whoever thought that having a bicycle lane that might have people opening their car door into it at random was a good idea needs have their head checked to see if they are brain dead or not. Imagine having a car lane where random barriers pop up and the only way to avoid them if you do spot them is to steer into the monster truck lane.
The amount of times I've had to slow down or swerve because someone didn't think to check (because why would they?) is low, but enough to become frustrating, which is putting it lightly. I would honestly prefer to turn that parking lane into an additional cycle lane in the opposite direction and bollard(?) it off to separate the bikes from the cars.
I know. It's as if they hire people who have never ridden a bike to design these things. They put them in to say, "See, we're progressive." It would be better to lower the speed limit and do away with the "bike lanes" in the door zone. My local town has them in the door zone, and I won't use them. If a driver complains, I explain why. They usually get it after an explanation.
Imagine telling drivers "please have someone get out of your car and walk alongside the car to make sure it's going slowly and safely enough through this area"
Maybe the people who are in air conditioned and heated enclosed vehicles protected from all weather conditions, should learn some patience and wait for the people who don't have all that protection.
I totally agree. Drivers should give way to cyclists as respect because cyclists free up traffic and have to exert a lot more effort to move around compared to cars. A lot of car drivers are really selfish and entitlement when they feel like they are inconvenienced if a cyclist is in front of them even though they can overtake a cyclist like its nothing.
Well it is a two way street bud , bike riders often flout the rules just like all other forms of transportation , riders do often ride dangerously I’m sad to say , , and some are even too stupid to even to ride to the conditions with a suitable roadworthy bike like having lights for example , still see tons of riders with no lights and dark clothing at night time . The truth is bikes or any sort of personal transportation, be it a scooter, a skateboard, a mono wheel are inherently dangerous ! If you choose to take the more dangerous form of transport , well that’s on you . When you take those forms of inherently dangerous forms of transport , you have to accept the responsibility for your own actions. I say this as a bike rider myself , a trike rider , a car driver, and a retired truck driver. Unfortunately no one has a magic wand that can make all shitty roads suit all people and all sorts of transportation, and no state or states have the funds for it, there are parts of Melbourne I wouldn’t want to take my car truck or bike because they are just crap and dangerous , so I avoid them . As for signage , unfortunately, sometimes they have to put signs in undesirable places because if they don’t, they will be knocked over in 5 minutes. There is give and take everywhere. Watching some of the drivers in this video certainly shows some drivers are assholes , but again, that imo is less common , and the same can be said about bike riders too . Having said all that , i agree with the general message in the video that the road system certainly has a lot of room for improvement, but in the end you have to ride smart , drive smart to stay safe , and that has always been the case and always will be.
@@mikldude9376 I hope we can agree to accurately give blame when something bad happens, you can't just blindly blame the bike rider every time for not being visible enough, when pedestrians and bikers still get hit, even if they are following every single rule, and are walking underneath those massive crosswalk signs with huge flashing lights, or when they are waving a high visibility flag during daytime.
Far out, the combo car park/bike lane is such a slap in the face, clearly designed by people that will never use them 🤦🏻 Instant sub from me mate, keep up the good work! Edit: good god, that council are a bunch of knuckle draggers…
A range rover barged into my lane cutting me off so that his wife could tell me I MUST be in the bicycle lane. After telling her that this is not the case and that Iwas in primary for hazards ahead, he told me I MUST be in the bicycle lane. The police are now prosecuting him for careless driving and refusing to say who was driving the vehicle.
I appreciate just how much time pulling this together has taken. Congratulations for making it & for avoiding the temptation to rant. Again thankyou for your time & effort 👍
It really grinds my wheels when "lane closing in 1/2 mile" signs are put up in the narrow bike gutter of a 4 lane stroad. Often I moving them into the landscaping next to the footpath myself.
Where i live theres tons of bike lanes whoch are usually blocked by cars anyway but i always bike on the normal rpads anyway because on bike lanes you lose ALL rights of way
if i had to choose between riding on a road with australian drivers or with a bear, i would choose the bear. i've been trying to get back into bicycling in Victoria (mostly for commuting, for some light exercise, and for longer rides to explore the country side) and i have two main problems. firstly, there is little infrastructure for cyclists (lanes, parking, etc..) and what does exist is poorly implemented and never maintained. and secondly, very few car drivers act safely around bicyclists. my experience has been that very few will give appropriate space & reasonable speed when passing, most will not see or react at all, and a handful are actively aggressive (almost murderous) in their behavior. i've had my elbow struck, been pushed off the road, had objects thrown, and abuse hurled.
You're not wrong about councils poorly maintaining bike lanes... My council (in NSW) put a bike lane in about 25 years ago in a part of town that had specific features they wanted to test how bike lines might Interact with roads. It's still marked and signposted, but the markings have never been repainted in 25 years, and the weeds were allowed to grow all over it. It's still signposted and the paint is still mostly visible, so I think technically that means legally you're supposed to use it.... Although I guess it's not practical to ride through bushes around a metre high.
I started my day today here in Hobart making a statement to police about the little angry man in the giant suv deliberately swerving at me and trying to run me down….
You would rather be on the road with bears? I have also heard people say they would rather be in the woods with bears than with men. The latter are being serious and clearly foolish. I hope you are just a bit upset/frustrated/worked up.
I spent a week in Perth. I am from Arizona. I did not have one problem. Well, except getting mixed up with riding on the left, my bad. But, I found the drivers there as extremely polite. I went to MArgaret River and spent a week riding there. Again, very polite and patient drivers.
Germany is no better in most cities as well. In my community more than 80% of all bike lanes do not meet regulations and are therefore illegal to be mandatory, which by sign they are.
Good video, in real life cyclists are usually pretty good. It's just CZcams videos where you see 2 cyclists riding next to each in the middle of the lane which gets annoying.
@@davieb8216 apparently a lot of them do it because they’ve been knocked of their bikes (or nearly were) by trying to give room to drivers. I find it annoying too but I get it. I’m not a cyclist BTW.
Spot on, just one thing to add about grates. Grates which are "bicycle-tire-friendly" are still a problem. Grates' purpose is to drain water from the road surface. To aid drainage, they are usually set lower than the surface of the road, (some lower than others, how low is difficult to judge as you approach) and the surrounding road is sloped downwards towards the grating. So cycling over a grating can cause a big jolt which can upset your steering (you are balancing on two wheels after all). It's bad enough in a car, try driving over one sometime.
On bike lanes near me they have removable bollards that are almost always removed that then leave a gaping 100mm x 100mm hole whose perimeter is a thin metal tube that protrudes up to 25mm above the remaining surface. What drugs are the designers on I wonder?
@@andrewallen9993 I expect most riders will ride to the conditions and avoid such obstacles, but they could be hit in an a simple avoidance action that then results in damage to the bike, the rider and perhaps others. A pedestrian could easily trip because of them too. Its just a stupid, inexcusable thing to put on shared pedestrian/bike lane.
@@BenMitro I just ride in the lane, towards the side. Drains are usually in the shoulder, so I don't have to deal with them at all, no zigging around them. Around here, too often bicycle lanes are just painted shoulders.
another thing to note with all the obstruction type reasons. If there is an obstruction every say 100 metres, then if I used the bike lane I'd have to merge into and out of traffic 50 times in a 10 minute trip. This is significantly more dangerous than just riding in a straight line
Here are some more: Bike lanes and shared paths have huge bumps and changes of grade that I have to slow down to walking pace for . I ride 17+ km to work, I don't want to have to slow down all the time! And... EVery time i ride on a shared path across a side road I have to watch for traffic from both sides likely to run me over because they can't or don't see me! Shared paths often have dogs and kids that are going sloooow and having me go past at 25-30 kph is not safe, so I ride on the road. Occasionally I occupy a whole lane by riding dead in the middle of it, usually because the lanes are super narrow and cars would be going past at maybe 50 kph faster than me, about 30 cm away. Some grumpy motorists get cranky and give me grief but I smile and wave, like they are my long-lost friend! :) Happy cycling!
