I drove to work today to help get rid of a cold. Luckily.

This is on my commute, over the Waimakariri river

http://goo.gl/maps/pO9cr

Note the wide, braided river. It’s probably 0.7 k across the span, the speed limit is 80 km/h and the lanes are not wide enough for a bike + 2 lanes of motor vehicles. It’s barely wide enough for 2 lanes of cars or trucks.

I’ve had a few close ones with cars overtaking recklessly or slamming brakes on at the mast moment but I do what I can – high-vis, reflective stuff, lights (in pretty much all weather), be aware of traffic around me (I have a rear-view mirror to make the checks more frequent) but I know I’ll always be at the mercy of the patience and attentiveness of drivers.

Then this morning

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/north-canterbury/9283831/Motorcyclist-pulled-from-river-after-crash

fortunately(!) the river was in massive flood so the victim didn’t fall on to the rocks and survived after clinging to branches after 40 minutes in the river. Pretty incredible they survived.

Dunno why I’m venting – it’s just going to be hard to get back on the road bike tomorrow.

rat runs are the most dangerous part of my commute.

The most dangerous part of my commute is the few minutes between waking up and sinking my first brew..

wow, a tale of two bellends – scary

That bridge has “primary position” and “strava” written all over it, though 🙂

Manhole covers. Metallic, slippery bastards.

The most dangerous part of my commute is the few minutes between waking up and sinking my first brew..

Raised a smile, thanks 😀

The most dangerous part of my commute is cycling home after a PM shift at around 3am in the morning. Drivers just don’t seem expect to see a cyclist on the road at that time.

The road home is unlit, undulating and twisty so there are lots of blind corners and crests.

I’ve had quite a few near misses.

Tooting High Street, heading south in the evening,

It feels like a video game as you head down there with all kinds of cars, buses, pedestrians etc. jumping out on you form left and right, in front and behind.

Regularly see other riders down there i.e. lying on the deck having been taken out by something.

It’s like a war zone.

That bridge has “primary position” written all over it

Absolutely.

That bridge has “strava” written all over it

Funnily enough there always seems to be a headwind going over 😕 I don’t think you’ll find me on the leaderboards for those segments

There is a drop off that is at least 14″…

Some gnarly air time on my my commute home…dude
not so fun on the way there

When I enter my work place yard @ the end of my commute!

I’m off on my first US cycle commute tomorrow, there’s a 2.5-mile section that I’ve mentally earmarked as ‘dodgy as ****’

whenever it rains.
at a time when people should be more careful, they take more risks.
idiots.

Operating the kettle before the first cup of tea

Walking in lycra past the ‘ladies’ on reception.

I hit myself in the face with the bike shed door a couple of weeks ago.

Addison Lea taxis 🙄

Riding down the A55 at night

Passing the chip shop without calling in for some.

My least favorite bits are u the two fast downhill bits. People in cars have no concept of how quick a bike can travel. Have to admit I have slowed down on these bits now to compensate. I don’t think I have ever not been seen but I have seen a couple of ‘oh shit’ faces when someone has pulled out and realised I am going at 30 mph not 10mph (in a 40).

I still wince turning right just before my office where I got knocked off in August.

The ride back up the hill, there’s a blind kink in the road where divs seem obsessed with trying to overtake even though you can’t see the oncoming traffic (and there is ALWAYS oncoming traffic, it’s not a quiet road). The same bloody car’s done it 3 times in the last few months.

Ironically it gets much safer at night because of the headlight spill, makes it clear that there’s traffic coming down.

Klunk – Member
rat runs are the most dangerous part of my commute.

^^^ This. The 5 miles at the start/end of my commute is an unlit B road used as a rat run between East Bristol and the M4. The lane is barely wide enough for 2 cars, yet every morning people will be doing 70mph in either direction under the assumption that bikes/cars/horses/pedestrians won’t be there.

Even lit up like a Christmas tree (5 front and 4 rear including a Hope District) I’ve had more close calls than I can count without taking my shoes off and have ended up in the ditch on more than one occasion thanks to a wing mirror or bumper.

Whenever I’m near the mums on the school run, there bonkers and on a mission.

It used to be the bus journey from Port Harcourt in Nigeria to the Heliport, but soon itll be the same journey only in East Timor instead. I get to all the nice places!

Having to slow down on my BMX when it’s wet cos it only has the rear brake…

Telling the mrs she has to catch the bus.

A bit near Welham green & Hatfield where the road narrows.
plus Sunday morning pissheads ,near High Barnet usually.

A bit where two lanes become three on the approach to a roundabout. People insist on moving into the middle lane from the right when I am already in it, despite the fact that there is no other traffic around ( and the R/h lane would suit their purposes equally well).

