Aushiker wrote:Based on my experience of riding up the coast from Fremantle to Joondalup where I go through a few of these so called "suburban roundabouts" each way on a regular basis, they are a significant problem and one of the worst aspects of my ride. The problems in my experience are the approach and drivers trying to "beat me to the roundabout". Claiming the lane is all very well and nice but does not always stop drivers still trying to pass.
Also there at times other issues with roundabouts. With the Trig Beach roundabout for example it is very common to have drivers suddenly realise (if you are lucky) that you are actually there or coming into the roundabout at a point where they should give way ... I have lost count of the number who come to a stop in the roundabout, i.e., after the white line. BTW they are the better ones. With this roundabout all the lane claiming in the world is not going to change anything here, even through going wide on the approach increases ones visibility.
It is a driver behaviour issue. If you are claiming the lane and behaving as a vehicle through the intersection, what else can you do as a cyclist? It is the drivers who are not obeying the law.
If you are travelling straight through on the road with priority then you might feel safer using a t-junction arrangement. However that doesn't help cyclists wanting to make turns or to go straight through on the road which must give way. A roundabout, when designed and used properly, is far superior.
The coastal route is not the best example of typical suburban roundabouts either as it carries pretty high volumes of traffic.
Aushiker wrote:As to the comment about pedestrians and roundabouts, the writer is referring to the lack of protection in the law that applies specifically to roundabouts. Whilst there is a requirement to give-way to pedestrians at intersections and this is specifically defined in the Code it is my understanding that this requirement does apply to roundabouts unless of course there are pedestrian crossings at them such as in Fremantle. Therefore I believe and this has come up in other fora in respect to pedestrians as well that the blogger has it right from my reading of their post and my understanding of the
WA Road Traffic Code. Of course happy to be shown otherwise in the Code as I may have missed the relevant regulation.
My comment was in reference to this:
The majority of younger pedestrians ignore these new paths and cross illegally through the roundabout.
Clearly the writer needs to brush up on his/her road rule knowledge if he/she things that is illegal.
and yes I do believe in claiming the lane and sometimes I am not doing it as well as I should however I do not see it as the panacea for cyclists at roundabouts.
What is the alternative? Behaving as a vehicle gives you the best chance of being seen and given way to by other vehicles. Is there any evidence to show that compliance with the oft-cited Dutch arrangement (essentially cycle priority crossings on each entry/exit) would be any better? The angle of observance from drivers at the crossings would indicate to me that SMIDSY would be a lot more common.
They do work in The Netherlands but that's because the driver behaviour is infinitely better than here. Without addressing the behaviour issue, nothing short of grade-separation will remove the risk of conflicts. And if you do solve the behaviour issue then behaving as a vehicle through the roundabout becomes a lot safer.
BTW at the Freo Bug meeting this week we had a discussion about roundabouts and in particular the roundabout at
Wray Avenue/South Terrace, Fremantle which is meant to be an improved cyclist friendly design. The barmaid at the pub where we where meeting commented on the roundabout ... it scares her. She is a what I would describe as an everyday "transport rider." If we want to encourage all riding then roundabout treatments need attention in my view.
The roundabout circulating lane is far too open for my liking, however it is unavoidable due to the angle of the intersection and the need to accommodate the swept paths of buses and service trucks. I also don't like the southern approach having a cycle lane which just disappears at the entry to the roundabout - that's just asking for conflicts with vehicles exiting into Howard Street.
Aside from what I just mentioned - what else would you do? How are similar intersections treated in The Netherlands?
I suspect the barmaid is scared of the roundabout as she isn't comfortable with:
(a) how to use roundabouts (i.e. claiming the lane) and
(b) riding as a vehicle in mixed traffic