Well made video. I follow the same reasons when I don't use bike paths. It's unfortunate that most car users just don't understand the rules of the road as well as cyclists. Not saying that all cyclists are perfect either by a long shot. It's always the bad ones that you remember whether they are in a car/truck, on a bike or on sneakers.
As a runner there are extended waits at green traffic lights because i missed that narrow window to activate the pedestrian crossing. In my area it can add up to 10mins to a 60min run. Must be way more frustrating for cyclists.
I ride according to a simple, yet controversial take: Bikes ruled the road first, and moved according to the laws of natural flow. Any traffic rules later brought about as a consequence of car dependency are mere suggestions to cyclists, and that includes travel lanes (I pedal wherever I want), stop signs and red lights. I only use bike lanes when cars are going much faster and I need a slightly more protected spot to roll on. Traffic engineers are cunts and don't have a problem with putting us cyclist in the ditch, so I say screw them
Hi, we have similar problems in Scotland. In my local area the disused rail network was turned into mixed use paths for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, and that seems to work fairly well. However, in parts pavements have been marked as mixed use as well, and some of them then become unsafe for pedestrians as not all cyclists slow down or use bells. Then, as a cyclist, you are negotiating a path that was never intended for bike use and is full of obstacles - bus shelters, rubbish bins, trees, and most worryingly, pedestrians, especially those who are elderly, disabled, have young children or dogs with them, are getting on and off buses, or are using phones whilst walking. Pavements as cycle paths can work but only where the pavement is wide enough to accommodate both, and in or near town centres this usually isn't the case. There's is of course another option - lower the speed limit on dangerous roads. My particular favourite is ' we need to designate a cycling route. Going this way will add an extra two miles and several hills. Let's keep the cars on the nice, flat direct route and give the cyclists even more exercise! They love that stuff!'
In Qld you used to be able to access the Australian Standards through the Sate Library. Should be able to get you a copy or at least a snip if you need.
Great video. Great breakdown, well researched, well presented, very informative, and i can tell, backed up by many kays of personal experience. All spot on. My biggest two from your list, road debris and giving myself space for the car door. Cheers from South East QLD 👍
Another reason to not ride in a bike lane is the discrepancy in speed between riders. Some will troddle along happily at 10-15kmh and elite cyclists will be zipping along at 40kmh. Another issue I have (in Bendigo) is that roads with dirt shoulders will often have major rough edges and it's not feasible to ride anywhere in the outside 500-600mm of the road. The bike lanes in Bendigo vary from 2m wide which is really as narrow as a comfortable lane should be if there is carparking beside it down to some lanes that get down to about 300mm wide :/
haha 'elite cyclists' maybe call them 'sports cyclists' versus 'commuter' or 'tourist cyclists', so you don't imply that people who ride faster are more important or better people.
@@Alan_Hans__ Competence doesn't actually equate to speed though. Most Dutch people (like me) usually cycle 15km/h, and we've basically grown up on bicycles. 40km/h in Amsterdam is not feasible haha. Sports cyclists (we call them 'wielrenners', as opposed to commuter cyclists who are 'fietsers') cycle in places that are suitable for those kinds of speeds. The same person can be a 'fietser' on their daily commute and a 'wielrenner' in their free time. Their current cycling speed isn't an indication of their skill level, just of context/purpose.
2:18 Road damage vs axle weight is thought to go up by the fourth power according to research in the 1950s in the US. There is a Wikipedia article “Fourth power law”. With everyone driving bigger, heavier cars and trucks it’s not surprising the roads are disintegrating, in the U.K. at least.
When you ride a bicycle, you are the medium between vehicles and pedestrians. If is up to your discipline when to go on the sidewalk or into the road as you see reasonably needed. The bike lanes increase the dangers for bikes on the road where there was none to begin with. Pay attention, and laws won't need to be made to help you feel safe when you aren't.
Great video! Have you had a look at Swanston St? A nice way to get from the Barwon River to beach but diabolical to cross Eastern Beach Rd when traffic is heavy. Travelling south, cars turning left at Ryrie St ignore cyclists riding through. Crossing the rail line is horrible. At Barwon Terrace cyclist are directed towards a staircase which is invisible until the rider has crossed the road - no warning.
Its shouldn't be about cars verses bikes, the authorities and their badly considered or badly created bike lanes often force this situation. You gave many examples (thanks) but I want to include tree branches overhanging bike lanes to the list. Sometimes the tree partially blocks the path, other times the overhanging limbs are so low that they pose a serious risk of injury. My favourite is when a bike lane abruptly ends forcing the rider on to traffic lanes. Better still is where there is no footpath alternative to illegally ride on.
I am too busy to watch the video til the end (right now), but I have a favourite here in my small Swedish town. A combined bike/pedestrian line is passing behind a bus-stop shed where the glass walls are covered by commercials. That shed has three exits to the pedestrian lane (passing the bike lane) and in the evening you cannot see if people are exiting from the shed as the panes are covered. Had to pass this place twice a day for ten years and many times it was that close …. My favourite is people walking all over the place often staring into their frigging phones. Most bike lanes are combined bike/pedestrian lanes, so this happens frequently.
Another important thing: whenever there's a series of disconnected bike lanes it's safer (and more predictable for car drivers) to just stay on the road. Especially because the bike lanes are usually obstructed by parking cars, signs, e-scooters and other stuff. Once I even saw a political campaign ad sign (that talked about safety) placed right in the middle of a bike lane, which summed up the political stance on this quite well. I would love to be as far as possible from cars, but the cycling infrastructure is usually so bad it's actually safer on the road.
All these reasons are why I ride mostly on a cross-bike than my road bike. The cross-bike allows a lot more flexibility around obstacles, traffic islands and incomplete paths. Cycling infrastructure is pretty awful on older roads and suburbs.
If I see that the bike lane is crap I don't mind cyclists riding on "my" lane. I'd do this as well. If they behave like idiots, e.g. passing rolling traffic on the right, they are on their own.
Nice video, horrible infrastructure. Me being a Dutchie, those roads break my heart. (It took me some time to work out that this is about Australia. A hint of that would have been handy)
Hope my accent gives it away. I wasn’t expecting to get so much international reach, will include more location details in the future. Thanks for the feedback.
I live on Sydney's Northern suburbs and there are very few connecting bike lanes. When I'm on a busy road I always ride slowly on footpaths, taking care to avoid cars coming out of driveways. While it is illegal for me to be on the footpath, I really can't imagine any police officer fining me for taking the safer option. Australian motorists (in general) just don't seem to care about cyclists
In traffic circles, i always take the outer lane (if there's more than one), just ride down the middle, so there's no chance of turning in front of you... I ride as fast as possible, and in the end I'm there for only a few seconds, so it's not inconveniencing anyone... nonetheless i wait until the circle is more or less clear, and check that there's no one approaching at high speed... There's a certain class of idiot who likes to throw his car through circles like he's in a race...
Why I may not be in the bike lane? Because in California a bicycle is a vehicle and I can ride anywhere I like including the lanes intended for car use. But you are not required to.
I feel like riding in a non-protected bike lane opens you up to way more dangerous encounters then just riding on the road. Bike lanes here always got signs or cars or something else obstructing the path.
