Do council officers believe that we can all cycle through trees?

You come across many weird and idiotic belief systems in this world, but some of the weirdest things are believed by council officers who install the UK's cycle routes.

Here is the 1990's classic pavement cycle route on Coronation Road in Bristol that made me realise that the old Avon Cycle Project Team were not quite of this planet and believed that we "cyclists" could magically ride our bikes straight through trees.




This was taken back in 2001.

Bristol Traffic has a more recent update on it's progress... and a video




Of course if you cycle in the UK you will know that council officers believe we can cycle through other objects as well.

This is the road sign which Croydon Council thought we could cycle through. It inspired my Crap Cycle Lanes of Croydon blog and got me onto page 3 of the local newspaper.



And here is another version of the same mad belief system, this time from the officers of Trafford council.



and another from a Manchester Council officer...



Another common belief is that people who ride bikes are quite slim. Very slim in fact. One Salford council officer seems to believe that we are only 20cm wide, but then this may just be a bad joke...



If you are a fan of the weird and wonderful things that council officers believe cyclists can do then I recommend following Warrington Cycle Campaign's Cycle Facility of the Month and other blogs like this one.

You never know when such bonkers beliefs may turn into the next big religion and some people might start believing something really dangerous like silly little pieces of plastic can protect us against articulated lorries!