(Sydney) Cooks River Cycleway Problems

[opik_bidin]

This is something I get to know more as a Bicycle User Group (BUG) member

1. Cyclists Dismount on bridges
As it is a cycleway, it should be able to be cycled all the way through. Problem is too many Bridges are slapped this "Cyclist dismount" sign and it is planned that all bridges will have this sign. These signs defeat the purpose of having a cycleway, so what our BUG leader said is that he advocating for these signs to be removed, and the bridges should be wide enough when built. And it also comes to sensibility when using the bridges, don't go too fast and pass others slowly

2. People agitating to ban cyclists from Cooks River
our leader a CBC council integrated transport committee meeting, and one of the officers mentioned there are people agitating to ban cyclists from it. It isn't sure how serious the threat is. So for the users, please be sensible when using the Cooks River Cycleway. It has the name cycleway, but is a shared path.

[AdelaidePeter]

This is something I get to know more as a Bicycle User Group (BUG) member

1. Cyclists Dismount on bridges
As it is a cycleway, it should be able to be cycled all the way through. Problem is too many Bridges are slapped this "Cyclist dismount" sign and it is planned that all bridges will have this sign. These signs defeat the purpose of having a cycleway, so what our BUG leader said is that he advocating for these signs to be removed, and the bridges should be wide enough when built. And it also comes to sensibility when using the bridges, don't go too fast and pass others slowly

2. People agitating to ban cyclists from Cooks River
our leader a CBC council integrated transport committee meeting, and one of the officers mentioned there are people agitating to ban cyclists from it. It isn't sure how serious the threat is. So for the users, please be sensible when using the Cooks River Cycleway. It has the name cycleway, but is a shared path.

I looked at one of the bridges on Google and it looks pretty narrow. Perhaps one of "cyclists dismount if pedestrians present", "cyclists slow down" or "cyclists give way to pedestrians" would be a workable compromise? (The last is just re-stating the law, because cyclists must always give way to pedestrians on a shared path).

[familyguy]

I've done this loop a few times now, from memory there's only one bridge with this sign on it?
https://goo.gl/maps/Bm7KLQqmAmH2

There is a sign at the other end, from memory. Can't see one on this end. This is narrow, but riding is possible if it's empty. If there's anyone on it, just wait thirty seconds.

[g-boaf]

It's just a matter of going slowly on there and not treating it as a race track. I rarely use it. If I am going quickly, it is only in empty stretches of the cycleway.

When people are around I slow down to walking speed or dismount if they are completely blocking the path.

[robbo mcs]

I've done this loop a few times now, from memory there's only one bridge with this sign on it?
https://goo.gl/maps/Bm7KLQqmAmH2

There is a sign at the other end, from memory. Can't see one on this end. This is narrow, but riding is possible if it's empty. If there's anyone on it, just wait thirty seconds.

And this particular bridge has wooden board type surface, that is not very safe to cycle on. With the bridge in its current state dismounting, or just rolling across at walking speed are the safest and most commonsense options.

There are a few underpasses that are narrow, and can only really allow travel of a bike or ped in one direction art a time but I don't recall seeing any dismount signs there?

[recumbenteer]

[mikesbytes]

There's a bit of history around that underpass of Canterbury Rd, its too low to the water to meet regulations building under Canterbury Rd even though it could be done. They could perhaps build an underpass similar to the one under the railway tracks near Tempe Station

[splash_dad]

In the same way we expect motorist to share the road and be considerate to us, we need to share the cycleway with pedestrians and be considerate to them and of course vice versa. I can understand some pedestrians getting upset with riders passing at speed and there are other areas such as near parks and playing fields where kids are about where you should slow down.

As far as the dismount sign there is at least two or three of them. All of them are for a narrow area and make sense. All of them can be ridden but that is not the point. Basically if you come across another person or bike you need to take care as passing is an issue.

From a hazards point of view the Cooks River Cycleway has its fair share such as multiple road crossings, low head room on some bridge underpasses, some sharp turns and the majority is not lit at night including areas that have hazards.

However I prefer to have 20km of reasonable cycleway than 1km of perfect cycleway dedicated only to cyclists. Look at the complaints about the M7 cycleway, great cycleway but you have to watch out for the pelotons, cyclists 2 and 3 abreast, cyclists cutting corners.

[g-boaf]

Don't forget the groups of 20 walkers all scattered right across the pathway who will not take notice of anyone else riding towards or behind them.

So you have to stop and walk past them.

Sharing goes both ways. Same with some people walking their aggressive dogs.

"He/she is alright" while the dog is angrily growling and straining against its leash.

I rarely ever use the Cooks River cycleway. It is too far away anyhow.

And what of those complaints about the M7? I see very few complaints about it considering the huge number of people who use it.

[zebee]

Dismounting the trike is a silly idea, gets no one anything. So I don't. There is one bridge I dismount the two wheel recumbent mainly cos I can't ride it around the u-turn. If things look congested I stop and stay where I am to let peds past me.

I also am a subscriber to the "peds are to bikes as bikes are to cars" idea. So I treat them as I would like cars to treat me: with respect and care. Sure there are peds who are a pain, but there are cyclists on the road who are too. It's not the mode of transport, it is the idea that they are the centre of the world and everyone else must accept that.

I ride bike paths a lot and I very very seldom find rude peds on them. Oblivious ones do appear and attracting their attention can be difficult but once they zone back in they are fine. Only dog problem I have ever had was a bulldog who deliberately did not move out of the way of the trike. His ulterior motive was made obvious when he came and demanded a headrub. Guess he figured someone sitting at bulldog head height was clearly put there for the purpose. So I paid toll and was eventually allowed to move on.