The Phoenix valley is great for just dumping you into traffic after a good long stretch of bike lane... there is one spot in Tempe where the bike lane ends near a sign touting how bicycle friendly the city is.
I live ( unfortunately ) in So-So California. After forty years of cycling, I've stopped riding on streets. Too many cars, driven by totally distracted drivers. I am terrible at mountain biking, so I'm stuck with what few, short bike paths are available. We have some of the best cycling weather on the planet, and the worst traffic conditions. Roads with cars are downright dangerous, and have gotten far worse with the advent of mobile phones and dashboards in cars that look like computer monitors.
The city I worked in before had some decent cycleways, even dedicated ones, with great tarmac and of decent width, but there were some issues that made them unsafe: women with baby strollers (who refuse to use the grade-separate footpaths next to the bike paths) and people on roller blades who outright ignore common sense and swing across both directions' lanes.
I'm kinda surprised that in australia you are _required_ to use the bike lane unless there is some problem preventing you from using it. Here in the US it is totally legal to just not use it in most places. I ride an e-bike that is just a bit too fast and I often veer in and out of the bike lane based on whether or not I can come within range of the speed limit
it's called a Grandfather Clause... bikes were here before automobiles.. cyclist were the first to have roads paved.. We can thank cyclist for paved roads. And if the "bike lane" has an obstruction, or it is too narrow to ride safely, cyclist have the absolute right to use the main road.. Never share a lane with a vehicle.. You have the right to occupy the entire lane in many circumstances.. Cycle lans are dangerous at intersections.. cars do not see us in the bike lane while on their side (blind spot). A "right hook" is when a car doesn't look, and a cyclist is going thru the intersection, they take a right turn and run you over. Always knock on their vehicle or wave to them to make sure they know you are there.
In Monterey we'd get rude tourists walking taking up the walking side and bike side. It was a nice trail to get around when selfish tourists were gone. I'd even get cars honking at me and people pointing to the overly packed trail.
NSW footpath rule essentially means under 16's can ride on the footpath. Aged 17-18 is always illegal. Over 18 is legal if you are with a 16 year old or younger. The Law is dumb sometimes.
The logic in NSW is that at 16, you're legally able to get your car Ls, and before that you have no reason to be learning the exact road rules (just basics like not wandering into traffic). It's an improvement over the previous 13, where between 13 and 18 it was illegal, even if mum or dad needed to supervise little 9 year old Billy while 14 year old Kimmy was on her own on the road.
It's even dumber that the elderly can be fined for riding their bike on the footpath, although I confess that all examples I've heard about, they elected to go to court, and the fine got cancelled. Conveniently...
I wish there were better bike lanes too. I don’t live where you do but it’s not the best here either. Some places have some new and crisp bike lanes with a lot of separation from cars
@@svr5423wider lanes encourage speeding tho. Smaller lanes make the drivers more conscious of their speed which in turn makes the roads safer. I get what you’re saying tho, more room to get past the cyclist. But if the roads were possible to be made wider then there would be room to fit a separated protected bicycle lane (which isn’t as poorly made as the painted bike lanes or cone separated ones) and make the actual road narrower to traffic calm the cars and make safer streets
@@sam9558 That's a myth propagated by people who don't know about traffic. Speeding is controlled by speed cameras. So usually the opposite is true, people obey the speed limits on wider, controlled roads and speed on the narrow and curvey ones. We have plenty of those here in the Swiss Alps. Statistics speak for themselves, usually the widerst roads/lanes (Motorway/Autobahn) have the least amount of both accidents and fatalities per person kilometer. Accidents increase on narrow segments (road construction) because the people have less margins for error. The problem of protected lanes is that you are then no longer protected against other cyclists and pedestrians. Both of them are who I usually have most accidents and near misses with, with people going the wrong way or not paying attention because they know if they get hit by a cyclist, the cyclist might also be injured (wheres if they get hit by a car, the car driver isn't bothered too much). Ideally, you would have entirely separated bike roads, where no other vehicles operate. And then also control the riders. Here in Europe, it's also a cultural thing. Dutch are very disciplined bike riders, wheres Germans and Swiss ride like maniacs.
@@svr5423it’s not a myth, it’s a fact. It’s literally a traffic calming method, by the sound of it the drivers over there are lunatics, or most likely rich tourists taking there fast super cars out there to act like tossers.
Great video but i gotta say cars are the biggest issue with cycling. The fact that pretty much every country gives anyone with a pulse a license to drive amazes me. Not only that but there are no consequences for drivers....
Cars using the bike lane for a better view pulling out of T junctions (bonnet right across the lane) Car drivers thinking bikes should slow down and yield when THEY want to turn left across the bike lane (although you sort of say that?) Great video👍
One reason I don't use my town's lovely new shared cycle paths is the number of morons who park their cars on it. The council chose to build it on the side of the highway thats full of industrial or premises and fuel stations, so there's constantly vehicles moving in and out, or just parking on the path. Opposite side, it's almost exclusively residential so near zero traffic would have used this side 🤦
It's annoying. Car drivers are so ignorant its so crazy. Get mad that you ride on the road and doesn't call out other car drivers out for parking in the road.
Here in the UK the survive at all cost method of cycling is to ride against the flow of traffic like peds do when there is no footpath! I personally wear large luminous headphones and swerve side to side at random to keep the sardines in their tins guessing🤣
Looks very similar to UK cycle path issues. Do have any 10 metre cycle lanes used as traffic control with no point for cycles. Our shared use cycle paths restrict you to pedestrian pace. We don't have parking shared use lanes (fortunately, that I am aware of !)
Many cars see the car side of the line as a car lane and think it is fine to use all of it. The U.K. rule of allowing 1.5 metres gets forgotten, resulting in dangerous close passes. I avoid roads with painted bike lanes.
For about 10 years SA also banned adults riding on footpaths and they eventually rescinded that stupid law. In WA you can ride any footpath, it makes much more sense.
12:45 I personally think that any sort of laws, regulation, or rules from the government or a governing body, should *never* be behind a pay-wall. As it just makes it more difficult to hold bad actors accountable.
NSW changed the footpath age to 16 not too long ago, on the logic that since you can't get your driver's licence until then, you shouldn't be expected to use the roads like a licensed driver. The adult supervision age also became 16. Edit: oh, you mentioned that 😂
In USA I gladly use non-motorized routes and safety paths when available. But they are not widely available. Bike lanes and safety paths are often not visible to cars coming from side roads, parking lots, or driveways. Vegetation, poles, and signage hides cyclists. Incoming or crossing drivers look at the nearest traffic lane and proceed when they see that lane clear. Unfortunately they don't see me in the bike lane or on the safety path and it becomes an emergency maneuver for me to not impact the side of the car. In four years there have been AT LEAST 4 cyclists killed IN BIKE LANE of main road near me in FL. Putting together a long route for a bike trip is a problem in the USA. There is no one map source that shows all of the non-motorized routes. Rail Trails are on their own database. MTB trails are on special aps. Many park trails show up only on the park web sites. GoogleMaps is not at all complete or reliable. On GoogleMaps the Bike Layer shows many green lines where there is no shoulder, not even rideable gravel, and posted speed limit is 55 or 65 with most vehicles moving at 70+ mph. But also, I know of many routes that have terrific safety paths that do not show up on GoogleMaps bike layer. If there was a map source that showed all non-motorized surfaces together it would be possible to figure out safe, efficient riding routes beyond one's own community. A color code for paved, gravel, and dirt would be ideal but my wife and I ride MTB or expedition bikes so any surface is doable.
