Verging On The Odd

@chrisonabike other end. There appear to be two access points, one would involve driving up a track, the other involves turning off the main road (not in the expected diversion direction) and presumably now has a similar entry (has an older streetview image though). As an explanation I'm definitely going with "well it says there should be a road here and it looks like I can...". Or just "sod it, not driving the long way, that's ridiculous".

@chrisonabike And easily confused with the road, that path...

Streetview safari - starting from (alas - outside) Penpont and heading east. Can't see why the path is needed - clearly ideal for sharing by all modes! 😉

Yep. From the point of view of the cyclist or pedestrian about to be run over from behind, as well as that of the one about to be hit head on.

@jackcycles "So it sounds like drivers might genuinely not know where they are meant to be going and simply see the path alongside and assume that’s the diversion." Only if you are despately clutching at straws and have no idea about road markings or signage. "By the way, that photo in the article exemplifies why segregated shared use paths are an absolutely crap idea. Imagine I’m riding there, doing 20mph. Am I meant to use the path with people spewed haphazardly all over it? Or the road where drivers get upset by cyclists ignoring the expensive new infrastructure they’ve paid for? Lose lose." You exercise your judgement/rights, as you would in any other situation. " Sure it’s nice for people to have a jolly with their kids at the weekend, but let’s be honest it would make far more sense just to widen the existing road for pedestrians and cyclists as an integrated solution, and families can go to the upgraded local park with the money saved." Why do you think that this would be safer and/or cheaper (never mind pleasant)?

@mitsky because the cycle symbols and the blue cycle route signs are just too subtle...

I took the rocker plate plunge a few years ago and must confess that I'm very pleased with the lack of 'nether region fatigue'. I have Turborocks 'mini' 'cos, outrageously, I have to share the garage. My one criticism was that the unit needed a pre-cut carry handle for those of us who can't leave a turbo trainer set up all the time; feedback was duly given and lo! one's been added. A good product from a business that listens to it's customers; all in all a fabulous investment.

Looks like what was a 2 mile drive is now minimum 15 miles, around half an hour. So no doubt "frustrating" - because it *used to be* just there. OTOH cycling that trip instead is now highly competitive! Even walking is not too far behind albeit a stretch for some at over 30 mins. For neighbouring places in the countryside the usual mantra is "don't bother making active travel provision, nobody walks / cycles". But that is self-fulfilling. If there is good provision - and particularly if that is more direct than the motor route, a significant fraction of people will. (IIRC there's some data about people's acceptance of journey times - 15 minutes or less is ideal, which is the case here). Maybe it could stay that way? 😉 Given "humans" I'm going to go with at best "wilful ignorance" when people say "but the diversion isn't clear..."

I think it's important to see this from both sides. According to one local resident (per Facebook): "A real shame that there are no proper diversion signs or any advised diversion routes. The locations of warning signs and the few diversion signs are appalling and misleading." So it sounds like drivers might genuinely not know where they are meant to be going and simply see the path alongside and assume that's the diversion. By the way, that photo in the article exemplifies why segregated shared use paths are an absolutely crap idea. Imagine I'm riding there, doing 20mph. Am I meant to use the path with people spewed haphazardly all over it? Or the road where drivers get upset by cyclists ignoring the expensive new infrastructure they've paid for? Lose lose. Sure it's nice for people to have a jolly with their kids at the weekend, but let's be honest it would make far more sense just to widen the existing road for pedestrians and cyclists as an integrated solution, and families can go to the upgraded local park with the money saved.

@Rome73 "He knows not what he is saying and he is a liar." Whilst I entirely agree with your sentiment, I'm not sure that you can both not know what you're saying and lie at the same time. I'm pretty sure he knows what he's saying, which is anything that he thinks will get him votes, but he knows that it isn't true.