This is additional info I promised when I filled out the survey. This was going to be an e-mail but e-mails tends to be troublesome. Hence you’re in the back door of my company website.
Firstly there is a small additional note that might help you. There is a very popular app called Strava (www.strava.com) which is used by many cyclists which records their rides. If you get a free membership then you can get a heatmap which shows how often routes are used. If you go for the paid membership then you can get a weekly heat map which shows where riders are going. You maybe aware of this but if not now you are.
The above is a screenshot of Stonehaven weekly heat map which shows where strava users are heading
Now on to my main moan about the issue I encounter on my cycle commute.
Heading northwards
I come along the C26K until I reach the A92. I then turn left and immediately scoot across the road to the centre of the dual carriageway and into the filter lane. I then cross over the southern carriageway and onto the A957 and then immediately into duntottar woods. Then down through dunnotar woods then up woodcot brae towards the industrial estate.
I feel reasonably safe on this route and it is reasonably rapid as it is mostly downhill so your time exposed to danger is quite low as you can quickly pick-up speed. Also drivers don’t have much todo when heading north as there is no busy junctions which immediately take their attention.
Heading south
Here things aren’t quite as nice
I climb up the A957 and then if I follow the rules then I should turn onto the A92 and climb up the hill towards the right turn onto the C26K at the fibreglass horse. I don’t feel overly comfortable with this route as I am climbing up a hill so I am slow. Also drivers are busy concentrating on traffic heading into or out of the A957 which means drivers aren’t on the lookout for a cyclist.
What I do instead is I take to the grass and bump along the verge to the side of the A92 until I reach the small patch of tarmac at the fibreglass horse. I then have a reasonably protected safe space to sit in to wait until the road is clear to let me cross over onto the C26K.
If you look closely at the side of the road you’ll see there is a path worn into the grass. I am not unique in using this path. I asked in a local Facebook group and it turned out there was a lot of people using this method of getting along the side of the A92. Of course Facebook being facearse loads of car drivers joined in wanting all cyclist to pay road tax and the thread was deleted. So I can’t show you this evidence.
Below is a short gallery of some pictures I have taken
This is the view out of the junction showing the slight path in the grass
This is the view down the verge The path isn't quite as obvious from this angle
A further view down the side of the A92 which shows the path slightly more clearly
A view from the small piece of tarmac near the fibreglass horse which I use as a safe heaven before crossing over
This is the view across the A92 towards the piece of tarmac that I use as a safe heaven And the fibreglass horse which only locals know as a landmark
What I would like would be for a short cycle lane to be created along this side of the A92. Ideally starting across from the Dunnottar woods entrance and then around the corner and along the side of the A92 until the fibreglass horse. This then gives a safe route and protected space to wait to cross the road.
Do this and my commute has become a lot nicer.
There is a cycle route very close to my route but this takes me into the town centre where as I need to head into the industrial estate. Then towards towards Hindwells where my work is located
Asides from it going in the wrong direction it is also less then ideal as it also goes along the side of the A92 which isn’t overly pleasant
I can see why this was chosen as it takes cyclists long the coast and then onwards towards Dunnotar castle which is a very touristy destination
Might I suggest two alternatives.
The first completely ignores my proposed cycle lane along the side of the A92. There is a track which is closed off by a gate down the side of the fibreglass horse which then take you onto the road past the old coastguard station. If this was opened up then there would be a route directly down to dunnotar castle and then the cycle route can continue. This almost completely removes the need for cyclists to go along the A92. This won’t be ideal for my commute but it would make it a lot nicer.
The 2nd would be to take my proposed cycle lane and to route the cycle lane up past the old coastguard station and then along the A957, across the A 92 and then back onto the existing route
I’m happy to discuss this further at one of your consultations but a visit to the area should be pretty informative.
My contact details are
Paul Allison
Mobile 07879408714
E-mail - Paul.allison@skene-croft.com
now onwards to my final point which is more of a point of education
I have always considered myself as informed about technology but I recently discovered something which has been on the market for a decade and is well known within cycling community.
A bike radar.
This is a small device that sits on the back of my bike and to those who don’t know it looks like a rear light. What it does is it sends out a radar signal and if it detects a car approaching it will do three things
Firstly it will start flashing a red light on the unit which will alert the driver of the car
It will also display on my cycling computer or my mobile phone a screen showing a dot as the car approaches or two dots if there is two cars.
The last thing is it will do is sound a tone to alert me if I’m not look at my computer
A quick summary can be seen in this YouTube video
The unit can be seen here https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/698001/
I won’t cycle without one just now as it is hugely useful in alerting me to a car approaching, especially when they are electric and almost silent
Now as I didn’t know about it either as a cyclist or as a motorist I can assume that many folk don’t know about them. It would be nice to have an education towards the public so cyclists can see these devices exist and they can be a worthwhile investment.
Also to alert drivers as they will assume that I am unaware they are behind me as I might not turn round and look at them but if the rear light has started flashing then the radar has alerted me to their presence.
And many thanks to councillor Sarah Dickinson for pushing this forward
