Close to home this, as I live in Surrey. To be honest I thought quite a few 60 limit roads around me had been reduced. The B road I used to commute to work on had been reduced from 60mph to 40mph.
Country Lanes are 3x More Dangerous (Sunday Times)
- Thread starter georgehenry
- Start date
Yes I have noticed a lot of A roads have been down graded to 40mph in Surrey.
Some of those Coldharbour roads are single track & barely safe to drive at 25 let a lone more, very hilly and blind corners means most of the time one has no idea what is exactly around the next corner.
Some of those Coldharbour roads are single track & barely safe to drive at 25 let a lone more, very hilly and blind corners means most of the time one has no idea what is exactly around the next corner.
High hedges, twisty narrow road and the fact idiots driving on them prefer to drive at 80mph because they know theres less police about and no speed cameras.
Drivers cutting corners at high speed at night, assuming there were nothing approaching blind corners on unlit country lanes, because of the absence of bright headlights from the other direction - is one of the reasons why I installed a 1800LM bike headlight. I had a couple of very close calls before my headlight upgrade. The scariest was a Transit van hurtling at me around the bend. It missed me by a couple of feet. Seeing headlight glow a few seconds before, I had moved to the leftmost part of the lane. Deffo killing speed and mass.
Perhaps I should sound my 140db Hornit, ahead of blind corners during the day?
Perhaps I should sound my 140db Hornit, ahead of blind corners during the day?
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They still won’t hear you over their stereo and likely on the phone as well
Trouble is of course, just like the town 20 limits they can't be and won't be policed. As the police have already announced, saying it will rely on the co-operation of road users.
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I live in the countryside and the roads here are very fast. The speed limit through the village where I live is national speed limit. There is little interest in introducing speed restrictions as some folks worry about the asthetics of the signs and the police are clear that they would never try and enfore the speed limits up here. However, there are no pavements and there is a small school with young children needing to walk along the side of the roads. My wife was very seriously injured at one of the junctions in a car to car collision where somebody just tried to go straight though the crossroads at 50 to 60mph...she certainly didn't walk away from the accident and was lucky not to be killed.
Some of the roads here can be narrow so safe passing of cyclists can be difficult. Overall though I don't find cycling around here to be too much of an issue as the roads are also quite quiet. I do find people pass too close on some of the larger roads - not prepared to wait for oncoming cars to pass before trying to pass and getting too close. Overall lorries and busses are OK, cars are variable, vans and 4x4s appear to be the worse offenders...Tractors - I just try to get out of the way....and some of those to 30 to 40mph.
Some of the roads here can be narrow so safe passing of cyclists can be difficult. Overall though I don't find cycling around here to be too much of an issue as the roads are also quite quiet. I do find people pass too close on some of the larger roads - not prepared to wait for oncoming cars to pass before trying to pass and getting too close. Overall lorries and busses are OK, cars are variable, vans and 4x4s appear to be the worse offenders...Tractors - I just try to get out of the way....and some of those to 30 to 40mph.
Some of the sustrans route sections on road in Scotland have signage fairly frequently highlighting the cycle route status. For example, Killin to Kenmore south east of Loch Tay is a 20 mile, 40mph limit lane designated as a quiet route safe for cycling, the route across the Black Isle is also signed similarly.
The Foyers to Dores road south east of Loch Ness is not, but could be.
There is much that could be improved quite quickly by copying what has already been done to more locations.
The Foyers to Dores road south east of Loch Ness is not, but could be.
There is much that could be improved quite quickly by copying what has already been done to more locations.
I got tooted yesterday as I was riding just outside the line of the worst and cheapest type of cycle lanes, a painted line on a cambered 40 mph road where the portion designated for the cyclist is where the camber dips to the curb and has cracked tarmac and lots of debris. I just carried on and ignored that car.
It would be safer if that token cycle lane was not there as it also gives some cars and vans an excuse to squeeze by, probably thinking as long as they are not encroaching the cycle lane then its OK.
It would be safer if that token cycle lane was not there as it also gives some cars and vans an excuse to squeeze by, probably thinking as long as they are not encroaching the cycle lane then its OK.
I ride a lot of country lanes here in Dorset. Some are Sustrans/National Cycle Routes. The width of the road is not possible for 2 cars to pass at the same time, however, some cars that approach me do not treat me the same they would a car, and continue at speed towards me expecting me to stay tight to the kerb or move closer onto the kerb
I have noticed recently that if I position myself another foot or so closer to the middle of the road, rather than my usual 1-2 feet from the kerb, as they approach, they are forced to slow down and give way. If they don't slow down as they approach me I move back close to the kern again. A wave to acknowledge them for slowing down/pulling in is always given on my part. I do this when the road ahead is clear and visible to all, blind corners I still hug the kerb just in case.
I'm also beginning to think that perhaps major roads are potentially safer than these narrow country lanes that Sustrans/National Cycles routes encourage cyclists to use...
I have noticed recently that if I position myself another foot or so closer to the middle of the road, rather than my usual 1-2 feet from the kerb, as they approach, they are forced to slow down and give way. If they don't slow down as they approach me I move back close to the kern again. A wave to acknowledge them for slowing down/pulling in is always given on my part. I do this when the road ahead is clear and visible to all, blind corners I still hug the kerb just in case.
I'm also beginning to think that perhaps major roads are potentially safer than these narrow country lanes that Sustrans/National Cycles routes encourage cyclists to use...
I should use dual 140db (=280db) Hornits and dual 1800LM (3600LM) lights! I could easily solder two Hornits onto one switch, but I've run out of room on the handlebar - adding a handlebar extension will prevent my Dahon folding properly.
This doesn't surprise me at all - I've been overtaken while barrelling downhill at +35mph, only to draw level with them at the lights shortly afterwards.
skip to 15mins
A brighter than usual headlight makes me feel a little safer on dark unlit roads. It lights up signs on turns ahead, which I hope alerts those drivers not texting, distracted by phone conversations, using Facefarce, watching TV or listening to loud music.
BTW my bike is restricted to 15.5mph, but this is a very long downhill road.
BTW my bike is restricted to 15.5mph, but this is a very long downhill road.
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