A34 Kingsway Southbound Manchester - positioning advice needed

[Schneil]

Hi all

My commute takes me along a section of the busy Kingsway dual carriageway in South Manchester between Grangethorpe Drive and the double roundabout. In the morning I'm OK as there is a bus lane, so I'm quite safe. In the evening it's a different matter and I tend to get one or close overtakes.

Southbound the road has a 40mph limit. It's two lanes, the inside lane is very wide, it's about 1.5 "normal" lane widths. Currently I ride secondary in the inside lane. Most drivers then can give me plenty of room when overtaking. However there is a minority who'll simply thunder past as if I'm not there.

On other dual carriageways, I take centre of the left lane. Would this be the correct approach on this road, even though the inside lane is wide?

 

[Ian Cooper]

I dunno. I loathe wide outside lanes (we call the lane closest to the kerb the outside lane here in the US - I assume you mean that). Whenever traffic speeds are high, I always try to ride in primary position, so that motorists see me in plenty of time to change lanes to pass. Wide lanes make it hard to control traffic behind me in this way: if you take primary, cars could try to squeeze by on either side. It's a potential death trap, which is why I try to avoid such roads.

Many transportation engineers (and even some cyclists) believe wide outside lanes are better for cyclists, but in my view they are more dangerous, as they invite close passes and they prevent a cyclist from controlling the lane..

 

[400bhp]

Go a different route- wouldn't want to be cycling down there in rush hour.

Burnage Lane?

 

[fossyant]

Oh you only do that little bit of it !

I regularly ride down from Parrs Wood straight into town - to be honest it's absolutely fine. Ride a good secondary and you will be OK. I personally find it better than Parrs Wood Road that runs parallel (from Parrs Wood) as that's full of side roads where no-one looks. I also ride back that direction.

Oh and leave your lights on unless bright sunshine on that road. It's plenty wide enough for a good secondary, and it gives you a little wiggle room if things get tight.

 

[Schneil]

Ian Cooper - yes this is the problem with this road. I'd much rather have three narrow lanes than two wide ones!

400bhp - I'm afraid Kingsway is a lesser of quite a few evils. I've done Burnage Lane from Grangethorpe Drive to the Roundabout in Burnage and it's not very nice. It's deceptively busy and narrow, plus it's a bit of a pain to get to from Anson Road. Actually Burnage Lane between the roundabout and Didsbury Road is one of my least favourite cycling roads. Narrow lane width+parking bays+moron drivers = unpleasant cycling. I had one of my closest ever passes on that road 4 weeks ago. As Fossy says ParrsWood road is also a bit risky, so Kingsway it is. H

Fossy - A picture tells a thousand words, so here's my most recent Kingsway experience.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmg8mbqa1Ao


I think I'm adopting a similar road position to yourself on that road. I think you're probably a bit faster than me though. Also my lights weren't on. As you can see all the drivers gave me room apart from the Astra. My rear light is nothing special though, so I might invest in a more powerful rear. What light do you have? Maybe the red sends a subliminal danger message?

 

[I like Skol]

I don't know, I just don't get it? Are you referring to the passes by the Astra and Corsa at around the 55s mark? I don't see much wrong with this, Ok, they could have given you more room but I don't see this as essential. There is nothing in this vid clip that would unsettle me as a rider in the real world. It's a busy road!

 

[Ian Cooper]

You might have a bit more success preventing close passes by cycling a foot or so farther out, but other than this, I think you're doing everything right.

 

[fossyant]

Looks like you are OK positioning wise. I only worry about close passes when I can touch the car . I usually get more idiotic stuff going on at the two roundabouts, especially on the aproach to the first, where you really do have to own your lane.

 

[Schneil]

I don't know, I just don't get it? Are you referring to the passes by the Astra and Corsa at around the 55s mark? I don't see much wrong with this, Ok, they could have given you more room but I don't see this as essential. There is nothing in this vid clip that would unsettle me as a rider in the real world. It's a busy road!

It was the Astra that I didn't like, bit hard to see from the video, but it was almost touching distance.

 

[Schneil]

Looks like you are OK positioning wise. I only worry about close passes when I can touch the car . I usually get more idiotic stuff going on at the two roundabouts, especially on the aproach to the first, where you really do have to own your lane.

The double roundabout is a bad spot for accidents. My workmates nephew got knocked off there by lady failing to give way, poor lad got a minor head injury.
As above it was the Astra that was uncomfortably close, I might try sticking my arm out earlier to get them to move out.

 

[fossyant]

I know got in a right tussle with a golf v5 there a couple of years ago. I reported it, the car was known and got an additional strike against it. The police said go for prosecution as the minimum was another notch.