Underfloor heated cycle roads

[JamieLei]

Another innovative project from the Dutchlands!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20942340

Oh how I'd love the cycling culture of the Netherlands, Denmark and Japan (and Berlin too I believe!) to be part of the culture in Britain, where cycling is for everybody - not just for fitness fanatics. Sometimes I feel that I'm the only cyclist on the road in Birmingham.

[Hyronymus]

Another innovative project from the Dutchlands!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20942340

Oh how I'd love the cycling culture of the Netherlands, Denmark and Japan (and Berlin too I believe!) to be part of the culture in Britain, where cycling is for everybody - not just for fitness fanatics. Sometimes I feel that I'm the only cyclist on the road in Birmingham.

In fact you should add Iceland to your list too. Under the main roads of Reykjavik in Iceland are hot water pipes which do the same as the Dutch are doing now.

[SquireJames]

A lot cheaper in Iceland than Holland I assume (due to the fact all you need do in Iceland is just pump cold water underground and tada, hot water)

I do not own a car, not because I am some fitness nut or a green freak but down to the fact I am poor as a church mouse The main reason I do not cycle everywhere is not so much the icy conditions, I've managed those, it's more worrying about motorists not coping with the icy conditions and ploughing into me. (or at the very least covering me in mud because they drive through the gutter and get some twisted pleasure out of soaking people). That said, I could see the utility of heated paths, but mainly for older folk like my neighbour so she doesn't slip and break something. A fall for you or me might bruise flesh (or just ego) but a fall for someone in their 80s can kill them.

[Chris]

The main reason I do not cycle everywhere is not so much the icy conditions, I've managed those, it's more worrying about motorists not coping with the icy conditions and ploughing into me. (or at the very least covering me in mud because they drive through the gutter and get some twisted pleasure out of soaking people).

It isn't that icy that much of the year in Britain, and if you're on any kind of main road it would be gritted. I fail to see how you can get soaked by splash from cars if you're cycling... If you're walking on the pavement then yes, but cycling on the road? Only if you went through the puddle itself.

[doktorhonig]

A lot cheaper in Iceland than Holland I assume (due to the fact all you need do in Iceland is just pump cold water underground and tada, hot water)

And it also mostly works in maritime countries. I've just checked climate diagrams, and we seem to have 5°C less during Winter nights. If you have around 0° and you keep the road two or three degrees warmer, this is probably affordable. If you have -10°, it's burning money, unless you can do it with excess heat from long-distance heating.

[SquireJames]

Well Class 165 I was referring to cycling when icy It isn't the ice that puts me off.

During summer the main bummer is that of course I can't squish myself, my wife and two children onto a bicycle. A tandem with some of those dummy bike things behind would work, but tandems cost as much as cheap cars anyway, and with my wife and I being very different heights (5 foot nothing, and I am 6 foot 2) I doubt a tandem suitable for both of us could be built.

[doktorhonig]

When the kids get older, they'll love to cycle on their own anyway.
What's wrong with two bikes and each of you takes one kid on a baby seat?

Or maybe your lady takes both kids, so you can ride like a sir.

[teccuk]

These are genius.

I like that the heated path expert is called Gerhard Winters.

[audigex]

Our roads aren't wide enough for cyclists - even if I drive slow enough to be able to stop within the distance I can see (my #1 rule for driving) I've been caught out once or twice by a cyclist being "masked" by the car, van, bus etc in front until we're both right on top of the cyclist. The vehicle in front knows the cyclist is there and has timed a safe overtake, but by the time I can see the cyclist, the overtaking vehicle is already a) next to the bike, and b) blocking my view up the road... leaving no option but to overtake as well, hoping there's nothing coming the other way, slam on the brakes or try to squeeze past a bike going the same way and a car coming the other.

It wasn't that I was driving too fast, simply that the narrow, twisty nature of the roads meant that the bike was very well hidden until I was a couple of seconds behind it. I've always managed to stop in time, but only because I leave more of a gap than the average driver.

If the roads were a couple of feet wider, we could have cycle paths everywhere - or would just have the ability to easily manoeuvre around cyclists anyway.

[XeryusTC]

The difference is that in The Netherlands everyone and their mother (literally) cycles and thus we can afford building dedicated bike lanes. When I cycle to uni all the major roads have a bike lane that is two bikes wide on either side. And usually there is some kind of barrier in between too, most of the time this is just a shrubbery. If you were to build just ordinary roads you could usually fit in at least an extra lane, maybe even two at some parts of the road. Almost all of the major asphalt roads in the city are like this because there are probably more cyclists than there are cars, especially on the roads leading to the different university campuses.

