Forum menu
This morning a guy was pupming his mtb, riding up a steepish section on the A448, the camber here is slightly adverse - in certain vehicles it can pull to the nearside - the car in front of me stayed in lane and must have missed the guy by cms as he drifted left. I don't think it was deleiberate but my heart was in my mouth. There would have been a metre at least to spare had the cyclist been the other side of the rumble strip. If I ever have to cycle on this type of road I know where I will be positioned.
This is a organised 10 mile time trial near me, it seems madness.
https://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/documents/download/4903
Aye doing it on a road where those coming up behind have good sight lines and a lane with zero on coming traffic to over take seems mad.
Much better to do it on country roads with no sightlines and oncoming traffic where people get anxious about being held up for a few seconds.
Arguably having ridden in England a few times I could understand why you wouldn't want to ride on dual carriageways down there. Heck id actively avoid riding on the majority of roads down there. There's alot of rushing and anger on all the roads it seems
Aye doing it on a road where those coming up behind have good sight lines and a lane with zero on coming traffic to over take seems mad.
I often see people cycling on this road because the alternative is a B road with as you say zero sight lines with narrowing sections where the high hedge blends in to the tarmac, deep sunken drain covers which pepole swerve to avoid, and large wide cars with drivers driving 'off side' on the white line because they have no clue where the near side of there car is. I would choose the duel carriage way over this road to cycle, but I would be left of the rumble strip
I used to regularly cycle along the whole length of the A449 as a teenager, incl the DC sections, but not any more. Whether or not this is my increasing wisdom or decreasing confidence (now 52) is a matter of debate. As objective an opinion as I can muster says ‘both’. Worcs/Herefordshire like many counties in the UK are woeful in provision. In fact the Worcs-Hereford route (NCN/Sustrans 46) is yet to emerge. I’ve lived in the area for 15 years and still yet to cycle between these two cities owing to the headache.
I understand those who prefer to avoid narrow minor roads especially in rush hour, but there’s often little space on the DC. Last time I tried it, after the first 20 or so close 60+ mph close-passes (mostly vans and the usual suspects) I became dry-mouthed and clenched ready for something all-too inevitable. Best of luck, anyone.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Sanders/ @52.2666827,-2.2260461,3a,75y,24.62h,86.34t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKpcQY0LosUK3vOTRTGAyLQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x4870f3cf0d955769:0x511f99f1a3c469d9!8m2!3d52.2597952!4d-2.2271588
I’ve lived in the area for 15 years and still yet to cycle between these two cities owing to the headache.
I'm not suprised, riding the A4103 - most direct route - in my experience would be a matter of when not if you got hit. SHould be 50 limit, but regulary get over taken by several cars on the starights when I have not been hanging around on the corners.