Grump for today

Quilter wrote:

harrysp wrote:Cycling around the city where we live is hopeless. Cycling lanes, where they exist, are full of parked cars and we virtually never use of bikes now except when away in the van. Anyway, as a means of encouraging more cycling and avoiding public transport the council are going to increase cycle paths and it has been reported they will use half of the pavement where possible. Riding on these new paths when (if) they arrive and ringing my bell at those walking will not end happily I think.

Shame it had to take a pandemic to encourage local authorities to build cycle paths isn’t it ?  Round here we have some cycle paths but most simply end at a danger point and throw you straight into traffic. 

Oh for those miles of clearly marked and brightly painted Spanish cycle paths with proper lanes round roundabouts.

I don't know about those Spanish cycle paths but they sound good. Elsewhere I mentioned getting our bikes roadworthy, they have been stuck in our basement for too many years. The reason the non-use is that my wife couldn't get road confident because of the close proximity of traffic, whilst I had two very unpleasant encounters with impatient drivers in cars on successive days at road junctions. On both occasions, if I hadn't stopped very quickly I would most likely be using a different type of wheeled transport now. 

There are some joint cycle/pedestrian use pavements in our area, they are clearly marked and seem to work well. We also have marked and dedicated cycle lanes on lots of roads around us but they are used for parking by locals which means you end up on the road anyway    There are cycle paths here but we would have to drive to get to them if we want to avoid general traffic. Perhaps I won't bother fixing them up 

steamdrivenandy wrote:I'm in the process of swapping cars right now.

We use a Ferplast Atlas Maxi dog crate for our two beardies, it easily fits in the van's 'boot' and in the Yeti, though we have to swing or remove the centre rear seat and slide the other two forward one notch.

The Yeti replacement 'K' series cars don't have sliding rear seats and the boots aren't deep enough for the crate, especially as they have a sloping, rather than vertical rear hatch. So that got me casting around and I'm favouring the Skoda Scala as it has a much deeper boot than the so called crossover models. The only problem is, whilst I know the base of the crate will fit, I need to actually sit it in a Scala to check that it doesn't foul the rear hatch when it closes. Of course dealers are shut and we're on self isolation due to Mrs SDA's vulnerable person letter. What a pain.

   
!ùAndy, Citroen Berlingo! If I could fit 2 wheely bins standing upright in the rear without moving the seats then a dog crate should fit easily! And yes I am a Skoda fan! Agree with you regarding crossovers,  small boot , no off road ability , why bother? Just another marketing ploy!  

kaspian wrote:I agree about cyclists on pavements but would add those with electric mobility buggies. They seem to be getting bigger by the week. Where once they were small 3 wheelers that weighed a few lbs now some  appear the size of a small car! Twice on holiday I have had one run over my toes , no apology nothing and some appear to expect you to jump into the middle if the road so they can continue at full speed unhindered. I understand their need but a bit of understanding and respect required for other pavement users would not go amiss.

In Our local department store door way is a sign, at electric buggy eye level, asking "drivers" not speed in the store!!!
As an aside (we live in a town of aging population), I have been to many war zones in my military past, but no-where as dangerous as Lidl's car park!!!!

Quilter wrote:

harrysp wrote:Cycling around the city where we live is hopeless. Cycling lanes, where they exist, are full of parked cars and we virtually never use of bikes now except when away in the van. Anyway, as a means of encouraging more cycling and avoiding public transport the council are going to increase cycle paths and it has been reported they will use half of the pavement where possible. Riding on these new paths when (if) they arrive and ringing my bell at those walking will not end happily I think.

Shame it had to take a pandemic to encourage local authorities to build cycle paths isn’t it ?  Round here we have some cycle paths but most simply end at a danger point and throw you straight into traffic. 

Oh for those miles of clearly marked and brightly painted Spanish cycle paths with proper lanes round roundabouts.

Or the Dutch cycle paths, where miraculously the traffic stops at roundabouts so we don’t have to.

harrysp wrote:Or the Dutch cycle paths, where miraculously the traffic stops at roundabouts so we don’t have to.

Quite.  What I find irritating are, in those places where there are separate off-road cycle tracks but you still get the dropped-handlebar, lycra clad brigade cycling on the road and holding up the traffic. Sure, I can understand they don't want little old ladies like me pottering along and slowing down their Mach speeds but most of my age group keep religiously to the left ( or right) so as not to interfere with the speed merchants. Most leisure cyclist are not on the tracks at commuter time anyway so what is their hurry ?