Cycle Installation

A cycle installation indicates any type of installation of route where the cyclist will find his place. This equipment is in urban environment (mainly to make safe the practice of the urban Cyclisme), in the form of cycle track , of cycle track , " ways drunk led to the vélo" thus jointly used by the buses and the cyclists, of " misinterpretation cyclable" (with knowbeing known, a street with one way who is cycle in the two directions), and also in a rural context (to make safe practices like the cycling on road or the Cyclotourisme) like the véloroutes and green lanes (AF3V).

Other types of installations can also be used to facilitate the practice of urban cycling, by making safe the street in a more general way, in particular by the reduction of the differentials speed between the users: Berliner Cushion, Zone 30, baffles with short-circuit or " by-pass" with bicycles: flower vats, plat band, ear or any other baffle. This one must be sufficiently isolated edge of pavement to leave a passage called short-circuit or " by-pass" , located between the edge of the pavement and the baffle (ideally 1,50m), to allow a cyclist to preserve a right trajectory without being obliged to zigzag to circumvent the baffle.

Sometimes lastly, one counts like cycle installation the spaces of parking dedicated to the bicycle.

Cycle track

A cycle track is a section of Chaussée specific reserved exclusively for the cyclists. It is materially isolated from the lanes of the motorized vehicles, and distinct from the Trottoir S in Ville. To announce however that in certain cities (Paris in particular), certain cycle tracks, materialized by two white bands, are traced on a pavement.

A cycle track can be bidirectional or with one way. It has the statute of a lane to whole share and is independent of the ways which it skirts or crosses.

The cycle track has as an main advantage preserving the cyclist of the cohabitation with vehicles much faster than him. The major disadvantage of the cycle track is that insulation thus product makes the cyclists more vulnerable to the intersections and at the end of the installation: the other vehicles always do not expect finding there. Another disadvantage also comes from its insulation of the roadway: refuses of all kinds, such as bottle and fatal glares of glass to the tires, fine gravels which can have the same consequences, branches, sheets which return the track slipping, and others can cause falls, find themselves there thorough by circulation or abandoned. Being in edge of road and often close to the trees, it happens that because of a less thick fill, the roots of the trees deform the track. If a policy activates maintenance is not pursued, the track is given up by the cyclists.

The cycle tracks are particularly well adapted to the long connections with few intersections. In a context of interurban connection, one also speaks about “Véloroute S” (often created for the Cyclotourisme).

The cycle track is not any more in France (since decree 98-828 of September 14th, 1998) equipment which the cyclists have the obligation to borrow, except particular cases announced by a panel “obligatory cycle equipment”.

Cycle track

The cycle track is a contiguous way with the roadway, reserved to the cyclists. It is delimited by white bands painted on the ground. This indication being able to be supplemented by pictograms “bicycle” and arrows indicating the direction of circulation.

A cycle track forms integral part of the way to which it is coupled. It constitutes of them simply an additional file of circulation.

The advantage of the cycle track is to support the co-education of the modes on the same roadway while holding a space of circulation specific to the cyclists. Its position as file of circulation of the main road makes it possible to the cyclists to be taken better into account by the vehicles motorized with the intersections. The difference in top speed between motorized cyclists and vehicles remains however an important source of accidents.

The cycle tracks thus are rather adapted to installations of routes including/understanding of many intersections, provided that the flanked way of the cycle track is priority with these intersections. Without this condition, a cycle track has only little interest.

One can also find cycle tracks on interurban connections, they are then intended to make safe the practice of the cycling on road in zones appraisals by the cyclists but where the Road traffic is nevertheless important. Especially this then allows the drivers vehicles motorized to be less surprised when they arrive behind a cyclist, and to be able to carry out a going beyond in full safety. However an insufficient width can become source of dangerosity: the cyclist cannot allow a variation, to avoid a pedestrian who goes down from the pavement or which crosses to the improvist, or when the cycle track skirts a file of car to the stop (case of a door which opens, or of a car which leaves parking). Let us note that in France, the cycle track is in contradiction with the law of 2001 which imposes a side distance from safety of one meter fifty at the time of the going beyond of a cyclist, to precisely prevent the dangers related to these variations, or to limit those related to a fall. One can consider it regrettable that it makes take bad habits with the motorists in all clear conscience. The rate of accidents on the tapes is of 10 with 1 000 times superiors with that of a roadway without installation, according to INSEE.