Thanks for this video... damn damn damn... ❤ Why do they not paint those "bikelanes" a bright red? Thank GOD I live in Holland (In the EU)... Here in Holland we have coloured bikelanes. And 2 sighns. One is round with a bike on it.. obligated bike' only path. And a rectangle blue sighn with bikepath written on it... this is a non obligated bikepath and for pedestrians.
Commenting from Ireland and I have to say that it's pretty much the same. Granted there is gradual ongoing developments and "plans" but right now it's more miss than hit in my local towns. Not actual cities. The Benelux and Scandinavian countries get it most right. That's the standard to aim for universally.
Unfortunately, these are not unique problems. I live in the UK and we have ‘exactly’ the same issues. If I took your script, I could just insert the appropriate local street name here and it would apply. We also have cycling provision that makes virtually zero sense. There is a mile long stretch near me with a reasonable, separated, shared path. However, it is signposted telling cyclists to get off the bike and walk across the ten joining roads at junctions. So, roughly every 150 metres you’re expected to dismount, walk and then remount, purely to avoid any tiny inconvenience to motorists. The priority should be exactly opposite if you’re actually trying to encourage cycling. At the heart of the problem here and where you are, is tokenism. Yes, local councils can feel good and boast about the cycling infrastructure they’ve provided, but it’s often in the wrong place, not maintained, blocked, ignored by motorists. Generally it’s quicker and often safer to just use the road.
this might just be a uk moment but i have never once found a bike lane thats better than just using the road or pavement, most of them here are either designed dangerously, go massively out of the way, are full of parked cars, or full of garbage, car fluids and mud alot of them arent even accessible and would require me to go out of my way (across traffic even) just to get into them and then the exit spits me back out in a place that makes no sense and often perpendicular to traffic thankfully people in the uk dont really seethe about it much because you only have to look at them to see why nobody uses them, and theyl seethe over cyclists existing regardless
where I live our bike lane is down at the river and avoids all traffic. goes from the the forest to Walmart 15 miles, and the other side of the river had a 40 mile river bike path from forest to casino 4 towns over.
why do cyclists ride on the road when their is concrete slab protected bike lanes on both sides of the road. I'm thinking of Tamaki drive Auckland, theirs well protected bike lines on both sides of the road, there arn't cracks on the road either.
@@bikeroutebuddy is protected by concrete, it’s new and smooth, their are crosswalks that stop cars with lights. Yet half the cyclists still prefer the road. Baffling.
@@anonymousduck6735 I can think of one reason. Because of the concrete divider the street sweepers can't access it as easily, so it ends up being filled with broken glass. See the City link in Brisbane for an example of this.
@@anonymousduck6735 you mean where the bike lane ends and you expect cyclists to happily accept being shunted off the road to a path, with bollards, and pedestrians, just so drivers can have two lanes uninterrupted? smh Especially where there is an ENTIRE LANE being used so people can park their cars lol. Nothing like being entitled is there
I drive to work daily. I rarely if ever have issues with cyclists. Almost every intersection is a hazard because of bad drivers though. Drivers often don't know how to drive safe speeds, indicate or check their mirrors and it results in a lot of luck based situations. I also tend to take a special grievance with those driving massive trucks as they're often some of the most selfish and useless drivers on the roads, but also don't particularly like SUVs. Both vehicle types are much heavier, worse for the environment, less safe for other road users, create much more wear and tear and often aren't even used for their supposed purpose. I wish cars had a habit of just becoming smaller, safer and more environmentally friendly instead of transitioning into death machines. Drivers often treat cyclists far worse however. The amount of dangerous overtaking you see around cyclists is utter mayhem and it's honestly no wonder I barely ever see cyclists on the streets. Our streets and cities are designed almost exclusively for cars.
But your bike lanes there are normally marked as such and therefore it's clear to everyone around. Here we have some newer bike lanes, but with the exception of one sign for one stretch of a bike lane they are never marked as such. That's all below the level of colored bike lanes or protected bike lanes which are non-existent. This is all Melbourne you're talking about then?
@@bikeroutebuddy I've seen it on the interstate when crossing the Rocky mountains in Utah/Wyoming. They do have posted signs when you should expect it.
You'd be surprised to know that the Department for Planning and Infrastructure's response to a query of cars not giving way when they turn left across a dedicated bicycle lane....is that cars CAN turn across them and it's up to cyclists behind to give way. These are the people making the rules lol...and they have no idea what their own rules are. All cars must give way to oncoming cyclists using a bicycle lane, unless they can safely move into the lane to turn...different to bollarded off lanes where they can't do this. Staggering how stupid those in charge are.
Great video. The cyclists feel the need to justify this is unfortunate. Both car drivers and cyclists should be advocates for separated cycling infrastructure - not only does it mean cars aren’t stuck behind bikes and cyclists are safer, but it also reduces the number of cars on the road as people are incentivised to ride. Not allowing people to ride on footpaths when roads are so dangerous is terrible.
whoever thought that having a bicycle lane that might have people opening their car door into it at random was a good idea needs have their head checked to see if they are brain dead or not. Imagine having a car lane where random barriers pop up and the only way to avoid them if you do spot them is to steer into the monster truck lane.
Well said.
The amount of times I've had to slow down or swerve because someone didn't think to check (because why would they?) is low, but enough to become frustrating, which is putting it lightly. I would honestly prefer to turn that parking lane into an additional cycle lane in the opposite direction and bollard(?) it off to separate the bikes from the cars.
I know. It's as if they hire people who have never ridden a bike to design these things. They put them in to say, "See, we're progressive." It would be better to lower the speed limit and do away with the "bike lanes" in the door zone. My local town has them in the door zone, and I won't use them. If a driver complains, I explain why. They usually get it after an explanation.
In the UK two of the road planners' favourite signs are "Cyclists Dismount" and "End of Route".
Cyclist dismount seems to be gaining popularity in Queensland too.
Imagine telling drivers "please have someone get out of your car and walk alongside the car to make sure it's going slowly and safely enough through this area"
Maybe the people who are in air conditioned and heated enclosed vehicles protected from all weather conditions, should learn some patience and wait for the people who don't have all that protection.
I totally agree. Drivers should give way to cyclists as respect because cyclists free up traffic and have to exert a lot more effort to move around compared to cars. A lot of car drivers are really selfish and entitlement when they feel like they are inconvenienced if a cyclist is in front of them even though they can overtake a cyclist like its nothing.
@@danieltesfaye8517
Hahaha
Well it is a two way street bud , bike riders often flout the rules just like all other forms of transportation , riders do often ride dangerously I’m sad to say , , and some are even too stupid to even to ride to the conditions with a suitable roadworthy bike like having lights for example , still see tons of riders with no lights and dark clothing at night time .
The truth is bikes or any sort of personal transportation, be it a scooter, a skateboard, a mono wheel are inherently dangerous !
If you choose to take the more dangerous form of transport , well that’s on you .
When you take those forms of inherently dangerous forms of transport , you have to accept the responsibility for your own actions.
I say this as a bike rider myself , a trike rider , a car driver, and a retired truck driver.
Unfortunately no one has a magic wand that can make all shitty roads suit all people and all sorts of transportation, and no state or states have the funds for it, there are parts of Melbourne I wouldn’t want to take my car truck or bike because they are just crap and dangerous , so I avoid them .
As for signage , unfortunately, sometimes they have to put signs in undesirable places because if they don’t, they will be knocked over in 5 minutes. There is give and take everywhere.
Watching some of the drivers in this video certainly shows some drivers are assholes , but again, that imo is less common , and the same can be said about bike riders too .