I'd be glad if they were to include something like this technology in the bike roads, it is quite a bit of drama when we get snow like last week. Fortunately the roads are swept soon enough but still, it would be nice if they stay clear of snow even if it is snowing, and also over their entire width for a change so you can use all the space

[JamieLei]

shrubbery

Second best word in the English language! (The first of course is 'moist').

But yes, I wish they could do it in Cambridge too. The council have been very good, considering that the streets are so narrow in this city. Hills Road for example has been reduced to one lane in each direction so a bike lane could be fit in. But when they require bus lanes too, it gets a bit difficult.

[Chris]

But when they require bus lanes too, it gets a bit difficult.

Shove the buses and cyclists into the same lane, that's what we have on many roads in Leeds. To be fair it is quite good; there's a lot less traffic in bus lanes and should buses need to overtake they can use the normal lane.

[JamieLei]

But when they require bus lanes too, it gets a bit difficult.

Shove the buses and cyclists into the same lane, that's what we have on many roads in Leeds. To be fair it is quite good; there's a lot less traffic in bus lanes and should buses need to overtake they can use the normal lane.

If you've been to Cambridge, you'd understand! We have many more cyclists than buses - and the whole point of bus lanes is that they can use them to bypass congestion in the outer lanes, which is something they can't do when they have granny in front doing 8mph up Hills Road.

In some places such as the Newmarket Road we have both cycle AND bus lane, but it's rather rare.

[FLHerne]

Worst thing about that bit on Hills Road is where the bus and cycle lanes stop a few dozen yards short of the OLEM junction. Horrible, and twiddling around via the sideroads is a pain too .

Also, idiotic lights at the top of Clarendon St...

[JamieLei]

Worst thing about that bit on Hills Road is where the bus and cycle lanes stop a few dozen yards short of the OLEM junction. Horrible, and twiddling around via the sideroads is a pain too .

Also, idiotic lights at the top of Clarendon St...

I'm hearing you about those. The council are well aware about the problems of at the Catholic Church junction.

I've actually sent a letter to the council complaining about the ones outside John Lewis. Too many times I've tried to turn INTO Downing Street, and almost hit pedestrians who believe that they can cross. One even shouted at me "IT'S RED FOR YOU.". Well if I'd stood still on my green light, I would have been run over by the Citi1.

[SquireJames]

Too many times I've tried to turn INTO Downing Street, and almost hit pedestrians who believe that they can cross.

Did you call them plebs though?

Cambridge is arguably worse for a pedestrian. I was there oo, 11 years ago? and the place was swarming with bicycles that would just wizz by you, missing you by mere inches. There was also a stretch of the old city wall that had a sign that said "Do not lean your bicycle against this wall". You can imagine what was leant against the entire wall, double layered in fact...

One of the reasons I didn't go to University there. The other one being that on said trip 11 years back I was there for a tour around Cambridge for potential students. I was in the top set of science so they took us top set year 11s along with the 6 form people. Well, it was made quite clear to us our social status when they showed us all around the posh, renaissance colleges (Queens I think, forgive me I am no expert on Cambridge University) that looked like someone crossed Hogwarts with Pride & Prejudice then showed us to this 1960s built utter drecht of a building, all panelled in cheesy fake wood looking like something from a 70s habitat catalog. It was point out strongly that "this is where YOU people will be dormed"

Yeah, thanks for that.

Anyways I digress. Cambridge certainly does need some replanning done cycle wise as it's dangerous for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike.

[XeryusTC]

Cambridge is arguably worse for a pedestrian. I was there oo, 11 years ago? and the place was swarming with bicycles that would just wizz by you, missing you by mere inches.

Over here in Groningen I even get annoyed by other cyclists as a cyclist myself. I once made the mistake of going through the centre of the city when returning from my parents. It was absolutely horrible! Every crossing had people trying to get in every possible directly simultaneously and everyone wanted to go first. After you have nearly crashed into 3 different people then you have to avoid the 5 pedestrians trying to cross at the same time. I have learned my lesson to not go through the shopping centre on a Saturday.

I am happy though that everywhere else it is decent to cycle with the dedicated cycle lanes which are usually very save as they are not directly next to the road.