Published: June 2012 | Category: Integrated land use and transport systems , Research programme , Research & reports | Audience: General
This research used video surveillance of 1245 cyclists in New Zealand at pinch points to determine the relationship between the remaining lane or shoulder width and the likelihood of cyclists traversing the edge line into the motorised vehicle stream.
Ten sites were observed in Wellington and nine in Christchurch. Sites were selected on the criteria of retained cycle space widths at short pinch points between 0.2m and 1.2m wide, variable relative heights of the objects and traffic conditions. Remote camera equipment was installed to capture cyclist behaviour immediately before and after the site.
Results established that at 0.4m most cyclists could retain a course inside the edge line and navigate the pinch point without needing to enter the motorised vehicle stream. It was observed cyclists appeared to anticipate pinch points and move to avoid them gradually in a way to minimise lateral movement. The results support recommendations that set minimum path widths of 0.4m for flat objects, 0.5m for pedal height and 1.0m for handlebar height objects.
This report contributes a theoretical understanding of the natural riding style of cyclists and proposes a set of recommendations for future research that would support investment in the design of infrastructure to better accommodate cyclists.
Keywords: cyclists, design guidelines, road safety