Cycle hopper, hopper bicycle

A cycle hopper or hopper bicycle is a reserved space with the cyclists between the line of stopping of the vehicles to a traffic light and a Right of way. It makes it possible to the cyclists to be placed in front of the vehicles motorized to start in full safety (with starting, whereas it is still at low speed, a cyclist can make variations, and its balance is precarious), in particular to turn on the left when there are several files of circulation.

This hopper is generally materialized by a pictogram “bicycle” painted in the space of a few meters (from 2 to 5) between the line of stopping of the vehicles and the right of way. A fire specific to the bicycles can also mark the limit before hopper, fire for the other vehicles being then with the back of the hopper. The synchronization of two fires can even be regulated so that the cyclists have a time in advance on the other vehicles to start.

Corridor of bus open to the bicycles

A corridor of bus open to the bicycles is a file of circulation reserved normally for the buses of city, Taxi S and vehicles of help, but where the circulation of the bicycles is also authorized.

Certain corridors of bus of this type, moreover, are widened (while carrying them of 3m with 4,5m) so as to reserve a kind of cycle track there side pavement.

This type of installation was set up when one realized that the mean velocity of the bicycles and the urban buses were very close and that they increased appreciably when these types of vehicles had specific ways. However, a little as for the cycle tracks, the risk of conflicts to the intersections remains rather present.

The marking out of the ground announcing spaces of circulation suggested to the cyclists is done traditionally in Anamorphose.

Cycle misinterpretation, direction prohibited except bicycles

A cycle misinterpretation (CSC) (French common name), sometimes called direction prohibited except bicycles or one way limited (SUL) to the motorized vehicles (Belgian denominations) is a traditional one way for the vehicles motorized, but opened with the circulation of the cyclists in the two directions.

In France, juridically, it is a street with double direction, whose direction is reserved for the cycles. It must be announced in the direction of traffic motorized by a panel “one way” supplemented of the sign “bicycles to misinterpretation”, and in the direction prohibited with the vehicles motorized by a panel supplemented “prohibited direction” of the sign “except bicycles”.

This device has the advantage of avoiding with the cyclists of long turnings, sometimes by axes charged. It proves very sure, because the cyclists and the motorists see themselves mutually while crossing. One finds of them many examples in the cities Scandinavian, Dutchwomen, allemandes, Belgians and Swiss (often more than 80% of the streets in prohibited direction are equipped with it), and more and more of French cities realize some (in Strasbourg, at least 40% of the streets in prohibited direction are equipped with misinterpretation).

The disadvantage of this installation, when it is not completely integrated by the users of the street, or if vertical and horizontal indication is not adapted, is the risk of conflicts to the intersections and exits of garages or buildings: the presence of cyclists with misinterpretation is not always well anticipated.

However, in France, when the roadway is bordered on each side by a cycle track, the users of this track must borrow that on the right open road, in the direction of circulation.

In addition, in 1996, in France, one regarded the misinterpretation on a cycle track as an inexcusable fault (Public sitting of March 20th, 1996), considering a turning would have been possible.

Park with bicycles

A park with bicycles , also called parcroi (by king for small queens), is a zone reserved for the parking of the bicycles on public space. It consists of physical supports such as arches which at the same time make it possible to maintain the bicycles vertical and to attach their framework to a fixed point to avoid the flight.

Their establishment in urban environment is generally made with the accesses of the stations of Public transport (train, subway, tram, bus) and of the car parks automobile to support the Multimodalité, in particular in periphery of the urban surface, as in the strongly stocked zones (downtown area, entries of the ways pedestrians, etc).

In certain cases, the parks can be kept or supervised, to limit the theft risks during prolonged parkings. The parking is then generally paying, and of the services can be associated with guarding: minor repairs, servicing, etc

In certain cities, parks of bicycles are proposed to the inhabitants with the help of a subscription. For Lyon and Villeurbanne the Grand Lyon proposes a not very expensive subscription with first half an hour or hour of free use (Vélo' v).

See too

External bonds

“Denver: The cycle paradise”, in international Mail of the 10/12/2006,

“cycle Tracks in France and Germany”,

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Cycle Installation

Cycle track

Cycle track

Cycle hopper, hopper bicycle

Corridor of bus open to the bicycles

Cycle misinterpretation, direction prohibited except bicycles

Park with bicycles

See too

Related articles

External bonds