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news
Cycling in Shetland (Credit: Simon Parker)Cyclists call for clampdown on “intolerant”, speeding, close passing drivers – weeks after MSP claimed tourists on e-bikes were “more focused on the scenery than the road” and holding up motorists
Two of Shetland’s most renowned and successful cyclists have claimed that there is “definitely less tolerance” shown by drivers towards cyclists on the Scottish archipelago in recent years, putting people on bikes in increasing danger, just weeks after an MSP raised “concerns” in the Scottish Parliament over e-bike tours in the Northern Isles, arguing that cyclists are “more focused on the scenery than the road and other traffic”.
Christine McLean and Carlos Riise, both three-time medallists in cycling at the Island Games, where Riise (a fifth-place finisher at the 2001 British time trial championships and multiple Scottish 100-mile champion) acted as Shetland’s flagbearer last year, have called on Shetland Islands Council (SIC) and the local police to start an awareness campaign encouraging motorists to slow down and give cyclists more space when overtaking.
McLean, a double British 12-hour champion in 2009 and 2010 former Scottish 100-mile record holder, who was injured after being run off the road by a lorry driver in 2009, told the Shetland Times that motorists on the islands have started showing “definitely less tolerance” towards cyclists in recent years.
She also said she experiences instances of drivers overtaking her too closely and at high speed almost every day while training.
The duo’s call for a close pass campaign in Shetland has been echoed by local residents and visitors, who told the Shetland Times that the “aggressive driving” witnessed by McLean and Riise extends beyond motorists close passing cyclists.
“It’s as though you shouldn’t be there. They aggressively bully their way past,” said David Smith.
“On the occasions I’ve visited Shetland I’ve been quite shocked at the speed of vehicles and the arrogant lack of tolerance for those drivers who are more considerate,” added Helen Maurice-Jones.
“I am not at all surprised that cyclists in particular and potentially other road users are being put at risk and believe it’s imperative that the SIC lead a safety campaign to highlight the issues and concerns.”
“Shetland roads have not ‘become’ unsafe for cyclists. Shetland roads were ALWAYS unsafe for cyclists,” noted Christine Carter.
However, this seemingly popular call for a clampdown on dangerous driving in Shetland, the northernmost point of the UK, lying over 100 miles north of mainland Scotland, comes just weeks after other locals were up in arms over “long lines” of cyclists arriving on cruise ships, allegedly causing havoc and frustration on the archipelago’s roads.
In April, as passengers on the AIDAdiva cruise ship which docked in Lerwick chose to explore Shetland by bike, on the Shetland Road Conditions Facebook group locals complained that the subsequent “long lines” of cyclists were making it difficult for motorists to overtake safely, with some also raising concerns about the safety of oncoming drivers.
One member of the group claimed that one group of cyclists they encountered on the roads contained around 50 of the cruise ship passengers.
Shetland Islands Council’s environment and transport committee chair Moraig Lyall responded to the complaints by arguing that it was positive that more passengers were pursuing active travel options and getting around by bike – “but ensuring that this doesn’t unacceptably impact on other road users is important”.
“I would encourage the LPA [Lerwick Port Authority] to ensure that cruise passengers are well briefed about cycling in Shetland, potentially encouraged to try different routes and the size of groups managed,” Lyall said.
“But equally drivers have to show courtesy and care when encountering these groups. They are only expected on around a dozen or so days this year as not all cruise ships carry cycles.”
And last month, Jamie Halcro Johnston, an MSP for the Highlands and Islands, also raised “concerns” in the Scottish Parliament over e-bike tours in the Northern Isles, arguing that cyclo-tourists are “more focused on the scenery than the road and other traffic”.
Reflecting on the increasing number of cruise ship visitors touring Orkney and Shetland by e-bike, the Conservative MSP said: “Many won’t have ridden one before, and they’re using roads simply not suitable for large – slow moving – groups of cyclists who can be more focused on the scenery than the road and other traffic. Something I’ve seen for myself.”
Asking Scotland’s transport secretary Fiona Hyslop what plans the Scottish government had to address the potential risks seemingly posed by tourists cycling on the islands, Halcro Johnston continued: “Tourism is a vital sector for Orkney and Shetland, and those who choose to visit our islands are always very welcome.
“As I have experienced myself, I’m sure many local residents will have found themselves stuck behind large groups of e-bikes and simply unable to pass safely. As well as extremely frustrating, potentially doubling journey times, I cannot believe this is safe.
“I know that the Police and Orkney Island Council have acted to reduce the size of groups and provide more advice to users, and I understand similar calls have been made in Shetland as well.
