Cyclist death on a90 dual carriageway

[Pedrosanchezo]

There was a guy on here last year talking about A9/90 as part of the route for LEJOG and I thought I would rather not do LEJOG if I had to go on this road.

I once cycled the cycle track at the side of the dual carrigeway near blackford for under a mile and that was quite bad being 3ft from lorries flying past.

Yeh that's part of the south A9. Not as bad as the North but it's still nuts.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

I used to commute (not every journey) on the A40 between Gloucester and Cheltenham, where it is an NSL dual-carriageway.

My condolences to the family and friends of the bereaved, but I rather liked it and still ride on it, although not for commuting.

On a charity ride with my daughter a year or so back, we covered very many miles on NSL dual-carriageway. We occasionally had the wheelnuts of artics rather closer to our elbows than seemed appropriate, but I didn't feel I was exposing her to any outrageous peril. There are roads where I'd rather not ride, but NSL dual-carriageways are not one. I confess I do not know the road where this rider died.

It is dreadful when somebody dies or is seriously hurt in an accident, but I'm not sure there is a solid case for avoiding this sort of road.

It is all about the road i think. Some may be okay but others not. I wouldn't like to think that some cyclists think that ALL dual carriageways are safe.
I must admit though that if Lorries were that close to me i would feel slightly uneasy. Kind of putting your trust in their driving. If they slip up it's not going to end well......

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

There was a guy on here last year talking about A9/90 as part of the route for LEJOG and I thought I would rather not do LEJOG if I had to go on this road.

I once cycled the cycle track at the side of the dual carrigeway near blackford for under a mile and that was quite bad being 3ft from lorries flying past.

Seriously?? I can't believe that an event like this would be on dual carriageway without escort?? Sheer madness if it was.

 

[albion]

Covering a distances I find dual carriages with shoulder often fit in with my route plan.

In common with a lot of cyclists I do make use of the A189 towards Blyth.
It has a good sized lined verge which until recent makes it comparatively safe.

However the cycle lane like shoulder now has so much mud it is currently too dangerous to use.

 

[User6179]

Seriously?? I can't believe that an event like this would be on dual carriageway without escort?? Sheer madness if it was.

Thats what I thought!!

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

Thats what I thought!!

I've actually just found the thread. Yup the A9 from inverness in to Perth then the M90 to Edinburgh. Double

 

[User6179]

I've actually just found the thread. Yup the A9 from inverness in to Perth then the M90 to Edinburgh. Double

Holy £$%$, thats insane !

There was something in the back of mind saying it was recumbent bikes also but that might of been another thread.

 

[User16625]

A cyclist has been killed on the dual carriageway running from Dundee to Perth. First off i would like to extend my deepest sympathys to the family and any friends.

I must ask though, again, why cyclists continue to use dual carriageways when there is a reasonable option!?! There is a cycle route from Dundee to Perth which is all good A road. There is also a cycle path on the A90 which runs beside the motorway.
Whether the driver of the lorry is to blame or the cyclist is to blame makes no difference - it could have all been avoided if we, as cyclists, choose the safest option and not necessarily the quickest.

Please be careful out there and consider your route carefully.
FWIW, I cycle these roads daily and have never found the need to ride the dual carriageway. There are 2 other options both ways and both are significantly safer.


http://news.stv.tv/tayside/218044-c...g-hit-by-lorry-on-a90-named-as-charles-aimer/

I hope my view on this does not offend anyone. I am simply asking people to think twice before riding on busy dual carriageways.

RIP.

Couldnt agree more. For the safest possible option we shouldnt even bother using the roads anyway:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q3LV2yyzJg

 

[400bhp]

If it has national speed limit applied to it. Duel carriage ways can be limited to any speed, for example.. This duel carriage way is a 40mph limit. In fact there are several duel carriageways i know of which are 30mph limit.

DuAL

Sorry, it was bugging me.

 

[gaz]

DuAL

Sorry, it was bugging me.

In souf landon it's duel.

 

[Brandane]

I used to drive an artic on this road, 4 days out of 8, for 6 years when I had a job driving between Glasgow Airport and Aberdeen Airport for an air freight company. That road is not safe for cyclists, and I used to really worry when I saw the odd tourer who had ventured onto it. It carries a lot of heavy lorries, and the lanes are only just wide enough for 2 lorries with not much margin for error.
IMHO we (cyclists) should not be allowed on trunk roads such as this, in the same way as we are not allowed on motorways. Dual carriageway trunk roads are in effect motorways without the same safety features such as a hard shoulder. They have the same national speed limits as motorways (except for HGVs *), so whatever genius thought it would be a good idea to ban cyclists from motorways but not routes like the A90 needs to take another look. Just crazy.

* HGV speed limit on an NSL dual carriageway is 50 mph but we all know the drivers run on the limiter at 90 kph (56 mph). On a motorway, the NSL for HGVs is 60 mph, which seems odd when they are still limited to 56 mph.

 

[HLaB]

I'm not sure where the boundaries lie (its probably due to speed/flow) but some dual carriageways are better than single IMO as less driver frustration builds up, as there is little problem in overtaking but the A90 definitely lies at the other end of the scale its akin to a motorway and some places is

 

[Joe D]

I wonder if the weather was a factor? I'm familiar with that road as a car passenger and almost all of it is quite exposed. The weather up here yesterday and Saturday was quite bad at times with rain, sleet and snow being carried on strong winds.

 

[HLaB]

I wonder if the weather was a factor? I'm familiar with that road as a car passenger and almost all of it is quite exposed. The weather up here yesterday and Saturday was quite bad at times with rain, sleet and snow being carried on strong winds.

I hope the poor sole never made the decision the Carse road would be too dodgy in the conditions and chose the main road instead; not to the same degree but Ive made similar decisions in the past

 

[Nebulous]

That is a particularly bad road. I know someone who drives from Aberdeen -> Blairgowrie -> Perth just to avoid Dundee to Perth. I try to avoid a lot of main roads on my bike and plan routes around them.

Having said that though, we did a 50 mile TT on the A90 from roughly Stonehaven to Stracathro and back last year and it worked ok. It was on a Sunday morning, with lots of signs up about a cycling event, which must have helped.

Anyway condolences to the man's family. However it happened it's a sair heart for somebody.