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Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
- vfrkenny
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Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby vfrkenny » Mon May 03, 2010 1:44 pm
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby scoulr05 » Mon May 03, 2010 9:19 pm

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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby kibnedyo » Mon May 03, 2010 10:14 pm
Around Ballarat the favourite trick by the council is for approaches to roundabouts to build a solid right angled gutter "pedestrian island just before the roundabout and paint the solid white lined cycle lanes right into the hard angled gutter. It can only be deliberate as this occurs repeatedly around Ballarat. It gives no access to roundabouts to cyclists via the road or footpath. I have had cars run me off the road or overtake me in the roundabout to loud horn blasts or shouts that cyclists should be giving way to cars because the roundabout has no cycle access.
I have written to the council about what I consider negligent design, but no response fron them. At least I have it in writing my intention to sue to full extent should an accident occur near one of these hazards.
Perhaps we should have a name and shame file. I'll get a pic to illustrate this dumbass practice.
- Mulger bill
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby Mulger bill » Mon May 03, 2010 11:37 pm

Local council around here has a habit of attaching a small sign underneath the bikelane signs "parking permitted" or the classic on rds like Mitchells lane where they've put in speed bumps to slow down the hoon element.
To stop the hoons bypassing the bumps by using the bikelane they put in these concrete lumps with a tiny arrowhead sign, reduce the bikelanes to handlebar width+15cm.
Most bikelanes next to on road parking just delineate the door zones anyway.
Shaun
London Boy 29/12/2011
- greyhoundtom
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby greyhoundtom » Tue May 04, 2010 8:04 am
Where the hell is Bicycle Victoria when you really need them to sort these problems out, or to stop this type of road construction happening in the first place?

Tom
- Mulger bill
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby Mulger bill » Tue May 04, 2010 11:29 am
greyhoundtom wrote:Where the hell is Bicycle Victoria when you really need them to sort these problems out, or to stop this type of road construction happening in the first place?![]()
Tom
Organising large scale social rides and cornering the market in lycra bow ties.
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby h3ndry » Tue May 04, 2010 6:35 pm
Take your lane. It's not hard.
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby kibnedyo » Wed May 05, 2010 10:36 am
Mind you I also feel that bike lanes simply encourage some drivers to pass closer than they would if the lane is not there too. Several near misses seems to indicate this. On out of city roads cars pass with much wider room and comfort.
Sometimes bike lanes are a mixed blessing.
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby il padrone » Sun Jul 04, 2010 1:25 pm
Roundabouts with bike lanes are dangerous. Do not use the lane. You are legally required to give way to all drivers, even those approaching from behind you

"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby Mulger bill » Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:05 pm
il padrone wrote:Roundabouts with bike lanes are dangerous. Do not use the lane. You are legally required to give way to all drivers, even those approaching from behind you. If I come across any like this (there is one near home) I get out of the bike lane. Legally I am entitled to. They are a trap, a friend of mine was caught out like this and hit by a car - he had no claim on the driver.
Is that so? Scary thought to the power of 50. I'm glad I don't see to many of them and ignore them when I do.
Thanks for the heads up.
London Boy 29/12/2011
- il padrone
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby il padrone » Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:47 pm
119 Giving way by the rider of a bicycle or animal to a vehicle leaving a roundabout.
The rider of a bicycle or animal who is riding in the far left marked lane of a roundabout with 2 or more marked lanes, or the far left line of traffic in a roundabout with room for 2 or more lines of traffic (other than motor bikes, bicycles or animals), must give way to any vehicle leaving the roundabout.
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby Mulger bill » Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:56 pm
I can see it being used against the intent in more than one place.
Shaun
London Boy 29/12/2011
- spudley
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby spudley » Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:46 pm
not like cars should be going faster than about 15kph thru a round-a-bout anyway!
my 2cents anyway....
spudley
- KenGS
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby KenGS » Mon Jul 05, 2010 9:00 pm
spudley wrote:not like cars should be going faster than about 15kph thru a round-a-bout anyway!
ever been on the Greensborough bypass/Diamond creek rd roundabout? No way I'd ever try that on a bike.
Helmets! Bells! Rego!
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby greyhoundtom » Tue Jul 06, 2010 6:22 am
il padrone wrote:Yep. Rule 119. Was altered a few years back, when the National Road Rules were adopted.119 Giving way by the rider of a bicycle or animal to a vehicle leaving a roundabout.
The rider of a bicycle or animal who is riding in the far left marked lane of a roundabout with 2 or more marked lanes, or the far left line of traffic in a roundabout with room for 2 or more lines of traffic (other than motor bikes, bicycles or animals), must give way to any vehicle leaving the roundabout.
From my reading of that Rule it simply means that WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN at a roundabout with two or more lanes entering and leaving the roundabout, YOU NEED TO CLAIM THE RIGHT HAND LANE if you don’t wish to get wiped out by a vehicle driver continuing through the roundabout using the right hand lane.
Tom
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Re: Dumb Vic Roads bicycle lane design
Postby il padrone » Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:18 am
greyhoundtom wrote:From my reading of that Rule it simply means that WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN at a roundabout with two or more lanes entering and leaving the roundabout, YOU NEED TO CLAIM THE RIGHT HAND LANE if you don’t wish to get wiped out by a vehicle driver continuing through the roundabout using the right hand lane.
That is correct. So if there's a bike lane and you wish to turn right using it you have to give way to all cars approaching from behind and exitting before your exit. The bike lane has no safety value to you, unlike what many riders may believe.
If you value your safety, do not use bike lanes through a roundabout. Claim your own road space, taking the right lane for a right turn.
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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