So, who was in the wrong?

[Ian 74]

We certainly do all make mistakes. I cycled through a pretty village and was so impressed with its charms I veered onto the opposite side of the road into the path of an oncoming transit van. It was at this point that i realized that one day I will probably die whilst riding my bike. I do try to be careful but shoot happens.

 

[jonny jeez]

Thanks, yes that was the road I was on about in an earlier post, I used to take the middle lane then eventually drift over to the right after the bend but thought this was wrong so posted about it, then thought I would try this approach but clearly didn't work!. And yes having 2 cars side by side and you inbetween is a scary experience!!!!!, I hope never to experience that again!.

It's a shame there isnt a road cycling course we could go on, I would sign up in a beat to improve my road cycling, like IAM for motorists.

Interesting, so actually your initial instincts and gut feel were correct. Sounds like you could afford to rely on them a little more... and us lot a lot less.

Sorry if our advice confused you in some way.

 

[jonny jeez]

oooo and I've just realised that I know where this is, its the approach to west hill, I forgot you were over in Dartford.

 

[Norm]

It's a shame there isnt a road cycling course we could go on, I would sign up in a beat to improve my road cycling, like IAM for motorists.

Well, there are courses but the problem with bikes is that much of what we need to do will be dictated by local circumstances.

In the section in your video, for instance, if it was downhill rather than uphill, then you'd be doing (for example) 25mph rather than 10mph and taking the right lane from the start could be the correct thing to do.

I worked somewhere which had a similar quandary. Coming out of this junction up a hill and onto a one way ring road, I needed to be in the right hand lane about 300m further up the road. If the road was clear, and as I was coming down a hill to the junction, I knew that I could maintain 20+ up the short hill so I'd go straight into the middle of the right hand lane. If there was anything coming, however, I knew that I could barely break into double figures from a standing start so I'd keep in the left lane until the top of the hill, at which point I'd look to make my move to the right.

Try teaching that in any school, though.

 

[Ellis456]

You are right, someone taught say in a rural area would also need to be taught in central london etc, there is no easy way, just like driving, the real learning comes after you pass.

Yes jonny jeez that is indeed, I actually prefer it here, some lovely cycle routes, countryside once out of the town centre.

 

[jonny jeez]

Not fast, it was slightly uphill and was exhausted after a long cycle.

still...13mph uphill is not bad though!!

 

[BlackPanther]

That seemed like a long time to be 'holding' the right hand lane, especially as you only seemed to be doing 10-15 mph. I'd have stayed in the left lane up to around 50 yards before the lights, then moved into the right hand lane. I know that there's no excuse for close overtakes, but the sad truth is that if some drivers feel like a cyclist is slowing them down, they act like pratts and pass closer than is safe.

Every evening I have a downhill stretch in a 30 zone, and despite doing bang on 30 and holding the centre of the lane, I occasionally get the odd pratt beep me.....despite an almost certain red light at the bottom!

 

[Andy_R]

It's a shame there isnt a road cycling course we could go on, I would sign up in a beat to improve my road cycling, like IAM for motorists.

Any National Standard Instructor will be able to give you lessons based around the area you want to cycle in/need to use to commute, and will be able to discuss pros and cons of riding in various ways. You can find a list of them on the CTC website here. Find someone local, get in touch and tell them you want to look at some National Standard Level 3 stuff.

 

[martint235]

BTW I used to live in Welling, used to cycle welling to Eltham for 2 years. Welling high street was a bugger, still need to try out shooters hill hehe.

I get the joy of Shooters Hill twice a day as it's on my commute

. Welling high street is still pretty crap for cycling. There's a few traffic lights where you need to be in the right hand lane with a left filter moving past you, it's a joy!!

 

[400bhp]

Agree with Lee-it's kind of like coming across those drivers who sit in an outside lane one mile before turning right.

No-one is perfect-far from it.

 

[HLaB]

Ellis, I think it has been said already but even the best of drivers will get frustrated by such un clarity in front of them; the difference with a better driver though they'll hold back when encountering the like. At that speed I would take the middle of the left lane and once round and clear of the bend drift over to the right. If traffic was particularly heavy limiting that, I'd approach with more speed and hold the right lane. We all learn from our mistakes though (or at least we should), safe cycling

 

[MacB]

agree with Lee, and others, middle lane first, stay in that as it becomes left lane, holding a strong position and then make the switch to the right lane forcefully near the lights.

Plenty of looking around, eye contact where you can and just accept that there will still be some drivers you'll upset. It just happens on this sort of road layout, all you're trying to do is minimise the hassle/danger for yourself.

But I do understand why you'd have gone for, or been advised on, the middle line of the two lanes. I'd describe that as the deeply submissive position effectively trying to cede the maximum road area to the other traffic. You just end up getting passed on both sides and cut up.

 

[gaz]

I agree with the basics of what Lee and others have said. Hold the middle lane which curves around to the right and take the lane you require 20 - 30 meters from the traffic lights.
It keeps you clearly visible to faster moving traffic around the corner and allows for faster moving traffic to pass you.

Keeps you safe and keeps others happy = a perfect situation.

 

[deckertim]

Not fast, it was slightly uphill and was exhausted after a long cycle. Ian I used to do what you said, but then was told that wasn't the correct thing to do!, arg!, im going round in circles!, I hate that bloody bit of road lol.

Thought I recognised this. Is it the Dartford one way system, with the video stopping just before the West Hill turning? I have cycled this on my commute a couple of times and it can get a bit hairy. If you hold primary in whatever lane you are in, I don't think you should worry about someone hitting into the back of you.

 

[Mad at urage]

Even though I would be more than happy driving an artic on this type of road, I do very little cycling in busy town traffic and genuinely am a little unsure what the best road positioning is for a cyclist.

So what would you do, or indeed what is the correct thing for a cyclist to do in the following situation. You need to be in the right hand lane of a one way street, the road width is generous and there is potential for other road users to pass without getting uncomfortably close. Do you;
a) as in the op video keep to the left of the right hand lane. (seems a bit suicidal to me)
b) keep in the primary and do not allow anyone to pass. (seems unreasonable)
c) move to the right of the right hand lane and allow undertaking. (probably what I would do)

As someone who grew up cycling in London with plenty of fast one-way systems, I feel qualified to answer that with:

It depends .

I do agree though that that would be one option I would consider using in the OP's situation. Does holding secondary on the right (RH wheel track o RH lane) allow fast undertaking? Yes, as does riding on the continent. In the right circumstances that will be preferable.

If an opportunity to move safely to the RH lane occurred before the one-way system went right, I'd take it - hold primary in RH lane on the RH bend, then move to secondary on the right until primary was necessary at the next junction. If that opportunity didn't occur, I'd use primary (moving to secondary on the bend) in LH (was middle) lane and look for another opportunity to move right on approaching the final junction in the clip.

Just my take on it though.