Death junction

[Rochenko]

Anyone here from Cardiff will know where I'm referring to...

Anyhoo, 8.50am today and was approaching said junction from Albany road to turn right in the filter lane into Crwys road. Albany was the usual snarl in both directions thanks mainly to an artic reversing into one of the narrow side streets to deliver to Tesco Extra/Iceland/whatever. In particular, oncoming traffic was backed up right to the junction.

Left turning./straight ahead traffic has a red light, right filter arrow is green. I have (I think) 2 cars about 20 yds behind me, so am picking up the pace into the turn. Just as I get past the ped refuge to my right, I notice a woman in a small car (Corsa?) on the Richmond Road side of the junction who is straddling the white line/ped crossing. Obviously caught by the red light phase whilst edging forward looking to get across the junction into Albany.

She looks right, then left (at this point, all traffic except the right fiilter lane I'm in has a red light) - but not straight ahead.

Then guns the engine and speeds across the junction.

Having the cars behind me and already being well into the turn, I sped up rather than stopped - she missed my back wheel but not by much. Despite obviously not being quite on the planet, she was awake enough to flick some choice Vs at me.

 

[Jezston]

Nice. I love it when people hurl abuse at you after they f***ed up and almost kill you.

 

[Amanda P]

There's a reason it's called that!

 

[Rochenko]

There's a reason it's called that!

At least two reasons, apparently.

 

[Zoiders]

If a junction is persistantly dangerous due to bad layout or the simple weight of traffic guess what the best plan of action is?

Find another route.

 

[Rochenko]

If a junction is persistantly dangerous due to bad layout or the simple weight of traffic guess what the best plan of action is?

Find another route.

The problem is that all other routes from where I live to where I work feature seriously problematic junctions, or fast roads with plenty of opportunities (which many motorists are happy to take up) for stupidly close passes (whether in secondary or primary).

TBH, I find the Albany Road route the least problematic of the lot, as the traffic is so often static (and going left/straight on at the junction) that I can filter and turn right at the end with no problems.

 

[Zoiders]

The problem is that all other routes from where I live to where I work feature seriously problematic junctions, or fast roads with plenty of opportunities (which many motorists are happy to take up) for stupidly close passes (whether in secondary or primary).

TBH, I find the Albany Road route the least problematic of the lot, as the traffic is so often static (and going left/straight on at the junction) that I can filter and turn right at the end with no problems.

Go around, think sideways.

I can run over a pedestrian footbridge in the cyclocross carry very easily and it saves grief.

Get a local cycle map, find the footpaths, put together a new route.

 

[Rochenko]

Go around, think sideways.

I can run over a pedestrian footbridge in the cyclocross carry very easily and it saves grief.

Get a local cycle map, find the footpaths, put together a new route.

Doesn't work, believe me, I've tried: I've yet to find a route which doesn't feature significant drawbacks (there is one route on which a shortcut between roads similar to the one you describe would be possible for me, but to get to it - a set of steps which would enable me to avoid DJ - I have to cross half-a-dozen narrow back streets where visibility is poor for drivers thanks to double lines of parked cars - have had drivers turn into me whilst waiting behind a give way line on this route, and various other off-putting experiences).

One of the problems with living in the part of Cardiff I do (Roath) is that it's strangely isolated, at least in terms of the permeability of local streets to bikes if you're heading into the city. The Council recently published a cycle strategy in which it recognised that this was a problem - and then chose to do nothing about it, despite plenty of people (including me) having made a lot of noise when it was out to consultation.

 

[nickb]

One of the problems with living in the part of Cardiff I do (Roath) is that it's strangely isolated, at least in terms of the permeability of local streets to bikes if you're heading into the city.

Turning right from Albany Road into Crwys Road doesn't sound an appropriate manoeuvre for someone heading into the city, where are you heading? And from where?

Just interested, as I know that area very well from my student days and still live in Cardiff 20 years later.

It was called 'Death Junction' back then too

 

[Rochenko]

Turning right from Albany Road into Crwys Road doesn't sound an appropriate manoeuvre for someone heading into the city, where are you heading? And from where?

Just interested, as I know that area very well from my student days and still live in Cardiff 20 years later.

It was called 'Death Junction' back then too

I work at the Uni, top third of Park Place and live by Roath Park - so typically I go Albany > Crwys Rd > Woodville Road > Catherine St > Cathays Terrace > Park Place. Occasional alternative is Pen - y Wain Rd > Monthermer Rd - but the junction with Mackintosh Place and mini RAB at the Monthermer Rd - Shirley Rd junction are both crap around rush hour.

 

[davehann]

i agree, death junction is hard to avoid, and do cross it regularly myself.

the trick i use is: go slow in the primary position and make the beeping cars wait


or

you could try going:

albany road, flora street , cathays terrace, park place

 

[Rochenko]

i agree, death junction is hard to avoid, and do cross it regularly myself.

the trick i use is: go slow in the primary position and make the beeping cars wait


or

you could try going:

albany road, flora street , cathays terrace, park place

Yeah, works fine for cars behind you (I do it there too when turning right in the filter lane), but not ones coming head on ;-)

Don't understand the route recommendation? Flora St is off Woodville Road, isn't it?

 

[nickb]

I work at the Uni, top third of Park Place and live by Roath Park - so typically I go Albany > Crwys Rd > Woodville Road > Catherine St > Cathays Terrace > Park Place. Occasional alternative is Pen - y Wain Rd > Monthermer Rd - but the junction with Mackintosh Place and mini RAB at the Monthermer Rd - Shirley Rd junction are both crap around rush hour.

Roath Park is pretty big, but I'll assume you mean the 'Rec' end near Ninian Road/Pen-y-Lan.

I think I'd stick with the Monthermer Road > Dalton Street > Cathays Terrace route. You still have to cross Crwys Road, but cars are often moving pretty slowly at that end. You can drop into Cyclopedia for a chat and a browse too when you've got spare time

Anything to avoid Death Junction - too many variables there. Mind you, I negotiate Newport Road every day - that's some scary shoot!

 

[Rochenko]

Roath Park is pretty big, but I'll assume you mean the 'Rec' end near Ninian Road/Pen-y-Lan.

I think I'd stick with the Monthermer Road > Dalton Street > Cathays Terrace route. You still have to cross Crwys Road, but cars are often moving pretty slowly at that end. You can drop into Cyclopedia for a chat and a browse too when you've got spare time

Anything to avoid Death Junction - too many variables there. Mind you, I negotiate Newport Road every day - that's some scary shoot!

Yeah, that's it. Kudos to you for doing NR daily, jeez.

Once you're on Monthermer Rd then it's smooth going, but it's getting up there that's the annoying part - I use this route maybe a couple of times a week, for variety, having dropped my kids off at school. The junction with Mackintosh Pl (major commuting route into the city centre) on Pen-y-wain Rd is where it all happens - left hooks, right hooks, sudden close overtakes to beat the cyclist to the mini-RAB, people pulling out of Mackintosh without looking. Too much craziness concentrated into a tiny space.