Nutty cycle lane

[jcb]

Today I drove down the road I'm about to start commuting on. Somebody's installed a cycle lane which (to my mind) makes the road unusable when busy. This is the southbound A23/M23 slip south of Hooley, for anyone who knows it.

The road is D/C A-Road, 50 limit, with an exit for junction 1 of a motorway (which seems quite underused) on the left. Previously, it appears there was no cycle lane across the exit for the M'way slip - have come across these before and they tend to be a check over the shoulder 200 yards out, slow and let past anything close or put some beans into the 30 - 40 yards where you could get cleaned up and get across quickly.

There's now a cycle lane that takes you 75 yards down the motorway slip, then abruptly stops and directs you via a blue sign to cross the motorway slip to pick up the A-road cyle lane on the other side! The road is heavily tree-lined and you wouldn't have more than 150 yards visibility back up the road, and there's absolutely no space where the cycle lane runs out on the slip (which is at the national speed limit sign). You'll be left stationary on the side of a motorway slip road, peering round a corner to guess whether cars/lorries have forgotten to indicate or not, and thus it's safe to sprint/wobble/sob between vehicles accelerating towards you.

Does anyone use this route? Is it somehow not as bad as it sounds, am I missing something? I'm looking for other routes to work at the moment, albeit they all involve 900ft of climb and 14 miles. Strange thing is, I understood the local CTC had got involved in improving the cycle lanes...

And I know you're entitled to ignore cycle lanes, but I would bet all motorists would expect you to use it and clean you up when you carried straight on across the slip entrance.

 

[garrilla]

That is horrendous! I looked on the map. Personally, I'd look to detour if possible. Failing that, I'd see what it was like to do the 100m dash across the slip ensuring that I was very visible and staying in the flow traffic. I don't think I'd like to run across the road with motons hurtling towards the motorway at high speed.

 

[jcb]

Stupid as it may look, this is the standard practise that people would want you to do in order to get across the slip road and is the same on all DC's I have been on.

I usually go up the slip about 40-50 yards until I am in line with the chevrons on the main carriageway have a quick look and then cycle across onto the chevrons then on my way down the road.

This is an exit from the A23, not an entry slip road - or am I misunderstanding you.

 

[jcb]

No, you are not, an exit slip for entry onto the M23 jct 1.

So you'd go up the M23 slip 50 yards, then come across the slip road and restricted area and back onto the A-road when it was clear?

 

[jcb]

Thanks - useful

 

[purplepolly]

So you'd go up the M23 slip 50 yards, then come across the slip road and restricted area and back onto the A-road when it was clear?

I've never been in this position myself but I believe it is recommended practice. The alternative, carrying along the A road, means that you're likely to get hit by blind idiots cutting through you to get to the slip road. Going down the slip road and then crossing when safe avoids that.

 

[DJ]

I know the bit of road from having driven it in a car many times and to be honest I've never even noticed there is a cycle lane their, so my advice would be to ignore the cycle lane and get up as much speed as possible and dash accross possibly stick your right arm out if you know there is a car approaching oh and prey a lot as well!!!!!

It is the entrance to a m'way and cars are building up steam on that section of road and wont be expecting any cyclists!!

 

[purplepolly]

get up as much speed as possible and dash accross possibly stick your right arm out if you know there is a car approaching oh and prey a lot as well!!!!!

A few years ago I was driving down the M56 near Chester. I was going at the speed limit (car didn't do go much faster) and there was a HGV behind me keeping pace. Ahead there was a car towing a caravan and going much slower. It pulled of onto the sliproad and I quickly gained on it on the main carriageway. At the very last second, it rejoined the main carriageway. I slammed on the brakes and swung right missing it by a couple of feet at most, as did the HGV. As I overtook it I was going about 50.

Making a dash for it is all very well, but it's not uncommon for drivers to change their minds at the start of slip roads. Do you really think the idiot towing the caravan would have checked for cyclists if he had been leaving a dual carriageway? The point of going down the slip way and crossing is that it's possible to predict what the traffic is going to do.

 

[DJ]

This is about the most dangerous thing you can do.

Far better to go up the slip road as far as when the chevrons start (so the slip road is ending) and then simply cross the road on your bike.

Oh ok don't do that then!!!!(What I said I mean)

 

[garrilla]

I fully understand why making the dash is dangerous.

Yet I'm confused why crossing the road 50 ft down the slip would not be as dangerous given that it is "not uncommon for drivers to change their minds at the start of slip roads" and car that is in the outside lane of the A23 and NOT indicating decides at the very last moment that this is really their turn-off point and you, the poor cyclist, is crossing the sliproad thinking it was safe to do so.

Like I said, I probably take a detour.

 

[marinyork]

It is fairly standard practice. It's terrifying where they don't have them and someone behind a hedge could be doing the ton to join the A road two lane dual carriageway that you're on.

 

[jcb]

I might follow the 'find another route' advice - problem is that by putting the North Downs in the way it pushes the commute into the 'not going to happen' territory:

 

[garrilla]

I don't know the area at all JCB, but I looked at the map and there seems to be left at Dean Lane and then right at Aldersted Lane, Shepards Hill and then back on the A23

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&s...,-0.138016&spn=0.022173,0.074244&z=14&iwloc=A

 

[buddha]

I've passed that exit a few times when going to Redhill. And don't use the cycle lane, as I'm usually going at a respectable speed at that point anyway. However, I didn't feel especially safe at the time! I can remember Indicating right to show my intentions, but that was a bit difficult, what with the speed, road quality etc.

An alternative would be to take Dean Lane (just after Hooley), Alderstead Lane, Shepherds Hill. Which takes you back to the A23 about 3/4 of a mile later. Not tried that though.

edit: opps garilla beat me t it!
And having just read some of the earlier posts I think I will take this detour next time It's only a short 6% up, flat and then down hill.

 

[Twiggy]

When I've been faced with simmilar propositions I take a stronger road position as I reach the junction, if not get myself onto the center line.

People under and overtake, but they can bloody well see me.
and I don't like doing it.