What's the purpose of advisory cycle lanes?

[ojw]

Seriously, I was just wondering. Take your average "advisory" cycle lane:

The highway code treats it as a line of parking spaces, by not prohibiting parked cars

The police/council treat it as a line of parking spaces, by not removing or ticketing people parked there (even when it's double-yellow lines)

Motorists obviously treat it as a line of parking spaces, by parking there.

It doesn't give cyclists any extra rights above what a bit of bare road would give them.


So given that an advisory cycle lane is really just a parking space, why do they draw cycle symbols on it, as if the lane was anything to do with cycling?

[meic]

So the Council can claim to have met its commitment to providing cycling facilities?

[PW]

It's there to reduce the perceived road width. In other words it is traffic calming for motons, the label is a con. - That came from a highwayman at a council meeting 10 or more years ago.

[byegad]

It's there to reduce the perceived road width. In other words it is traffic calming for motons, the label is a con. - That came from a highwayman at a council meeting 10 or more years ago.

Makes sense, but by labelling them they raise expectations in drivers. The A167 near my home has solid lines 1.5m in from the road edge. It used to be a three lane road with the suicide head on overtaking lane i the middle. I regularly use the lined off edge as a cycle lane but as it isn't marked as such I could use the carriage way instead.

[Guy951]

I asked a member of my local council "What's the purpose of advisory cycle lanes?"

He replied: " We get a grant of £25,000 from Central Government for the provision of cycle facilities. We spend £19.99 on paint (courtesy of Wilkinsons) and put the rest in our Free Lunches/1st Class Rail Travel/Factfinding visit to our Twin Town in Mauritius fund. Oh, AND we get to tick the box too!

I aske a cyclist the same question.

She replied: None that I can think of.

[stoobs]

So the Council can claim to have met its commitment to providing cycling facilities?

....is the correct answer from contestant number 1!

[Alan D]

I thought they were to give the motorists something to aim for?

[anothereye]

The answer is simple. To encourage cyclists to ride in the gutter and to encourage motorists to overtake cyclists too close in order to keep the traffic moving. They give the cyclist the impression of safety but in reality we are in more danger. The Institute of Advanced Motorists book advises that we ignore them and ride in the same position that we would do if the lanes were not there.

[anothereye]

This is incredible (from Sustrans):
"Advisory cycle lanes will act as a continuous warning to drivers of the presence of cyclists".
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/assets/files/guidelines/Rural%20Roads.pdf

I have no doubt that there are better ways of warning drivers.
How about painting cycle logo roundels in the primary and secondary positions on the road at regular distances. Not only would this remind drivers that the cyclists position is legitimate but also guide cyclist as to the best position to be on the road.

[meic]

That is very specifically for and only for country lanes with very low traffic levels.
The advice is given in a list of things to consider to heighten motorists' awareness of the fact they dont have the roads to themselves and it was not at the top of the list.

[anothereye]

That is very specifically for and only for country lanes with very low traffic levels.
The advice is given in a list of things to consider to heighten motorists' awareness of the fact they dont have the roads to themselves and it was not at the top of the list.

Point taken. Nevertheless; in my experience motorists overtake me closer when I'm inside a cycle lane (they seem to think that they can go close to the lane marking) so I would rather the lane was not there. As I said above; there are better ways of making motorists aware that they may be sharing the road with cyclists.

[meic]

It is one of those funny things like "No Smoking" signs in shops.
Everyone knows it is illegal to smoke in shops yet there must be a sign there to tell you so, now can anybody remember seeing such signs? no, because they are everywhere and your brain just ignores them.

Everytime I see one of those bikes in a triangle sign at the roadside I think does this mean they dont have to take care for cyclists on other bits of road? Is there a triangle with a cyclist crossed out to let motorists know they have passed the cycling area?

[byegad]

This is incredible (from Sustrans):
"Advisory cycle lanes will act as a continuous warning to drivers of the presence of cyclists".
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/assets/files/guidelines/Rural%20Roads.pdf

I have no doubt that there are better ways of warning drivers.
How about painting cycle logo roundels in the primary and secondary positions on the road at regular distances. Not only would this remind drivers that the cyclists position is legitimate but also guide cyclist as to the best position to be on the road.

A bit of old lino' a sharp knife and some spray paint'll do the job!

[Cunobelin]

Car parking mainly!

[sirmy]

They don't need an order so they're cheap!