Cyclists down a30

[JohnC60]

It appears that the lorry driver didn't learn from these deaths, he has been charged on two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and, wait for it, less than 3 months after the incident, another charge of dangerous driving following another crash on the A30!
http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk...s-deaths-A30/story-21093210-detail/story.html

 

[glenn forger]

You'd think killing two people would make one cautious behind the wheel. It guess this creature is still driving round?

 

[briantrumpet]

I haven't read the whole thread, but just wanted to post how sad this is for the families of the cyclists who died.

And for anyone who doesn't know what the A30 out of Cornwall is like, I lived in Cornwall for 3 years, and I wouldn't have cycled on it past Penzance if someone offered to make me an overnight millionaire in return. I drove it frequently between Okehampton and St Ives before I started cycling, and like many other drivers, thought nothing of driving at 90-100mph anywhere it was dual carriageway.

There are so many quiet, beautiful routes you can take out of Cornwall. Yes, they take longer, and there are more hills, but they're safer and so much more enjoyable than slogging along and smelling the fumes, with lorries thundering by you.

If anyone still needs convincing that the A30 is a bad choice, here's a video I did today, mid-afternoon:

 

[MattyKo]

The fact remains that only motorways are prohibited road for cyclists.
The fact probably exists that commercial drivers account for more road accidents than social domestic and commuters.
Why attribute blame on the cyclists for their choice of route, when the driver is charged with further separate dangerous driving offences within three months of this accident.

 

[ufkacbln]

Secondly when some authority does make a sensible decision by providing a cycle lane that obviously avoids problematic areas then why do some cyclists not use them? I know it's not compulsory and maybe it should be but they are there to provide a relatively safe route to cyclists. In fairness many cyclists do use them although the head down chain gang fraternity seem to avoid them like the plague - presumably a Strava brag is worth more than the higher risk of losing a life.

Therein lies the point

I commute along a dual carriageway each day

It has a cyclepath, which I avoid like the plague

On the way into work there is a long complex detour to access it, involving a difficult roundabout, as opposed to a few yards on a dual carriageway. Then to the bonus, the path stops dead half way along the carriageway and you then have to cross four lanes of fast moving traffic, and cycle along the same dual carriageway

The higher risk in my case is using the cycle facility!

 

[ufkacbln]

If anyone still needs convincing that the A30 is a bad choice, here's a video I did today, mid-afternoon:

The "hard shoulder" is wider than some cyclepaths I have seen!

 

[marzjennings]

If anyone still needs convincing that the A30 is a bad choice, here's a video I did today, mid-afternoon:

I don't see the problem, I grew up cycling the A30 from Redruth, to Camborne, all the way to Penzance with a few rides up to Newquay and beyond. Hundreds of miles without a problem. It was the small back roads where the hot hatch nutters liked to play and WVM wanted to own, where most of my near misses occurred.

 

[steveindenmark]

yep...totally.

That sounds ridiculous.

Cyclists also make mistakes and sometimes do some really stupid things, just look on Youtube. If they come into contact with a lorry due to their own negligence, how can the lorry driver be at fault?

This does not refer to these 2 guys. RIP

Steve

 

[Leodis]

I cycle Leeds outer ring road everyday, well 4 miles of it, I feel safer on there with cars doing 60 than I do in rush hour traffic with school run, slow moving traffic, door zones, zombie peds and pot holes. In fact I take a longer route to join a better road with half decent "cycle path/white lines" and lots of big bus lanes.

 

[briantrumpet]

Let's hope justice is served: http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co....cycle-deaths/story-21186597-detail/story.html

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

I don't see the problem, I grew up cycling the A30 from Redruth, to Camborne, all the way to Penzance with a few rides up to Newquay and beyond. Hundreds of miles without a problem. It was the small back roads where the hot hatch nutters liked to play and WVM wanted to own, where most of my near misses occurred.

The A30 of today is a different beast to what it was even 10 years ago. I used to cycle the A30 from just North of Truro down to Cambourne as my daily commute and at times it was terrifying. In the end I used a different route.
These days a lot more of the A30 is dual carriageway than it used to be and the roads are far busier, especially in the summmer, with people that dont know the roads very well. When I cycled down there a couple of years ago while on holiday I avoided it like the plague, but the back roads are just as bad as you say. People treat them like motorways and drive at speed not knowing how narrow they are, or how tight some of the blind bends are.

 

[recumbentpanda]

I drove it frequently between Okehampton and St Ives before I started cycling, and like many other drivers, thought nothing of driving at 90-100mph anywhere it was dual carriageway

...

Soo lulubel, when are you flying back from Spain to hand yourself over to the UK police for multiple offences?

 

[glasgowcyclist]

The lorry driver has now pled guilty to two charges of causing death by dangerous driving and will be sentenced later. He also pled guilty to a third charge of dangerous driving on the A30 a few months after the fatal collision.

Full story on the BBC.

GC

 

[fimm]

I hope they take his licence away, and don't listen to any pleas that he needs to carry on driving HGVs. This man needs to continue to work as a driver like Rolf Harris needs continued access to children because he's always worked as a children's entertainer...

 

[DCLane]

I hope they take his licence away, and don't listen to any pleas that he needs to carry on driving HGVs.

+1 Three similar offences over a short period should mean no chance to drive HGV's again.