🙁

Shit

That’s a nasty section of road on a bike, depending on the section either 2 or 3 lanes per carriageway, and people will be driving fast down it, especially at that time of day. It is pretty straight, but “Hamburger Hill” is coming up so people tend to try & get their speed up in anticipation of that, especially the HGV/LGV drivers.

Condolences to the families & loved ones of the cyclists

by David_Longman

Tuesday, July 02 2013, 4:35PM

“I feel so sorry for the driver. I have nearly hit (and killed) several cyclists on this section of road and also on the dual carriageway sections towards Exeter. When there is a perfectly adequate ‘old road’ that cyclists could use much more safely, it is beyond me why they think it remotely safe to be on what is a quite fast section of major truck. These deaths are a result of the Highways Agency not banning cyclists from such roads. I extend my sincere sympathies to the families of the cyclists.”
😯

It was only a matter of time before someone popped up on the comments saying something along those lines…

It’s really a very simple non-problem to deal with, all you have to do is not drive into them, in the same way you don’t drive into the other cars, trucks, lamposts.

My sympathies to the families, never good to hear of a death on the roads, and it’s always scarier when its close to your home.

Having had a near miss with a 40ft’er tonight (I know as he told me this- his explanation was ‘how will I get out unless I force my way out. I told him if he had hit my car I’d have also hit him) who pulled out on me on a roundabout then cut into my lane I have a very dim view of lorry drivers at the moment.

I wonder what happened. I’ve lost count of the amount of times that I’ve seen a lorry drift over a lane into the hard shoulder.

I passed the two guys about a mile from the accident going the opposite direction on my way to work . Dry day good visibility and a straight road .
I really feel for their families i. I have felt sick all day .
Anyone thinking of doing the end to end – don’t use this road go north or south

My 3 best mates were there 2 weeks ago,it was such a worry then, I couldn’t imagine how it would feel if you know anyone cycling the Lejog now.

I’m So sad to read this

so they were ‘asking’ for it ? 😯

why are vulnerable road users deemed to be the guilty party for using a road?– i suspect that without ‘local’ knowledge they were just following a prescribed route ……very sad and tragic for all concerned, there is a campaign to give all cyclists at least 4ft of clearance when overtaking– this must become a part of driving culture…..

…have no clue you’re ‘not supposed to use it’ even though they are legally allowed to with no signs to the contrary.

At least i assume thats what you mean otherwise your being judgemental of 2 people who sadly died doing something they were entitled to and should have been safe doing.

very sadly us cyclists are almost treated like road kill, a sad but inevitable consequence of being on ‘fast’ roads– this attitude is so wrong on all counts– the law needs changing and turned the other way , where the onus is on the motorised party to prove negligemce –and penalties need to be made severe/and enforced– oh and aholes like on top gear et all need to be brought to account for trivialising dangerous behaviour…

Stato, chill out, no one has blamed the cyclists, only pointed out it was a very dangerous placeto ride.

Sad news. My deepest sympathies to their families and friends.

The existing laws are strong enough, unfortunately rarely applied.

Personally I don’t ride on “fast” roads due to this but it still does not excuse the issue.

Knowing where the brake pedal is doesn’t help if you can’t combine use of all the controls to maintain safe operation of the vehicle. It will make little difference to the out come if you hit a bike while the brake is being applied.

3dvgirl, there is a difference between unpleasant and dangerous. plenty of country lanes that are dangerous but very pleasant and often dual carriageways while unpleasant aren’t that dangerous. Most dual carriageways come with space and good sightlines. unlike most minor roads!!!

The point is, if i dropped you in a different part of the country and you started riding down a road as there was no sign telling you not to, would you know it was dangerous?

you need to be a member of said group, whats so exciting?

couple of idiots calling for a ban on cyclists using the road.
I had a go at trying to explain but the reply I got from one intelligent individual was “bo11 ocks “
I’m not bothering getting any further involved….

Indeed, psling, the seriousness of road culture needs shoring up big style– the whole thing is sold as a kind of fun game ffs– and the ‘penalties’ for transgressing are bizarre– killed on the road , occupational hazard 😥

From the pictures on the BBC South West news earlier it didn’t look like a stretch of road I’d ride if there was an alternative. The Police spokesman also said that they hadn’t identified the victims yet but it appeared that they where heading up North.
3mins 27 in.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b036c5mz/Spotlight_02_07_2013/

It’s just been on the telly again and it was an HGV, not that it makes any difference. 🙁

FFS

So as a minimum that would be driving without due care and attention let alone manslaughter. He was in a wagon, assume unladen so 5 tons. If you are in a car do you not pay attention. So a car at a ton can easily kill a pedestraian/cyclist.

What was the guy the other day killed a cyclist due to not looking for 9 seconds used the “momentary laps”

UNACCEPTABLE WHEN YOU CAN AND SOME DO KILL PEOPLE.

Can’t concentrate dont drive.