“But I am disappointed that the Cabinet Secretary was not able to lay out in more detail how SNP ministers in Edinburgh are supporting local initiatives to address what is a growing problem.”
As alluded to by the Conservative MSP, Orkney Islands Council worked with Police Scotland this year to produce guidance and information packs, which are now being issued to cruise liners planning to carry out cycle tours on the islands this year.
The “helpful and easy to understand” guidance, allegedly aimed at promoting safer cycling, advises cyclists to “select appropriate routes”, travel in groups no larger than six (plus a qualified guide), and to cycle two abreast where possible.
The packs also advise cyclists to “pay heed to the Highway Code with consideration to other road users”, including pulling in and allowing traffic to pass when it is possible and safe to do so, and to wear hi-vis clothing.
“Cruise companies are increasingly looking to offer sustainable and green travel opportunities for their passengers to explore their cruise destinations, but we are mindful of the issues and concerns which have been raised locally around large cycling groups on Orkney’s roads when cruise liners are in – and the frustration that this can cause,” an Orkney Islands Council spokesperson said.
After obtaining a PhD, lecturing, and hosting a history podcast at Queen’s University Belfast, Ryan joined road.cc in December 2021 and since then has kept the site’s readers and listeners informed and enthralled (well at least occasionally) on news, the live blog, and the road.cc Podcast. After boarding a wrong bus at the world championships and ruining a good pair of jeans at the cyclocross, he now serves as road.cc’s senior news writer. Before his foray into cycling journalism, he wallowed in the equally pitiless world of academia, where he wrote a book about Victorian politics and droned on about cycling and bikes to classes of bored students (while taking every chance he could get to talk about cycling in print or on the radio). He can be found riding his bike very slowly around the narrow, scenic country lanes of Co. Down.
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As background, the Shetland Times story was a follow up after sentancing of the driver who caused Christine McLean's latest serious injury. https://www.shetnews.co.uk/2024/06/05/ban-unpaid-work-driver-caused/
If I am remembering correctly that makes 5 serious injury collisions in the past 7 years here. Including a further one that happened as the story went to press. Against a rolling average of 4.5 road KSIs for all causes that puts Shetland cyclist KSIs at about 16% of the total, a probably sadly average UK kind of figure, although cycling numbers are likely lower here.
While there are tourist issues and old single track road issues, all 5 of those serious injuries were on modern 2 lane A road standard roads, with good visibility, single or pairs of experienced local sports cyclists, helmets, lights, bright clothes and all the rest.
TLDR - the usual UK "Looked but did not see" or "misjudged" A road problems.
From the article
But still only careleless driving and only a 1yr ban.
What technology was this 76-year-old distracted by?
More to the point: who is bamboozling our 76-year-olds with technology added to a sufficiently clear, well-established control interface like that of a car? And could they be motivated by profit, perchance?
Who is happily going along with a system (of mass motoring) which is happy to give the nod to the old and more easily confused and the young and more prone to show off / take risks? Who is not bothered that we don't to effectively disincentivise those who have shown they shouldn't be driving - or have never even bothered to take the (once in a lifetime) entry test?
(I apologise for my small role in the last couple...)
On hearsay he was trying to disengage the lane following tech.
I'd agree it looks solidly bang in the middle of "causing serious injury by careless driving" from the sentencing guidelines, but I don't know what lead to that not being the charge.
Do we think it would work if we left the decision to the Islanders?
It wouldn't be difficult for the Council to say that *unless the standard of driving on the Islands improve, we will have to impose speed limit restrictions of 30mph where there's a white line down the middle of the road and 20mph where ther isn't. Also you must completely cross a white line to overtake someone riding a cycle.
Islanders, you have 6 months...."
In effect, no overtaking a cycle in a 20mph zone
Same applies in most Cities in the UK too!
There is a group of drivers in Society whose intelligence does come into question. They seem to be ok overtaking a council grass cutting machine travelling at 10 mph, which takes up as much room as four cyclists riding two abreast, but throw their toys out of the pram when they approach the cyclists, what is that all about? Drivers seem to be ok with sitting at temporary lights for two mins, but when they have to wait 20 seconds to safely overtake a cyclist the toys come out of the pram again. Could some of these babies start coming onto social media and explain where these childish outbursts come from, you can get help with it these days.
The idea response would be to create adequate segregated cycle routes that allow cyclists to safetly get around without bothering, or being bothered by, faster moving motorised vehicles. That would be good for tourists and local cyclists alike, and please those who are convinced the economy will grind to a halt should delivery drivers be held up for a couple of minutes.
