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Hungerford turn off is dangerous for cyclists |
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Jul 17 2009, 07:03 PM
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QUOTE (Iommi @ Jul 17 2009, 07:58 PM) The irony now, of course, is that should the lay-out change back, it would become dangerous for cyclists again as cars turning left would not expect a cyclist to follow the line round and cut in front of them! I'd hop on the pavement and dive down the subway. The amount of times I've been told that; police for example. The only trouble with that idea is that we would be giving in. The Government and council initiative is to get more people to cycle or take public transport or walk. If they want us to do that then they must make the the roads safe for us cyclists.
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Jul 17 2009, 08:27 PM
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QUOTE (Strafin @ Jul 17 2009, 09:14 PM) I don't really see how it's dangerous, I'm not disagreeing, I would just like further explanation please.... Well..... when you start off cycling you are in the left lane – with cars constantly behind you and over taking you – you’ve then got to manoeuvre into the middle of the two lanes so that you can go towards the Robin Hood roundabout. I don’t know if you’ve tried it but it is hair-raising and dangerous. Usually car drivers show no respect to cyclist; thus causing near misses. Now I know you'll probably say take an easier route or use the subway; but that defeats the object of using that particular route. And as the government want more and more of us to use our cycles (not only for the obvious reasons, but also so the nation gets more exercise) then they should make sure our roads are safe enough for us cyclists.
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Jul 17 2009, 09:31 PM
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QUOTE (GMR @ Jul 17 2009, 09:27 PM) Now I know you'll probably say take an easier route or use the subway; Nope, just never done it and was curious, thanks for the explanation. I think you have a point, but will resist trying it myself.
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Jul 17 2009, 10:23 PM
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QUOTE (Iommi @ Jul 17 2009, 11:19 PM) I understand what you mean and I agree in principle, but this particular junction, I think, is too busy, even for cycle lane. I'd rather use the subway, for all sorts of reasons, including that it might be quicker to get to the Hermitage road. If the council's budget is limited, I'd rather they invest in other areas of cycling comfort and convenience. I don't think it is a wise investment to install a cycle lane that would more than likely be used by fewer cyclists than the one at St John's Roundabout!
In a nutshell, there are roads that I think anything other than a motor vehicle shouldn't use and this is one of them. ..... in other words if a cyclist wants to travel on that route then he must expect the unexpected?
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Jul 17 2009, 10:28 PM
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QUOTE (GMR @ Jul 17 2009, 11:23 PM) ..... in other words if a cyclist wants to travel on that route then he must expect the unexpected? Certainly! You see, speaking personally, I wouldn't want to be on that road on a push bike. It is too noisy, smelly and intimidating. Like I said, I'd rather use the subway, even if there were a green lane painted on the road. To me, I think your principles on this one, whether well founded or not, are getting in the way of practicality.
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Jul 17 2009, 10:34 PM
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QUOTE (Iommi @ Jul 17 2009, 11:28 PM) Certainly! You see, speaking personally, I wouldn't want to be on that road on a push bike. It is too noisy, smelly and intimidating. Like I said, I'd rather use the subway, even if there were a green lane painted on the road. To me, I think your principles on this one, whether well founded or not, are getting in the way of practicality.Oh, you are not the first person to have told me this... and I doubt if you'll be the last.
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Jul 19 2009, 01:42 PM
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QUOTE (nicster09 @ Jul 17 2009, 10:10 PM) Maybe you should get onto the council to install a cycle lane? Not really sure if a cycle lane would work here. As I see it, it would either have to follow the same lanes that cars use, in which case you'd still be left with the same situation, or else go around the edge of the roundabout, cutting across all A339, the town centre entry and exit roads, and then the A4. If this were the case, it could only be a matter of time before there's a rather nasty accident.
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Jul 19 2009, 02:32 PM
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QUOTE (Branston Pickle @ Jul 19 2009, 02:42 PM) Not really sure if a cycle lane would work here. As I see it, it would either have to follow the same lanes that cars use, in which case you'd still be left with the same situation, or else go around the edge of the roundabout, cutting across all A339, the town centre entry and exit roads, and then the A4. If this were the case, it could only be a matter of time before there's a rather nasty accident. Either way there is going to be a very nasty accident. Actually a cycle lane could work. They have one down the other end of town that is on the roundabout by the church. If the bike is going around it the cars are supposed to stop to allow the bike to finish its route.
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Jul 19 2009, 02:54 PM
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QUOTE (GMR @ Jul 19 2009, 03:32 PM) Either way there is going to be a very nasty accident.
Actually a cycle lane could work. They have one down the other end of town that is on the roundabout by the church. If the bike is going around it the cars are supposed to stop to allow the bike to finish its route. I'm assuming you mean the St Johns Roundabout? If I am thinking of the right one, it's a completely different scenario, being a lot less busy, with only one or two lanes going round it, and is not controlled by traffic lights. On the Robin Hood, drivers look more at the lights than the traffic coming from the right.
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Jul 19 2009, 04:01 PM
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QUOTE (Branston Pickle @ Jul 19 2009, 03:54 PM) I'm assuming you mean the St Johns Roundabout? If I am thinking of the right one, it's a completely different scenario, being a lot less busy, with only one or two lanes going round it, and is not controlled by traffic lights. On the Robin Hood, drivers look more at the lights than the traffic coming from the right. Yes I meant St John’s roundabout. And I wasn’t talking about using that system for the Robin Hood roundabout as it wouldn’t work. No, I am talking about using that system for the Hungerford turn off. Picture the road markings as they were before and instead of using them use a cycle lane markings instead. Probably with a warning sign up saying “Beware of cyclists” or “cyclists manoeuvring” or something like that. Whatever; you are not going to stop cyclists using that lane and the only way they can get there is by going across one lane to get to the other so that they can head towards the Robin Hood roundabout. As the council/ or highway patrol said; until there is an accident the road markings will stay the same. So; if we want cyclists to be safe at the Hungerford turn off then we better pray for an…
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