Hello,
I'm planning on starting the commute from Manly to the CBD on a daily basis. wanting to avoid the main road at all costs I have found a route on Bikely.com which goes through the less used streets of mosman etc. Does anyone ride this? If so is it reasonably safe? any advice? cheers
Manly to CBD commute
-
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:51 am
- simonn
- Posts: 3763
- Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:46 am
- Location: Sydney
Re: Manly to CBD commute
Postby simonn » Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:39 pm
If you post the name of the route to get around the new person/url restriction maybe someone will be able to answer. My wife rides from Freshie to Walsh Bay (and back) almost everyday using this route:sizzler wrote:I have found a route on Bikely.com which goes through the less used streets of mosman etc. Does anyone ride this?
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Fr ... -Walsh-Bay
Probably better to go this way than up Sydney Rd or West Esplanade etc.
Don't worry too much about main roads (except, IMHO, Warrigah Rd other than VERY early in the am). In the > 16,000km or so I have commuted in the past 2 years or so, I have had 3 stacks resulting in injury to me and my bike. 2 on cycle tracks/shared paths - 1 with another cyclist and yesterday with a stick... probably? - and 1 on a side street - ped walked out from behind a truck without looking into my path in the dark with about 2 car lengths notice at best. None involved cars at all. Northern Beaches & Lwr N Shore drivers are generally very good with cyclists IME.
- Christine Tham
- Posts: 4182
- Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 6:45 pm
Re: Manly to CBD commute
Postby Christine Tham » Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:51 pm
Why do you want to avoid the main road? Military Rd has three lanes and is pretty safe to cycle on - I do it 3 times a week.sizzler wrote: I'm planning on starting the commute from Manly to the CBD on a daily basis. wanting to avoid the main road at all costs I have found a route on Bikely.com which goes through the less used streets of mosman etc. Does anyone ride this? If so is it reasonably safe? any advice? cheers
Weekdays: "Bliss" (Trek Madone 5.2 2012) | Weekends: "Cadel" (self built) | Casual: "Kitty" (Giant Cypress LDS 2009)
-
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:51 am
Re: Manly to CBD commute
Postby sizzler » Thu Feb 25, 2010 2:08 pm
thanks for the feed back. It is the manly to bridge route on bikely. but essentially it looks like the same route that you posted simon.
why do I want to avoid Military Road? well it seems pretty dangerous to me, especially in morning peak hour with cars switching in and out of transit lane etc. I'd prefer to take the back route, would be a little less stressful.
why do I want to avoid Military Road? well it seems pretty dangerous to me, especially in morning peak hour with cars switching in and out of transit lane etc. I'd prefer to take the back route, would be a little less stressful.
- Christine Tham
- Posts: 4182
- Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 6:45 pm
Re: Manly to CBD commute
Postby Christine Tham » Thu Feb 25, 2010 2:59 pm
Not my experience. Generally cars avoid the left/transit/bus lanes (due to single occupancy) so even during peak hour I can cycle quite comfortably.sizzler wrote: why do I want to avoid Military Road? well it seems pretty dangerous to me, especially in morning peak hour with cars switching in and out of transit lane etc. I'd prefer to take the back route, would be a little less stressful.
Back routes can be more stressful (drivers get annoyed at cyclists because harder to overtake on single lanes or illegal because of double lines), also more intersections/roundabouts etc. (accidents tend to happen at intersections according to several studies).
For example, on that back route that you were considering, I have seen some near collisions between cyclists and inattentive drivers (or perhaps inattentive cyclists) at roundabouts, cars nearly swiping cyclists, etc. I myself was nearly hit by a car turning left without indicating on the bike path last week (luckily, I slowed down because I was suspicious of the car).
Not saying that you will never enounter an accident on the main roads (although I haven't, like simonn most of my mishaps have been on "safe" bike paths), but don't equate traffic = danger, instead try and remember intersections = danger, so you want to minimise unnecessary turns in the route.
Weekdays: "Bliss" (Trek Madone 5.2 2012) | Weekends: "Cadel" (self built) | Casual: "Kitty" (Giant Cypress LDS 2009)
- simonn
- Posts: 3763
- Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:46 am
- Location: Sydney
Re: Manly to CBD commute
Postby simonn » Thu Feb 25, 2010 5:39 pm
It is easier to go your own pace on the back roads, but they are hillier and not necessarily safer... bit like driving a car reallysizzler wrote:would be a little less stressful.
- Christine Tham
- Posts: 4182
- Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 6:45 pm
Re: Manly to CBD commute
Postby Christine Tham » Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:41 pm
Abusive drivers and drivers who do stupid things tend to do so on quieter streets, because they think they can get away with it.simonn wrote:It is easier to go your own pace on the back roads, but they are hillier and not necessarily safer... bit like driving a car really
Like it or not, everyone is well behaved on main roads (esp. during peak) - because everyone is watching. Also, general skill and alertness levels are higher - someone wouldn't drive on a main road during peak hour unless they had to, which means that they are experienced.
Weekdays: "Bliss" (Trek Madone 5.2 2012) | Weekends: "Cadel" (self built) | Casual: "Kitty" (Giant Cypress LDS 2009)
- JV911
- Posts: 5458
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:22 pm
- Location: Sydney, Australia
- Christine Tham
- Posts: 4182
- Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 6:45 pm
Re: Manly to CBD commute
Postby Christine Tham » Fri Feb 26, 2010 3:21 pm
Only near schools, and during school drop off/pick up times.JV911 wrote:at applying makup, eating breakfast and shouting at kids in the back while talking on the phone
A self-respecting commuting cyclist would have finished their early morning training ride, and arrived safely at work, well before then
Weekdays: "Bliss" (Trek Madone 5.2 2012) | Weekends: "Cadel" (self built) | Casual: "Kitty" (Giant Cypress LDS 2009)
Jump to
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+10:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
Brought to you by Bicycles Network Australia | © 1999 - 2024 | Powered by phpBB ®
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.