Having said all that , i agree with the general message in the video that the road system certainly has a lot of room for improvement, but in the end you have to ride smart , drive smart to stay safe , and that has always been the case and always will be.
@@mikldude9376 I hope we can agree to accurately give blame when something bad happens, you can't just blindly blame the bike rider every time for not being visible enough, when pedestrians and bikers still get hit, even if they are following every single rule, and are walking underneath those massive crosswalk signs with huge flashing lights, or when they are waving a high visibility flag during daytime.
@@danieltesfaye8517 I was also mostly talking about crosswalks, but yea.
Far out, the combo car park/bike lane is such a slap in the face, clearly designed by people that will never use them 🤦🏻
Instant sub from me mate, keep up the good work!
Edit: good god, that council are a bunch of knuckle draggers…
"Just one more (car) lane will fix all our problems!" 🤦♂
A range rover barged into my lane cutting me off so that his wife could tell me I MUST be in the bicycle lane. After telling her that this is not the case and that Iwas in primary for hazards ahead, he told me I MUST be in the bicycle lane. The police are now prosecuting him for careless driving and refusing to say who was driving the vehicle.
I appreciate just how much time pulling this together has taken. Congratulations for making it & for avoiding the temptation to rant. Again thankyou for your time & effort 👍
Our pleasure!
It really grinds my wheels when "lane closing in 1/2 mile" signs are put up in the narrow bike gutter of a 4 lane stroad. Often I moving them into the landscaping next to the footpath myself.
Everyone should try riding around roads and streets on a bike. Especially the people who design and approve the related infrastructure
It should be a requirement for people who make the final approval for a "safe bike lane" to ride in the monstrosity they approved
In some cases, we could ensure protected infrastructure by requiring their children and elderly parents to ride in them as well.
Where i live theres tons of bike lanes whoch are usually blocked by cars anyway but i always bike on the normal rpads anyway because on bike lanes you lose ALL rights of way
if i had to choose between riding on a road with australian drivers or with a bear, i would choose the bear.
i've been trying to get back into bicycling in Victoria (mostly for commuting, for some light exercise, and for longer rides to explore the country side) and i have two main problems. firstly, there is little infrastructure for cyclists (lanes, parking, etc..) and what does exist is poorly implemented and never maintained. and secondly, very few car drivers act safely around bicyclists. my experience has been that very few will give appropriate space & reasonable speed when passing, most will not see or react at all, and a handful are actively aggressive (almost murderous) in their behavior. i've had my elbow struck, been pushed off the road, had objects thrown, and abuse hurled.
You're not wrong about councils poorly maintaining bike lanes...
My council (in NSW) put a bike lane in about 25 years ago in a part of town that had specific features they wanted to test how bike lines might Interact with roads. It's still marked and signposted, but the markings have never been repainted in 25 years, and the weeds were allowed to grow all over it. It's still signposted and the paint is still mostly visible, so I think technically that means legally you're supposed to use it....
Although I guess it's not practical to ride through bushes around a metre high.
I started my day today here in Hobart making a statement to police about the little angry man in the giant suv deliberately swerving at me and trying to run me down….
You would rather be on the road with bears?
I have also heard people say they would rather be in the woods with bears than with men.
The latter are being serious and clearly foolish.
I hope you are just a bit upset/frustrated/worked up.
I spent a week in Perth. I am from Arizona. I did not have one problem. Well, except getting mixed up with riding on the left, my bad. But, I found the drivers there as extremely polite. I went to MArgaret River and spent a week riding there. Again, very polite and patient drivers.
Good to see UK isn’t the only place where bike lanes are shite and just a painted line on the road often ending for no reason.
Germany is no better in most cities as well.
In my community more than 80% of all bike lanes do not meet regulations and are therefore illegal to be mandatory, which by sign they are.
Damage to the road goes by 4th power of the axle weight!
Thanks for clarifying. Seems like it is worse than I thought!
Good video, in real life cyclists are usually pretty good. It's just CZcams videos where you see 2 cyclists riding next to each in the middle of the lane which gets annoying.
@@davieb8216 They are allowed to do that though.
@@shraka there are many things people can do that are legal but are annoying...
@@davieb8216 apparently a lot of them do it because they’ve been knocked of their bikes (or nearly were) by trying to give room to drivers. I find it annoying too but I get it. I’m not a cyclist BTW.
Spot on, just one thing to add about grates. Grates which are "bicycle-tire-friendly" are still a problem. Grates' purpose is to drain water from the road surface. To aid drainage, they are usually set lower than the surface of the road, (some lower than others, how low is difficult to judge as you approach) and the surrounding road is sloped downwards towards the grating. So cycling over a grating can cause a big jolt which can upset your steering (you are balancing on two wheels after all). It's bad enough in a car, try driving over one sometime.
Also the metal grates get extremely slippery when wet, just like manhole covers.
On bike lanes near me they have removable bollards that are almost always removed that then leave a gaping 100mm x 100mm hole whose perimeter is a thin metal tube that protrudes up to 25mm above the remaining surface. What drugs are the designers on I wonder?
Then ride at a speed that allows you to avoid obstacles easily.
@@andrewallen9993 I expect most riders will ride to the conditions and avoid such obstacles, but they could be hit in an a simple avoidance action that then results in damage to the bike, the rider and perhaps others. A pedestrian could easily trip because of them too. Its just a stupid, inexcusable thing to put on shared pedestrian/bike lane.
@@BenMitro I just ride in the lane, towards the side. Drains are usually in the shoulder, so I don't have to deal with them at all, no zigging around them. Around here, too often bicycle lanes are just painted shoulders.
6:35 I hope they sent this video to the police, that was criminal.
This applies to Canada, and most of the "developed" world really.
As long as the society still regards bikes as toys rather than vehicles, we are still going to have to fight for the road.
Essential viewing for all the seat warmers in Councils and Roads "Authorities"
another thing to note with all the obstruction type reasons. If there is an obstruction every say 100 metres, then if I used the bike lane I'd have to merge into and out of traffic 50 times in a 10 minute trip. This is significantly more dangerous than just riding in a straight line
#4 Bike lane with parking allowed for cars ON the bike lane? Sorry, that is holy crap. Who plans this BS?
Google maps: here's a bike lane in north Melbourne suburbs. Me: this is parking. =_=
Here are some more: Bike lanes and shared paths have huge bumps and changes of grade that I have to slow down to walking pace for . I ride 17+ km to work, I don't want to have to slow down all the time! And... EVery time i ride on a shared path across a side road I have to watch for traffic from both sides likely to run me over because they can't or don't see me! Shared paths often have dogs and kids that are going sloooow and having me go past at 25-30 kph is not safe, so I ride on the road. Occasionally I occupy a whole lane by riding dead in the middle of it, usually because the lanes are super narrow and cars would be going past at maybe 50 kph faster than me, about 30 cm away. Some grumpy motorists get cranky and give me grief but I smile and wave, like they are my long-lost friend! :) Happy cycling!
Well made video. I follow the same reasons when I don't use bike paths. It's unfortunate that most car users just don't understand the rules of the road as well as cyclists. Not saying that all cyclists are perfect either by a long shot. It's always the bad ones that you remember whether they are in a car/truck, on a bike or on sneakers.
As a runner there are extended waits at green traffic lights because i missed that narrow window to activate the pedestrian crossing. In my area it can add up to 10mins to a 60min run.
Must be way more frustrating for cyclists.
Nah, just ignore all infrastructure designed for cars. Signalled intersections are a car thing, peds and cyclists need not apply.
