Did anyone go to the grand opening?
Oh my goodness me but what a bad day that was.
Since the Cycle Group is supposed to be supporting the council I thought I'd go to the Grand Opening on the Windcheetah as it's a fun bike and always gets good reaction from passers by. I haven't ridden it since Christmas, in fact I've hardly ridden at all in the last couple of months. I had forgotten what fun it is, and just how fast it is straight down the A13 when there's little traffic.
I ended up down at Royal Artillery way where I admired the new cycle path that has now been upgraded from 2m wide to at least 3m wide, with good flush run off either side onto the grass verges. I also said hello to Poppy, a young Staffs Terrier who wanted to play and give me lots of snogs, and had a pleasant chat with the owner.
Then it was down Maplin Way to the old Cycle Path. Accessing this was fine as there is a dropped kerb with give way markings at all side roads on the original path. I turned right and blasted west.
The Windcheetah is no wider than a normal bicycle, but looks as though it is thanks to the two front wheels. The recumbent riding position also accentuates the size of the bike. Oncoming cyclists though had a worried look on their faces as they tried to negotiate the half of the lane they needed to use between myself and the kerb.
I stopped at the end of the path, opposite Esplanade House, for some minor fettling. No blood was shed.
It was now around 10:30 so I continued west, in the road, and joined the new Western Esplanade path at its start by the Three Shells. I had to slow past the parked cars as pedestrians got out of them and crossed the path to the pavement ahead of me.
Oncoming cyclists also had a look of fear and were riding so close to the kerb in order to pass me that they risked falling into the road. Since they were riding on the kerb this meant that their left side was overhanging the road and at risk of being hit by oncoming traffic.
I did consider whether the windcheetah was a suitable bike for riding on this new cycle path, but then remembered that LTN2/08 states that the path should be 3m wide as a minimum and that if it's not some riders might struggle to use it. I also remembered that I've seen an increase in parents with trailers taking their children to school. I'm no wider than those trailers.
Then I got to Crowstone Avenue, where the Council had closed the Esplanade
As I went past the gazeebo and organisers I heard my name called and it was one of the Council staff I've got on well with in the past. I pulled a U-turn to go and chat to her. She was standing talking to Anna Waite.
"Morning xxxx" I said, "what's going on here? Why have you closed the seafront?"
"We're holding the kid's bikeathon so have closed the road for safety"
"But you've got this lovely new cycle path that you're assuring us is safe. Why aren't you using that?"
At this point Anna Waite's face froze into an expressionless look at me, before she turned her back and walked away.
After a lengthy conversation I rode east along the cycle path. At one point an oncoming cyclist glanced down at his front hub, and in a moment of lack of concentration meandered into the centre of the cycle path. I braked hard and put my left wheel on the kerb (any further and I'd have been in the road, I was already straddling that white line). He was still on a collision course with my right hand wheel. I yelled "OI", he looked up, swore, apologised and jinked hard left to avoid me.
That is exactly the kind of potential for collision which we all pointed out at the Cycle Group meeting when these wonder plans were revealed to us.
I also noted that had I entered the seafront via Shorefield Road, or any other side turning, there is no dropped kerb to allow me to get onto the cycle path
(See above comment re Maplin Way).
I noted that many of the cyclists I saw on the path I saw several times. It looked as though people were just cycling back and forth along the seafront.
My final observation was relating to those stupid zebra crossing poles they have put in the cycle path. I saw how difficult it was to pass cyclists at these points.
Then it was time for the official opening. The mayor arrived in a car, got out, spoke to the Council Staff, cut the ribbon and got back in the car with Anna Waite and left. I watched from a distance. It looks from the photograph as though they managed to find a small child with bicycle while I was cycling around the block so there is at least a single bike present at the "Grand Opening".
<sigh>
That might be the last time I cycle the seafront. It was not pleasant. There was too great a risk of collision. I've not cycled since Sunday and the Windcheetah might hit the For Sale section soon.