A Roads?

[bonj2]

1. There are a small number of A roads it isn't legal to cycle on parts of (sometimes very long parts).
2. They do exist. Rare though.
3. I know of an A-road where you could end up the motorway but in this case it is a 40mph urban motorway, tbh I don't know the justification really for not letting cyclists on it. Not especially clearly marked but hey and if you did end up on it you wouldn't be killed.

I don't have any photos of me on an A-road. They come in many different shapes and sizes. Normally if you cycle on a two-lane dual carriageway you'll get a lot of hollering and beeping but other than this fuss they are fairly safe if you pick the right one and the right time. I do a 40mph dual carriageway where the typical speed is about 55mph very often. The ones I avoid are 70mph ones where people do the ton on them, I rarely cycle these, but they aren't that common.

i've heard the parkway isn't legal to cycle but i've never seen any signs, so if I wanted to i would. never wanted to tho

 

[dav1d]

Thanks everyone for your help.

I know some of the questions might seem a bit silly, but I needed to ask them before I could feel safe. lol

 

[wafflycat]

The best you can do to feel safe is to learn to cycle assertively (not aggressively) as that is how to cycle as safely as possible on roads. You really are as safe as you can make yourself as opposed to 'feeling' safe.

 

[jimboalee]

Jimbo's recommendation.

"Ride in a position on the road where you are least likely to be hit by another vehicle".

If you can't suss this out, don't go on the Trunk roads.

 

[Dave5N]

Aah, Hayling Island.

 

[WeeE]

"2. Ive never seen a motorway next to an A road. Dont think such a thing exists."

Does in my neck of the woods. There's a bit where the M8 and the A8 run side by side on the approach to the Shieldhall Roundabout (you can google it and see): it looks about 10-12 lanes wide, as far as I'm able to see when I look from the edge - like a football pitch-legth.
Happily, this A-road has a pavement about 12 feet wide, and I've only ever met one person walking there - I walked there loads before I cycled. I have cut along there on the bike a couple of times.

(If you want a laugh, look at the roundabout on satellite view; the small road, King's Inch Road there, has a cycle path: it used to end immediately after the roundabout, off a five-inch kerb, but they seem to have moved the sign - it now points you off a lowered kerb directly onto the give-way line instead.)

 

[LeeW]

I have filmed myself using part of the A63(T)

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCO_TSe-PN0
fast forwared to about 1:45

I use parts of the A46 and A18 every day on my commute

 

[kewb]

i use A roads only as a last resort myself theres a run i do that allows me to ride parallel
with an a road except for last 10 miles were its usual to divert through country lanes
but i have been known to to take the A road for quickness or if the hedgerows are being cut , might sound a bit obvious but you will see m way restrictions posted on slip roads to m ways you wont see any restriction signs approaching an a road apart from national speed limit applies.

 

[kewb]

"2. Ive never seen a motorway next to an A road. Dont think such a thing exists."

Does in my neck of the woods. There's a bit where the M8 and the A8 run side by side on the approach to the Shieldhall Roundabout (you can google it and see): it looks about 10-12 lanes wide, as far as I'm able to see when I look from the edge - like a football pitch-legth.
Happily, this A-road has a pavement about 12 feet wide, and I've only ever met one person walking there - I walked there loads before I cycled. I have cut along there on the bike a couple of times.

(If you want a laugh, look at the roundabout on satellite view; the small road, King's Inch Road there, has a cycle path: it used to end immediately after the roundabout, off a five-inch kerb, but they seem to have moved the sign - it now points you off a lowered kerb directly onto the give-way line instead.)

A77 around glasgow it was upgraded from A road to m Mway couple of years ago due to death toll , the hard shoulder on A 77 is converted into cycle lane
so theres cycle lane A road and motorway all parallel to each other now ,

not seen in pic but Mway is just down embankment on left over fence .

QUOTE ........
The M77/GSO project involves upgrading the A77 between Fenwick and Malletsheugh. A dual carriageway will also be built between the new motorway and the A726 trunk road at East Kilbride.

The project is being taken forward in partnership with East Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire Councils.

Mr Stephen said:

"This is a vital project for South West Scotland and will provide a much safer and more reliable route to and from Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. The existing A77 has an alarming accident rate with a high proportion of serious and fatal accidents. The new M77 will generate considerable environmental benefits by reducing through traffic and creating a cleaner, safer environment for local communities along the routes.

 

[WeeE]

A77 around glasgow it was upgraded from A road to m Mway couple of years ago due to death toll , the hard shoulder on A 77 is converted into cycle lane
so theres cycle lane A road and motorway all parallel to each other now

Wow, it looks lovely! Is it actually linked up sensibly? Does the cycle lane go through junctions without suddenly disappearig? Will they maintain it?

Hope so!

 

[MrRidley]

Cycled back from Embra last sun, stuck to the A89 all the way, bit busy in places but nothing to bad, it varies from busy dual carriage way to quiet country road.

 

[marinyork]

Cycled back from Embra last sun, stuck to the A89 all the way, bit busy in places but nothing to bad, it varies from busy dual carriage way to quiet country road.

A fairly good summing up of A roads.

 

[kewb]

Wow, it looks lovely! Is it actually linked up sensibly? Does the cycle lane go through junctions without suddenly disappearig? Will they maintain it?

Hope so!

its not perfect and theres places were you must actually cross the a77 to continue on the route as for maintaining it out side newton mearns its more of a m way water run off resembling the canals of venice
its unlit for the most of its duration also but a decent ride honestly
lots of cyclists use it .

its not that bad honest

 

[arallsopp]

I use about 30 miles of A roads on my daily cycle commute. Much prefer them to be honest, as every traffic issue I've ever had on a bike has been people / cars pulling out from junctions into me, or oncoming traffic pushing through gaps towards me, on my side of the road. Neither happen on the dual carriageways, so I route deliberately along the A4 when I get the chance.
Of course, I do accept that I mean 'all issues that I've survived'. Potentially just one similar event on a dual carriageway would kill me...

Swings and roundabouts, I suppose.

More roundabouts than swings though.

 

[Crankarm]

I don't see the attraction of cycling along a busy A road with traffic thundering past just because you can. I try to avoid them preferring quieter B or country roads. Call me old fashioned or scared of big roads full of speeding motons when on a bike, but that's just me. It's got me to the age I am having cycled most of my life.

TT rider Major Rhys Evans was killed on the A1 in Bedfordshire earlier this year, hit by a car, the driver a dozy young cow, as he crossed the entrance/exit for a slip road. Wouldn't get me cycling down a road like that even on a quiet sunday morning. It's scary enough in a car.

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/...ath-of-time-triallist-gareth-rhys-evans-22830

An update: The driver Katie Hart will face a full trial 3rd week in january 2010 charged with causing the death of Major Rhy Evans by dangerous driving.

http://www.huntspost.co.uk/content/...=audioHPT&itemid=WEED27+Aug+2009+11:06:57:560