A close call with 2 time trialists.

[Brandane]

Yesterday about 9.30am I was driving south on the A78 Irvine by-pass, where they were holding time trials.
At the particular location, it is a dual carriageway with 3 lanes in each direction, however the left lane southbound becomes the slip road towards a roundabout, and the junction of the A71 to Kilmarnock. The remaining 2 lanes continue south towards Prestwick. I was in the left lane, and was planning to stay there as I was heading for Kilmarnock on the A71. However there were 2 time trialists in lane 1, so I made the decision to overtake them on the basis that there was plenty of space to pass them and return to lane 1 prior to the slip road. At least 300 metres, and I was doing about 60mph...
Then, as I was in lane 2 and maybe 4 or 5 car lengths from the cyclists in lane 1, they both (the rear cyclist was draughting the lead cyclist) without any hint in the form of a hand signal or even a right shoulder check, suddenly began to move from the centre of lane 1 to lane 2...
I had to swerve to avoid them, going into lane 3. Luckily there was nothing passing me in lane 3 or I would have bounced off it, into the cyclists. At 60mph, that wouldn't have ended well. It was very close, and I have done a lot of thinking about the incident since yesterday. If I knew the identity of the club involved I would be contacting them. As it was, there was a marshall standing at the roadside at the start of the slip road who must have witnessed the incident, but whether or not he had a word I do not know.
Not sure why I am posting here, as I expect to get some flack from the "cyclists can do no wrong" brigade. All I can say is that I have been cycling for 55 years, and driving (cars and motorbikes) for 40 years (HGV's for 10 years) without ever having a point on my licence, and that was one of my scariest incidents ever. Complete and utter lack of awareness and road sense by 2 cyclists. Yet if I HAD hit them, the assumption would have been that some inattentive moron in a car had messed up again.
I still had plenty of time to safely move from lane 3 back to lane 1 and to use the slip road which was my original intention, which should give some idea of just how far back from the split that the cyclists took the decision to move to lane 2. Far too early and without warning.

 

[Drago]

Over the years I've come across a few while riding my own bike and their roadcraft has invariably been dreadful. CC doesn't have the bandwidth for me to list it all, but suffice to say focusing on the tarmac just in front of your front wheel to the exclusion of all other visual and auditory stimuli is a daft thing to do on a public road.

 

[Emanresu]

Perhaps they are fully signed up to the changes in the Highway Code brought in in January 2022. Did they fail any of these changes?

The latest changes to The Highway Code include:
• Giving people walking across the road and cyclists going straight ahead, priority when turning in and out of junctions
• Leaving at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists at speeds of up to 30mph and to give them more space when overtaking at higher speeds.
• When passing people riding a horse or driving a horse-drawn vehicle at speeds under 10 mph allowing them at least 2 metres of space
• Allowing at least 2 metres of space and keep to a low speed when passing a person who is walking in the road
• Encouraging people driving vehicles to look over their shoulder behind them to see people cycling or walking nearby, before they open their door
• Cyclists may ride in the centre of the road or two abreast for their own safety, whilst allowing others to overtake when it is safe for them to do so

On the other hand, if the width of the carriageway on an A class road is 3.65m minus the width of the car, there is not a lot of space you might be able to give them.

 

[DCLane]

@Brandane - looks like it was this event: https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/race-results/27355

It was a 2-up time trial, so the riders were in pairs. Did they get the junction / lane positioning wrong? Either way, they should have looked.

The organiser's details are on there so it may be worth dropping them a note.

 

[Brandane]

Did they fail any of these changes?

I'm sure there is something in the highway code about signaling your intention to change lane. And in the absence of a mirror, to LOOK BEHIND you to check it's clear BEFORE carrying out the manoeuvre. Mirror, signal, manoeuvre. The most basic of the road rules....

 

[Brandane]

@Brandane - looks like it was this event: https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/race-results/27355

It was a 2-up time trial, so the riders were in pairs. Did they get the junction / lane positioning wrong? Either way, they should have looked.

The organiser's details are on there so it may be worth dropping them a note.

Excellent work, thanks for that! I will be contacting them later....

 

[T4tomo]

It seems to be a stupid course running it on a dual carriage way with a major slip road off it, thus for a short time putting the competing cyclists in the middle of 3 lanes with cars potentially passing either side. That should fail most risk assessments .

 

[Brandane]

It seems to be a stupid course running it on a dual carriage way with a major slip road off it, thus for a short time putting the competing cyclists in the middle of 3 lanes with cars potentially passing either side. That should fail most risk assessments .

To be fair, it is a quiet stretch of road at that time on a Sunday morning. But not so quiet that you can assume you have the road to yourself, as these 2 appeared to do.

 

[a.twiddler]

Just goes to show, however much experience you have got, and no matter how much idiot proofing you build into your riding/ driving., sooner or later you find that evolution comes up with a better idiot. And possibly they were still unaware that they'd nearly caused an incident, leaving the OP tormented with "what ifs" and questioning his driving, feeling that he has to justify himelf. On the other hand, the OP managed to avoid them, which a less experienced driver might not have done. No doubt the riders were intensely focused on what they were doing, "in the zone" but still, public roads, responsibility for complying with traffic laws, etc, or just plain self preservation, still applied to them.
I'm always wary about time trial riders and such, probably more focused on shaving off milliseconds than strict compliance with traffic rules, but luckily I've had no incidents so far.

 

[Emanresu]

It seems to be a stupid course running it on a dual carriage way with a major slip road off it, thus for a short time putting the competing cyclists in the middle of 3 lanes with cars potentially passing either side. That should fail most risk assessments .

It seems there is a conflict between what the HC says (1.5+m distance) and the clearance width of cars passing within the speed limit. Agree it look like a failed risk assessment.

 

[fossyant]

Used to hate roads like this when doing a TT coming up on a junction entering from my left, I'd get over to the slip road early to avoid cars undertaking. Same when coming up to an exit, get over to the second lane as soon as I could, but the onus is on the riders to check.

 

[derrick]

Am i on the petrol heads forum? You new it was a time trial, Give them plenty of room.

 

[Mo1959]

Am i on the petrol heads forum? You new it was a time trial, Give them plenty of room.

But they changed lanes without checking. Could have pushed him into other traffic as mentioned. Sounds like they were totally in the wrong.

 

[berty bassett]

You are on a cycle forum and will be shot at dawn
I once said it was a daft idea to hold a tt on the A1 causing dangerous situations as Lorry’s were changing lanes at the last minute causing overtaking cars to brake suddenly
I now know the errors of my ways and every time a cyclist gets flattened it is the bigger vehicles fault

 

[Brandane]

Am i on the petrol heads forum? You new it was a time trial, Give them plenty of room.

Sorry I forgot.... Drivers need to allow for supposedly experienced cyclists just in case they change lanes unexpectedly. If they are going to use A class dual carriageways for time trials, then the least they can do is carry out some basic self preservation tactics.