Dual carriageway cycling

[Tetedelacourse]

Part of my club run is on a dual carriageway, OK in a group but I wouldn't fancy it my self. I like Urban dual carriageways where speeds are circa 30mph or slower. Some DC are like Motorways however, I dont fancy cycling on them. I always have a chuckle at the A92 in Fife (Dunfermline to Kirkcaldy/ Glenrothes), its one of these motorway types and although it has plenty of signs warning of the possible presence of cyclists, I've never seen them,certainly wouldn't myself.

A92 is a classic example of a DC that thinks it's a motorway, and there are MUCH better alternative routes. So I wouldn't touch it with a bikepump either.

Fair point Chuffy and RT about less interference from other factors, less things to take into account, but I find that on the A8 (for example) I can't afford even a moment to adjust something (eg shades you dirty rabble) whereas such an adjustment is easy on a less busy road.

On reflection, I think there's probably something in the (I think it was Gambatte's) theory about how drivers adjust to different roads; on a DC there will be some who don't make any allowance for cyclists, less so than on a smaller road.

 

[Pete]

Well, I've already posted at length, my own thoughts on D/C's, so I won't repeat myself. Except to add: every cyclist who wants to be really serious about cycling ought to get some experience of D/C cycling. You never know when you will be forced into it: maybe not on the A55, but on the example I referred to (A24) where I can't avoid a stretch. It's not significantly more dangerous than other sorts of cycling, if you do it correctly, but it is certainly significantly more daunting. Which may be a good thing. I don't do it much, myself, because I have no need mostly and I don't enjoy it.

The other point, and this may sound patronising: sorry, but it needs to be said, please, all cyclists out there, get used to consulting a map properly! Nowadays you can so easily do it for free (my favourite is streetmap.co.uk); before the internet we had to buy our maps at WH Smith for hard cash! Zoom in to 1:25000 scale and really check out those 'yellow' roads. It looks as if Plax and Domtyler have, between themselves, answered the original query anyway.

 

[gambatte]

When planning a route to take in DCs is there any easy way of checking restrictions due to byelaws etc?

Just wondering as Sheffield Parkway looks like a good bet on a map. However its restricted, no cycling.

Not that I'd want to - the experience of driving on it means I wouldn't touch it with a bike!

 

[Cab]

Not that I'd want to - the experience of driving on it means I wouldn't touch it with a bike!

And thats the bit you can't get from maps. Looking at a map of Cambridgeshire, you could conclude that the A14 is an appropriate route to ride. Legally, it is. But knowing the route I certainly wouldn't do so, and I'm not a shy cyclist by any means.

So asking questions on fora like this ain't a bad plan, to be honest. I'd consider it if I wanted to know about a dual carriageway elsewhere in the country if I thought I might have to ride it.

 

[User482]

I hate DCs and avoid them like the plague. If there is a "hard shoulder" it's inevitably full of debris.

In response to the OP - isn't there a specific exclusion for bikes on part of the A55?

 

[Pete]

Perhaps there ought to be a database of prohibited A-roads, somewhere - or even better if a symbol were added to the definitive OS maps. I can't see Sustrans compiling such a thing however! Would go against everything they stand for!

In my area, two come to my mind at the moment, both of them through tunnels. A section of the A27 near Shoreham, through Southwick Tunnel, and a section of the A26 at Lewes, (not a dual carriageway incidentally) through Cuilfail Tunnel. I'm sure there are others round here which I can't put a finger on at the moment.

 

[Crackle]

In response to the OP - isn't there a specific exclusion for bikes on part of the A55?

In and leading up to the tunnels - but there's a cycle path next to the sea there

 

[habibi]

Just make sure you claim your road space.

That's the key. You need to have the bottle to consistently maintain primary position on the DC. Do not deviate; offer no quarter. Easier said than done, there's a lot of hostility out there, but there's just no safe alternative.

