I went for a cycle ride on Friday afternoon.
in [UK Drivers]
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From: Jim A on 20 Jun 2010 06:22 On 06/20/2010 07:03 AM, Doug wrote: > The usual problem, stuck on the inside with no gap in the long lines > of fast approaching cars from both directions to use to turn right. > Not even a chance to occupy the primary position prior to turning > right without putting my life in danger. > > What I am talking about here is a longish road with no side turnings, > until the one on the right I wanted to enter. Clearly, in this mass of > fast moving traffic I could not have sustained the primary position > for a lengthy period without being hooted at and possibly being > deliberately rammed, accidentally on purpose of course. So I had to > remain in the gutter, where cyclists are expected to stay, such is > their widely perceived status as road users. In that situation I would pull off the road and become a pedestrian for a bit - taking advantage of whatever crossing is available be it traffic island, zebra crossing, pelican or whatever. If that isn't an option to you, then I recommend using a mirror - it makes it much easier to spot a gap in the traffic which allows you to take primary well before the junction you need. You need to look purposefully behind and make eye contact with the car behind too though. Roads often aren't designed to be suitable for us slower cyclists, unfortunately. -- www.slowbicyclemovement.org - enjoy the ride
From: bod on 20 Jun 2010 06:41 Jim A wrote: > On 06/20/2010 07:03 AM, Doug wrote: >> The usual problem, stuck on the inside with no gap in the long lines >> of fast approaching cars from both directions to use to turn right. >> Not even a chance to occupy the primary position prior to turning >> right without putting my life in danger. >> >> What I am talking about here is a longish road with no side turnings, >> until the one on the right I wanted to enter. Clearly, in this mass of >> fast moving traffic I could not have sustained the primary position >> for a lengthy period without being hooted at and possibly being >> deliberately rammed, accidentally on purpose of course. So I had to >> remain in the gutter, where cyclists are expected to stay, such is >> their widely perceived status as road users. > > In that situation I would pull off the road and become a pedestrian for > a bit - taking advantage of whatever crossing is available be it traffic > island, zebra crossing, pelican or whatever. > > If that isn't an option to you, then I recommend using a mirror - it > makes it much easier to spot a gap in the traffic which allows you to > take primary well before the junction you need. You need to look > purposefully behind and make eye contact with the car behind too though. > > Roads often aren't designed to be suitable for us slower cyclists, > unfortunately. > > Use an electric bicycle instead? Bod
From: Derek Geldard on 20 Jun 2010 07:03 On Sun, 20 Jun 2010 11:41:59 +0100, bod <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> wrote: >> Roads often aren't designed to be suitable for us slower cyclists, >> unfortunately. If they pay for the road they can have it how they like. >> > > > > Use an electric bicycle instead? > Too far to a 13A socket. Derek
From: mileburner on 20 Jun 2010 07:21 "Brimstone" <brimstone(a)hotmail.com> wrote in message news:3s6dnaZSFIFOVoDRnZ2dnUVZ7tSdnZ2d(a)bt.com... > > "mileburner" <mileburner(a)btinternet.com> wrote in message > news:hvkddc$onv$1(a)news.eternal-september.org... >> >> "Doug" <jagmad(a)riseup.net> wrote in message >> news:c5b78c0c-5f27-4f5c-92f8-224d43df8cb1(a)e5g2000yqn.googlegroups.com... >>> >>> What I am talking about here is a longish road with no side turnings, >>> until the one on the right I wanted to enter. Clearly, in this mass of >>> fast moving traffic I could not have sustained the primary position >>> for a lengthy period without being hooted at and possibly being >>> deliberately rammed, accidentally on purpose of course. So I had to >>> remain in the gutter, where cyclists are expected to stay, such is >>> their widely perceived status as road users. >> >> What road was this Doug? >> >> I know there are some roads, in some areas, where drivers tend to hoot at >> cyclist and I'd like to get some idea what it is about the road which >> causes this. > The road caused nothing. Doug's ineptitude was the sole cause of his > alleged problems. While that may be the case, I have ridden on several roads where a small number of drivers will typically hoot and shout abuse at cyclists. It is a case that on certain road this behaviour is almost to be expected. It normally occurs where: [1] The road has two way traffic (and there is traffic flowing continuously in both directions). [2] The road is fairly wide (but not wide enough to overtake safely). [3] Where there are traffic calming measures, cycle lanes, pedestrian refuges or artificial road narrowing created by white lines and chevrons painted on the surface. It seems that the very things which are supposed to make the roads safer, actually cause a rise in driver anger. If the first lane on any road was wider than say 5m (or any single lane road was wider than 10m) there would be enough room for cyclists to ride in single file on the left and other traffic could pass on the right. In fact, if it made the road planners happier, they could paint the surface of the first 2 metres red or green and paint cycle images on them and call it a cycle lane.
From: bod on 20 Jun 2010 07:43
Derek Geldard wrote: > On Sun, 20 Jun 2010 11:41:59 +0100, bod <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> > wrote: > > >>> Roads often aren't designed to be suitable for us slower cyclists, >>> unfortunately. > > If they pay for the road they can have it how they like. > >>> >> Use an electric bicycle instead? >> > > Too far to a 13A socket. > > Derek > > Ok. Bod |