CyclistsDismount.wmv

In a car sick society this is about as sick as it gets.
The approach to roadworks on Staines Bridge.
A Highway Engineer has decided that instead of 'Watch out for cycles' or 'Do not overtake cyclists through the roadworks' or any number of other potentially sensible instructions has chosen 'Cyclists Dismount'.
The only reason I might dismount here is to kick over the sign but being a well-behaved member of the establishment I thought I had better not.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• cycling

[Graniop]

I must say i wouldn't bother undertaking the car. Drawing up behind in the primary position would be my preferred option. Also if I were to overtake, overtaking on the right would have been safer.

Which such kerb-hugging commonplace, is it such a surprise that Highway Engineers think that if there's no cycle lane, the cyclist should dismount and walk on the footway?

[givecyclistsroom]

@Graniop, OK - a fair comment.. Only reason I rolled through was to avoid stopping, and since I am going left, there is less risk passing to the left of a sudden change in mind on the part of the driver when he starts to move. The ideal though would have been to slow sooner and roll across after the car. I do not think my riding endangered either me or anybody else and it certainly does not excuse the attititude of the Highways Engineer.

[quwers]

There was a big arse accident around that time if I remember correctly, not sure if t invloved a bicycle.

[pseudotruth]

I don't like those dangerous road-side railings / cyclist-graters. Looks like an excellent justification for primary positioning.

Why do Highways 'Engineers' permit such dangerous road furniture? They seriously endanger cyclists.

[pseudotruth]

@treborgnidneb

IIRC 'cyclist dismount' signs are meant to be used only sparingly. As a cyclist who has cycled over this bridge quite a few times, I cannot understand what the 'engineers' were thinking - if indeed thought processes were actually involved.

I'd like to see 'motorists - get out and push' signs!

[treborgnidneb]

Are they legally entitled to do that? Surely a bicycle is a road-going vehicle too/ How can they discriminate?

[drsquirrel0]

@thomase1 Have a look at the STUPID STUPID risk assesment forms they fill out.

I bet the impact rating of this to road users is 5 (highest) which means "Possibility for death" or something like that.

Also - if anything could involve tripping, this has the possibility for death too :p (this was actually told to me by the stupid assessors).

[EdinburghFixed]

The simple solution to this would be to organise groups of cyclists to actually dismount, and walk alongside their bikes. This takes up considerably more room and will cause quite a bit of traffic bother - all at the behest of the engineers' instructions.

Bet they'd come down then.