Did they lay those grooved paving stones at bus stops the wrong way?

rubadub

At many bus stops you have these grooved paving stones, and they are going in line parallel with the cycletracks. i.e. you have to cycle into the groove, rather than over a series of bumps.

Now behind the cycletrack you often see the same grooved paving stones yet they are perpendicular, if you cycle over these it is little bumps.

I would have thought the bumps are like mini speed bumps designed to make you slow down to yeild and be slower going by people at the bus-stops.

But when they are parallel they are very dangerous, I have nearly come off a few times on my bikes, it actually seems worse on a mountain bike, you get caught in the groove. They also seem to hold ice a lot better, and are the last place to be defrosted. With the recent snow it is even harder to guess where they are and since they are not visible it is even more of a surprise.

Did they make a mistake putting these down, and just kept copying the mistake?

Eoin D

rubadub wrote: »

At many bus stops you have these grooved paving stones, and they are going in line parallel with the cycletracks. i.e. you have to cycle into the groove, rather than over a series of bumps.

Now behind the cycletrack you often see the same grooved paving stones yet they are perpendicular, if you cycle over these it is little bumps.

I would have thought the bumps are like mini speed bumps designed to make you slow down to yeild and be slower going by people at the bus-stops.

But when they are parallel they are very dangerous, I have nearly come off a few times on my bikes, it actually seems worse on a mountain bike, you get caught in the groove. They also seem to hold ice a lot better, and are the last place to be defrosted. With the recent snow it is even harder to guess where they are and since they are not visible it is even more of a surprise.

Did they make a mistake putting these down, and just kept copying the mistake?

They're tactile paving surfaces used for inclusive mobility of people with disabilites.

"the start of the cyclist's part of the shared surface has exactly the same raised bars [5mm (+/-0.5mm) high, 30mm wide and spaced at 700mm apart] but laid parallel to the direction of travel"

They're used on segregated shared pathways where the pedestrian side is not physically sperated from the cyclist side.

DirkVoodoo

Yeah, I had a back wheel slide in the wet going over one, very dangerous regardless of their intended use.

Why can't they just let us use the bus lane...

Eoin D

Can't recall going over them myself, are they that bad?

Seems like a reasonable compromise to me, but as I said I can't remember what it's like to go over them

rubadub

Eoin D wrote: »

They're tactile paving surfaces used for inclusive mobility of people with disabilites.

I think they could have made a better choice, like the little knobbly ones you get.


Uk site but similar.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/access/peti/inclusivemobility?page=4

Types of surface: the start of the pedestrian part of the shared surface is a ladder pattern consisting of raised flat-topped bars each 5mm (± 0.5mm) high, 30mm wide and spaced 70mm apart. These bars are laid at right angles to the direction of travel.

the start of the cyclists part of the shared surface has exactly the same raised bars but laid parallel to the direction of travel.

So it seems they are in the correct direction, right angles behind the busstops where people are walking into them.

but as I said I can't remember what it's like to go over them

In the past few years it is the only times I came close to coming off my bike, I am fully aware of them most of the time and go over with caution. Maybe the lads sticking to the roads do have the right idea, the crazy drivers might be a safer risk.

Also that site said

In general, shared use facilities should be regarded as a last resort; every effort should be made to keep cyclists and pedestrians fully separated. Where shared facilities are unavoidable at least the minimum width for the footway should be maintained as detailed in Section 3.1

Not the case in Ireland!

Eoin D

I think they could have made a better choice, like the little knobbly ones you get.

Yeah, there could have been a better choice alright. Unfortunately all those different textures mean a different thing, as in theres one for pedestrian crossings, one to indicate steps etc. So I doubt they will change those bars anytime soon.

I just happened to have the department of transport Inclusive mobility document in front of me when I read your post, quite a lot of information in there. There's also a few documents on cycle strategies and stuff that I've been flicking through. Amazing how much thought has actually gone into the 'system' we have, maybe the funding just wasn't there for it to be of any benefit

TinyExplosions

Eoin D wrote: »

Can't recall going over them myself, are they that bad?

Lethal in the wet (even worse in the ice)

NeilMcEoigheann

it just forces cyclists onto the footpath to avoid the parallel death lines

Eoin D

Just back from a spin there, went past about 8 sets of the things. Never noticed them before because they're usually at spots I have to be going slow anyway. Mad that I never noticed them before and they're on my usual route!

souter

I hate them even when going straight.
When turning I slow right down and cross into the footpath to cross the perpendicular grooves.
Luckily the footpath is generally deserted (or anypedestrians are in the cycle lane), but I can still feel their forcefields tugging at my tyres from a distance.

ednwireland

do you guys ring and complain to your local councillors ?
at least make them aware of the problem (i know it may be fruitless but at least you told them ). i live in donegal and its more wheres the road rather than wheres the cycle path.
we dont even have cycle racks anywhere ( i lie the lidl has them but its way out of town). just a thought maye letters to the county manager or the dublin equivalent, you can bet none of these people cycle and havent even thought of the issue.

Eoin D

ednwireland wrote: »

do you guys ring and complain to your local councillors ?
at least make them aware of the problem (i know it may be fruitless but at least you told them ). i live in donegal and its more wheres the road rather than wheres the cycle path.
we dont even have cycle racks anywhere ( i lie the lidl has them but its way out of town). just a thought maye letters to the county manager or the dublin equivalent, you can bet none of these people cycle and havent even thought of the issue.

I'd say the department of transport would be a better bet, it's in their guide to best practise.

Although they may have used the wrong type though because I don't think the gaps between the bars were 70mm when I went over them last night. Also, the ones for segregated cylce paths are supposed to have flat tops and I'd imagine the reason everyone is slipping is because they're rounded.

rubadub

They have probably caused more disabilities than helped people with disabilities!

I don't think the gaps between the bars were 70mm when I went over them last night.

more or less?

Mine did look about 70mm. Worst thing is I do often have to steer while on them, becuase of those people who suddenly walk out looking for buses miles away as though it makes them come quicker or something.

DirkVoodoo

Terrible when they are covered in leaves as well. If you didn't know they were there you have this sudden change on traction and surface that can take you by surprise.

Eoin D

rubadub wrote: »

They have probably caused more disabilities than helped people with disabilities!


more or less?

Mine did look about 70mm. Worst thing is I do often have to steer while on them, becuase of those people who suddenly walk out looking for buses miles away as though it makes them come quicker or something.

Less

Will have a spin up that direction again tonight but I'll stop and have a look, that said the ones I'm thinking aren't at bus stops, I think they're at gates to estates but I'll have a proper gander tonight.

I'll bring my measuring tape and protractor....