But even if that were to go ahead it would be slow, so I think a good interim measure would be to ensure there are adequte and well signposted and sited stopping and passing places for cyclists. Somewhere the whole group of tourists can pull over and enjoy the view while they let these queues pass, without it being too disruptive for the cyclists. In other words - not at the bottom of a hill. And designed so it remains easily accessible by the cyclists and isn't blocked by cars.
It might be that some carefully added short-ish sections of segregated cycle paths could be added in areas where bottle-necks are most likely to occur.
Though a bit of education on safe passing and a culture of sharing would go a long way too.
Another idea might be for the local police to - you know - enforce the laws around 'close passing' and careless/dangerous driving…
That would be a novelty, but Police Scotland have no interest in having any kind of portal to report dangerous driving even when video evidence exists, so that is a problem that extends beyond the islands.
But even where enforcement exists, it's not perfect and better infrastructure to allow different types of road user to safely co-exist, or at least reduce the conflicts between types of road users is required.
hahahahahahahaha, good one. oh my sides.
What a wonderful place:
"more focused on the scenery than the road and other traffic"
The possibility that motoring should come second after the environment.
How about changing the roads to single-track, with passing places, and use the freed-up space for dedicated cycle lanes for the money-bringing cruise tourists?
Just back from Skye and the standard of driving beggars belief.
To hell, with those behind us, lets suddenly stop and take photos, get out and block single track roads, drive very slowly and view the scenery.
As a farmer in west Cornwall I will second this comment
I'm a farmer from the mountainous areas south of Canberra Australia. I hated the tourist bikes travelling on small the roads near our farm. I've changed after 8 weeks cycling around France, Germany and England. Just love cycling now. I can see both arguments. France was so easy due the separate cycling tracks. England was the most dangerous. Everyone in France utilises the cycling tracks, they're just so good. There are bad car drivers everywhere and you have to drive expecting their poor attitude. There are bad cyclist who drive too fast or just don't consider anyone except themselves. If cycling on a road you have to be visible and many cyclist wear dark clothing and no lights. I agree with comment, just start by constructing bicycle ways in the most risky sections. Just start.
I live in Shetland. Outside the main roads on mainland everything else is single track roads with passing places and most are really not fit for purpose nowadays. The local council is really just looking out for the main town of Lerwick and starving the outer lying areas, especially the other islands. It's common to see trucks with their trailer wheels over both edges of the road because some of the roads are so narrow, and it's not just a comfy hedge on the other side, it's a steep park followed by the sea if you come off.
Shetland would be a great place for a cycle network built seperate to the failing road network. Lovely scenery and can avoid a lot of the very steep roads that people struggle to cycle on.
Thanks for the local knowledge!
Indeed. Just noting the usual "progress" e.g. "these fantastic metalled roads (with drainage even!) are getting narrower every year"...
And of course - if "fit for purpose" roads are built at least a few may stimulate the building of new things which generate more traffic, more / bigger vehicles will be driven (and parked) on them etc. (Of course - all that is properly the decision of the local folks - I live in a different country to the south - Scotland!)
I think the likelihood of seeing much in the way of segregated cycling facilities on Shetland are pretty slim.
I agree it's slim, certainly for most roads. However, if people are going to complain about too many bikes on the road it seems like an opportunity to point out that most cyclists would prefer their own space.
I do have sympathy for some drivers. I'm recently back from the Highlands and stopped at one viewing/picnic spot we saw a very large cycling group (seemed like touring cyclists with a support van) that was holding very long lines of traffic. There was literally no-where to overtake as there are few bits of road straight enough for long enough to be sure nothing is coming the other way. That particular large group was in several fairly large groups, with at least one group of 20m and another around 50m in length. One of the groups did stop off at the viewing/picnic spot, but it was on the wrong side of the road to be easy for them to use (being on the right hand side for the traffic that had just come most of the way up a big hill).
I didn't see any dodgy overtakes, but I did wonder if in the absence of good overtaking locations if anyone would try at some less ideal locations over the next few miles. We weren't that close to a ferry port, but we were on the main road towards a ferry, and you can be sure that at least some of the traffic would have been going there.
None of that excuses bad overtaking, but in the real world at least some people who are stuck behind long groups of cyclists for miles on end will eventually attempt a risky overtake. We see similar issues with heavy, slow moving lorries on single-carriageways. Until such time as the A9 is fully duelled cars generally need to wait patiently until they reach one of the sections that is dualled. There are signs to alert impatient drivers that a section of dual carriageway is coming up (so please don't try anything silly). In the inevitably absence of full segregated cycling infrastructure, investment in sections of segregated paths to allow safe overtaking might be a more realistic request.