discovery Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 Must be a legal cycleway if they have to apply to close it PROMENADE CYCLEWAY (DOUGLAS) (TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF CYCLEWAY) (NO 5) ORDER 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cret Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 it sounds like all three had bad potty training as children. Ace - that made me chuckle. Lived in Tokyo and the narrow footpaths there were shared amicably between pedestrians and cyclists plus shopkeepers. I get the impression the Japanese are generally a very well mannered and polite people though, or would you say they're no different to anywhere else in that respect? Given the description of it being Sunday evening (seeing as it was a nice day) in the vicinity of the war memorial I suspect it was more likely something like a couple of stripey topped chavs that are drinking on the prom over the road from Jaks (perhaps kicking a footie around) and get upset by 'gobby' gramps riding through and interupting their drunken frolics. It's dismal anyway having to pick on a pensioner and push him off his bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manshimajin Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 I get the impression the Japanese are generally a very well mannered and polite people though, or would you say they're no different to anywhere else in that respect? Generally that's right but in the rush hour on the trains it can get brutal. May be in a city of 13 million it pays to respect the space of others. Reading this thread I couldn't help getting a picture in my mind of three stubborn wallies. The idea of grown men fighting on the Prom because one would not ride round the others, and the others were the sort that take offence at a bell ringing is just too stupid for words. Are we sure they're not making another Norman Wisdom movie???? I would suggest that rather than wasting police or council time they should call in the psychologists... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 I think half the problem is that the cycleway is alongside the sea wall, which when out for a stroll is where a lot of pedestrians also want to walk and look out to sea/at the beach and so on. I feel it might be better if the cycleway was on the inside of the walkway... Absolutely correct Tearz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DjDan Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 Wherever it is, people still have to cross it.. it simply makes no difference. In my opinion, they should just take it away. Any cyclists will be able to cycle still... but without any 'right of way' for them. It will force them to have to 'watch out' for pedestrians, and cycle slowly enough. It will mean that they will have to cycle around people... (preferably not at them!) and that way, there won't be this competition of 'who's right is it?' At the moment... the cyclists kind of overdo their right to cycle and do so at the risk of injuring pedestrians. I know this is the other way around... but it stems from the same problem. 'Pedestrian vs Cyclist' on who should move off the cycle track! In this case it is the pedestrians being absolute tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manshimajin Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 In my opinion, they should just take it away. Any cyclists will be able to cycle still... but without any 'right of way' for them. It will force them to have to 'watch out' for pedestrians, and cycle slowly enough. It will mean that they will have to cycle around people... (preferably not at them!) and that way, there won't be this competition of 'who's right is it?' An excellent solution - peaceful (and slower) co-existence - nobody is right and nobody is wrong. Very mature way of sorting things out. Doubt politicians would buy it - much better to have rules and fines than mature self-management (maybe I'm being too cynical). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyconcrete Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 In my opinion, they should just take it away. I was down there on Sunday and thought exactly the same. The problem is, those lovely painted white lines won't come up easy without leaving a mess ... Seriously though - why was it felt to make and paint it as an official cycle lane? People were riding their bikes along the prom for years without any obvious problems. I'm guessing it's so it could be referred to in tourism material and a 'Cycle Map' of Douglas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gladys Posted April 28, 2008 Share Posted April 28, 2008 Can the biking fraternity tell me which is the most popular biking on the island - mountain biking-type, or racing biking? If it is the former then go mountain biking in our beautiful countryside and leave the prom to the pedestrians. With my limited knowledge of anything sporty, even I would question the value of mountain biking along the prom. If it is the latter then the prom is not the best place for that either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ans Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 I've no idea which is more popular overall, but I'd guess that on the prom, it's the racing cyclist who outnumbers the mountain biker by a large factor. There aren't many places on the Island where you can get a two mile straight with no cars so I guess they train a bit there. I find myself agreeing with DjDan that a much better all round solution would be to remove it entirely and abolish all "rights of way" and each set of people have to respect each other. The last sentence has made me feel a little light headed and I need a lie down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
integer Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 I don't see what the problem is - its a cycle path. Its well marked out and quite obvious. When I walk on the prom I stay off it. When I cycle on it I stay on it. How hard is that? If everyone did the same there would be no problems. Unfortunately, as in every walk of life, there are a few idiots who spoil it for everyone else - you get idiot pedestrians who wander blindly along the cycle path, and idiot cyclists who either go tear-arsing along or cycle outside the designated path. If you were cycling along the cycle path but had to deviate away from it to avoid a pedestrian, then collided with another pedestrian outside the path, where do you stand legally? Could you be liable? Disclaimer: I do not wear lycra. I only cycle on the prom when I'm going for a leisurely ride, towing the kids in a trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTF Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 In my opinion, they should just take it away. Any cyclists will be able to cycle still... but without any 'right of way' for them. It will force them to have to 'watch out' for pedestrians, and cycle slowly enough. It will mean that they will have to cycle around people... (preferably not at them!) and that way, there won't be this competition of 'who's right is it?' An excellent solution - peaceful (and slower) co-existence - nobody is right and nobody is wrong. Very mature way of sorting things out. Doubt politicians would buy it - much better to have rules and fines than mature self-management (maybe I'm being too cynical). that's how it was in the first place with the cyclists perhaps not sposed to be there at all ( pavement and all that ), and that obviously didn't work or there wouldn't be a cycle way!! perhaps? the pedestrians were voicing their 'you shouldn't be on here' blurb with vigor so it was decided to make it legal for the bikes to be there with their own lane? ( better than having one keping pace with a horse tram on the road so you can't get passed ). cycle way or not you don't tend to get dickheads blocking the way of cars on the road or even on the prom when the parking is allowed at christmas, so why do they think they can block the cycleway now?? perhaps a 15mph speed limit on the cycleway would sort out some of the problems?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 I think getting rid of the cycle path is a bad idea, and would cause a lot more problems and only increase the probability of a cycle/pedestrian collision. Wouldn't it be simpler for the council to set a speed limit on it via a byelaw, and to paint speed limit signs i.e. 7mph along the cycle track? While 7mph might not be easily policed those racing along at 15-30mph would obviously stand out. The compromise could be that they occasionally tape off and close the walkway for major cycle sprints/events, that would probably get a few spectators and get a few more into the 'sport' (no big deal around every high tide on the odd Summer evening, when few would be using the beach plus 'marshalls' could let people across when it is safe). Primary and secondary schools could also enter to encourage a bit of competition and fitness, plus learn how to ride safely at the same time (get their bikes scruiteneered and ensure kids have the right headgear etc.). Life doesn't always have to be a war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonan3 Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 If the trams were removed - or reduced to a single track - there would be plenty of room for a cycle path on the other side of the Promenade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Take Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony side by side on my piano keyboard. Oh lord, why can't we? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 If the trams were removed - or reduced to a single track - there would be plenty of room for a cycle path on the other side of the Promenade. B*llocks to that. That would remove around >1500 potential new car park spaces, IMO, if the prom was laid out properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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