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news
Orca lane divider (image via North East Motorcycle Action Group)Pensioner left with broken wrist and black eye after tripping over cycle lane separator
A 78-year-old woman was left with a broken wrist, a black eye and concussion after tripping over a new bike lane marker in Middlesbrough.
The separators, known as ‘Orcas’, form part of the newly installed cycle lane on the Linthorpe Road, which is due to finally be completed this month after a series of delays caused by adverse ground issues and supply chain issues.
Middlesbrough Council says the protected bike lane, which was estimated to cost up to £2.4 million, will provide cyclists with a “quick and safe” route into the town centre while also creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment with improved road crossings.
However, the new low ‘Orca’ barriers – which, though designed to protect cyclists from motorists, have come in for criticism from those who say they aren’t large enough to deter drivers while still being of sufficient size to be a hazard for people on bikes – have unfortunately left a pensioner in pain weeks after she tripped and fell over one.
> Pedestrians injured after 'dozens' trip over new cycle lane
78-year-old Dorothy, from Stokesley, sustained a nasty gash to her forehead, a broken wrist, and multiple bruises in the incident, which occurred in late August.
Her husband Chris told Teeside Live that, while the couple understands the need for the separators to protect cyclists using the bike lane, the council should do more to ensure the safety of pedestrians.
"It was a shock,” the retired civil and highway engineer said. “I dropped her off and she went to cross the road rather than using the crossing that was some way down. She was crossing the road section with two traffic lanes and cycleways outside, with raised black and white markers between.
“She tripped and banged her head on the road kerb and was badly injured, with a nasty gash to her forehead, [and was] bleeding profusely. [She] also had a mild concussion, many bruises, and a broken wrist.”
Referring to the separators, Chris said: “They are very low down and when you are looking for traffic you can’t see them. They shouldn’t allow pedestrians to cross where there are these hazards.
“I understand they are there to protect cyclists but there should then be a fixed barrier on both sides between the crossing points, and possibly even more crossings along the road.
“I don’t disagree with the bollards and there is no good campaigning to get rid of them, but there has to be fixed barriers.”
Responding to Dorothy’s unfortunate incident, a spokesperson for Middlesbrough Council said: “The Linthorpe Road cycle lane has been designed and implemented in line with national safety guidelines and schemes in other towns and cities.
“Nevertheless, the scheme will continue to be monitored and we would recommend people use designated road crossing points which are located at frequent intervals.”
> Newcastle motorcyclists claim 'Orca' cycle lane separators could prove lethal
Orcas (and similar products known as Armadillos), such as those used on the new Linthorpe Road bike lane, have long been a target of criticism from those who believe they are dangerous for all road users.
Last year, Cardiff Council committed to using spray paint to increase the visibility of barriers protecting a two-way cycle lane in Roath, following reports of “dozens” of pedestrians injuring themselves after tripping over the markers.
In 2015, the North East Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) criticised the installation of Orcas on the Great North Road in Gosworth, claiming that the “obstacles” could result in someone’s death.
Katalina Ferguson, a spokeswoman for the group, said at the time: “It’s mad. In order to try and protect cyclists from cars they have sacrificed the safety of motorcyclists and scooterists by reducing their available road space and then throwing obstacles in their way. In Manchester, where these were trialled, even the cyclists are against them.”
After obtaining a PhD, lecturing, and hosting a history podcast at Queen’s University Belfast, Ryan joined road.cc in December 2021 and since then has kept the site’s readers and listeners informed and enthralled (well at least occasionally) on news, the live blog, and the road.cc Podcast. After boarding a wrong bus at the world championships and ruining a good pair of jeans at the cyclocross, he now serves as road.cc’s senior news writer. Before his foray into cycling journalism, he wallowed in the equally pitiless world of academia, where he wrote a book about Victorian politics and droned on about cycling and bikes to classes of bored students (while taking every chance he could get to talk about cycling in print or on the radio). He can be found riding his bike very slowly around the narrow, scenic country lanes of Co. Down.
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44 comments
Had to stop to help an older pedestrian (probably asimilar age to me !) on my commute this morning after he face planted after tripping on the kerb stone after crossing the road. Should kerbs be included in dangerous low level infrastructure? Also pedestrians, wear a helmet!
