Should I cycle here?

[AndyPeace]

I've often found myself on this road durring the winter. It's a good surface but is narrow, with fast moving traffic. I've tried a few approaches, such as always taking primary ( this lead to an incident where a van close passed me anyway and shouted out something or other), never taking primary - with an ineviatable mix of close passes, drivers who give me space but play chicken with oncoming traffic and more considerate people who hang back until the oncoming lane is clear and they can overtake and more recently this has grown to a mix. If there is oncoming traffic I hold primary position, until the traffic lulls when I signal and move back to secondary.

 

[Paul.G.]

I've often cycled on similar roads, the decision has to down to how confident you are, is there another route which has less traffic? It may be a bit of a longer detour but might be less stressful.

 

[snorri]

What Paul G says.
Some roads are just not user friendly for cyclists, there is nothing wrong with taking another route, your state of mind and safety must come first.

 

[Sca1ey]

There's a cycle path running next to it - why not use that?

 

[Sara_H]

There's a cycle path running next to it

Where?

 

[AndyPeace]

I've often cycled on similar roads, the decision has to down to how confident you are, is there another route which has less traffic? It may be a bit of a longer detour but might be less stressful.

Whereas I'm not saying I have perfected my road skills, I'll happily ride duel carrigeways and major roads, it's more that me riding this road inevitabley slows down the flow of traffic, though even if I took the lane for the whole strech it's a couple of minutes! Not sure why I posted this now ! As the map shows there are 2 alternatives, (a country road, Taylors Lane (my prefered route) and a shared use path. Trouble is this time of year both alternatives are icey and ungritted.They clearly did not think cyclists would use the road when it was built as it's far too narrow...I guess they thought the shared path would be loved by all cyclists (from the direction I come it's problematic to get to the shared path, without dismounting and crossing roads as a pedestrian and I'm not a fan of shared paths) As a rule, I avoid the road in question if my speed is likley top fall below 20 on that strech (it's a nice surface and fairly flat), as I don't want to inconvieniece other road users.

 

[jarlrmai]

right next to it (north) is a wide path starting at the roundabout, whether cyclists are allowed not sure.. Also in the winter they also tend to be unusable/dangerous (no grit or car tyre pressure to melt the ice)

 

[BlackPanther]

The last 2 miles of my commute is a narrow a road with no lighting. I ride around 2 feet from the edge, not trying to 'block' cars behind me, but just to make them aware that I'm there. Whatever distance you ride from the side of the road is the distance that passing motorists tend to give you. I find that it really helps to have 2 widely spaced rear lights (preferably on 'strobe' setting) and on all my bikes/2 wheel recumbents, and trikes, I always fit a bar, preferably wider than the machine I'm riding.......this really makes you appear wider (and weirder) thus making other road users more aware of you.

The last pic is of my first commuter bike, back when I didn't know that when it comes to lights, buy cheap, buy twice (or more.) Lesson learned, now I run Magic-shine front, Blackburn 4.0's rear, awesome lights and 5 times better, and safer.

 

[AndyPeace]

right next to it (north) is a wide path starting at the roundabout, whether cyclists are allowed not sure.. Also in the winter they also tend to be unusable/dangerous (no grit or car tyre pressure to melt the ice)

Yeah it's a shared path, it's cumbersome to get to (easiest option for me dismount cross worcester road walk along verge, cross Broomhall Way then cross the verge to the path), is a poor surface is used by many children and families and is popular with dog walkers.

 

[AndyPeace]

Whatever distance you ride from the side of the road is the distance that passing motorists tend to give you. I find that it really helps to have 2 widely spaced rear lights (preferably on 'strobe' setting) and on all my bikes/2 wheel recumbents, and trikes, I always fit a bar, preferably wider than the machine I'm riding.......this really makes you appear wider (and weirder) thus making other road users more aware of you.

Great pic's , I like the bar on the rear of the bike... I may try that. My error in the past is to ride in secondary perphaps too close to the kerb, which seems to invite every driver to compete to see who can get closest to either me, oncoming traffic (or for the big money both at the same time) rather than wait 20 secs for a safe oppurtunity. I realise now I just need to be confident and take the lane when it's unsafe to pass me.

 

[jarlrmai]

its the piggy in the middle syndrome again, too fast for the also often unsuitable cycle/shared paths, too dangerous with impatient drivers on the road. Rural commuting at it's most problematic.

 

[CopperBrompton]

I would tend to ride a strong secondary on that stretch, keeping a close eye on my mirrors so I can move left if someone is approaching with too little clearance.

 

[AndyPeace]

I would tend to ride a strong secondary on that stretch, keeping a close eye on my mirrors so I can move left if someone is approaching with too little clearance.

Doing well on this stretch and the traffic is 99% compliant. I pass the road at simialr times each day and the regular drivers hold back from the moment I look back. I'm holding either a standard secondary (when there's no oncoming traffic) or primary when there is. I thought, as a cyclist doing this would cause delays for cars, but I've yet to have more than 3 cars waiting to pass and then for less than 30 secs! Very thankfull to the occasional HGV that comes thought that way, all of whom have stayed back till they've reached the rab, even when I've been in secondary and there is no oncoming traffic. I've only had one close pass this month, by a lady who was obviously worried about missing Eastenders, so I can understand that

 

[Edwardoka]

Looks an awful lot like the road I had my big crash on. Drivers were generally reasonable about passing, but at night, a driver coming the other way who is too inconsiderate to switch from full beam will still drown out any lights you have on your bike for drivers coming from behind.

I wouldn't ride that kind of road after dark again unless I had no other option.

 

[Ningishzidda]

That road is between The Tudor Rose in Alcester and The Kettle Sings at Wych. Its a lovely stretch of tarmac.