Cycling down the A3

[Jdratcliffe]

I commute on the A3 - though i go north into London from Redhill and then back out find it ok long as you hold your ground in as much a good secondary and at times when needed primary you do get the odd idiot ( prob once in 2 weeks) that honks at you for being on the road. IMHO i would grab a few confident cycle mates and do a scouting ride on a clear bright day out of rush hour to give you the lay of the land

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'd do it, but I'll cycle on anything it's legal to cycle on if it's the shortest route. My attitude is that cars have brakes and steering wheels, and if I take primary, they'll change lanes well before they get close to me. The A3 looks scary, but the narrow multiple lanes actually help a confident cyclist by forcing cars to change lanes to overtake. As long as visibility is good, there should be no problem other than ignorant drivers honking at you just for being there.

Cars have brakes and steering wheels for sure. But they don't have brakes and steering operated by cyclist detecting radar and thus you are reliant on the driver and their skills. Riding primary on a dual carriageway doesn't force a driver to do diddly squat. Even if visibility is good all it takes is one bonnet watcher and our cyclist is history.

I'd be willing to bet that if one cycled that route once a week for a year, at peak time, in primary, one would come across the driver that put one in hospital with a staggeringly short space of time.

and I say that as someone who generally rides where ever it is legal but who crossed certain SE England A roads at peak times off the list

 

[gaz]

I'd do it, but I'll cycle on anything it's legal to cycle on if it's the shortest route. My attitude is that cars have brakes and steering wheels, and if I take primary, they'll change lanes well before they get close to me. The A3 looks scary, but the narrow multiple lanes actually help a confident cyclist by forcing cars to change lanes to overtake. As long as visibility is good, there should be no problem other than ignorant drivers honking at you just for being there.

Looking at the road on street view and actually know the road are two different things. Certain sections of the A3 are not something you want to cycle down!

A problem is the road is surrounded by barriers, it has a motorway feel, and whilst the speed limits are 40/50mph, the speed of the slowest vehicle is often higher than that.

 

[martint235]

I'd do it too (and I have been on bits of it) but I doubt that would be a surprise to anyone. I wouldn't want to take anyone on there that wasn't confident that they could do it though. You have to hold your nerve and place. From experience (with the notable exception of the A2 at Gravesend) I find that the more lanes you give motorists to play in, the better behaved they are. It's the fast one lane each way A roads that are a nightmare.

All that said, it depends on why you're doing it. I wouldn't cycle it for fun, I'd use it as the quickest way from A to B.

 

[StuartG]

I commuted that road for years - in a car and on a motorbike. The 'double' Cobham & M25 junctions lead to a lot of last minute lane swopping especially if you take the M25 roundabout option (aka artic heaven) - even worse out of peak periods when you have drivers who don't know which lane goes where.

I find it challenging without looking out for pesky cyclists. The safest way is to be travelling at a similar speed to stuff around you and, on a motorbike, hold your lane no matter what.

On a bicycle - no way. Call me a coward but I have more enjoyable ways of getting my thrills ...

 

[srw]

Completely and utterly insane. I regularly commute on the A3 (in a car) betwen the M25 and Guildford. Typical traffic speeds are 85mph+. The hard shoulder is about 2 foot wide. There are dozens of HGVs.

I think that in 15 years of driving that road I have twice seen cyclists. One was a POB out of his depth, the other was three fully laden tourists.

I'd probably do something like the "balanced" route, but avoiding some of the obvious idiocies of back routes by sticking to the main roads in London and Guildford.

 

[StuartG]

I think that in 15 years of driving that road I have twice seen cyclists. One was a POB out of his depth, the other was three fully laden tourists.

Yes - and if I saw one - as a fellow cyclist I would feel obliged to give them some protection at the roundabouts (hovering out and behind) which would put me at some (but less) risk. That's why I used the word pesky. In this instance you are not only endangering yourself but creating a dangerous situation for others.

Which is why an alternate M25 crossing is the way. Plus the bonus of pausing and looking over the parapet and the insane traffic careering below. And that area is very pretty as long as you keep a few hundred yards away from the M25/A3.

 

[Buddfox]

I had the A3 out of London on my London-Brighton route, beginning at Wandsworth and leaving at the Kingston Road. I would describe myself as a very confident cyclist on the roads, and this is the only route that makes me nervous. I wouldn't want to do it in the rush hour, I have to say, and I've switched to the (slower) A24 instead. Definitely for the brave only!

 

[martint235]

Are there any actual statistics to how dangerous this road is (and other major A roads for that matter) or are we just working on our individual perception? As I said I've ridden down bits of it and ok it's not a joyous experience but if I was trying to get somewhere quickly, it's the way I'd take.

Please don't interpret this as me saying everyone should MTFU and get onto it. If you don't like a road don't for any reason ride it, however if you're avoiding riding it because it's regarded as "scary" as opposed to unsafe then talk to someone who both: knows you and your riding style/ability; has ridden the road.

 

[StuartG]

Are there any actual statistics to how dangerous this road is (and other major A roads for that matter) or are we just working on our individual perception?

This is a non question. If the answer was 0, 1 or 2 cyclist fatalities then is it more/less dangerous than the Bow Roundabout?

The answer is that it would be statistically insignificant. The chance of a cyclist incident at a particular spot is very low and so any incident (or even two) is just too lumpy to be reasonably sure particularly as so few use it.

In which case you have to go on feel. And it don't feel right. Indeed, if you have to ask whether you have the ability to do it - then don't do it. Simples.

PS It was only by luck and good brakes I avoided a pile up involving some rather large vehicles just south (Ripley by-pass section) and was involved in accident on another A3 section. It is not a nice road.

 

[theFire]

I wouldn't recommend cycling on the A3. Although I have done it near Roehampton in the 40mph part. It horrifies me when I drive down there between Chessington and Guildford where it is like a motorway and see there are actually cycle specific signs along it!

Whatever you do, dont cycle down it without lights like this guy:

http://www.kingstonguardian.co.uk/a...list_nicked_for_cycling_on_A3_with_no_lights/

 

[The Jogger]

I often drive south in the evening peak along the A3 On many evenings I have seen a few nutters on bikes, flying between Roehampton and the Robin Hood roundabout, I have always thought they are a bit insane. I would do it daylight hours off peak , often thought of cycling back to Goodwood from work VIA Milford, Haslemere and Midhurst but I think it might remain a thought.

 

[_aD]

As it happens there's a petition doing the rounds to supply a cycle track between Petersfield and Horndean which folk might be interested in: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/cycle-route-through-a3-butser-cutting.html

 

[Melonfish]

Ye-gods you'd never get me cycling on that road. looks more like a motorway, if it was chocka with traffic i.e. all slow moving then maybe, otherwise no chance.
reminds be of the a55 that road does.

 

[PK99]

I'd do it, but I'll cycle on anything it's legal to cycle on if it's the shortest route. My attitude is that cars have brakes and steering wheels, and if I take primary, they'll change lanes well before they get close to me. .

I take it you have never been on that part of the A3? - Narrow lanes - No hard shoulder - 3 lanes full of traffic @ 50mph plus - side roads joining and leaving in addition to major roundabout junctions with steep underpasses.