To Cycle path or not Cycle path?

[ecg15]

Ok so i commute to and fro work on my MTB and or road bike. where i stay there are no designated cycle paths.

So when i do get to a place say sea point and so on i stay on the road. The speeds i do ranges between 32-43kph most of the way.

now my problem is I got shouted at by a lady telling me there is a sidewalk where i can cycle on while i was waiting for the robot to change. My response was I cant ride on it cause im going to fast. I know from town to tableview and milnerton the cycling path is wide and people use it often. 

My question is at what point are you actually too fast for the general public and become a danger. People with kids, dogs and prams walk on the same path. Even runners run with earphones on run on the cycle path section. Some people commute as well but slowly. What are the safe speed limits on the multi user cycling paths.?

Surely when you start hitting 35+kph zones you are more a danger to those around you and to be responsible should cycle on the road.?

 

Your views?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Ok so i commute to and fro work on my MTB and or road bike. where i stay there are no designated cycle paths.

So when i do get to a place say sea point and so on i stay on the road. The speeds i do ranges between 32-43kph most of the way.

now my problem is I got shouted at by a lady telling me there is a sidewalk where i can cycle on while i was waiting for the robot to change. My response was I cant ride on it cause im going to fast. I know from town to tableview and milnerton the cycling path is wide and people use it often. 

My question is at what point are you actually too fast for the general public and become a danger. People with kids, dogs and prams walk on the same path. Even runners run with earphones on run on the cycle path section. Some people commute as well but slowly. What are the safe speed limits on the multi user cycling paths.?

Surely when you start hitting 35+kph zones you are more a danger to those around you and to be responsible should cycle on the road.?

 

Your views?

No. You're required to stick to any cycle path if there is one beside the road. No excuses. If you're going too fast to safely negotiate the level of traffic on the path, slow down to a point where you are comfortable with your given skill level. 

 

It's a part of something called the Road Traffic Act, and is an included bylaw of AARTO. 

 

YOu are required at all times to cycle on a cycle path if there is one next to the road in which you are cycling.

 

No excuse. 

[weeclarky]

No. You're required to stick to any cycle path if there is one beside the road. No excuses. If you're going too fast to safely negotiate the level of traffic on the path, slow down to a point where you are comfortable with your given skill level. 

 

It's a part of something called the Road Traffic Act, and is an included bylaw of AARTO. 

 

YOu are required at all times to cycle on a cycle path if there is one next to the road in which you are cycling.

 

No excuse. 

another stupid law [like always riding single file]. In the UK you are to use the road if you go over 18mph, and bike lanes are always optional.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

another stupid law [like always riding single file]. In the UK you are to use the road if you go over 18mph, and bike lanes are always optional.

Not relevant - we're not in the UK. 

 

If you don't like a law, petition to change it or bring it up with your local councilor, get backing (petition and studies proving efficacy of staying on the road, and reasons for and against etc) Doesn't give you license to break it because it's not applicable in another country or you don't agree with it. 

[SwissVan]

Ok so i commute to and fro work on my MTB and or road bike. where i stay there are no designated cycle paths.

So when i do get to a place say sea point and so on i stay on the road. The speeds i do ranges between 32-43kph most of the way.

now my problem is I got shouted at by a lady telling me there is a sidewalk where i can cycle on while i was waiting for the robot to change. My response was I cant ride on it cause im going to fast. I know from town to tableview and milnerton the cycling path is wide and people use it often. 

My question is at what point are you actually too fast for the general public and become a danger. People with kids, dogs and prams walk on the same path. Even runners run with earphones on run on the cycle path section. Some people commute as well but slowly. What are the safe speed limits on the multi user cycling paths.?

Surely when you start hitting 35+kph zones you are more a danger to those around you and to be responsible should cycle on the road.?

 

Your views?

 

Yeah this a problem on some of the "cycling paths" I ride on here in switz, especially in or close to built up areas. I also stay on the road in sections where I know there will be other pedestrian traffic, so far no one has tuned me yet.... I have seen the traffic cops pulling guys over once and luckily I was going in the opposite direction.  

 

On some paths were you have no option then you just have to slow down and ride according to the conditions / other traffic on the path. Here pedestrians generaly tend to keep right and leave space on their left for bicycles to pass, but as usual there is always some who walk in the middle leaving little room to pass. The worst are roller blader's and families with little kids....

[Red Zone]

I think Sea Point may be a little different along the promenade which is a a sort of multiple user space where you are allowed to cycle, skate, run etc... it is not a proclaimed cycle path.

 

Places like Milnerton are different with a designated cycle path / lane, there the law says you must ride in the cycle path.

 

 

Some of the cycle paths cannot be ridden flat out, but it is probably safer to ride fast on a cycle path than doing 32-43 km/h down beach road Sea Point 

[weeclarky]

Not relevant - we're not in the UK. 

 

If you don't like a law, petition to change it or bring it up with your local councilor, get backing (petition and studies proving efficacy of staying on the road, and reasons for and against etc) Doesn't give you license to break it because it's not applicable in another country or you don't agree with it. 

 

just an example of somewhere the law makes good sense. we all know cycle paths that are unusable unless you're on a mountain bike, and there some in cape town where people set up stalls and things

[ecg15]

No. You're required to stick to any cycle path if there is one beside the road. No excuses. If you're going too fast to safely negotiate the level of traffic on the path, slow down to a point where you are comfortable with your given skill level. 

 

It's a part of something called the Road Traffic Act, and is an included bylaw of AARTO. 

 

YOu are required at all times to cycle on a cycle path if there is one next to the road in which you are cycling.

 

No excuse. 

ok given but safety not due my skills but due to people being in the way. surely cycling at speeds greater than the av person is a danger. where is one to train if you have to stick to walking speeds?

[GoLefty!!]

if a cyclepath is obstructed by an illegal vendor then it is still a cycle path?

[Skubarra]

ok given but safety not due my skills but due to people being in the way. surely cycling at speeds greater than the av person is a danger. where is one to train if you have to stick to walking speeds?

 

I guess you can train at places where there are no cycling paths?

[ecg15]

ok let me ask it this way. what is the max allowed speed on a cycling path? if we are faster are we allowed to get off the path for pedestrian safety.? 

[ecg15]

I guess you can train at places where there are no cycling paths?

so when i hit town to pass through must i then get on a cycling path till there isnt one and get back on the road? i.e coming from Hout Bay via camps bay and sea point to get to durbanville and back. makes no sense at all. So my once 3 hour ride has now become 5 hours cause i have to get on the cycling path at pedestrian speed for their safety. To me logic tells me im too fast for the bike path and am a danger to everyone at the speeds whilst going through town. 

[GoLefty!!]

I don't think there is a maximum hence taxi use the cycle lane

[Madlight]

My view is if there is a cycle path, use it. I happily do 50 plus on the path, but I do slow down for other users.

[devocean]

My view is if there is a cycle path, use it. I happily do 50 plus on the path, but I do slow down for other users.

 

Me too...when I'm trying to get your Strava KOM's!!!

 

[Disylizzy]

Where the cycle paths are located, I think it's more for your safety than anything else.  

 

And as in most things in life, use your noggin, ie if there's a lot of crazy traffic in the road and there's a cycle path, then best would be to ride in the cycle path and then yield or watch out for pedestrians/slower traffic.  If there's not a lot of traffic, then use the road.