On 5 Jun 2011 at 7:42am SHS wrote:
I see in the local S.EX that a certain councillor is advocating this - good for him and give him support. Cyclists on the hill through the woods force cars out over the double whites and with the sharp bends this is an accident waiting to happen. Will we have a proper widening of the pavement (steep drop so difficult) or a real tarmac bump & glass-free racetrack type cycle path through the bottom of the woods via Landport and the planned new Offham sewage works? Thoughts / knowledge please.
On 5 Jun 2011 at 8:06am MC wrote:
What new sewage plant at Offham? Is this to be the 39th sewage plant to drain into the Ouse? Where exactly is it planned for?
Cyclists travelling south on the section of the A275 just south of Offham are currently a menace, disrupting traffic, causing large tailbacks and encouraging dangerous manoeuvres. If a cycle path can alleviate this situation it should be encouraged, but I can't easily see how it would improve traffic flow and safety without a widening of the road.
On 5 Jun 2011 at 8:23am SHS wrote:
Sewage at Offham LW/11/0284/NP
On 5 Jun 2011 at 8:43am MC wrote:
It's a significant upgrade to the existing works on the Offham Church mound (within the boundaries of the National Park). Hopefully the resident frogs will not be too put out.
On 5 Jun 2011 at 1:50pm cyclist wrote:
MC cyclists are not a menace. Car drivers can be a menace to cyclists. Providing cyclists are obeying the rules of the road, have the correct lights when it is dark and not jumping red lights. Sorry if you have to slow down for us but we are just as entitled to use the roads as car drivers. Yes I also drive a car and am happy to slow down for cyclists. On the subject of a cycle path -yes this would be a good idea but cyclists should not be forced to use it.
On 5 Jun 2011 at 8:35pm MC wrote:
OK. How about "the presence of cyclists creates a menace"? BTW I am both a cyclist and a motorist too and I would not contemplate taking my bicycle on that stretch of road. It's almost asking for trouble.
On 6 Jun 2011 at 1:57am SHS wrote:
Cyclist makes a good point - some motorists are angry at cyclists on the A27 Falmer to Lewes route because they think they should be on the cycle path but many (most?) UK cycle paths are more dangerous for cyclists (and pedestrians ) than roads are. Hence my preference for a bottom-of-forest route.
On 6 Jun 2011 at 9:27am Mercian wrote:
"Cyclists on the hill through the woods force cars out over the double whites and with the sharp bends this is an accident waiting to happe"
Why don't motorists just wait as per the highway code?
Drivers in Lewes can't wait for a second before overtaking a bike, in my experience, even if it means virtually crashing into the car on the other side of the road. I've even seen cars overtaking and then having to slam on the brakes before a red light, or a jam, leaving the cyclist to sail past a few seconds later. Just wait - it will add about 30 seconds to your journey.
I speak as a cyclist and motorist.
On 6 Jun 2011 at 11:28am ar106 wrote:
MC the problem is that there is no viable alternative road to get to Cooksbridge or Offham from Lewes. As a cyclist and driver I would support and use a cycle path on this section of road as drivers get very impatient on this section, even if the delay to them is a matter of seconds. We just need to make sure it's a proper one, not like the complete waste of time and money that is the Lewes-Ringmer path.
On 6 Jun 2011 at 1:36pm MC wrote:
Maybe the best idea would be to make track at the bottom of the bank cyclable. That would be my preferred route.
No one is going to be able to stop car drivers on their way to work from trying to get past cyclists.
On 6 Jun 2011 at 5:08pm ar106 wrote:
That would be a good idea, as it's only really cyclable for mountain bikes or hybrids with semi-offroad tyres right now, and even then only when dry-ish otherwise you'll be splattered with mud. Not much good if you're heading to work.
On 6 Jun 2011 at 7:49pm Guido wrote:
"accident waiting to happen"....
How many accident have happened up there involving bikes and cars. Very few if any that I can remember!!
So why does that justify spending hundreds of thousands on a cycle way?
P.S I have cycled along there many a time.
On 6 Jun 2011 at 8:13pm MC wrote:
Which bit of "waiting to happen" did you not get Guido? Every year there are more cars on the road. What was safe five years ago is not necessarily safe now. Chucking down some gravel on a few yards of track does not need to cost hundreds of of thousands... well it doesn't if you don't get the all-intrusive health and safety idiocy involved.
On 7 Jun 2011 at 6:28am Guido wrote:
And it'll end up just like the Ringmer cycle path. Start on a busy main road where you actualy need to cycle upon said main road to reach cycle path (or on the pavement which is illegal),and finishes at a busy road junction. A total waste of money!
Rather than spend money on pointless cycle paths that'll get used by a handful of people each year, why not carry out traffic calming? Then everybody is safer.
MC so what you are saying is in another 5 years every road in the country is going to be so dangerous it's going to need a cycle path running along side it?
On 7 Jun 2011 at 6:56am MC wrote:
More a flight of fancy than an extrapolation.
A cycle path from Lewes to the top of Hamsey Road, Offham would suit me perfectly, enabling me to get between Lewes and Barcombe whilst avoiding the horrible A roads.