Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Not sure if this has been discussed previously, but has anyone had a bad experience with our bike lanes? On my daily commute, I encounter rocks, glass, potholes, twisted bits of metal and did I mention glass?!

I dream of a world where I don't have to stress about getting punctures for my entire ride. Can we all sign some kind of petition/complaint to the government so they can get their act together?

Also, just an aside.. what is the purpose of the new green, chunky, glasslike coating which has been laid in bike lanes at intersections?

I use an iPhone app called Snap Send Solve to take photos of these sorts of things and email the local council. It's GPS based and very easy to use. Results - one out of two so far, but to be fair, I did only send in the second report yesterday.

Some councils like Charles Sturt and Unley have a semi regular road sweeping regime. Others such as West Torrens and Prospect don't give a CR@P about bicycles.

The other thing to do is join the respective BUGs for each of the councils.

BUG?

The BIGGEST problem with bike lanes in adelaide is they just STOP, right at the point you need them the most, when the road narrows.

I am curious to know about the green stuff too, I assumed it was a permanent clearly visible marking so that drivers can't miss them.

eeksll wrote: ...
I am curious to know about the green stuff too, I assumed it was a permanent clearly visible marking so that drivers can't miss them.

Yep, and more grip.

MichaelB wrote:

eeksll wrote: ...
I am curious to know about the green stuff too, I assumed it was a permanent clearly visible marking so that drivers can't miss them.

Yep, and more grip.

More grip?

Point of interest: The maximum grip you can attain is if the surface was perfectly smooth.

Take your car out and lock up the brakes on 'rough' bitumen. Do the same on freshly laid, 'smooth' bitumen. You'll skid on the rough bitumen and stop fairly abruptly on the smooth stuff.

Also just a sidenote to the topic, there are LOTS of activation loops being installed at traffic lights in the bike lanes. I've noticed them all around the city and throughout Unley and Mitcham councils. If there's no loop there tends to be a 'bike button' at the lights.

boss wrote:

MichaelB wrote: Yep, and more grip.

More grip?

Point of interest: The maximum grip you can attain is if the surface was perfectly smooth.

Quibble: may not necessarily apply for certain tread / surfaces combinations :-p

eeksll wrote:The BIGGEST problem with bike lanes in adelaide is they just STOP, right at the point you need them the most, when the road narrows.

North East Rd is particularly bad like this. It says: "Here, have a bike lane... NOPE, just kidding! OK, really this time, have a bike lane... HA, got you again!"

boss wrote:Point of interest: The maximum grip you can attain is if the surface was perfectly smooth.

There's a small bridge/boardwalk along Linear Park where they recently laid some kind of bitumen-like surface on top of the wooden planks. I can only assume someone took the corner too fast during some rain and went over the edge...

kb wrote:

boss wrote:

MichaelB wrote: Yep, and more grip.

More grip?

Point of interest: The maximum grip you can attain is if the surface was perfectly smooth.

Quibble: may not necessarily apply for certain tread / surfaces combinations :-p

I'll pay that - assume we are talking about mountain bike tyres on smooth stuff and road tyres on rough or muddy stuff.

MisuVir wrote:There's a small bridge/boardwalk along Linear Park where they recently laid some kind of bitumen-like surface on top of the wooden planks. I can only assume someone took the corner too fast during some rain and went over the edge...

under OG road, I have been off there and know someone else who has as well. I was not going fast either. When i got onto my feet I slipped and nearly fell on top of my bike.

MichaelB wrote:
Yep, and more grip.

yeah, more grip for the glass, metal, and pointy things which seem to gather infinitely within these areas

Wood's a bit different as it can slime up. Sometimes bridges are covered in chicken wire rather than grip coating. Can't say I like the feel.

I have found wood to be slippery when wet pretty much regardless of slime/moss factor.

I know I'm coming into this a bit late, but from painful personal experience it's also road surface hazards that you need to look out for. I have posted elsewhere on this forum about a huge crash I had recently on Anzac Hwy where a tree root had lifted up the road surface in the middle of the bike lane - I didn't see it so over the bars I went at 40km/h with the impact on the road tearing some ligaments in my shoulder. I have also seen some deadly pot holes in bike lanes as well but managed to avoid those. I agree that the bike lanes tend to be the worst part of the road surface in terms of debris and road quality. Of course not to mention the sudden disappearance of the lane at crucial times. I get the feeling that a lot of bike lanes are a political ploy so councils and government can say "we installed x km of bike lanes". Which sounds great but in reality is next to useless in terms of improving cyclist safety where it is really needed

I rode around a bit in Adelaide mid March. My riding was limited to the area bounded by Westlakes Bvd, Tapleys Hill to Henley Bch Rod plus south on the coast to Glenelg. Also a ride along the linear park from Adelaide to the ocean.

Note however that most of my riding other than along beachfront is on paths. The considerable slope to those concrete drains at the sides of some of your major roads probably clears the roads of glass and stuff very quickly and dumps it where bikes would be.

I did notice the occasional bit of glass along main traffic routes. But we get the same over here in Perth where cycle paths are close to freeways or go thru underpasses. Ppl throw their rubbish out of cars, it's an unpleasant fact of life.

When I think about it I don't think I saw much around any pubs I passed. And the Linear Par from memory was empty of any rubbish. Actually it was empty of riders too but it was a mid week day so I hope lots of people ride it to their advanatage.

From what I saw I didn't experience much to worry about. Much of what passes as paths and cycle paths were substandard. But the general freedom from unnecessary rubbish was very good imo.

It would make a great number plate slogan though "SA: State of the bike lanes"

find_bruce wrote:It would make a great number plate slogan though "SA: State of the bike lanes"

I'm inspired by this sign I saw on Seaview Road. How about "Come visit Adelaide down under"?