Q about the Humber Bridge

[lazybloke]

Exactly!
My primitive hind brain asks me 'what if you stop dead and somersault head first over the bars ...' to which my rational brain retorts 'don't be daft!' but then my other brain reminds me that if 'something, anything' fell off my bike and got caught in a wheel, that I might indeed stop and get dead. My rational brain knows perfectly well that 'something catching in the wheel and stopping me dead' is much more likely to happen when I'm merrily riding along paths and tracks through the woodland and parks near my home, but it still doesn't block out the vision of the somersault over the handlebars - and into the water!

I'm not great with heights either; it's probably not the place to unzip and take off a jacket whilst riding no-handed!

 

[presta]

I take it you won't be trying this then?

If I stand facing railings like that I can deliberately make myself feel uneasy just by imagining the railings are not there, then switch it back off again by acknowledging that they are. I wonder if it would be possible to do it in reverse, imagining there are railings when there aren't.

I recall going to see a friend's boat once, the gang plank to it was about 15" wide, and up on stilts about 10 feet above the mud. I walked out onto it with no problem, then stood there chatting for several minutes, but after a while my interest in the conversation began to wander and I suddenly became very preoccupied with the drop off the plank. That was it, the anxiety quickly became overpowering and there was no way I was getting it back under control, so I had to get off PDQ.

 

[ColinJ]

I take it you won't be trying this then?

That is just bonkers... I don't care how skilled a rider is, that is plain crazy!

I was out for a walk on the local hills once on a perfectly still day when without any warning I got hit by a sudden massive gust of wind which blew me sideways. I was able to stagger and avoid falling flat on my face but a freak wind like that from the right of the cyclist and he would have been whooping all the way to the big splat at the bottom of the drop...

 

[KnittyNorah]

I take it you won't be trying this then?

According to Red Bull, he was 'attached to a rope'.
I suppose it was like being on the verge of a non-elastic bungee jump ... with wheels. Don't know what I think about it, tbh.
I suppose now we need to check for bikes falling from the sky, anytime we go for a walk downstream of a dam ...

 

[ColinJ]

According to Red Bull, he was 'attached to a rope'.
I suppose it was like being on the verge of a non-elastic bungee jump ... with wheels. Don't know what I think about it, tbh.

Ah!

Even so, I'm not sure that the big guy with the rope would have been able to hold him if he fell?!!!

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

Nothing really to add except another pic for reference and that I do it regularly. Never feel like you're gonna fall or be blown off. It can get windy however which can feel unnerving but doesn't take long to cross.
Hull is very flat and alot of North Lincolnshire is pretty flat with lovely smooth tarmac.

 

[T4tomo]

I get it. i rode this one (to Ile de Re) but whilst rational brain says no way can you fall over, there is the tiniest element of whooooaaa!

Humber Bridge is defo my my cycling to do list though

 

[Blue Hills]

i rode across it in September on a pretty windy day (they closed the east side due to winds) and it was fine. Great fun in fact. Here’s a couple of a pics I took on the day which show barrier height. The path is plenty wide enough to stay well away from the barrier if you feel uneasy.

View attachment 628079

View attachment 628080

thanks for pic - at first sight looks OK, but then on a second look, one's bum looks as if it would only be just below the top of the barrier. Folk do go over the bars (bike) sometimes.

 

[Sterlo]

I seriously would worry about it. I'm scared of heights myself and not keen on some bridges, but never had a fear walking or cycling over the Humber Bridge. Although the railings are relatively low, as you can see by all of the pics, the walkway is quite wide and as it's set below the level of the road by about 4 or 5 feet or so, it offers protection from cross winds. If you do get one, it tends to blow you more into the bridge away from the barrier. It's a great ride out, free parking on the north bank and a nice walk/ride across to Barton. Go for it!

 

[Blue Hills]

the walkway is quite wide and as it's set below the level of the road by about 4 or 5 feet or so, it offers protection from cross winds. If you do get one, it tends to blow you more into the bridge away from the barrier.

thanks for this - was wondering about crosswinds - and also blow from passing lorries.

 

[Sterlo]

thanks for this - was wondering about crosswinds - and also blow from passing lorries.

Because the lorries are so much higher, I've never even noticed the apart from the noise when they pass. I don't know how many times I've been over it, living locally, but rarely had a wind issue (on the bridge at least!)

 

[ClichéGuevara]

If you turn west as you hit the south bank, a trip to the nature reserve in the old clay pits can be a pleasant reward to calm any nerves you may have experienced, but as others have said, I think you'll feel secure if you were to try it, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience.

https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/far-ings


It could be worth knowing for route planning, that despite the general flatness, some of the roads heading south off that can be deceptively steep(ish).

 

[Sterlo]

If you turn west as you hit the south bank, a trip to the nature reserve in the old clay pits can be a pleasant reward to calm any nerves you may have experienced, but as others have said, I think you'll feel secure if you were to try it, and I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience.

https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/far-ings


It could be worth knowing for route planning, that despite the general flatness, some of the roads heading south off that can be deceptively steep(ish).

I just tried looking on Google maps just to post an image to show just how steep the ramp up to the bridge is, but the images were taken in thick fog so you can't see anything, but it's surprising how much it rises when you do the return leg from the South Bank.

 

[Venod]

Having ridden across the bridge on numerous occasions I can confirm its OK and echo others at how wide the path is, if you are in the area its a must ride opportunity, but I can understand it if heights bother you, I have a similar phobia with confined spaces nowadays, I don't know why because I have worked in some very dodgy ones that make me cringe when I think about them.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

I just tried looking on Google maps just to post an image to show just how steep the ramp up to the bridge is, but the images were taken in thick fog so you can't see anything, but it's surprising how much it rises when you do the return leg from the South Bank.

I was more meaning the roads on the south bank, and some of those on the north too. Us locals know that they're nothing dramatic on the bigger scale, but can catch people out if they expect it to be as flat as a billiard table.