Road closed ahead....

[briantrumpet]

Of course I never believe them .... most times you can go past the road-works, or at worst walk through them.

Today's 'Road Closed' presented a different hazard - I sailed past the first 'Road Closed' and 'Diversion' sign (this being Devon, any diversions are likely to entail several extra miles and several extra hills), then came to the second 'Road Closed' sign next to what I thought was a slightly raised cover across the road. As this was a nice downhill section, I was fairly committed to my course by now, and it was only as I got close to the sign I realised that it was next to a trench across the width of the road - only about 18 inches across, but as far as I was aware (by the time I was aware of it) deep enough to swallow a bike. So it was bunny-hop time. Not that I've ever practised them. There's a first time for everything, and adversity is a good incentive to learn.

The good news was that I made it across, doing about 20mph (so a bit of clunck as I landed from my less-than-impressive bunny-hop. Phew. Especially as I had just put on a brand new Conti GP4000S this morning, and I'm on Ksyrium Elites (£400 for a set). Then about half a mile further on, the back of the bike became progressively bouncier, and I had suffered a snakebite puncture on the back. So, gnashing of teeth, but in the circumstances I'd got off fairly lightly.

I'm not sure I'll have learned the lesson though ... I'd have thought that if it was a proper hazard like an open trench in a road, then a barrier across the width of the road, or a simple cover over it might have been in order, in case some daft cyclist comes steaming down the hill thinking he'd get through.

 

[ohnovino]

Last week, a road near me was shut for roadworks. Despite numerous signs warning of the closure and pointing out the diversion, about one car in three would ignore them and travel half a mile to the roadworks, only to find the road blocked and have to do a u-turn. I knew I could sneak through on the pavement (having dismounted, of course) so I took great delight in smiling at the grumpy drivers on their self-imposed detour

 

[Nebulous]

A couple of weeks ago I was coming home in my van on a Sunday, a fairly narrow road and came to a set of temporary traffic lights. They were tarring the right-hand lane and had reduced the traffic to one lane. We got a green light,the line of traffic moved off and I met a bike coming down the other lane on the wet tar. The traffic lights at his side were round the corner. I surmised that he came to the red light thought they wouldn't be working on a Sunday and decided to come down the closed lane. Then on turning the corner too fast he was confronted by a stream of traffic coming to face him, with nowhere to go other than continue on the new tar.

 

[potsy]

Didn't stop us on Sundays forum ride

 

[HLaB]

The CC Ecosse ride also came across a closed road or two on Sunday but it turned out only to motor traffic; they have added more bollards more recently but it was still passable, although when some folk seen the hill the wished it hadn't been

 

[Jonathing]

There's a road closed here by road works right across it. We always head straight through as the shared use path isn't affected. It's so nice to ride on a usually bust main road for a mile or so with no cars on!

 

[MarcA]

Got through a few road closed signs no probs. On one ride though (where they were in the process of buding a new road) we came to a fence and padlocked gate across the road - until we noticed they has forgotten to lock the padlock - so were able to get through and save some extra miles. However on a canel path once ignored the diversion sign and eventually came to a missing bride over a river.

 

[Hip Priest]

I came across a road closed sign the other day. I was just pondering my course of action when one of the workmen said 'just come through mate'. Top bloke.

 

[HLaB]

I usually cycle along Burnshot Road into Edinburgh but one day I spotted diversion signs at the B800 (old A8000) but ignored them, a bike will get through got as far as the railway bridge only to find that it was getting lifted and yes it was shut to bikes

 

[briantrumpet]

However on a canel path once ignored the diversion sign and eventually came to a missing bride over a river.

Had her husband noticed?

 

[ColinJ]

I once came across the scene of an accident between a motorcyclist and a car. Police cars were blocking both ends of the road to protect the accident scene. (The motorcyclist was being stretchered to the local air ambulance in a nearby field.) It would have meant a very long detour for me and climbing a couple of 20% hills so I was pleased that the police officer was good enough to let me through on condition that I walked my bike along the grass verge away from the accident debris on the road.

 

[screenman]

I love any excuse for a few extra miles, bring on the diversions.

 

[cyclingsheep]

'However on a canel path once ignored the diversion sign and eventually came to a missing bride over a river.'


I'm curious as to how the lady in white got there

 

[Dan_h]

A few weeks ago a road that I use every morning had a road closed due to flooding sign up. Given that I would have to make a detour of a few miles to avoid it I thought I would go and take a look. I nipped between the barriers (it was a country lane, no pavements) and rode down to where the river is. The floods had gone and I had about 1.5 miles of clear road all to myself

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

Last week, a road near me was shut for roadworks. Despite numerous signs warning of the closure and pointing out the diversion, about one car in three would ignore them and travel half a mile to the roadworks, only to find the road blocked and have to do a u-turn. I knew I could sneak through on the pavement (having dismounted, of course) so I took great delight in smiling at the grumpy drivers on their self-imposed detour

On one of my alternative routes home there is a section closed as they rebuild the riverbank , the first yellow sign says road closed, the second has added to it in marker, "Still" and the third has added " we told you twice"