I ride according to a simple, yet controversial take: Bikes ruled the road first, and moved according to the laws of natural flow. Any traffic rules later brought about as a consequence of car dependency are mere suggestions to cyclists, and that includes travel lanes (I pedal wherever I want), stop signs and red lights. I only use bike lanes when cars are going much faster and I need a slightly more protected spot to roll on. Traffic engineers are cunts and don't have a problem with putting us cyclist in the ditch, so I say screw them
Hi, we have similar problems in Scotland. In my local area the disused rail network was turned into mixed use paths for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, and that seems to work fairly well. However, in parts pavements have been marked as mixed use as well, and some of them then become unsafe for pedestrians as not all cyclists slow down or use bells. Then, as a cyclist, you are negotiating a path that was never intended for bike use and is full of obstacles - bus shelters, rubbish bins, trees, and most worryingly, pedestrians, especially those who are elderly, disabled, have young children or dogs with them, are getting on and off buses, or are using phones whilst walking. Pavements as cycle paths can work but only where the pavement is wide enough to accommodate both, and in or near town centres this usually isn't the case. There's is of course another option - lower the speed limit on dangerous roads.
My particular favourite is ' we need to designate a cycling route. Going this way will add an extra two miles and several hills. Let's keep the cars on the nice, flat direct route and give the cyclists even more exercise! They love that stuff!'
There is an unwillingness to give up road space or parking to any other form of more efficient transport!
Great work. Brilliant video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
In Qld you used to be able to access the Australian Standards through the Sate Library. Should be able to get you a copy or at least a snip if you need.
I would like to see road taxes based on axle weight and damage done to the road surface. I would happily pay my contribution as a cyclist.
Great video!
Great vid. Anyone riding will relate. Thanks for compiling and the thoughtful commentary.
Great video. Great breakdown, well researched, well presented, very informative, and i can tell, backed up by many kays of personal experience. All spot on.
My biggest two from your list, road debris and giving myself space for the car door.
Cheers from South East QLD 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
I find it crazy how angry everyone in online comments are at bikers.
Another reason to not ride in a bike lane is the discrepancy in speed between riders. Some will troddle along happily at 10-15kmh and elite cyclists will be zipping along at 40kmh.
Another issue I have (in Bendigo) is that roads with dirt shoulders will often have major rough edges and it's not feasible to ride anywhere in the outside 500-600mm of the road.
The bike lanes in Bendigo vary from 2m wide which is really as narrow as a comfortable lane should be if there is carparking beside it down to some lanes that get down to about 300mm wide :/
haha 'elite cyclists'
maybe call them 'sports cyclists' versus 'commuter' or 'tourist cyclists', so you don't imply that people who ride faster are more important or better people.
@@ryn2844 . Elite level maybe.
@@Alan_Hans__ Competence doesn't actually equate to speed though. Most Dutch people (like me) usually cycle 15km/h, and we've basically grown up on bicycles. 40km/h in Amsterdam is not feasible haha. Sports cyclists (we call them 'wielrenners', as opposed to commuter cyclists who are 'fietsers') cycle in places that are suitable for those kinds of speeds.
The same person can be a 'fietser' on their daily commute and a 'wielrenner' in their free time. Their current cycling speed isn't an indication of their skill level, just of context/purpose.
@@ryn2844 They are better; they're faster because they're fitter.
2:18 Road damage vs axle weight is thought to go up by the fourth power according to research in the 1950s in the US. There is a Wikipedia article “Fourth power law”. With everyone driving bigger, heavier cars and trucks it’s not surprising the roads are disintegrating, in the U.K. at least.
Even worse than I thought!
Thanks you, I used some of these for a Bike Lane Bingo game
When you ride a bicycle, you are the medium between vehicles and pedestrians. If is up to your discipline when to go on the sidewalk or into the road as you see reasonably needed. The bike lanes increase the dangers for bikes on the road where there was none to begin with. Pay attention, and laws won't need to be made to help you feel safe when you aren't.
Great video! Have you had a look at Swanston St? A nice way to get from the Barwon River to beach but diabolical to cross Eastern Beach Rd when traffic is heavy. Travelling south, cars turning left at Ryrie St ignore cyclists riding through. Crossing the rail line is horrible. At Barwon Terrace cyclist are directed towards a staircase which is invisible until the rider has crossed the road - no warning.
Thanks for the heads up. I will do a review of Swanston street sometime.
Very interesting and informative video. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Its shouldn't be about cars verses bikes, the authorities and their badly considered or badly created bike lanes often force this situation. You gave many examples (thanks) but I want to include tree branches overhanging bike lanes to the list. Sometimes the tree partially blocks the path, other times the overhanging limbs are so low that they pose a serious risk of injury. My favourite is when a bike lane abruptly ends forcing the rider on to traffic lanes. Better still is where there is no footpath alternative to illegally ride on.
I am too busy to watch the video til the end (right now), but I have a favourite here in my small Swedish town. A combined bike/pedestrian line is passing behind a bus-stop shed where the glass walls are covered by commercials. That shed has three exits to the pedestrian lane (passing the bike lane) and in the evening you cannot see if people are exiting from the shed as the panes are covered. Had to pass this place twice a day for ten years and many times it was that close ….
My favourite is people walking all over the place often staring into their frigging phones. Most bike lanes are combined bike/pedestrian lanes, so this happens frequently.
Another important thing: whenever there's a series of disconnected bike lanes it's safer (and more predictable for car drivers) to just stay on the road. Especially because the bike lanes are usually obstructed by parking cars, signs, e-scooters and other stuff. Once I even saw a political campaign ad sign (that talked about safety) placed right in the middle of a bike lane, which summed up the political stance on this quite well.
I would love to be as far as possible from cars, but the cycling infrastructure is usually so bad it's actually safer on the road.
well done, great production value
Thank you 😊
All these reasons are why I ride mostly on a cross-bike than my road bike. The cross-bike allows a lot more flexibility around obstacles, traffic islands and incomplete paths. Cycling infrastructure is pretty awful on older roads and suburbs.
Very well produced video which applies to any Australian city
For all these reasons, it is very often safer to ride in the normal traffic lane. Motorist who don't also ride a bike are oblivious to this.
The safest way to cross a street is to avoid crossing at a zebra crossing - statistics in Sweden.
If I see that the bike lane is crap I don't mind cyclists riding on "my" lane. I'd do this as well.
If they behave like idiots, e.g. passing rolling traffic on the right, they are on their own.
Nice video, horrible infrastructure. Me being a Dutchie, those roads break my heart. (It took me some time to work out that this is about Australia. A hint of that would have been handy)
Hope my accent gives it away. I wasn’t expecting to get so much international reach, will include more location details in the future. Thanks for the feedback.
Nice. Keep going.
I live on Sydney's Northern suburbs and there are very few connecting bike lanes. When I'm on a busy road I always ride slowly on footpaths, taking care to avoid cars coming out of driveways. While it is illegal for me to be on the footpath, I really can't imagine any police officer fining me for taking the safer option. Australian motorists (in general) just don't seem to care about cyclists
In traffic circles, i always take the outer lane (if there's more than one), just ride down the middle, so there's no chance of turning in front of you... I ride as fast as possible, and in the end I'm there for only a few seconds, so it's not inconveniencing anyone... nonetheless i wait until the circle is more or less clear, and check that there's no one approaching at high speed... There's a certain class of idiot who likes to throw his car through circles like he's in a race...
Why I may not be in the bike lane? Because in California a bicycle is a vehicle and I can ride anywhere I like including the lanes intended for car use.
But you are not required to.
A reason I can add is potholes. Montreal is famous for them!
another great video mate wish I still had the confidence to ride in Geelong
Damage is proportional to 4th power of axle weight not 3rd power so twice as bad as you say.
