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news
Green End Road cycle lane (via StreetView)Resident claims "at least 100 cars" have blown their tyres on kerb separating cycle lane from road
A Cambridge resident has complained that a kerb built to separate a cycle lane from motor traffic is "an accident waiting to happen". The anonymous complainant claims that “at least 100 cars” have blown their tyres on it in just over three weeks.
Cambridge News reports that the cycle lane in question runs along Green End Road, but it is the kerb on the roundabout that connects Nuffield Road that is said to be causing problems.
The resident said the kerb was difficult for drivers to see, especially in the dark.
"In the past three and a half weeks at least 100 cars have blown their tyres on the kerb,” he said.
"The other day I saw an Audi hit the kerb and spin into oncoming traffic. That road is less than 100 feet from a school. It's an accident waiting to happen. It's crazy.
"The actual kerb has been broken because it's been hit so many times. Drivers are only hitting it at 20 or 30 mph.
"In the dark it's completely camouflaged. It's a black kerb on black tarmac. That's why drivers keep hitting it.
"There aren't any bollards or signs to say it's there so drivers don't see it."
A spokesman from the Greater Cambridge Project said: "We are delivering five Cross City Cycling schemes to make it easier and safer for people to cycle around Cambridge, helping to reduce congestion and improve air quality.
“We are awaiting the findings of a post-construction safety audit of the Green End Road scheme and will carry out any necessary work.”
Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.
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43 comments
It actually doesn't take much - maybe it won't "spin" but the steering will get one hell of a jerk and most drivers won't have the slightest clue of how to react, in the confusion they can often slam on the brake or gas and cause even more problems.
This is in three weeks so 21 days and "at least 100 cars" which means that's "at least" 4 cars a day which presumably means there'll be a tow-truck there almost constantly to recover these vehicles? I mean it takes, what, an hour to get a tow-truck out there, prep the car and load it up and drive off? The residents around there must have seen that sort of thing, the drivers and cyclists going through that junction must have experienced terrible congestion from it all?
Or he could be talking total shit.
Yeah, I'm going with option 2. The complainant has damaged his wheel and is trying to sue the council because it can't possibly be his fault. He will of course be a perfect driver.
You seem worryingly unaware of how much momentum a car has at that speed. Spinning or even turning right over is quite possible.
If 100 cars have really blown their tyres and that's not exaggeration, then it suggests the kerb has been placed on the desire line, which (a) in turn suggests that if it were not there, drivers would be drifting into the cycle lane but (b) does make you wonder if the design needs reworking. No, it shouldn't be hard to avoid a kerb, but poor design may be a factor. Compare e.g. tram lines in Edinburgh - people know they are there, but they still found them difficult to navigate.
Going by the anonomous complainer numbers he uses equates to 4 idiots not just driving over the kerb but doing so in such a way that they blow their tyres, how awful are Cambridge's motorists?
Not too bad actually, same as anywhere else, there are always few bad eggs!
Bus and taxi drivers are the worst in Cambridge!
"In the dark it's completely camouflaged. It's a black kerb on black tarmac. That's why drivers keep hitting it."
Well the one in the pictures has white/light grey curbs with white delineators painted on the road leading up to it. If that's the one then the problem is motorists are ignoring the road markings. They could put a bollard on it but it probably wouldn't last long with the apparent standard of driving.
Of course it could be another curb the hyperbolic mystery complainant is referring to that is indeed so black the photographer couldn't even see it in broad daylight.
In the article the complainant who is - of course! - A. Nonymous says that
I wasn't aware that there was a plague of car collisions all across the Western world... Did something change of which I'm unaware?
Most drivers seem to manage to not run up against kerbs just fine (except when they are intending to drive up a kerb, of course).
Leaving aside the inability of drivers to be aware of the road layout, why is it apparently beyond the wit of the road designer to include a few lightweight reflective markers?
images.jpeg.jpg
Never mind lightweight bollards. I'd still some great big heavy concrete & steel bollards that would not come second best in car v bollard. Drivers would miraculously then see them.
"a black kerb on black tarmac"
WTAF?
If they're that concerned then a pot of reflective paint from the local B&Q ought to fix it.
Why do drivers feel they need to drive over a kerb that is meant to be seperating vulnerable cyclists from motor traffic? From the pictures in CambridgeLive, the kerb is light grey concrete, surrounded by black tarmak, with a red cycle route, and painted white lines leading up to the kerb. Perhaps the safety of the cyclists could be improved by a massive steel post, covered in Hi Viz, but of course we know that that might not always help.
As above, perhaps the drivers should try and stick to the roads.
Poor bollards.
Those fluorescent yellow illuminated retroreflective bollard should have made themselves more visible.
https://waronthemotorist.wordpress.com/2017/10/28/new-road-safety-campai...
Drivers see a cycle lane and assume that they should be driving in it, perhaps driving on the road would be a good idea.
On the one hand he's complaining the drivers _can't_ see the lane. On the other hand, I'm fairly sure he's talking out of his arse. (I work not very far from that roundabout.)
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