r/Glasgow Tools

Any other cyclists here able to help me out with my fear of the city centre?

I live in the north of Glasgow and work in the west end. Busses to work would take me an hour or later if I miss the connecting bus. I bought a bicycle recently and I wear a helmet, I cycle to work. I don’t do any rude entitled things like go through a red light just because I’m a cyclist. Anyway…… the cycle to work is great! I love it so much and it takes me 25-30 minutes to get to work with a bike. The roads I use are very wide and then I skip the town and go around Seewoo way to then head to the west end. Going through kelvingrove park is always the highlight of my trip.

Sometimes when I have to do something in town and I end up with so much anxiety. The roads are so scary. Drivers are scary. Taxis are terrifying and often cuss me out when I pass them to sit in front of them in my cycle box at traffic lights even though I know I haven’t done anything wrong. I end up walking with my bike on the pavement most of my in town journey.

The roads are also very confusing to me. One street would have a cyclist box at lights and then the next one just wouldn’t. This is really the main reason I walk most times. I know I am allowed on the road because I follow what google maps tells me but I don’t trust car drivers to know that and I truly fear someone will be reckless and I would end up in a horrible accident as these streets markings are so confusing.

I really hope they can add cycle paths somehow or even widen roads (I might be reaching here. Maybe this isn’t ever going to be possible?)