jutty out bits that enrage car drivers who swerve into us to avoid oncoming cars...?
Thinking a cycle track on part of pavement could be an answer... We don't take up as much space as a car parking half way across the pavement as it used to be...
Nemone
Tags for Forum Posts: cycling, cycling safety, harringay traffic study, traffic, wightman road improvements
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rich on
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It's not great, I've had a couple near misses with cars speeding to get past then swerving back in to avoid the car coming round the bit sticking out at the opposing side. Seems to happen mainly between Seymour and Duckett due to slower speeds due to the hill. Saying that, the same use to happen with the islands so I guess it hasn't made it worse. However now due to the tightening of the road side filtering is a lot dangerous which leaves you often stuck behind a slow moving idling car, which is less than pleasant. I guess we'll have to see how it all works out once it finishes, but I can't say my hopes are high at the moment.
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Permalink Reply by Mavic Starfish on
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It's not you - it is more dangerous. Agree with all the examples above, especially cars overtaking bicycles @ pinch points @ high speed with little room for error. In other words dangerous and illegal as cars have to be a metre away, It just doesn't work. I'm an experienced cyclist but I now use Turnpike Lane and Green Lanes rather than Wightman road. On the occasion I do use Wightman I turn off on the first left - Hampden. Yesterday I got beeped halfway down Hampden but maintained primary, and guess what, the car behind me was stuck in traffic at the bottom whilst I navigated around the cars and carried on. So their attempt to get me out of the way was in vain anyway, no surprise with the clogged up roads round here. I do feel drivers are getting more impatient as a result of the new changes, I won't call them improvements.
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Permalink Reply by tigha on
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Yes got a scare yesterday when a car whizzed last me at speed next to one of the narrow bits, only just missed me
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Permalink Reply by Alice Mezzo on
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Agree it's a worse death trap than it was. Council have essentially made it impossible for normal (less experienced/brave) cyclists to travel along either Wightman or Green Lanes. We really, really need a change of council in Harringay. I'm voting lib dem next election and think everyone who's had enough of this kind of nonsense should do the same. Why are the council so very pro car?? In a climate crisis and when children and vulnerable people are literally dying from the high levels of air pollution?
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Permalink Reply by Itsjono on
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I think council have their ears bent by traders who think most of their customers arrive by car, when studies show that most of them don’t. So they think less parking, less cars means less business, when actually, if you make the street more pleasant for people, surprise surprise more people shop there.
Haringey has had many many opportunities to learn this lesson, eg Walthamstow, but all they do is more studies and consultations as a substitute for action. Time for a change.
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Permalink Reply by Laura on
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Quite. They've had opportunities and proved themselves incompetent. Needs a clear out.
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Agree it should be separated by barrier. However, your children (and mine) when walking on Wightman, are currently at risk of lung disease/asthma complications/respiratory diseases/ permanently reduced lung capacity etc from the air they are breathing on that road. The levels of pollution have repeatedly far exceeded safe levels. So that's why I think reducing car usage/encouraging cycling needs to be a priority. So probably better to seek compromise than rule out a cycle lane completely perhaps. Introduction of cycle lanes has shown to drastically reduce pollution on busy roads.
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From some points raised during the traffic study, apparently a single lane for cars (I assume you mean one way traffic) can actually increase speeds which would make the current situation worse for pedestrians trying to cross. The single way was my preferred option as it seemed to cover most options until I released this was going to be an issue.
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There isn't really space for a protected cycle lane on Wightman Road but there sure is on Green Lanes.
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I think you might struggle on Green Lanes as they really need 2 way bus flow so you would have difficulties with a protected cycle lane (they could however share with buses but this isn't ideal)
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