I think we should implement combination bike parking/car lanes with ground anchors just to make things fair
I feel like riding in a non-protected bike lane opens you up to way more dangerous encounters then just riding on the road. Bike lanes here always got signs or cars or something else obstructing the path.
The Phoenix valley is great for just dumping you into traffic after a good long stretch of bike lane... there is one spot in Tempe where the bike lane ends near a sign touting how bicycle friendly the city is.
I live ( unfortunately ) in So-So California. After forty years of cycling, I've stopped riding on streets. Too many cars, driven by totally distracted drivers. I am terrible at mountain biking, so I'm stuck with what few, short bike paths are available. We have some of the best cycling weather on the planet, and the worst traffic conditions. Roads with cars are downright dangerous, and have gotten far worse with the advent of mobile phones and dashboards in cars that look like computer monitors.
Jeez you have scary bike lanes on freeway sections
You should check out this one for a scary freeway bike lane. czcams.com/video/ylP9b31Yldk/video.html
The city I worked in before had some decent cycleways, even dedicated ones, with great tarmac and of decent width, but there were some issues that made them unsafe: women with baby strollers (who refuse to use the grade-separate footpaths next to the bike paths) and people on roller blades who outright ignore common sense and swing across both directions' lanes.
I'm kinda surprised that in australia you are _required_ to use the bike lane unless there is some problem preventing you from using it. Here in the US it is totally legal to just not use it in most places. I ride an e-bike that is just a bit too fast and I often veer in and out of the bike lane based on whether or not I can come within range of the speed limit
Still looks better than here in Hobart… I don’t miss much about living in Canberra, but damn I miss the off road bike path network!!!!
it's called a Grandfather Clause... bikes were here before automobiles.. cyclist were the first to have roads paved.. We can thank cyclist for paved roads. And if the "bike lane" has an obstruction, or it is too narrow to ride safely, cyclist have the absolute right to use the main road.. Never share a lane with a vehicle.. You have the right to occupy the entire lane in many circumstances.. Cycle lans are dangerous at intersections.. cars do not see us in the bike lane while on their side (blind spot). A "right hook" is when a car doesn't look, and a cyclist is going thru the intersection, they take a right turn and run you over. Always knock on their vehicle or wave to them to make sure they know you are there.
In Monterey we'd get rude tourists walking taking up the walking side and bike side. It was a nice trail to get around when selfish tourists were gone. I'd even get cars honking at me and people pointing to the overly packed trail.
NSW footpath rule essentially means under 16's can ride on the footpath. Aged 17-18 is always illegal. Over 18 is legal if you are with a 16 year old or younger. The Law is dumb sometimes.
Pretty much the same as Victoria, except the age cut off is 13 in Vic
The logic in NSW is that at 16, you're legally able to get your car Ls, and before that you have no reason to be learning the exact road rules (just basics like not wandering into traffic).
It's an improvement over the previous 13, where between 13 and 18 it was illegal, even if mum or dad needed to supervise little 9 year old Billy while 14 year old Kimmy was on her own on the road.
It's even dumber that the elderly can be fined for riding their bike on the footpath, although I confess that all examples I've heard about, they elected to go to court, and the fine got cancelled. Conveniently...
I wish there were better bike lanes too. I don’t live where you do but it’s not the best here either. Some places have some new and crisp bike lanes with a lot of separation from cars
The road is the bike lane.
And the motorway/freeway is the car lane.
If you make the lanes wide enough, cars and cyclists get along well.
Problems arise when you have narrow lanes and unusable bike lanes in addition.
@@svr5423wider lanes encourage speeding tho. Smaller lanes make the drivers more conscious of their speed which in turn makes the roads safer. I get what you’re saying tho, more room to get past the cyclist. But if the roads were possible to be made wider then there would be room to fit a separated protected bicycle lane (which isn’t as poorly made as the painted bike lanes or cone separated ones) and make the actual road narrower to traffic calm the cars and make safer streets
@@sam9558 That's a myth propagated by people who don't know about traffic.
Speeding is controlled by speed cameras. So usually the opposite is true, people obey the speed limits on wider, controlled roads and speed on the narrow and curvey ones. We have plenty of those here in the Swiss Alps.
Statistics speak for themselves, usually the widerst roads/lanes (Motorway/Autobahn) have the least amount of both accidents and fatalities per person kilometer. Accidents increase on narrow segments (road construction) because the people have less margins for error.
The problem of protected lanes is that you are then no longer protected against other cyclists and pedestrians. Both of them are who I usually have most accidents and near misses with, with people going the wrong way or not paying attention because they know if they get hit by a cyclist, the cyclist might also be injured (wheres if they get hit by a car, the car driver isn't bothered too much).
Ideally, you would have entirely separated bike roads, where no other vehicles operate. And then also control the riders. Here in Europe, it's also a cultural thing. Dutch are very disciplined bike riders, wheres Germans and Swiss ride like maniacs.
@@svr5423it’s not a myth, it’s a fact. It’s literally a traffic calming method, by the sound of it the drivers over there are lunatics, or most likely rich tourists taking there fast super cars out there to act like tossers.
My photo featured in this one. Very cool!
I’m guessing it’s the one with the sign in the bike lane in Malop St?
@@bikeroutebuddy that's the one!
Great video but i gotta say cars are the biggest issue with cycling. The fact that pretty much every country gives anyone with a pulse a license to drive amazes me. Not only that but there are no consequences for drivers....
Nailed it. Could as easily be Sydney.
The shoulder of the road is not a bike lane...
Interesting
Cars using the bike lane for a better view pulling out of T junctions (bonnet right across the lane)
Car drivers thinking bikes should slow down and yield when THEY want to turn left across the bike lane (although you sort of say that?)
Great video👍
Yeah, that’s I good one I missed. Another one is having to give way at all the cross streets and driveways.
16. In Sydney through the CBD pedestrians simply step out into with paths without looking. At least in a traffic lanes they tend to look
Good pickup, I had 2 in 50m last week in a protected lane in Geelong.
One reason I don't use my town's lovely new shared cycle paths is the number of morons who park their cars on it. The council chose to build it on the side of the highway thats full of industrial or premises and fuel stations, so there's constantly vehicles moving in and out, or just parking on the path.
Opposite side, it's almost exclusively residential so near zero traffic would have used this side 🤦
It's annoying. Car drivers are so ignorant its so crazy. Get mad that you ride on the road and doesn't call out other car drivers out for parking in the road.
Here in the UK the survive at all cost method of cycling is to ride against the flow of traffic like peds do when there is no footpath!
I personally wear large luminous headphones and swerve side to side at random to keep the sardines in their tins guessing🤣
the cycalest tacken out and the driver not stopping, i hope the blue car was the police ?
i ride on the foot path with my dog in tow ???
Looks very similar to UK cycle path issues.
Do have any 10 metre cycle lanes used as traffic control with no point for cycles.
Our shared use cycle paths restrict you to pedestrian pace.
We don't have parking shared use lanes (fortunately, that I am aware of !)
Many cars see the car side of the line as a car lane and think it is fine to use all of it. The U.K. rule of allowing 1.5 metres gets forgotten, resulting in dangerous close passes. I avoid roads with painted bike lanes.
For about 10 years SA also banned adults riding on footpaths and they eventually rescinded that stupid law. In WA you can ride any footpath, it makes much more sense.
Apologies to WA viewers for not including WA footpath rules.
12:45 I personally think that any sort of laws, regulation, or rules from the government or a governing body, should *never* be behind a pay-wall. As it just makes it more difficult to hold bad actors accountable.
