metal barriers alongside a roadway

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
Pete Owens
Posts: 2442
Joined: 7 Jul 2008, 12:52am

Re: metal barriers alongside a roadway

Post by Pete Owens »

mjr wrote:If you are cycling on a pavement with due consideration to any pedestrians in order to avoid a dangerous unlit right-hand-turn on a high-speed narrow A-road carriageway, then I would say any fine is not in line with the guidance reiterated in 2014 and I'd expect it to be overturned if challenged.

You are confusing police reluctance to enforce traffic laws with a right to act with impunity. Many petrolheads make the same assumption about ACPOs eqully negligent guidance with respect to enforcing 20mph speed limits.

There is a difference between "unenforced" and "unenforcable". Yes, just like a speeding motorist, you are almost certain to get away with it - but if some PCSO did decide to issue an FPN those guidelines would not be grounds for a legal appeal.
john.newell
Posts: 96
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 12:17pm
Location: Monmouthshire, UK

Re: metal barriers alongside a roadway

Post by john.newell »

Thanks to all those who have read this thread and even more to those who replied....

700c - some good points made and you obviously know the area, having commuted around here for over 20 years. The increased distance to the local school is not significant - but I am not going that way myself. My own commute of 12 plus miles takes me out past Woodcroft (sorry, boring detail here). As for increased danger of using this section of A48, it looks like we will have to agree to disagree because I think that the hazard of a right hand turn on a 50mph (if drivers stick to the speed limit) road in the wet, dark evenings is a step too far for me, wimp that I am.

Peter - I am not sure that heavy vehicles should be using a footpath.... :-)

RickH - yes, they are the fence type and not the Armco type. i can see the logic of trying to segregate the pedestrians from some of the speed merchants that forget that this is a built up area - perhaps I should campaign for reduced speed limit here as well.... it is that lack of provision for other vulnerable road users that prompted me to write.

Putting an access gateway in may be an excellent compromise - one that opens easily onto the path away from the roadway would fit the bill.

Using the footpath as a shared use path may have been an option too but at present cycling along this path is against the law as far as I understand.
I suppose the wider point is that of information and consultation. I will see how far I get with requesting more information with regard to the use of this section of carriageway by vulnerable road users but i doubt that I will get very far. If, however, more people would care to raise their concerns I am sure it will help with this and future designs.

Seriously, thanks for all the suggestions.
Safe cycling.
J.
john_n
john.newell
Posts: 96
Joined: 15 Jun 2009, 12:17pm
Location: Monmouthshire, UK

Re: metal barriers alongside a roadway

Post by john.newell »

Post script to this old topic.
There is now a gap at the steps end of the barrier that permits access to the steps.
Hooray!
Thank you road people whomever you are.
john_n
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