Sigh.
If only we had some relevant examples from elsewhere, perhaps abroad, that we could learn from. Maybe somewhere in Europe?
But they don't have narrow, historic town centres in Europe. Or driveways. It's a culture difference. This just proves that cycling infra disadvantages the old / disabled...
In some ways I'm starting to believe "you can't get there from here" - if only because this seems a fundamental, unshakeable belief in many people in the UK especially those in authority and some designers / planners. The UK also often seems be the epicentre of "not invented here".
More charitably - people have busy lives and lots of demands on their time. They won't understand - or maybe even see the point of - something far outside their experience.
But they don't have narrow, historic town centres in Europe
Thanks to the fine renewal work arranged by the RAF, USAAF and, initially, the Luftwaffe
Yes, this is why Coventry has such wonderful cycling infrastructure...
Good point, don't forget Rotterdam - the war helpfully cleared plenty of space and they filled it ... with motor infra!
Notjustbikes on this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=22ovt1EMULY
The Dutch started knocking down their historic buildings to let in the cars in just the same as us, but today their remaining narrow mediaeval centres also benefit from their overall philosophy of prioritising active travel (emphasising the most efficient / effective e.g. cycling). They've even turned back the clock and restored some older urban layouts - removing the cars but keeping the bikes:
https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2020/09/16/utrecht-corrects-a-histori...
To be fair, most (but perhaps not all) those working in active travel in local authorities do not want to build the crap infrastructure that we typically see in the UK. Where there is the political will and the funding good work can be done. I have seen this evolution in Cambridge from ' get in what you can or we'll lose the funding' to two way fully segregated cycle lanes in both directions with priority at side roads. Campaigning by local groups and enlightened (younger?) councillors willing to challenge the status quo are what has made the difference. But it's taken over a decade and progress is patchy. In the rest of the country, bar some limited exceptions, it's yet to start. Politics is both the problem and the answer...
...and yet it keeps getting built. I think Cambridge's recent roundabouts [1] [2] are a very positive sign though!
It definitely is politics and it needs "leadership" e.g. bravery - saying "we're doing it this way" and engaging with people to explain why. And that needs to happen across all levels, at the same time. All while knowing this might well end your career, when you could just take the money from the various lobbies and move on up.
I think those working in / supporting active travel have an unenviable job. (The Edinburgh transport convener recently announced she's moving on - years of abuse and even death threats may have influenced this). It's not just they're essentially "leading change" - because most people don't cycle and although most trips are made on foot this isn't seen as "economic" or "strategic" transport. My theory is that cycling is essentially too "small" and "low impact". The benefits - and these ARE economic - are more widely dispersed and much less visible. They're sometimes "savings" (e.g. health benefits - less cost to the NHS).
And cycling is not "new" or "high-tech".
So those working here are attacked from all sides. Including the "silent majority" who don't trust their local authorities and even cycle activists embittered by hearing "minimal change, next year" for decades.
There's an education issue at all levels. The general public have almost zero awareness of how things could be and no belief in positive change. Some of those actively involved don't understand the principles (as well as the details) which make something "adequate". So end up delivering things that just don't change the situation.
There's the additional UK issue of needing to get a "success story" in what are frequently isolated / small interventions - else the door is slammed again. It certainly is possible to make a difference in some places independently. However even when there's more money - normally still a tiny fraction of motoring money - there's often a lack of connected overall vision.
Isn't the fundamental issue though that of car culture? We have been brought up that driving is one of life's major treats, for many people*, aside from their house, it is their most expensive purchase.
So when they discover that their experience that they were cajoled into looking forward to, all that passing test malarkey and they discover that it is neither enjoyable or convenient, it does their head in. Therefore the car lobby, both industry and users, have put pressure to make the damn thinks useful, which means going anywhere, especially when you add in the government led destruction of public transport
Once you think in those terms, it is obvious why cyclists and their infrastructure are so unpopular with motorists, they are the embodiment of stopping driving being fun and enjoyable.
So until you change the fundamental cultural demand to be a driving society, you are flogging a misfiring Austin 1100.
