Your views: The Bristol to Bath cycle path
Last week The Post reported that a woman was urging cyclists to slow down on Bristol's busiest cycle path after she was hit head-on.
Kim Tanner was on her way home from work when she was hit by another cyclist on the wrong side of the track "hurtling" towards her on the Clay Bottom bend of the Bristol to Bath Cycle Path.
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Kim Tanner
The accident left the 28-year-old from Staple Hill lacerated, bruised and anxious.
She told the Post that she hopes "reckless" cyclists will stick to the rules in order to avoid potentially life-threatening collisions in the future.
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You can read the full story here - but here are some of the comments made by readers.
Snowymalone wrote: “Mrs Tanner said "Please, fellow cyclists, use some common sense and respect the cycle path etiquette to prevent a repeat of what happened to me." Quite right too. There are rather too many riders who regard cycle paths as their own private kingdom. I use a stretch of the Whitchurch Way track to commute, which at school-run time has many parents and kids walking on it, and you see luminous idiots weaving through them, ringing bells furiously and muttering, and even swearing as various six year olds wander about in their path (that's what small children DO - get over it. If they bother you that much then avoid the path at school-run time!)"
Mcupis said: “My wife and I stopped walking our dogs on the path some years ago after being threatened and sworn at by similar lycra louts. The vast majority of cyclists are decent human beings, but there is, I'm afraid a significant minority of deeply unpleasant idiots. The same as in all other walks of life I suppose.”
Redmike wrote: “I agree with the comments about the few who spoil it for others. When I go for a ride on the cycle path below the suspension bridge with my kids, it is often spoiled by the "expensive bike brigade" who have just come from Ashton Court. They shout and swear because we are holding them up. Cycle paths are not just for obsesive cyclists, they are for all, that includes small children. You do not see this type of behaviour in other parts of Europe.”
And Daytona said: “Why was the woman who caused this allowed to get away with it ?! It's unfair and unjust - one rule for some and another for everyone else.
In the absence of police action it's down to the law abiding path users to drive the anti-social cyclists out.”
Taking another view, Bathcycle wrote: "Blimey - one of the few dedicated cycle paths in the country and still the anti's moan. I use that path all the time - pedestrians and dog walkers are a nuisance. Get off our cycle track - you've got thousands of miles of paths and pavements to yourself.”
Comments
by sheppas
Thursday, October 11 2012, 4:40PM
“Simple, turn it into a superfast modern rail link serving thousand of people, provided a brand new, fast, easy route in and out of central bristol, solving the traffic problems and the issesant need to plug "The Bus" and the cyclists will have double the room on the roads.
That way cycles use road and trains use ...er railways!”
by krankenhaus
Thursday, October 11 2012, 1:16PM
“They should bloomin turn it back into a railway etc etc badly though out rant etc *shakes fist at monitor and bursts blood vessel*”
by ItIsntBristol
Thursday, October 11 2012, 12:56PM
“Anyone else getting deja vu?”
by TerenceDicker
Thursday, October 11 2012, 12:53PM
“And CurtisHewitt isn't doing that?”
by vrwrtuy
Thursday, October 11 2012, 12:24PM
“It's a great facility for cyclists and walkers. It is a shame that it is not a railway but I doubt it can be both now due to the lack of foresight of previous generations. I used it yesterday to come back from Warmley and it's nice to feel that the odds on you being killed are reduced compared to cycling on the roads where you frequently have some juggernaut revving up behind you.
Regarding bell etiquette, I have a bell but if I am approaching from behind and feel I can get past the person/dog/child without going too near them, I don't use it. If I do on those occasions, it can shock them or even scare them into moving in to your path. For those of you that play golf, do you shout 'fore if you know the ball is going to miss other players or do you shout it on those occasions at the risk they may then run into it's path.
And lay off Curtis Hewitt -he is one of the few voices of reason on this site. And no, I have no connection to him, I just respect the sense he talks on most issues.”
by Stokingharry
Thursday, October 11 2012, 11:19AM
“Unfortunately there are a minority of cyclists who seem to think that it is a cycle only path and do try and go as fast as possible when common sense dictates they should slow down. In my experience these are the guys with very expensive bikes and kit who seem to have left their brains at home.
Oh and I forgot the dog owners who allow their dogs to run in front of cyclists and cause accidents as happened a couple of Saturdays ago.”
by Stokingharry
Thursday, October 11 2012, 11:18AM
“Unfortunately there are a minority of cyclists who seem to think that it is a cycle only path and do try and go as fast as possible when common sense dictates they should slow down. In my experience these are the guys with very expensive bikes and kit who seem to have left their brains at home.”
by ANDYJRM
Thursday, October 11 2012, 10:46AM
“New depths now reached........
"BEP in re-reporting non-news story shocker"
Can't help this is just yet another example of the Post's standard anti-cyclist tone being used to provoke debate and repsonse, and in turn page impression increase in a bid to try and boost ad revenues for their failing "not really news" paper.”
by gentlegreen
Thursday, October 11 2012, 10:29AM
“Talk about milking a story.
As others will doubtless agree, if it wasn't such a brilliant facility it wouldn't be so heavily used at times. I'm not aware of any major incident caused by an actual path user over the 25 years I've been daily using it.
The thought of cycling along the Fishponds road / Royate Hill instead gives me the shivers. It was bad enough last night on the stretch I have to use - cars ignoring the red lights on the crossing at Straits Parade as I was using it (wheeling my bike)- along with someone pushing a buggy, cars illegally parked in the bus lane and others pulling out of Beechwood road and blocking it.
My biggest problem with other path users this time of year is pedestrians and cyclists in dark clothing and no lights and others with insanely bright lights that kill my night vision.
One rather worrying thing ... I was doing an extra 15 miles for exercise yesterday evening and near Oldland common at around 6.30 as I sprinted back to Bristol, there was a band of teenage lads deliberately placing tree branches on the path and further along seemingly deliberately getting in my way.
I hope those with no lights and those with maladjusted / strobing ones or none at all didn't come a cropper.”
by snowymalone
Wednesday, October 10 2012, 4:14PM
“@ CurtisHewitt
"So now you want people to comment on their previous comments?"
Well, I for one agree with Snowymalone. And my wife thinks so as well.”