CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Infrastructure

The miracle of white paint

(16 posts)
  • Started 5 years ago by LivM
  • Latest reply from CycleCommute.CC

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  1. LivM
    Member

    I'm not sure if this had been noted elsewhere, but I drove up Telford Road today for the first time in a while, at rush hour, and was intrigued that the normal heavy queues heading west near McDonald's were practically non existent.
    Then I realised that the previous lane markings had been rewritten.
    Formerly was
    Left hand lane = turn left and straight on
    Right hand lane = turn right at some point after the junction.
    This meant that a lot of people powered up the outside lane and then attempted to merge late, slowiy everyone else down.
    Now:
    Left hand lane = Craigleith Retail Park
    Right hand lane = everyone else
    And there's a new section of white hat hatching in the bit just beyond the junction so the right hand lane gets guided left again so it can split up for the next lights.

    All in all it seems to be working quite effectively.

    And all for the cost of a bit of white paint.

    *Disclaimer... It clearly has no specific benefit for cyclists (bike lanes or whatever) but it shows that bad behaviour can be the root of jams.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  2. the canuck
    Member

    my partner does that road regularly, and finds the new markings irritating, as they seem to require people to change lanes frequently. i haven't driven it so can't remember exactly what it says.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  3. jonty
    Member

    I've never cycled that was but as a driver it was a bit odd. It's interesting that you characterise the right-hand lane as 'turn right later' when as long as I've been driving through there (since 2014) it's always been a straight-on lane, and both merge into one lane shortly after the junction before opening out again into two lanes (ie. I don't think the hatching is new, but it might have changed.)

    Sometimes the left hand lane (left and straight) would be waaay longer than the right hand one (just straight.) I just assumed folk were scared of having to merge in turn, even though the right hand lane was always clearly marked as a straight-on lane. Anyway, I'd usually use the right hand lane to go straight on and found people were generally pretty mature about merging in turn afterwards (and presumably using both lanes well maximises all-important traffic flow).

    I did often think that it should have been marked the way it is now though - I wonder if the lack of queues now suggests that lots of people were indeed queueing to go straight in the left-hand lane, afraid of 'skipping the queue' but now the lanes are more equal and more cars are getting through the junction.

    For context: https://www.google.com/maps/@55.9611958,-3.2445441,201m/data=!3m1!1e3

    edit: I knew I'd seen advance warning of this - turns out it was consulted on! https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/telford-rd-at-groathill-ave-lane-markings/ Looking at the other, citybound, markings, I can see that going the other way the lane changes would be a bit annoying (although there's a honda civic always parked on the pavement which means you have to be in the outside lane all the time anyway.)

    Posted 5 years ago #

  4. davecykl
    Member

    Does the new road layout mean that if you were cycling along, and wanted to continue straight on, you'd then have to try to fight your way across left-turning traffic in the kerbside lane, to get into lane 2 instead? That doesn't sound particularly fun, unfortunately.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  5. jonty
    Member

    Good point - I think it would be reasonable to vigilantly go straight on from the left lane and onto the new hatching on the inside. Not pleasant, but probably no worse than the rest of that road.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  6. LivM
    Member

    You're right @jonty, it did merge after the lights. I had forgotten the details as I always turn left. Previously the behaviour seemed to be that people would mostly attempt to merge left before the junction, slowing down the left hand lane considerably, when zip merging after they get going at the lights would have been more efficient. I guess the new paint is because it's a bit clearer that there is only one lane after the lights.

    I think if one is cycling in primary in lane 1 then going straight ahead would work fine. No physical barrier to progress, as long as the lane that moves left is done in a way that drivers can see you there.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  7. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I drove the automobile there recently - I thought it had changed.

    As a cyclist I do detest markings that mandate lane 2 to go straight ahead and rarely obey them. Not worth the hassle, easier to integrate with traffic merging from your right after the junction.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  8. gembo
    Member

    The junction at Shandon is like this. With an ASB too. Just needs a marking to mandate what most cyclists do anyway ( go straight ahead from turn left lane) you can never be sure of the Ranters but no one seems to mind? There is a big sign saying signal priorities have changed, maybe for cars coming down from Shandon? Pedestrians need to watch. This is at the best chinese restaurant in Edinburgh taste good. I love their seaweed.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  9. wingpig
    Member

    When I first drove down it after the painting I was reminded of Palmerston Place's daft lane-switchiness. It probably looked really efficient and sensible on paper when they added up how many extra vehicles the road could store in its new configuration.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  10. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Palmerston Place's daft lane-switchiness

    I get hooted at every single time.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  11. Blueth
    Member

    Perhaps worth noting (I'm not too familiar with what exists at the junctions mentioned above) that an arrow on its own mandates nothing; it indicates that the lane is appropriate for whatever the arrow shows.

    If the arrow is accompanied by wording such as "turn left" or "ahead only" then it indicates a compulsory traffic movement.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  12. the canuck
    Member

    Can I say, i find it super irritating when cyclists are sitting to the left of a let-turn lane, and then go straight? i sit left-of-centre in the straight lane, and find myself being undertook, which is especially scary when i'm planning to pull off the road shortly after in order to park up.

    i really hate that bit on queensferry st, heading north, where there is a straight arrow and 'ahead only' but if you stay in that lane, you're in fact forced to turn right. when driving, i will do a ten minute detour if it means i can avoid that entire section between the bridge and the bus stops. (i mean, i only ever drive through the centre on pain of death, but it has been necessary on occassion.)

    Posted 5 years ago #

  13. jonty
    Member

    I've received some of the worst abuse while cycling while going straight from an ASL in a non-left hand straight on lane. As usual, we can't win.

    Posted 5 years ago #

  14. biggles1982
    Member

    The opposite direction is worse. 2 lanes heading into town - Groathill Road North lights - left lane left turn and right lane straight on then Groathill Avenue set of lights - left lane straight on and right lane right turn. Because i'm heading to ferry road it means i go from left lane, right lane left lane then right lane (this is in the car, i odn't cycle this way).

    Posted 5 years ago #

  15. jonty
    Member

    I think it's very telling that the anecdotes here are all from driving, not cycling...

    (Though I suppose it's also partly because the road is paralleled by NEPN/NCN1.)

    Posted 5 years ago #

  16. CycleCommute.CC
    Member

    I ride it every day, and since the change it's been much easier to pass through.

    I always stay in the left lane and just filter towards the middle when heading straight through. The position of cars to my right makes it easier for them to pass me and less fraught for me as I don't need to filter into moving traffic from the right.

    Posted 5 years ago #

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