What is interesting is how Germany has squared the circle and allows for enthusiastic car ownership yet provides excellent city infrastructure that many Germans appear generally content to leave their cars behind for urban journeys and car free zones are accepted. Therefore the lesson is to build excellent public transport, then it is more pleasant to ride than drive.
*Excluding guitarists and cyclists
I think it's just a "fairness" thing with drivers and bikes. Those cyclists are going past me / in my way - they don't pay tax and they even seem to be enjoying the ride! They're using the same road, they're different and not playing by the rules.
Germany's certainly got some cycling infra - however I'm a bit in the dark about it. I'd love to see a four-way comparison of both numbers but also details - like Robert Wheetman did for UK / Copenhagen / NL here. That's great for a broad understanding. Not just where the UK's infra is (why it's problematic) and what we could win from "best practice". But what if anything you can learn from those places a bit further along - quick wins and blind alleys. I find this very helpful in discussions where "but you can't have it everywhere" or "but it'll cost too much / too much to change all at once" come up.
The (very) little I've heard about German cycling provision quantity, quality and support seem to be a bit patchy (e.g. here). Certainly on a lower rung than NL (comparison from 12 years back here). However many places have a higher modal share than the UK (not hard really).
I wouldn't say the Dutch were "green" at all, they love building things, they've got plenty of cars and commute some of the longest distances in Europe. However they've really sorted local travel by bike / foot - for everybody - and haven't just declared victory either. Everything's connected. They've also sorted multi-modal longer distance travel enhanced by cycling and are starting to address facilitating longer-distance utility cycling - possibly via various e-bikes.
They hate us for our freedoms.
Those cyclists are going past me / in my way - they don't pay tax...
Neither does WR59 YOD- there are loads and loads of these up here
A curiously bad press varifocals are getting! To counter this, I can say that I never noticed any 'training period' with mine, and found them to be excellent from the start. I never had any bifocals with a definite transition, and am still travelling over rough mountain country on foot with no bother, and without any falls.
There are many different effects. I've been wearing good quality varifocals for about 5 years and had no trouble, but I've just got a new prescription with a slightly increased reading power and I've been knocking things over and dropping things. I think it might be more the frame and where the lenses sit on my face but there is quite a jump between objects in frame and out of frame. They are still better than the alternatives.
I didn't need to adapt to my originals, these I am having to work harder with, I think due to the increased reading power narrowing the area in focus.
Anyone with a reasonably strong prescription, with or without bi-focals will have issues with peripheral vision. Contact lenses follow your eyes so not a problem.
Increasingly since I switched to varifocal glasses I find I'm more prone to tripping over stuff, particularly small ridges and low kerbs. I'm not sure whether it's a focus thing or just general visual infirmity. And I'm only 52!
I take my glasses off when walking down stairs at work (well when we had a building) as it was too easy to misjudge the steps with varifocals on.
I'm of a similar age and have been using varifocals for nearly 6 years as a result of multiple detachments and cataracts. They do take some getting used to and not all varifocals are created equal. I often take mine off when walking or running as I have gone from about -9 to +2 so effectively I'm long sighted now.
I've had more tumbles in the three years I've been wearing them than in the previous 30, and that includes drunken student days. My distance vision is ok so thinking of ditching them and just getting reading glasses. Definitely cheaper.
As varifocals have the reading zone at the bottom, you have to bend your head down further on stairs or anywhere else you need to see the ground immediately before your feet. Takes some getting used to (and I'm told some people never do).
Not having a comparison I don't know if that's at play here, but I took the most expensive option when getting my varifoals, with the different zones the largest possible.
I wonder what the RNIB think about them? I might ask. (Edit:asked)
Nice bit of victim blaming by the council, didn't realise we had anti 'jaywalking' laws in this country.
It should be safe to cross any street (talking about the infra not the traffic on it.) Doesn't exactly encourage active travel if you're just relegating pedestrians to the few bits of infra built for them.
They've even introduced HWC updates to encourage jaywalking!
"Doesn't exactly encourage active travel if you're just relegating pedestrians to the few bits of infra built for them."
Pavements may have been built for pedestrians but round my way they are fast becoming extra parking for cars.
