Dealing with dual carriageways

[Twiggy]

Given that not riding on them isn't a viable option.

How do you deal with multi lane A roads, or more specifically, junctions and times when you need to be in the middle lane, or worse, needing to be in the rightmost lane.

At the moment I deal with junctions with great care, taking the centre of the lane I'm in so I've got space if anyone decides to play silly buggers, constantly looking either for cars behind me wanting to turn off, or cars entering the roadway at excessive speed.

I had a rather insane driver beep me a good dozen times, then pass at speed within two feet, he had an entire lane to the right clear as well.
I know there's nothing I can do to stop the truely stupid from being stupid, but, anything more I could be doing to reduce my risks?

 

[Night Train]

Depends on the speed limit on the dual carriageway, but over 40mph or busy and I chicken out. I stay in the left lane and do right turns by using the nearest crossing.

 

[marinyork]

I go on a 40mph dual carriageway very regularly (all right so until fairly recently it's more like a de facto 60 but I'll not get into that in too much detail). Sounds like you're pretty much doing things right.

For right hand most lane I switch into the right lane about 200 yards from the junction. I'm a bit lucky on that one as at the junction I do it, the road is traffic dominant straight on (which then gives a bigger problem turning right of course but less getting into the lane).

 

[Nigeyy]

Well it's too bad you can't avoid them. I think it's got to depend on the dual carriageway (general speeds and the general driving behaviour). I'm all for taking primary, but usually only at speeds that aren't hugely relatively different and with drivers who I have some modicum of confidence will pay attention.

If the dual carriageway is really fast and with inattentive drivers, personally I'd be cycling further to the left, or actually stopping to get a good view and waiting for a gap in the traffic (perhaps pushing your bike) to cross the road or get in the right lane. I'd say use common sense and remember your safety is more important than attempting to prove car drivers should share the road responsibly.

I'm ready to duck, as I've a feeling some people on this board might strongly disagree!

 

[HLaB]

I'm lucky I only have to cycle on short urban dual carriageways and I can pick my position prior to reaching a junction. Most of them are signalised too this helps me as I know traffic will be stopped/ has to stop giving me the confidence to take the correct position.

 

[Plax]

Well I quite often cycle on the A55 which is part of the Euro route 22, and described as a "catastrophe waiting to happen"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/7131767.stm

I don't travel on it at peak times and I try and avoid the times when the Ferries are due (I had one alarming experience on part of the old road where a foreign lorry nearly took me out after overtaking with inches to spare).
I feel quite comfortable cycling on it, I cycle in a weak secondary position unless I'm on part of the old road when I take a strong secondary position (and pedal like crazy as I'm not keen on that stretch). I'm happy to use the strip of carriageway which is similar to the hard shoulder as a potential escape route if necessary- the section of old road doesn't have this. Providing there is nothing immediately behind me, when I pass sliproads and there is a vehicle about to join I'll move out into primary as I'm always wary about what they'll do. Last time I did this I had a bus driver pull alongside me and tell me I was cycling on the wrong side of the white line. I think he expected me to cycle in the hard shoulder bit, quite what he expected me to do when I came to the section of old road I don't know. I think he was more pissed at having to slow down and give way to me at the slip road personally.

I feel safer sometimes on the A55 - even though the average speed is 70-80mph, cars will 99% of the time use the other lane to overtake me. On the B roads where the speed limit is 60mph you get cars trying to overtake you with oncoming vehicles or will pass you with inches to spare even though there was nothing coming in the other direction (and it doesn't matter what road positioning you take).

I have an ATC2K now so I'll have to at some point film my journey and post it up.

 

[Twiggy]

Why is riding on them not an option?

Not what I said, I said not riding on them is not an option. (except the A46, I've seen how people drive on it, plus it's longer than the alternatives strangely enough)

I was actually cycling into b'ham from cov up the A45, it's actually a pretty relaxing ride to b'ham, but coming back is insane, I've had drivers try to wave me onto the motorway!

 

[Maz]

I deal with 70mph dual-carriageways on my commute. As with all road riding, you have to be assertive, keeping extra distance away from the curb. If you have to switch lanes, do so in good time. Signal clearly and leave no doubt in drivers' minds what your intentions are.

On the odd occasion when I need to get into the right-hand lane, but there's a car already speeding towards me in that lane, I beckon him on to go past and I slot in behind him.

 

[upsidedown]

I ride a 60mph dual carriageway with 2 sets of lights along it, which means you get traffic coming at you in waves. Most of it i will ride but you have to make sure you're far enough out to make a passing car mix it with the right hand lane, thus endangering themselves instead of you. Another part i just accept is too dangerous and use the knackered path alongside it.

I have to turn right at the end of it, if there's a 'wave' approaching i get off and cross, if not no problem.

I've come to accept that i am in the fragile minority so adopt my ride to suit.

 

[Maz]

The A45 was bad enough when I used to ride it daily on a Vespa. The whole section passing the airport until you get past all the junctions is horrible.

I've travelled that road (by car) many times. It must be a white knuckle ride on a bike.

 

[jezhiggins]

I was actually cycling into b'ham from cov up the A45, it's actually a pretty relaxing ride to b'ham, but coming back is insane, I've had drivers try to wave me onto the motorway!

Never cycled it, and can't say I plan too in the near future. It's pretty straight, so visibility should be good. However I'm not sure I'd be very keen on that sequence of junctions past the airport, the M42, and the A452. The entry and exit slips are pretty long, and I imagine there's a real prospect of having a car passing you at 60mph on the right while another comes up at 60mph on the left.

10 years ago or so I commuted in the car along it for a while, and it used to scare the hell out of me. They've reworked some of the junctions since then, which make it better by car but worse, I expect, by bike. I remember a report at the time in the local paper trumpeting the success of the speed cameras which had recently been installed along it. They had reduced the average speed by 10mph, apparently. To 70mph. The signed limit is 60mph.

 

[Twiggy]

The speed cameras don't work anymore, people who know the road frequently do upwards of 100 then brake when a camera comes up, my ex gf included.

As long as you take the middle of the lane at all the junctions you're fairly safe, gives you wiggle room if somone pulls in too quickly, plus makes you more visible. I'm tempted to get some amber LEDs to stick on the side of my bike/hi-vis top so I'm more visible at night.

I regularly do 30+ on the A45, so it's not so bad.

 

[bonj2]

I regularly cycle down the M1, and find it fine.

 

[dantheman]

i used to occasionally ride a 60 mph dual carriageway to work, but a lot of peeps take this piss on it, and its more like 90/100 mph, and only a few inches clearance, so i didnt feel safe, add to this that the first day i rode my new bike, took this route, and got puncture along it, had to walk 2 miles along the edge of it as i hadnt got any tubes/repair kit yet, and i found a new country lane route, adds about a mile on, and lots of hills, but its worth it to be/feel safer, and its a lot more interesting being a scenic route and not just listening for high revving twats to come by..

 

[Riding in Circles]

I cycle dual carriageways from time to time, I stay well over to the left but not onto the rumble strips, at junctions I take primary, if there is a cycle lane on carriageway or along side I use that, if there is a reasonable hard shoulder then I use that regardless of if it is right or wrong, being in the right will not help you when you are under the front of a fast moving vehicle. Most importantly I make sure I am extra observant when on dual carriageways.