The 5 miles at the start/end of my commute is an unlit B road used as a rat run between East Bristol and the M4. The lane is barely wide enough for 2 cars, yet every morning people will be doing 70mph in either direction under the assumption that bikes/cars/horses/pedestrians won’t be there.

yep mine’s the unofficial town bypass luckily I’ve only a mile to go on it but it’s just crazy with a blind z bend halfway along. Lost count of the number of on coming cars forced into the verge.

The tram tracks that I have to cross at a really shallow angle on 23mm tyres. Terrifies me every day.

I was contemplating this on my ride in this morning. Before today I would have said the slow ride up a well used, but narrow hill with limited visibility for cars to overtake.

However it would appear to be when approaching any junction – cars just don’t seem to see me approach, and this despite a 300 lumen front light.

All I can assume is that drivers look way down the road for approaching traffic and fail to notice something immediately in front of them.

Always been wary of this as I’ve had a few close calls on early morning commutes, but after being caught today by a van pulling out (hit my front wheel, was fortunate) I’d say junctions are definately on the high danger list.

The bit that feels the most dangerous is the a331 crossing by Aldershot, pick a gap and sprint for it. Been beeped a few times, but nothing I’d call close, and frankly if you wait for a huge gap you’ll wait for ever – plus if you’ve got time to beep me instead of concentrating on missing me, chances are you saw me a bit earlier and are moaning because I went across, rather than anything else. Yes, you know who you are, on the phone girl…..

The bit that probably IS the most dangerous is the a road between Guildford and Aldershot, with lorries, buses and cars all coming past at high speed. Hopefully they’re all paying proper attention……

It’s different each way for me. I’ve devised my commute so it removes as much danger as possible. Adds on a couple of miles but I’m OK with that.
Coming to work it’s a left hand turn where everyone sees me (doing around 25 in a 30 zone) and absolutely MUST get past before the corner. Loads of left hook near misses there. If I could avoid that junction I would, it’s awful. Absolutely shocking driving can be seen there every morning.

Coming home it’s the school run traffic through Lowton. I’m on red alert all the way through the village. So many people with their heads in the clouds.

through bushy park when the deer are frisky and its pitch black… please dont post the video of the rider taken out by the wildlife, it give me nightmares.

but honestly nothing as bad as the other posts on here except the road I have to cross over kingston bridge, I use a zebra crossing to avoid the round about ten feet further up and cars usually dont see you crossing as they’ve been too hot an bothered about actually getting onto the roundabout in the queues. Almost every day they brake hard/late as they spot you.

Superficial – Member

The tram tracks that I have to cross at a really shallow angle on 23mm tyres. Terrifies me every day.

this ^^^ the wheels on my old road bike went in the tram tracks one day as I was moving across them at a busy Y junction and I had to pull an instant wheelie to drag the wheel out and avoid going over in front of the traffic and then ride out of the junction with my handlebars at a 45% angle to the wheel (as a result of pulling the wheel out) until I could safely stop to fix them.

I was shaking and didn’t use the roadie after that, use the mountain bike now as those wheels aint goin in no tram tracks! – although those iron tracks are super slippy in the wet and you have to cross them with care anyway.

Tooting High Street, heading south in the evening,

It feels like a video game as you head down there with all kinds of cars, buses, pedestrians etc. jumping out on you form left and right, in front and behind.

Regularly see other riders down there i.e. lying on the deck having been taken out by something.

It’s like a war zone.

Do you reckon? Personally I’ve never actually seen anyone down there, although I agree it’s not pleasant, particularly as it’s downhill.

Personally there’s a bit between Merton and Ewell I hate – several sets of lights, all on which are on a slight incline, two lines of traffic becoming one, back to two etc, lots of side roads, a couple of fast bits, and slow traffic flashing cars out of junctions etc.

I dunno if it’s dangerous, but it’s bloody annoying – there’s a section of road parallel to the main road, which is where mums come to drop their kids off to the nearby school.
They seem oblivious to the fact that this road has kids walking on it, riding on it and other traffic – when the sun is low, like this morning, it’s behind me and they don’t even look to see what’s coming.
I’m ready for it and slow down, so haven’t had any major incidents. This morning was a good one though – had to slalom through a car in the middle of the road, then one on the wrong side of the road!
I had my cam on, so may have caught it on vid. Will have a look and upload.

The dangerous bits are the “cycle paths” (sections of road painted a different colour) – where drivers overtake, turn into a goldfish, forget there was a bike next to them 3 seconds ago and turn left, or stop to let someone out of the junction cutting across the cycle path.

passing a school…gotta be on defcon 2 when passing.
defcon 1 if there are a lot of mirca driving ninja.

a few close ones with cars overtaking recklessly or slamming brakes on at the last moment

standard NZ driving. At least the bridge has 2 lanes so you stand a chance!
In my experience, kiwi drivers are the worst for cyclist awareness as a national average, in the world.

As for my present commute, the present tricky bit is this right turn but only because I’m teaching my 5 year old son road awareness and he rides in front of me. He’s getting the hang of it. 🙂

Avoiding the MAMIL races on the Etape du Embankment. Asshats.