Dutchy

I have noticed a disturbing trend lately. In peak hour traffic (peak 15 minutes here) I have seen motorbikes using the bicycle lane to get past long cues of cars. Motorbikes normally straddle the white dividing line and weave in between cars to the front of the cue. I have only witnessed this from a car, not while actually riding. I hope this doesn't become a permanent trend.

CHEERS.

Mark

Allister

They'd never be able to do that on my ride. There's too many cars parked in the bike lane.

--walt--

I'm still shaking my head about the mini truck that passed my on the right last year, he was on the sidewalk of course. Welcome to California.

Chris L

Around here cars won't hesitate to use the footpath if they think it will get them there any quicker. Luckily, my commute has an excellent network of backstreets that I can use (for how long I don't know), so I manage to avoid that problem. Sure, it makes my ride about 3km longer, but the relative lack of traffic lights allows me to get through it just as quickly.

Dutchy

I feel the same. I would rather ride further with no traffic, than less distance with more traffic. I don't ride to work very often but when I do I take a 40km detour that has straight roads and very little traffic, instead of the direct route which is 16km of banked up, buses, cars, trucks, etc (you know what I mean). The direct route even has a bike lane but cars tend to use the bike lane as "looking room" when pulling onto main roads, they stop after entering most of the way into the bike lane. It does take longer, ~1hr15 but it's a great way to start the day.

Now that daylight saving has ended I will be riding to work more in the mornings, it's just too dark to ride for any length after work, especially living in the Adelaide hills.

CHEERS.

Mark

AndrewP

Its not the traffic I will go further to avoid, but the intersections. Slowing down for intersections upsets the pedaling rhythm, and really cuts down on the average speed.

Dutchy

Does your average drop due to the slowing for intersections then getting back up to speed again or because you leave the clock running at red lights?

Some people like to keep the clock ticking from when they leave to when they arrive regardless of traffic. Some stop the clock for anything that will impede a good average. I am in the later category, I have 3 train lines I have to cross on most rides, this can add 6 minutes to a journey if I get all three as one is a freight train. If I have to stop the bike for anything, including eating then I stop the clock. In an ideal world I would have a support car and an empty road so I could continue to ride and eat at the same time, but that isn't possible on 3 inches of shoulder in a 110kph zone.

A friend had a long time personal goal to ride home within an hour, one day he would have made it, if the train didn't roll through, so he missed the goal by 2 minutes. On elapsed time, without red lights and trains he has probably gone under 1 hour many times already.

CHEERS.

Mark

john999

The whole point of having a motrcycle in the city is to split lanes.

On a motorbike I've ridden down bike lanes - but it's not something you prefer to do. Bike lanes are hazardous not only because of bikes, but also gratings, cars backing out of driveways, kids on the footpath, etc.. Because you are going faster it's more dangerous. Also kids run up to the motorbike to see it.

Generally riding down the middle is better, but this is not at all safe on a two lane road !
If you see a bike you just slow down - it's usually less than 100m to the traffic lights anyway.

AndrewP

I have noticed my average speed is much lower on routes with frequent intersections. My computer stops counting time when I stop (I think for more than 5 secs). When I have to stop for ships to get through the locks on the St Lawrence seaway that can be for over 30 mins - doesnt do anything for the average speed, I just get to chat to other cyclists.