Came out of the King Charles yesterday and noticed that the Council are advertising (there's a yellow notice attached to a lamp post) that they are going to allow cyclists to turn right out of Cheap Street even though car drivers cannot. It seems odd, when there's two crossing points within 20 metres of the junction, that they would allow a slow moving cyclist to pedal himself across the road in the face of oncoming traffic but still not allow car drivers to do the same.
If it's safe for cyclists surely it's safe for cars to turn right? Why is this restriction even there? Presumably when the main route through Newbury took ALL traffic past this junction it may have been difficult to find a gap and get across, so they made drivers turn left... But that's LONG gone. Why keep the ban in the first place when they redesigned this junction recently?
Came out of the King Charles yesterday and noticed that the Council are advertising (there's a yellow notice attached to a lamp post) that they are going to allow cyclists to turn right out of Cheap Street even though car drivers cannot. It seems odd, when there's two crossing points within 20 metres of the junction, that they would allow a slow moving cyclist to pedal himself across the road in the face of oncoming traffic but still not allow car drivers to do the same.
If it's safe for cyclists surely it's safe for cars to turn right? Why is this restriction even there?
I agree. The restriction in both directions (i.e. also turning from Market Street into Cheap Street) is ridiculous.
I normally ignore both of these but the other day I thought I would be good and, instead of turning right out of Cheap Street I decided to turn left, then turn around by reversing into Mayor's Lane. I wished I hadn't!
As I tried backing a bus came up behind me so I couldn't get into the lane far enough with the result that I was blocking the road to the vehicles which were coming in both directions in Market Street. The whole business caused more delay, disruption and danger than if I had ignored the restriction.
I normally ignore both of these but the other day I thought I would be good and, instead of turning right out of Cheap Street I decided to turn left, then turn around by reversing into Mayor's Lane. I wished I hadn't!
Much easier to go a bit further and to a U at the mini roundabout by WBC HQ.
Much easier to go a bit further and to a U at the mini roundabout by WBC HQ.
Indeed, and I began to wish that I had done that. But there must be many drivers who waste fuel by having to do as you suggest. And that is not the most risk-free manoeuvre with the exit from the car park being there.
This argument is similar to the one about the entrance to the Abbotswood tip. Drivers coming from Newbury have to drive exactly an extra mile to the Swan roundabout and back.
"Have a look around, and see what the country looked like in the 1940s and 1950s".... Thatcham didn't amount to much around that time, that's for sure...
"Have a look around, and see what the country looked like in the 1940s and 1950s".... Thatcham didn't amount to much around that time, that's for sure...
Why does it make him a problem if there are no cars or pedestrians to be inconvenienced?
If we all took that point of view: nobody about so park on double yellow lines, go through red lights, 150mph on the motorway, cycle on pavements, drive down a one way road, not inconveniencing anybody so it is ok. You also have the 'see and copy' syndrome.
If we all took that point of view: nobody about so park on double yellow lines, go through red lights, 150mph on the motorway, cycle on pavements, drive down a one way road, not inconveniencing anybody so it is ok. You also have the 'see and copy' syndrome.
Two things...I didn't say it was right, only that I do it. If I get nicked, so be it. I also cycle on the pavement, when I think it is safe to do so and when it is in my and other road users interests to (I prefer to cycle on the roads, and that is where I would normally be). I won't park on DY lines, I wouldn't go through red lights, intentionally up a one way street and drive 150 mph anywhere in public.
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