Flatbadger

Hi,
Sorry to hear about your bad experience.
You asked “any suggestions on how to handle this type of situation in the future??”

Keep in mind that you are not responsible if people act in an aggressive or abusive way. That is their choice, and not a reflection on you or your conduct. The sad fact is, cyclists are the target of abuse from motorists and pedestrians who think the road space is theirs alone.

Top priority is your own safety and well-being. If it looks like the situation could turn nasty, retreat and call the police.

From what you wrote, you acted reasonably on a shared path by warning pedestrians of your approach and moving aside. Possibly the pedestrians did not know it was a shared path, which indicates poor signage or markings. I’d also hazard a guess the path does not meet the latest standards for shared use paths.

Finally, posting here is a way of sharing the stress and reporting what happened.

Overall, I think the majority of people are polite. On my Sunday cycle ride last weekend I experienced amazing courtesy from drivers and a cheery “hello” from a horse rider!

Hello Hugh,

I didn’t notice anything because I cycle a different way out of site.
There are clear concerns I have raised with my employer recently, who asked for it to be raised via Harbug:

1. Shared cycle-pedestrian bike lanes inadequate near bus stops. Pedestrian lane expects people to walk sinlge file. People walk in the cycle lane, and have to cross it anyway to get to RAL entrances.

2. 20 mph speed limit not being respected. I notice this more in the evening than in the mornings.

For named, company vehicles the power of social media could help.
A Twitter post mentioning the company name with a hashtag like #baddriving #cyclistsNeedSpace will get attention. Be prepared for the trolls and cyclist-haters to respond. I’m anti-social so don’t tweet!

Incidents of unsafe driving must be recorded, to strengthen the campaign for a mandatory safe passing distance law (Highway code already states 1.5 m or 5 feet).

Hello, just for a giggle, I decided to use the f@*&^%g cycle lanes on campus where ever possible on my morning commute. I use Route 544 from Wantage, then go south across campus on the new link road, past the Library, to Fermi Avenue. Usually I do all of this on the roads until Fermi Avenue, where I switch to the cycle lane as a courtesey to the motorized masses who are so keen to get to work at our wonderful science and technology facilities.

Today, it took me 4 minutes 28 seconds to go from the edge of Campus to RAL main gate. I obeyed the instructions “Cyclists Dismount” in two locations. In think there is a sign missing on the first Zebra crossing, where according to the Highway Code, cyclists are definitely supposed to dismount. The new cycle paths on the link road have 90 degree dog-legs and give way markings just before the road crossings, and I haven’t yet got the hang of the cyclocross flying dismount! I had to unclip/clip 8 times to give way were required to do so (I may have missed one place). Luckily Fermi Avenue wasn’t busy and I was able to cross it witohut waiting for traffic. Why no “Cyclists Dismount” signs there? Then a bus had just arriived, so I gave way as required.

4:28 doesn’t sound a lot, but the actual distance covered is only a mile and my normal commute time on that route is about 30 minutes. Until I get to Fermi Avenue, there is almost no traffic, so I feel cycling on the road isn’t annoying any drivers. My point is, using the cycle lanes as they are currently laid out is mostly a pain in the @r$e.

I think the campus management should be asked:
a) What is their policy and infrastructure plan for people commuting on and off campus?
b) Ditto for people moving around campus
c) Why is the signage and instructions to cyclists at junctions inconsistent (“Dismount” vs. “Give Way”) ?
d) What will be the impact of proposed changes in traffic circulation on cyclists?

Hello, sorry to hear about your crash. Hope you are feeling better. My experience over 10 years on Route 544 Wantage-campus is that heavy rain seems to expose more flints on the unsurfaced parts of the route, and will wash out more flinty gravel onto the roads. With puncture-resistant tyres, flints get embedded in the tyre and gradually work their way in until they cause a puncture. It might not be puncture alley this time round.

I was cycling in to work, think it was 25 June, while they were filling in the holes. It’s just loose gravel, not rolled or compacted in any way. I’m not sure which is worse, the pot holes or the gravel traps they’ve now become.

The same was done before. All that happens is the loose gravel gradually gets washed or moved away by vehicle traffic and the holes are back again.

My understanding is that cyclists have permission to use the track through an arrangement between Sustrans and the landowner. Can anyone confirm that?

Has anyone come off their bike and been injured on the Ginge track, either due to a pothole or the gravel? A personal injury claim might focus the minds of Sustrans and the landowner a bit. I suspect there’s a clause denying liability in any agreement covering the use of the track.