Riding Fast in the Bike Lanes When Nobody is Around

[PurpleRiderUSA]

Recently, I've been seeing a lot of pushback from other EUC riders about appropriate bike lane speeds. 

Here's the situation: 

Empty bike lanes, EUC rider is riding as fast as some cyclists are capable of, and there are no other users of the lane. 

If they come across other users of the lane, they slow down significantly and pass respectfully (more respectfully than other cyclists or scooters in many cases). 

These anti-EUC Bike Lane people say specifically that no EUC should EVER under ANY circumstances go above 20 mph in the bike lane even if there is not a single person around. They say, it's better to be in the road with cars because that's how they ride. They believe strongly that all other EUC riders should adhere to this principle.

I'm not taking sides one way or another, but I'd like to hear your opinion on this.

[onewheelkoregro]

1 hour ago, PurpleRiderUSA said:

Recently, I've been seeing a lot of pushback from other EUC riders about appropriate bike lane speeds. 

Here's the situation: 

Empty bike lanes, EUC rider is riding as fast as some cyclists are capable of, and there are no other users of the lane. 

If they come across other users of the lane, they slow down significantly and pass respectfully (more respectfully than other cyclists or scooters in many cases). 

These anti-EUC Bike Lane people say specifically that no EUC should EVER under ANY circumstances go above 20 mph in the bike lane even if there is not a single person around. They say, it's better to be in the road with cars because that's how they ride. They believe strongly that all other EUC riders should adhere to this principle.

I'm not taking sides one way or another, but I'd like to hear your opinion on this.

Honestly I only ride in the street if the speed limit is 25-30 mph. Anything over and its the bike lane. Actually eyeing an EBCP so I can ride with traffic

[Cerbera]

There are 3 sorts of cycles paths around me - the ones that are shared with pedestrians, and have lots of blind corners and loose dogs everywhere, the ones that are at the side of the road right next to main traffic flow, and the 'other kind' which is much longer wider tracts of isolated cycleway where pedestrians very rarely are, you don't see much in the way of cycles either, and are not connected to a road.

On the first kind, my limit is more like 20 kph, and slowing right down for all the other traffic, and on the roadside cycle ways I tend to go at not much more than 30 kph because of my proximity to cars and whatnot, and my susceptibility to wind.

Whereas on the last kind, where I am unlikely to meet anyone on the whole length of it, it is properly isolated from nearby roads and the weather is reasonable then I consider that one of the only places where I can properly rinse it if I'd like to. On those paths there is no safer place to do your speed runs IMO.

If a tree falls in the woods, and no1 is around to hear it who gives a shit, and on the wide long cycle paths where it is safe to do so if nobody is around to see you blazing about, then who the hell cares, or is gonna stop you ? 

Edited February 15 by Cerbera

[PurpleRiderUSA]

27 minutes ago, Cerbera said:

Whereas on the last kind, where I am unlikely to meet anyone on the whole length of it, it is properly isolated from nearby roads and the weather is reasonable then I consider that one of the only places where I can properly rinse it if I'd like to. On those paths there is no safer place to do your speed runs IMO.

If a tree falls in the woods, and no1 is around to hear it who gives a shit, and on the wide long cycle paths where it is safe to do so if nobody is around to see you blazing about, then who the hell cares, or is gonna stop you ? 

That makes sense to me. There's a big difference between a shared multi-purpose path that cyclists, joggers, walkers, etc use vs. a roadside path. In the case of the roadside path, some of them are simply a painted line and then a curb so there is really nothing that should be stepping into it and you should have very clear vision of other users. 

The other kind of roadside path may be in between parked cars, which certainly requires slower speeds as people will be going to and from their cars. And then as you mentioned, there are completely isolated lanes where nobody will be coming on either side (some bridges are like this). It seems safer to go at speed there. 

[techyiam]

19 minutes ago, PurpleRiderUSA said:

The other kind of roadside path may be in between parked cars, which certainly requires slower speeds as people will be going to and from their cars. And then as you mentioned, there are completely isolated lanes where nobody will be coming on either side (some bridges are like this). It seems safer to go at speed there. 

+1.

On some bridges, like the one I sometimes use, the bike lane is completely isolated from cars with a concrete barrier, and the pedestrians are on the sidewalk. And it is one-way only. So here, when it is deserted, which means most of the time outside of rush hour, especially early morning or in the evenings, the only thing that deters high speeds are the expansion joints. They are brutal on this bridge

[Funky]

Lol if no-one is around go what ever speed you wanna - it's your life that you are putting in danger.

I'm going 26mph on sidewalks time to time. And 18mph is my default speed on said sidewalks where people normally walk. But same time i slow down to walking speed, if need to pass people, or they don't see me coming.

My sidewalks don't have blind areas and are more or less straight empty paths. (I live in very non-busy city. We aren't allowed to ride on streets with cars and don't have bike lanes.)

Edited February 15 by Funky