Can you cycle on any road?

[Christopher]

I have legally cycled down the hard shoulder of a motorway. Not in UK but in California, down US 101. At the time (90s) there was no alternative to using the m/way to get between certain roads as the m/way had been built over the top of the old road and in the 1970s no-one thought anyone would ride a bike anywhere bar their suburban street.

Anyway, it was terrifying. There was loads of broken glass, twisted jagged metal pieces, bits of lorry tyre, skid marks hundreds of feet long, gouges out of the concrete crash barrier, huge trucks howling past etc etc. Never again!

 

[Powerhouse]

No idea. I blame Powerhouse

Oops, sorry. I got a little carried away. Also with regard to people being insane to cycle on the A14... I've just got back from cycling from Newmarket to Felixstowe... 55 miles of sheer fun... Not sure I'll do that again but I did notice a police car keep looping round to constantly pass me and check I hadn't died yet. Which was nice

 

[dellzeqq]

I cycled the Limehouse once years ago. It was only when I went in the vicinity of it recently with you that I realised I wasn't allowed to. The motorists at the time must have thought I was a nutter but I don't remember being beeped at or anything.

you did well - they say they'll close the link and pass on the bill for the loss of rental income (it's privately owned, apparently)

I've also been asked to leave the A2 by a highway patrol guy. It was just after Gravesend where the M2 joins the A2 (here) to form what is in all but name still a 6 lane motorway. The guy was friendly and pointed out that he had no right to ask me to leave but that he would feel much more comfortable if I wasn't on that stretch of road. I was planning on leaving by the next junction anyway.

I know that spot! (And punctured there). To be honest, he had a point......

 

[dellzeqq]

Not that I have tried it yet, but cyclists can apparently get a lift over the Dartford crossings free of charge. Just stop at the control point on either side and they will arrange for you and your bike to be taken across.

when they're good and ready. The FNRttC stopped using it when they made us wait an hour from 2.15am.

 

[deckertim]

I've also been asked to leave the A2 by a highway patrol guy. It was just after Gravesend where the M2 joins the A2 (here) to form what is in all but name still a 6 lane motorway. The guy was friendly and pointed out that he had no right to ask me to leave but that he would feel much more comfortable if I wasn't on that stretch of road. I was planning on leaving by the next junction anyway.

Here is a route that avoids the A2 from the junction with the M2 all the way to Dartford.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/674628


Some of the best cycle lanes you could hope to ride on and much better than riding on the rubbish strewn and dangerous hard shoulder. When they widened the A2 they left the old road in place and turned it into a linear park. This is also home to the new Kent Cycle Park. Which is apparently the largest cycle facility of its type in Europe.

http://www.cyclopark.com/

 

[Garz]

Unbelievable thread necromancy there, from 2009!

 

[peelywally]

slightly off topic ?

but does anyone know what that rough road surfacing is called ,

it is like tarmac with stones in it ?

rough as a badgers , why dont we have asphalt on every road they lay, this rough stuff over a layer tarmacadam ,

i thought one stretch near here was getting some new ultra smooth surface then a week later they returned to put a 6 inch layer of same old bone shaker down on top .

 

[Bobtoo]

I think "top dressing" is what you're talking about there. I've not encountered it recently but as I recall it was the increased rolling resistance that bothered me more than the ride quality.

 

[abo]

Are you on about surface dressing which (IMHO, I don't know the facts...) is just a cheaper way of resurfacing a road without needing to dig it up, is a PITA (literally) to ride on and is equally as crap for vehicles as it flings stones everywhere chipping paint, denting panels and cracking windscreens?

Or that lighter coloured high-grip stuff you sometimes get on 'dangerous' bends (how can a bend be dangerous???), approaches to crossings etc.?