NSW changed the footpath age to 16 not too long ago, on the logic that since you can't get your driver's licence until then, you shouldn't be expected to use the roads like a licensed driver.
The adult supervision age also became 16.
Edit: oh, you mentioned that 😂
Every bicycle death I know of was in a Bike Lane. One I witnessed. Just saying.
In USA I gladly use non-motorized routes and safety paths when available. But they are not widely available. Bike lanes and safety paths are often not visible to cars coming from side roads, parking lots, or driveways. Vegetation, poles, and signage hides cyclists. Incoming or crossing drivers look at the nearest traffic lane and proceed when they see that lane clear. Unfortunately they don't see me in the bike lane or on the safety path and it becomes an emergency maneuver for me to not impact the side of the car. In four years there have been AT LEAST 4 cyclists killed IN BIKE LANE of main road near me in FL.
Putting together a long route for a bike trip is a problem in the USA. There is no one map source that shows all of the non-motorized routes. Rail Trails are on their own database. MTB trails are on special aps. Many park trails show up only on the park web sites. GoogleMaps is not at all complete or reliable. On GoogleMaps the Bike Layer shows many green lines where there is no shoulder, not even rideable gravel, and posted speed limit is 55 or 65 with most vehicles moving at 70+ mph. But also, I know of many routes that have terrific safety paths that do not show up on GoogleMaps bike layer. If there was a map source that showed all non-motorized surfaces together it would be possible to figure out safe, efficient riding routes beyond one's own community. A color code for paved, gravel, and dirt would be ideal but my wife and I ride MTB or expedition bikes so any surface is doable.
Thanks for this video... damn damn damn... ❤
Why do they not paint those "bikelanes" a bright red?
Thank GOD I live in Holland (In the EU)...
Here in Holland we have coloured bikelanes. And 2 sighns. One is round with a bike on it.. obligated bike' only path. And a rectangle blue sighn with bikepath written on it... this is a non obligated bikepath and for pedestrians.
Commenting from Ireland and I have to say that it's pretty much the same. Granted there is gradual ongoing developments and "plans" but right now it's more miss than hit in my local towns. Not actual cities. The Benelux and Scandinavian countries get it most right. That's the standard to aim for universally.
Geelong has lots of plans for bike infrastructure, but very little is ever delivered.
it's a fourth power law, not a cubic. If axle weight doubles the damage to the road increases 16 times.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_power_law
You people get bike lanes?
My advice have a off-road capable bike. In my case a mountain ebike. That way I can get through tough terrian
Blatant hit and run at 6:25
Was the driver traced and prosecuted?
Careful there, cyclist might be found at fault if pressing the issue ...
He hit him on purpose because he know that its legal to kill people on bicycle in his country
Check out Crap Cycle Lanes by Warrington Cycle Campaign
I may occasionally use a bike on roads, but I still pay rego and tax. This country is just simply not bike friendly!
Unfortunately, these are not unique problems.
I live in the UK and we have ‘exactly’ the same issues.
If I took your script, I could just insert the appropriate local street name here and it would apply.
We also have cycling provision that makes virtually zero sense.
There is a mile long stretch near me with a reasonable, separated, shared path. However, it is signposted telling cyclists to get off the bike and walk across the ten joining roads at junctions. So, roughly every 150 metres you’re expected to dismount, walk and then remount, purely to avoid any tiny inconvenience to motorists. The priority should be exactly opposite if you’re actually trying to encourage cycling.
At the heart of the problem here and where you are, is tokenism.
Yes, local councils can feel good and boast about the cycling infrastructure they’ve provided, but it’s often in the wrong place, not maintained, blocked, ignored by motorists. Generally it’s quicker and often safer to just use the road.
this might just be a uk moment but i have never once found a bike lane thats better than just using the road or pavement, most of them here are either designed dangerously, go massively out of the way, are full of parked cars, or full of garbage, car fluids and mud
alot of them arent even accessible and would require me to go out of my way (across traffic even) just to get into them and then the exit spits me back out in a place that makes no sense and often perpendicular to traffic
thankfully people in the uk dont really seethe about it much because you only have to look at them to see why nobody uses them, and theyl seethe over cyclists existing regardless
where I live our bike lane is down at the river and avoids all traffic. goes from the the forest to Walmart 15 miles, and the other side of the river had a 40 mile river bike path from forest to casino 4 towns over.
why do cyclists ride on the road when their is concrete slab protected bike lanes on both sides of the road. I'm thinking of Tamaki drive Auckland, theirs well protected bike lines on both sides of the road, there arn't cracks on the road either.
You might have to ask them which of the 15 reasons we identified is the reason.
@@bikeroutebuddy is protected by concrete, it’s new and smooth, their are crosswalks that stop cars with lights. Yet half the cyclists still prefer the road. Baffling.
@@anonymousduck6735 I can think of one reason. Because of the concrete divider the street sweepers can't access it as easily, so it ends up being filled with broken glass. See the City link in Brisbane for an example of this.
@@anonymousduck6735
If it's new, maybe just habits from before it existed.
@@anonymousduck6735 you mean where the bike lane ends and you expect cyclists to happily accept being shunted off the road to a path, with bollards, and pedestrians, just so drivers can have two lanes uninterrupted? smh
Especially where there is an ENTIRE LANE being used so people can park their cars lol. Nothing like being entitled is there
I Hope you report all those drivers endangering cyclists.
Seriously.
I drive to work daily. I rarely if ever have issues with cyclists. Almost every intersection is a hazard because of bad drivers though. Drivers often don't know how to drive safe speeds, indicate or check their mirrors and it results in a lot of luck based situations. I also tend to take a special grievance with those driving massive trucks as they're often some of the most selfish and useless drivers on the roads, but also don't particularly like SUVs. Both vehicle types are much heavier, worse for the environment, less safe for other road users, create much more wear and tear and often aren't even used for their supposed purpose. I wish cars had a habit of just becoming smaller, safer and more environmentally friendly instead of transitioning into death machines.
Drivers often treat cyclists far worse however. The amount of dangerous overtaking you see around cyclists is utter mayhem and it's honestly no wonder I barely ever see cyclists on the streets. Our streets and cities are designed almost exclusively for cars.
But your bike lanes there are normally marked as such and therefore it's clear to everyone around. Here we have some newer bike lanes, but with the exception of one sign for one stretch of a bike lane they are never marked as such. That's all below the level of colored bike lanes or protected bike lanes which are non-existent. This is all Melbourne you're talking about then?
All the content is Geelong, about 1hr west of Melbourne
0:46 "You cannot ride on urban freeways" implies that you can ride on rural freeways. That can't be right, right?
You can ride on rural freeways. Sometimes that is the only route.
@@bikeroutebuddy That's terrifying
@@bikeroutebuddy I've seen it on the interstate when crossing the Rocky mountains in Utah/Wyoming. They do have posted signs when you should expect it.
You'd be surprised to know that the Department for Planning and Infrastructure's response to a query of cars not giving way when they turn left across a dedicated bicycle lane....is that cars CAN turn across them and it's up to cyclists behind to give way. These are the people making the rules lol...and they have no idea what their own rules are. All cars must give way to oncoming cyclists using a bicycle lane, unless they can safely move into the lane to turn...different to bollarded off lanes where they can't do this.
Staggering how stupid those in charge are.
Great video. The cyclists feel the need to justify this is unfortunate.
Both car drivers and cyclists should be advocates for separated cycling infrastructure - not only does it mean cars aren’t stuck behind bikes and cyclists are safer, but it also reduces the number of cars on the road as people are incentivised to ride.
Not allowing people to ride on footpaths when roads are so dangerous is terrible.