My mate's view on A roads

[bonsaibilly]

If there is a relevant traffic order in place, yes. There are a number of restricted A roads or sections of A roads.

That's what I thought, that it isn't necessarily true that all A roads are legally cyclone?

 

[bonsaibilly]

All A roads (in fact all public roads other than motorways) are by default cyclable unless a specific restriction is in place - I don't believe anyone has suggested otherwise. For most A roads any restriction only applies to part of their length, e.g. the A505 near Baldock, where it goes through the tunnel - or those parts of the A1 where it is the A1(M). Very few A roads are restricted in their entirety.

Fair do's, although I would imagine that the word "suggested" is open to interpretation as to prior posts in this thread that have appeared to state outright that we can cycle on any A road de facto.

 

[bonsaibilly]

I now realise I am challenging a post mid thread rather than the OP. So probably not worth continuing.

 

[briantrumpet]

A lorry driver of many years told me in the transport industry aggregate lorry drivers are known for their, er, press on style of driving.

There was a road near Frome that I went on a few years ago - one of the few that I've ever just been really rather scared on. It was relatively fine after the quarry...

 

[KnackeredBike]

I was amazed to see a cyclist on the stretch of the A42 linking the M42 to the M1. The only difference between the M42 and that stretch of the A42 being the lack of a hard shoulder. It has very few entry or exit points and is graded much like a motorway. While perfectly legal I imagine it would be the most unpleasant place to cycle, the noise level alone being unbearable.

I called the police once because there was a cyclist on the A34 past Oxford in rush hour at late dusk with no lights on. Unfortunately no-where to pull over to stop him. He must have had balls of steel or be exceptionally stupid. Or both.

 

[Racing roadkill]

It isn't the cars going past at 50 you have to worry about, on the A roads. It's the LGVs / PSVs. I rode up the A34 from Newbury to Oxford a couple of years ago. Hilariously, bits of it are officially a cycle route.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I called the police once because there was a cyclist on the A34 past Oxford in rush hour at late dusk with no lights on. Unfortunately no-where to pull over to stop him. He must have had balls of steel or be exceptionally stupid. Or both.

Did he have a bright pink bag cover?

 

[Globalti]

An A road in Scotland, yesterday:

 

[KnackeredBike]

Did he have a bright pink bag cover?

It was a couple a years ago but from memory all in dark clothing.

 

[cubey]

B roads much more dangerous IMHO, much narrower and bendier. Although you do need to time your rides, going out at the rush hour is a no-no for me. But the most dangerous of places are roundabouts. Two bad ones near me, as you can see you need to use extreme caution.

 

[si_c]

B roads much more dangerous IMHO, much narrower and bendier. Although you do need to time your rides, going out at the rush hour is a no-no for me. But the most dangerous of places are roundabouts. Two bad ones near me, as you can see you need to use extreme caution.

From above they don't look too bad, you just have to position yourself as if you were a car, and follow the appropriate lanes, the trouble occurs when you try to keep left and let cars squeeze you out or left hook you. I find if you take the lane and behave like a car, other road users, for the most part, tend to treat you as one.

 

[Katherine]

It isn't the cars going past at 50 you have to worry about, on the A roads. It's the LGVs / PSVs. I rode up the A34 from Newbury to Oxford a couple of years ago. Hilariously, bits of it are officially a cycle route.

I drive down there to get to my parents. I've seen the cycle markings at the side of the road but obviously as I would be going up to 50 mph myself I am always going too fast to look closely at it. I have never seen a cyclist, probably because it doesn't look like it is properly separated from the traffic, just runs up the side of the lanes. Not safe at all.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I drive down there to get to my parents. I've seen the cycle markings at the side of the road but obviously as I would be going up to 50 mph myself I am always going too fast to look closely at it. I have never seen a cyclist, probably because it doesn't look like it is properly separated from the traffic, just runs up the side of the lanes. Not safe at all.

I did it once, as an experiment, never again. The worst bit is the long drag up to Chievely, it's a steep hill, badly surfaced, with lorries elephant racing up it, and it's not separated from the traffic.

 

[Johnno260]

some of the A roads near me I am ok to ride on.....some drivers don't share my feelings on the matter.

 

[Ajax Bay]

you just have to position yourself as if you were a car, and follow the appropriate lanes

This ^^^^^ (at a roundabout): position and 'think' like a car; or get off and walk the bike across the various exits on the route a pedestrian would take.