Rural 'A' Roads - most dangerous!

[e-rider]

According to the CTC website and government statistics, rural 'A' roads are the most likely to cause death or serious injury.

I was planning a Lands End to John O'groats route for next summer on rural A roads - better have a re-think now!

 

[yello]

Depends on the A road but, in my experience, they're usually not much fun to ride anyway.

 

[wafflycat]

Yup, those of us living in rural counties already know this! Mind you, as with any road, cycle assertively and you cycle safely. The problem with the roads is that they tend to be national speed limit, but have restricted fields of view, due to bends, trees, hedgerows and the like, so you get twits speeding along at 60+ on narrow, winding roads expecting nothing in front of them... But never forget, the vast majority of the time, you are perfectly fine on said roads. You just need to be aware of the dangers and cycle accordingly.

 

[domtyler]

Yup, those of us living in rural counties already know this! Mind you, as with any road, cycle assertively and you cycle safely. The problem with the roads is that they tend to be national speed limit, but have restricted fields of view, due to bends, trees, hedgerows and the like, so you get twits speeding along at 60+ on narrow, winding roads expecting nothing in front of them... But never forget, the vast majority of the time, you are perfectly fine on said roads. You just need to be aware of the dangers and cycle accordingly.

When you say assertively, what do you mean?

 

[Fnaar]

When you say assertively, what do you mean?

Snarling and wielding a baseball bat.

 

[wafflycat]

I mean cycling pretty much as per in Cyclecraft.

 

[Mr Pig]

A short section of my ride to work is national speed limit and it's not funny. Lost count of the near misses I've had.

 

[snorri]

It is a rather sad reflection on modern times that even Cyclecraft has no advice to offer other than "try to avoid them".

 

[girofan]

It is a rather sad reflection on modern times that even Cyclecraft has no advice to offer other than "try to avoid them".

What, with the baseball bat?

 

[surfgurl]

I must admit to cycling on the pavement along the section of the A38 on my commute. It's for about 400 metres from a roundabout full of traffic coming off the M5 to a weird right turn.

 

[Mr Pig]

I must admit to cycling on the pavement along the section of the A38 on my commute.

I usually pass a few other cyclists on my way home and a couple of them always cycle along the pavement on that road. I'll admit that on one windy and wild night I did it myself. Slower but much more comfortable.

 

[domtyler]

If I was cycling on a dark and windy road with cars thundering past at upwards of sixty miles an hour and there was a pavement available with no pedestrians on it, guess where I'd be?

 

[Noodley]

If I was cycling on a dark and windy road with cars thundering past at upwards of sixty miles an hour and there was a pavement available with no pedestrians on it, guess where I'd be?

On a dark and windy road.

 

[gbb]

On a dark and windy road.

 

[buggi]

According to the CTC website and government statistics, rural 'A' roads are the most likely to cause death or serious injury.

I was planning a Lands End to John O'groats route for next summer on rural A roads - better have a re-think now!

are you chicken ?