So I cycled the one-way road that cyclist Claire Hitier-Abadie was killed on (50 second video)

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Mr_Kipling

Über Member
Location
Berkshire
Today (23/02/15) I decided to cycle & Video the short route around the one-way system that Cyclist Claire Hitier-Abadie had taken when she was tragically killed in by a lorry in London Victoria on 19 Feburary. I wanted to see for myself how dangerous that section of road is with all the building work going on.

The road surface & road markings were appalling. There are two lanes both of which are so narrow that if you are not in primary position you are at great risk especially if turning left where the road widens a little and some less experienced cyclists could be tempted to cycle in secondary.
There is no pavement for most of the section so no Emergency escape route.
I'm not pointing the finger at the road for the Claire's death, but I do think it made the situation worse.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vacrFE5wSqE&feature=youtu.be
 
A sign advising cyclists and car drivers that primary is the correct position on that road wouldn't go amiss.
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
A sign advising cyclists and car drivers that primary is the correct position on that road wouldn't go amiss.

that sir is an astonishingly good idea. Bleedin' obvious now you've said it, but I never thought of it even if I would have taken primary position and doubtless been beeped at.


That single suggestion of installing a horde of appropriately targeted "cyclists, take the lane" signs would do more for cyclist safety than anything I've yet heard
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
That looks a horrible bit of road to cycle on. +1 for the 'cyclists take primary' sign. Maybe someone should go out with a stenciled sign and a can of paint and do a bit of guerrilla sign writing.
 
They've had "cyclists use whole Lane" signs in some states in the US for a while. Ironically I saw it on a video where a cyclist doing just that was knocked off!

I thought at the time they were a great idea and that we could do with something similar here - mostly to hammer it home to motorists that (sometimes) that's exactly where we should be.
 
Did not realise that it was that bad. Frankly I would have avoided the road. One's odds seriously diminishes in such a place.

ps. OP thanks, provides context. The primary sign suggestion by OMO is excellent.
 
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slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
What really shocked me about the clip was that it looks as though the construction sites were allowed to encroach on the temporary road width, making it incredibly dangerous. In Kensington, a large construction site just south of Kensington Gardens has a giant steel framework over four lanes of traffic so that the site cabins are out of the way.
 

Levo-Lon

Guru
Hmmm, now imaging riding along there at 6 ,8 mph ish on a Boris bike while on the phone?

I think the primary idea is a good idea but you need people to be savy and safty highway code aware for it to work.
I got a few dead friends who did nothing wrong 'its the others'
I've not heard the term " Primary" until I saw it used on cycle chat.
so if a motorcyclist, car ,van, and keen cyclist hasn't noticed this what chance has a non driver?
Yes I use primary instinctively but I cant remember any instructor or reading it 30 odd yrs ago.
its a horid road for sure and not a place id want to be cycling.
 

moo

Senior Member
Location
North London
Hmmm, now imaging riding along there at 6 ,8 mph ish on a Boris bike while on the phone?

We simply don't have the infrastructure for slow cyclists. Someone doing 6mph is never going to be safe mixing with regular traffic on a busy narrow road in London.

It can be done. Cyclists in Denmark and other countries aren't exactly time trialing to work.
 
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