When they installed orcas locally, I wrote to the council about this very issue, especially as they are also a problem for cyclists who have to cope with coming out of the bike lane because it hadn't occurred to the designers that not all cyclists wanted to follow the whole route, for minor things like going to my own house, let alone having to leave the lane to avoid all the cars that appreciate the protected parking lane that clearly the council support as there is no enforcement.
So this is an entirely predictable problem. As it is foreseeable, the council should have liability.
After a year, the reflective coating dulls, with no means of cleaning (original cats eyes were designed to clean themselves and modern cats eyes get cleaned by traffic running over them) so they are invisible in poor light, that's when they aren't hidden by leaves because cycle lanes don't need clearing and also are a handy place for householders to pop the leaves they've swept off their gardens.
Here is what I wrote in December 2021
"8. The dividers are an obvious tripping hazard to pedestrians. Aside from the able bodied, any pedestrian of limited peripheral vision (or even a bi-focal wearer) who may otherwise be quite competent to cross the road, may not be conscious of the dividers at their feet, especially as they will be concentrating on the fast moving traffic."
What does he mean by "there have to be fixed barriers"? Does he mean some sort of fence or railing instead of orcas/armadillos or wands? Not sure I'd use a typical cycle lane if it had a railing between me and the road...
Tbh I would like to see the standard roadside railings used to protect cycle lanes. Though as a must it would have a wheelchair or double pushchair sized gap between each panel of railing which would probably save a bit of funds too.
Edit: to clarify I mean the railings that act as plasters to stick on a road when too many pedestrians get in the way and die, not the low long strips used on motorways that will actually stop a car (after several meters)
There's a newly opened (Feb 22) cycle lane round our way, the first one locally with wands and these orcas. I think they're not ideal and these ones I'm describing are grey, the same colour as the tarmac. I appreciate I'm not the target beneficiary as a road cyclist, it's on a school route and it's aimed at getting kids & parents on bikes. There's been a number of accidents since it opened involving multiple cyclists and at least one motorcyclist clipping them and falling off.
The irony is that this road was on last Saturday's (cancelled) Tour of Britain stage 7 route, and the council removed them a couple of days before. Sensible as it would have been carnage in the peloton otherwise, but it doesn't look good, infra removed, for the safety of professional cyclists and now replaced again so that we can risk hitting them.
So "better than paint, but worse than paint"?
Mixed opinions myself, most I've seen present some kind of hazard. (Edinburgh has several generations, both armadillos / orcas and big rectangular lumps). Since they're low vis and people drive into or steal the wands they're not great at night. Not killed me yet though.
Most arrangements of them have gaps so you still find (parked) cars in them. Despite quite a lot deployed during Covid they haven't produced mass cycling. Indeed I've heard as much negative from people on bikes as walkers.
However I've also spoken to one or two people who say they've allowed them to cycle some places they wouldn't before.
I suspect concrete block barriers with intermittent double-buggy sized gaps would be a better "UK level of cheap and makeshift" way to do this - less trip / wheel or pedal catching potential and more protective. But drivers would hit them and really complain...
We had small concrete lumps (tombstones) on a cycle lane along Clarence Road in Bristol which proved to be unpopular with both drivers and cyclists: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-34527784
https://road.cc/content/news/172110-work-restore-bristol-bike-path-finally-underway-after-2-years-delays
They've now replaced those tombstones with a raised kerb which seems to work okay as I can't recall seeing any parked cars along there (except for one van that had got itself stuck on the raised kerb and I was able to use "can't park there, mate" on the angry inhabitants).
Personally, I don't like that cycle lane as it's the wrong side of the road for me (I'm not going to cross two lanes of traffic, cycle a couple of hundred metres, then re-cross the two lanes again) and it stops before meeting up with the traffic lights which seems bizarre.
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4467792,-2.5839222,3a,75y,72.39h,87.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sK5EKxy_UDp9e8TWtHJZKHw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
The kerbs shown in the Google Street View do look to be a decent solution, so long as the road sweeper can still sweep the cycle lane. Even so, gotta wonder what the Audi-ist in your picture was trying to do that ended up like that! That's a proper "can't park there, mate", especially as I suspect "parking" has something to do with their predicament.
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