 

[vernon]

I wouldn't travel the A55 on a bike. It's as close to two lane motorway as you'll get without being on one!

Nah - try the A74 Cumberland Gap which is the non motorway stretch of road that joins the M6 with the M74 only a handful of miles long but total terror all of the way!

 

[User482]

Nah - try the A74 Cumberland Gap which is the non motorway stretch of road that joins the M6 with the M74 only a handful of miles long but total terror all of the way!

I did a diversion via Longtown & Gretna specifically to avoid it on my LEJOG!

 

[Pete]

Maybe we also need a database of D/C's which are definitely motorway style and therefore 'experts-only' as far as cyclists are concerned, as opposed to 'ordinary' D/C's consisting of stretches between roundabouts, which a reasonably competent cyclist ought to be able to tackle.

In my area, parts of the A23 and A27 definitely fall into the former category, whereas the A24 and A22, despite being largely 'dual'ed, are in the latter - they are much more amenable to cycling. I don't know the A55 well, but certainly both the A14 and the A74, which which I am familiar, fall into the 'motorway-style' category.

 

[snorri]

- It is illegal to cycle on the hard shoulder or to the left of the white line at the border of of any road.

:?:

 

[Plax]

Hope people have had a nice Christmas. Well, I cycled to my dads today. Ended up being slightly more than 14 miles in the end as I had a slight detour along the back roads (i.e. I got "lost"). I really enjoyed the cycle, despite going the long way round. I must have missed my turning. Still eneded up at my intended destination avoiding the A55.
Lots of horrible hills though, but I persevered, the new clipless pedals I got were really good, didn't think I'd get used to them so quick, they are going to be ideal in the rain (usually find my feet have a tendancy of slipping of the pedals in the wet).
The alternative route that avoids the A55 isn't a very good road. The signpost was "local traffic only, no through route", although it was a designated cycle route (one of those pathetic little signs that you can hardly see). Quite literally only a car width big with grass growing down the middle. Thankfully met no other traffic other than a horse and a few walkers. It was fun though, dunno what would have happened if I had met a car as I wasn't half flying down when I had the chance (it was very much up, down, up down. No straights). I managed to get up to 38mph according to my cycle computer.
I was hoping to cycle home, but my dad refused saying it would be dark and there are nutters about (you'd never think I was nearly 30 would you!), so took myself and the bike home in the van. One of these days I will cycle there and back!

 

[snorri]

No vehicle is permitted to travel on the hard shoulder of a road*, which exists for emergency use only, except when entering or exiting the hard shoulder.

On roads without a hard shoulder, the highway finishes at the white line border of the road. A good explanation of the law around this can be found in the judgement in the Cadden case.

I cannot find the reference to this in the Highway Code, can you point me to it please? I am not referring to the hard shoulder as on motorways, but to the one metre strip found on some single carriageway trunk roads. I have never been able to find any reference to "one metre strip" although the term is in common usage. I am led to believe that when a bicycle is to the left of the white line marking the one metre strip, the cyclist is off the road and presumably outwith the scope of regulations relating to the road.
The edge marking strip is something else altogether, as it is so close to the edge of the tarred surface it would be impossible to cycle to the left of that white line without part of the bicycle or rider overlapping the line.

 

[tdr1nka]

After spending the weekend working at the V97 festival in Essex, I attempted a ride back to South London on the A12 at dusk. Never having ridden this route I found myself on an unlit DC with trucks flying past at high speed. I was stuck in the position of plod on or turn back. Not being one to scare easy I carried on until it started p*ss*ng with rain and I gave up at Leytonstone. Here I snuck my bike onto the Underground and got off at Liverpool Street to finish the journey.

Until this time the only DC I had attempted was the A404, coming into London from Oxford. I found drivers were reasonably forgiving(how nice of them!)of cyclists and slowed down on the on ramps as I peddled furiously to get past.

I must say, neither of these routes are ones I would ever want to travel again.

T x