On Fri, 3 Sep 2004, Clive R Robertson wrote:

On Thu, 2 Sep 2004 19:33:39 +0100, Tom Anderson
wrote:

On Thu, 2 Sep 2004, Dave Arquati wrote:

I'm trying to visualise the situation but I'm a bit confused: if the
cycle lane is contraflow but you were using the road, weren't you
travelling in the opposite direction to the cycle lane?

The cycle lane is bidirectional; sorry, i didn't explain that clearly.
This is the cycle lane along Tavistock Place, in case you know it; i was
heading west. The road looks like this:

---------------
---------------
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
===============

Oops. I paid a bit more attention last night, and you know what? There's
no one-way bit; it's bidirectional throughout. I don't know why i thought
otherwise - perhaps because there's never much traffic coming against me
in the mornings!

To the west of Woburn Place (Gordon Square south side), there is the
bidirectional cycle lane mentioned, and to the east (Tavistock Place) is
the standard layout. However, Camden are about to start extending the
bidirectional lane along the north side of Tavistock Place, which would
mean losing the cycle lane on the south side (for road width reasons).

This i don't mind - once you're on the bidirectional lane, it's okay (as
long as there isn't too much bike traffic coming against you), and it is
segregated, and (i think) benefits from bike lights at the pedestrian
crossings.

The fun bit comes at the next crossroads to the east, at the junction of
Tavistock Place, Hunter Street and Judd Street, where the cycle lane
will go in a straight line (the road dog-legs here), ending on the
*south* side of Tavistock Place / Regent Square / Sidmouth Street.

People will die there. I'm moving to Holloway in a couple of weeks - maybe
i can find a route which avoids it :-/.

Anyway, if you want truly strange cycle lanes, try the back of the British
Museum: given the task of fitting a cycle lane heading west in with a
two-lane one-way street heading east (which, incidentally, is mostly used
by coaches), the road chaps decided that the best place for it was IN
BETWEEN the two lanes of traffic! Getting into that lane in the first
place is an adventure in itself.

It's not too difficult, apart from the sharp curves involved. From
Russell Square, keep on the south side of the triangle at the junction
with Montague Street, bear right then turn left into Montague Place (the
road behind the British Museum). Putting the cycle lane in the middle
keeps you away from coach passengers to and from the British Museum.

Oops, sorry, i was thinking about coming from the east - where, IIRC, you
have to leave a contraflow lane along the easternmost end of Montague
Place and dive across the oncoming traffic to get into the lane.

It is interesting to come down Malet Street to the west end of Montague
Place. The last 75 yards or so are one-way southbound (with a contraflow
cycle lane), and traffic for the coach stops and for Gower Street must
keep to the right-hand side of the road. The bollard on the centre
island (where the Montague Place cycle lane ends) still bears a
keep-left symbol. This means coach drivers, etc, regularly break the law
...

Eek. Surely it would be simple just to cover it up? Hang on, there must be
some bin-bags around here ...

tom

--
When I see a man on a bicycle I have hope for the human race. -- H. G. Wells