Cycling in Sydney Australia

Two's a crowd on bridge -Yawn, more scrubby stuff

SHARED paths across the Spit Bridge are dangerously narrow, according to pedestrians who say they fear "death or serious injury" every time they see a bike coming the other way.

Chalk outlines on the western side designate the footpath along the bridge as a "shared zone" - open to pedestrians and cyclists - but commuters believe the footpath is too narrow to accommodate both.

Photographs sent to the Manly Daily show pedestrians are being forced to narrowly squeeze past riders.

Pedestrian Council CEO Harold Scruby said cyclists needed to either dismount or stay on the roads.

"It's a death or serious injury waiting to happen - there's a couple of points on the footpath where there's only just enough room for a cyclist to pass," he said.

"Pedestrians are required to dodge speeding cyclists at this incredibly dangerous location ... (while) buses pass with their mirrors literally centimetres away.

"It's not uncommon to see cyclists travelling across the bridge at speeds exceeding 30km/h."

He said the bridge's walkway narrowed to less than 1.2m at at least two points - well under Austroads' guidelines, which call for a minimum width of 3m for shared areas.

It is understood northern beaches police have raised concerns about cyclists refusing to dismount, with Roads and Maritime Services requesting the bridge be sign-posted. Spit Bridge falls under the jurisdiction of RMS and a spokeswoman said an investigation "found no issues with the site."
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/twos-a-crowd-on-bri...

Apologies if this is too local but no way am I going to cut the traffic on the road on the bridge heading north. From what I see most peds and bikes get on fine and understand that it is tight for both for about 100 metres.

30 km/h? A joke eh Harold, not possible.

BTW peds can use both east and west paths on the bridge as both north and south ends have under bridge access to both paths.

Tags: bridge, spit

1 member likes this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Doddsy on July 12, 2012 at 6:43pm

I had words with a 4wdriver who tooted me for not using that shared path. I loudly requested he learn how to change lanes while he suggested i use the path instead of going 50 odd kilometres an hour.

Coincidentally i was drinking a coffee when he finally pulled up in manly. He did not want to continue the discussion.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kylie on July 15, 2012 at 3:42pm

Heh, I miss you Doddsy :)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by sit ubu sit on July 12, 2012 at 7:04pm

Peds are welcome to use the traffic lanes if the shared path is so dangerous. No? Well it's the same place that Scruby is telling the other SUP users to go.

I can't wait for the day that Scruby wakes up and realises that cyclists are his ally not his enemy - far more of both groups are killed and maimed by motor vehicles than by each other. As far as I'm concerned the door is wide open...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by yogi on July 12, 2012 at 7:11pm

THAT, will never happen EVER...

Scruby is on his own agenda and he often never sees the leaves in the forest. Sometimes he may not seem like 'the enemy' but he also never has bikes in mind.

He is well equipped and has legal resources. Personally, I have met him and he is a piece of work indeed. Use him when he is doing the right thing for bikes, but do not expect him to be reliable ... EVER.

wish I could find the toob of him slamming bike messengers in martin Place.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Garryw on July 13, 2012 at 11:55pm

Slamming the messengers in Martin Place?? I've only ever seen them sitting around on the steps having a yarn.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by yogi on July 15, 2012 at 8:59pm

there was once a demonstratio0n by Scruby Stopped by Bike messengers. It got put on youtoooob but I cant find it.

how bout this from the Archives. (in reverse order) so the response is first by Mr Scruby.

once upon a time Bike Couriers actually had to work to make a living, not just sit about on the steps.
In my day it was Maquarie Place, then 20 bond and for a short time , the steps at Spring.

Mr Holden   Racist - fair go.  Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you.  Please give me one quote where our web-site is racist.  Please do not embellish your missive just to promote your cause.  If you'd bothered to read the literature, you'd discover that we launched our campaign against bicycle couriers in conjunction with Bicycle NSW.  You obviously have no idea of the pedestrian problems with bicycle couriers. There have been two deaths already and scores of serious injuries.  Suggest you mind your own business and concern yourself with matters Canadian.  
Sincerely  Harold Scruby 
Chairman/CEO Pedestrian Council of Australia Ltd
 "The Walking Class Heroes"  Tel:      
(02) 9968 4555 Fax:     
 (02) 9968 4566  Email:    walking@walk.com.au Internet: www.walk.com.au  
PO Box 500 NEUTRAL BAY  NSW  2089 AUSTRALIA    >

 -----Original Message----- > From: d. [mailto:dholden@vtcinet.com] > Sent: Tuesday 03 November 1998 5:07 AM > To: walking@walk.com.au > Subject: your site > > >

 I walk, ride a bicycle, take the bus and drive- usually in that order. 
> I have never felt intimidated, threatened, etc. by couriers at any 
> time.  I have seen shoplifters caught by them, heart attack victims 
> aided, and people's businesses supported by them. 
> 
> It is with disbelief and shame that I read the racist-style attacks on 
> couriers on your site.  I am not a courier, but I have seen them 
> attacked and assaulted by many a motorist.  I have also seen them used 
> as scapegoats to distract from the wider problems- motorists and 
> pedestrians not paying attention.  It is pretty obvious that holding a 
> rally against working people and using the media against them is a 
> demonstration of your own organisation's impotency when it comes to the 
> real issues. 
> 
> What about offering a hand?  How about working together to get bike 
> lanes in areas where you feel pedestrians are 'endangered'?  That would 
> take couriers and other cyclists off the sidewalk... well, I guess that 
> would render your organisation useless and you'd be out of a job /  hobby. 
> 
> unbelievable... I'll have to visit Melbourne sometime, as I see the 
> crime must be low and the citizenry must be secure from muggers, 
> robberies, etc. if these are the kinds of issues that politicians 
> actually spend time on. 
> 
> dave holden 
> vancouver bc canada 
>
 > 
>

http://www.walk.com.au/pedestriancouncil/page.asp?pageid=150

http://www.walk.com.au/pedestriancouncil/page.asp?PageID=151&Si...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Garryw on July 18, 2012 at 11:41pm

Thanks Yogi. I didn't mean they were being slack, it was just that sitting around on the steps for a well earned rest between jobs is hardly threatening to pedestrians. Looks like nothing reasonable would appease Scruball anyway.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by yogi on July 19, 2012 at 12:25am

they are slack. but what happened was Harold came to slam the bike messengers... they actually listened and then tit for tat answered all his complaints .

He was a minority and passers hated him. He had a septic feel about him. He made no frinds with his argumentative style.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Neil Alexander on July 12, 2012 at 9:13pm

both north and south ends have under bridge access to both paths

Simple solution.

Make western side exclusive cycleway. Another high quality 1.2m-wide-in-places cycle path becomes available for NSW cyclists. Peds get exclusive use of the other high quality pathway. Win-win.

Any other problem I can solve for you ?