Road sense

[Larkspur]

And why should John Franklin know any better? .

Just to put the record straight on this, Franklin does not say that you should never undertake (at least in the verson of his book Cyclecraft that I possess). He warns specifically that you should not undertake cars moving faster than walking pace and to watch out for car drivers signalling to an approaching vehicle to turn right across their path. He does also say that you should only undertake large vehicles when they are stationary, and not if you believe they may start moving.

Chris

 

[essexman]

Just to put the record straight on this, Franklin does not say that you should never undertake (at least in the verson of his book Cyclecraft that I possess). He warns specifically that you should not undertake cars moving faster than walking pace and to watch out for car drivers signalling to an approaching vehicle to turn right across their path. He does also say that you should only undertake large vehicles when they are stationary, and not if you believe they may start moving.

Chris

Thanks Chris. As always the sage man states it bang on. Most importantly he points out the hazards to look out for. For someone just getting used to traffic jamming i think thats the most important thing. Go left or right if you like but look out for those hazards and keep thinking ahead about where to put your bike to avoid them.

 

[Larkspur]

I agree with HarryB Chris, that's a potentially very dangerous situation, since a momentary lapse of concetration by a car driver could crush you. I have a similar road that isn't a problem on a bicycle since there's a detached cycle lane available, but on my motorbike I always followed HarryB's guidelines, filtering forward and sheltering in gaps between cars when something was oncoming.
.

Thanks for your replies, which confirm my own feelings about the situation. Maybe I need to investigate if there is some way of avoiding this bit of road altogether.

On the subject of cycle lanes - just before I get to the bit of road referred to above, which is at the Polish War Memorial, off the A40 in W. London, I'm riding alongside the A40 on a cycle path. At the Polish War Memorial roundabout, the cycle path comes to an abrupt end, with absolutely nowhere for the cyclist to go! The only option is to get off and cross a very busy dual carriageway right next to a very busy roundabout, without the aid of a pedestrian crossing (there is a central reservation). Yesterday this operation literally took me about 6-7 minutes which is annoying when commuting.

Chris

 

[flecc]

On the subject of cycle lanes - just before I get to the bit of road referred to above, which is at the Polish War Memorial, off the A40 in W. London, I'm riding alongside the A40 on a cycle path. At the Polish War Memorial roundabout, the cycle path comes to an abrupt end, with absolutely nowhere for the cyclist to go! The only option is to get off and cross a very busy dual carriageway right next to a very busy roundabout, without the aid of a pedestrian crossing (there is a central reservation). Yesterday this operation literally took me about 6-7 minutes which is annoying when commuting.

Chris

I do have a similar spot Chris, dual carriageway right on the exit from a very busy fast traffic roundabout with no pedestrian crossing, but I can use a diversion as below to use a crossing some distance away in the wrong direction for me.

I don't think I know this spot you mention, but as you get so seriously delayed, is there any option to turn left on the dual carriageway at first for a short distance, then turn right/right or cross over to return to the original roundabout and then turn left to continue the trip. Although this will take longer, it might save waiting for so long and isn't a hardship on an electric assist bike.
.