Do you have 'no-go- zones on your commute?

[VamP]

Not exactly no-go zones, but roads I tend to avoid are the A25 between Gomshall and Dorking and the A24 between Horsham and Capel. Both cases are examples of narrow fast roads with lots of blind corners, blind summits, and drivers not necessarily expecting to encounter cyclists.

Unfortunately when I have to cycle between Holmbury St Mary and North Holmwood it is either the A25 or the nasty descent down the hill from Coldharbour, so it is a choice between risking abuse from drivers on the main road or risking a fall on a poor quality country lane.

I don't find that section of the A25 too bad. Not that I would use it in it's entirety given the plethora of awesome lanes surrounding it, but I frequently ride sections of it to connect up routes.

 

[PaulRide]

I think in future I'll try to avoid the Limehouse Link Tunnel. Last night it was a bit noisy and busy.

 

[YahudaMoon]

Commuting wise I avoid cycle lanes, the Fallowfield Loop, and a cut through the back of Plymouth Grove to the uni.

Why ?

The Floop is excellent. I sometimes avoid it though it makes a nice change having traffic free

 

[Glow worm]

I avoid the RAB on junction 8 of the A1(m) :

View attachment 7874

It's a busy fast RAB, that is now light controlled. I prefer to avoid it as I have plenty of other routes

My O.S. map shows Sustrans route 12 passing (underneath?) that RAB from Graveley to Stevenage as a possible alternative - is it a crap route or something as looks OK from the map?

 

[PaulRide]

I'm given to understand that it can be costly to cycle through it as well.

I was expecting to see "no cycling" signs when I realised I was being sucked underground but, to my surprise, it seems there are no such signs as you enter from the east. I may have missed them, just as I had missed the turning for the Greenwich Foot Tunnel a few minutes earlier.

 

[biking_fox]

The Floop is excellent. I sometimes avoid it though it makes a nice change having traffic free

To slow. Stupid gates every half mile. DOn't trust the amount of broken glass on it either. And it doesn't quite go where I need it to. I do use it occasionally as a nice change having a bit of traffic free.

 

[Bman]

My O.S. map shows Sustrans route 12 passing (underneath?) that RAB from Graveley to Stevenage as a possible alternative - is it a crap route or something as looks OK from the map?

It's mainly that RAB being a busy motorway on/off ramp. All the traffic using it travel far too fast. There is also, coming from the south (A602), a very poor quality shared use path. I would much rather ride on a road that has no cycling provision, that one that runs parallel to a poor quality dangerous provision that drivers expect you to use (after looking at the Sustrans route, it appears that the poor quality path I refer to is actually part of that route).

Looking at the Sustrans route, it also avoids that RAB. Again, coming from the south (A602) you have numerous instances of the path ending, then starting again for small side roads, an under-used and poorly maintained underpass that is usually full of glass/debis (and you have to dismount to use it!), a crossing across the B197 that is right next to the RAB making it difficult to find a space to cross, then it goes along a dirt track road/residential area, then back to dirt track.

I would much rather take the route on the right of my attachment

 

[jonny jeez]

I'm lucky that I don't have any no go zones.

The Waterlink Way in Catford/Lewisham can be a bit dodgy after dark with people hanging around..A friend of mine was pushed off his bike a few years back resulting in broken nose and cheekbone. But i'm a big boy and like to think I can handle myself.

Not sure where the waterlink way is but the small park at the bottom or armpit vale in lewisham is a no go for me after dark. Two friends (both coppers) have warned me of kids tying fishing twin between the trees to dismount riders (either for sport, or more menacing reasons).

So I tend to avoid it

 

[Hacienda71]

I avoid the A538 from Mottram into Prestbury. Very narrow twisty and fast. The B5358 Bonis Hall Lane/ Lees Lane is also fast narrow and twisty and i try to avoid it during rush hour. You simply can't take a confident position on the road because a car coming round corner at 60 plus won't be able to slow to the speed of a cyclist even if they are travelling at 25 or more, combine that with some big nearside potholes and you have a perfect recipe for a high speed collision. Fortunately I have a couple of much quieter roads despite the majority of my commute being rural.

 

[palinurus]

The farking great big hill.

The really muddy/ gravelly lane.

South-north direction over the RAB crossing the dual carriageway that leads up to the M1 from the industrial estate (really very tricky to cross the almost continuous traffic).

 

[Glow worm]

Looking at the Sustrans route, it also avoids that RAB. Again, coming from the south (A602) you have numerous instances of the path ending, then starting again for small side roads, an under-used and poorly maintained underpass that is usually full of glass/debis (and you have to dismount to use it!), a crossing across the B197 that is right next to the RAB making it difficult to find a space to cross, then it goes along a dirt track road/residential area, then back to dirt track.

I would much rather take the route on the right of my attachment

Thought it would be something like that - yet another crap cycle path. I'd be on the road too by the sound of it!

 

[scotty110788]

i use road 99% of the time but never had bottle to go over tyne bridge on road so cut onto path, its just so hectic

 

[roscoh]

i try and avoid church road like the plague on the way into work, coming home is great training going uphill almost all the way for 3-4 miles and racing my workmates home and leapfrogging them is great!

Good advice. My work are relocating to Feeder Road in a couple of months and had thought I might commute in on Church Rd, might have to find a different way!

 

[cyberknight]

"Roundabout of death "
At the time i use it about 1000 people are either going into or coming out of where i work and most of them use whatever lane they can get to their exit the fastest without regard for indicators or what any other road user is doing .
http://g.co/maps/73gqy

I use the cycle path that runs under the roundabout on the A 38 , i would rather add a mile each way to my commute than risk it.

 

[daSmirnov]

Is there a reason you go that way to get to Crawley? Guessing maybe you're aiming for the K2 or somewhere south side. Because I grew up north side of Crawley I nearly always go via Rusper (or the fantastic if not quite complete Crawley - Horsham cycle route (caution; may contain nuts and traffic free sections)

I usually do a circular route, along, or should I say up Rusper through the north of Crawley and then down south along forest road. Haven't found the Horsham - Crawley cycle route yet.