Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Dangerous cycle lane on Wightman road
I couldnt quite believe this tiny cycle lane over the bridge has been painted back in. I thought the days of these had long gone, because they are just so dangerous. It gives cars permission and confidence in thinking they can safetly pass a bike on the bridge without pulling out at all, so long as there car wheel is only as far as the line. Which clearly there isn't room
I cant believe anyone from LCC had anything to do with this.
Anyone in the council, can you paint over this line or put in a lane which is actually wide enough for bikes to ride in. I hate cycling along Wightman road because its so dangerous, and so tend to avoid it and use green lanes which feels much better,mainly due to traffic going much slower. And Im a really experienced cyclist. For less experienced cyclist this is potentially a death trap
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Karen Alexander on
-
Agreed - its the most stupid thing I have seen in ages and as you say it gives drivers the confidence to overtake cyclists when there just isn't enough room.
Wightman Road is the most terrifying and dangerous part of my cycle to the city and back every day and I wish I didn't have to use it but I live on it so have no choice to use at least part of it!
I have been on here many times to say that the traffic islands are death traps as impatient drivers try and overtake where there simply isn't enough room. Getting rid of those islands should be an urgent priority particularly as traffic speeds seemed to have increased since the re-opening and many drivers (particularly in the evening) are using it as a race track.
-
Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
-
I walked over the bridge the other day and couldn't believe quite how weeney the lane is. I doubt it's as wide as a bike with panniers. It seems to really be worse than useless.
-
Permalink Reply by Gordon T on
-
Would have been better to do what's in place at the Green Lanes/Hermitage Road junction: cycle lane diverts briefly onto pavement with markings, becomes shared use for 20 metres.
Widened shared use pavement on the bridge would give protection to cyclists. Perhaps the Council's assessment is that that would narrow the road unduly, though.
As for widening the bridge, sorry John D but to the west it's hard against the railway, and to the east it would be in the garden of the last house on Lothair Road South (and side wall of house abuts the pavement).
-
Permalink Reply by Paul Harvey on
-
A shared use pavement would be even more dangerous there, think about what would happen once a cyclist needs to come back off the pavement and onto the road again? Right into the path of cars coming round a blind corner over that bridge... => potential carnage.
My advice would be to make sure you're well out from the curb when approaching the bridge heading south, to ensure that any car approaching from behind is forced to slow down and not make a risky overtaking move over the bridge.
Agree with the other points made here though, the traffic islands are a danger to cyclists, and Green Lanes is a lot safer to ride on.
-
-
That Green Lanes/Hermitage Road is a bizarre cycle lane. It necessitates swerving off the road, along some broken pavement and then jumping back on in front of traffic.
Wightman is a terrible road for cycling, it would have been difficult to design it worse if they'd tried. The fact that most cyclists opt for the traffic-filled Green Lanes shows how bad it is. However, the priority is clearly to keep the traffic flowing there so I'd be amazed if anything is done.
-
-
I thought the green lanes and hermitage cycle lane was bonkers but it looks like it's only there to give cyclists the option of skipping past a red light when heading northbound?
-
Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
-
And the HGVs are back. Sigh.
-
Permalink Reply by Mavic Starfish on
-
I take the primary position on Wightman road, let the vehicles know you're there, not difficult to keep up with traffic since its gridlocked at commuting times
-
-
I'd also been meaning to post about this, it's appalling.
It's a blind bend over a crest, where drivers should be discouraged from overtaking *anything* regardless of what minor inconvenience it may cause them. To put such a pathetic cycle lane there has completely the opposite effect, suggesting that's where cyclists should be so cars can pass them. Anyone confident and assertive enough to deal with the situation by occupying the width of the road risks aggression for not being in the cycle lane, when of course there's no such obligation.
It's a shit state of affairs when cycling along a residential road is frequently so intimidating. The very least the council could do is to paint these along the entire length of Wightman...
They might not offer anything in the way of physical protection but are at least a subtle suggestion that people are entitled to ride in the road rather than against parked cars or the kerb.
-
-
I have taken to riding in the middle of the carriageway when I approach the traffic islands. Then there physically isn't enough room for a car to pass. Riding hugging the kerb just encourages drivers to overtake no matter how dangerous it is. I know it annoys drivers but I feel its the only way to keep safe.
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
