safety advice for commuter

[on6702]

Hi everyone,

new to CTC and hoped that I could pick people brains' about some safety advice.
On a daily commute to a train station I travel along quite a narrow and busy A road which also has a nasty RH turn at the top of a hill that I need to take.
I haven't had any incidents yet but have noticed that (a) cars are passing often uncomfortably close to me on the A road and (b)when I get to the turn getting across into the filter lane for the RH turn is not easy, given the amount and speed of traffic. My strategies for dealing with this to date are to make sure that I am as visible as possible (x2 set of bike lights on day and night) and suitable bright/reflective clothing) so that cars hopefully see me from a long way out. I also actually stop by the RH turn, remove myself from the road and simply wait for a suitable gap before manoueving myself into the filter lane.

Any other tips or advice welcome ? I was wondering if either a safety lollipop arm thing might be worthwhile or perhaps a rear-review mirror, but I'm not sure how effective either is. Anyway with any experience with either or able to make recommendations ?

Somwhat ironically, this part of the commute worries me more that my section in London at the other end of my train journey, which at least has cycle lanes for most of it and traffic is moving considerably slower.

Oliver

[gaz]

Welcome to the forum.

Any other tips or advice welcome ?

Search for any quieter alternative routes, even if they are a little longer or require a brief period of becoming a pedestrian.

I've no idea of your riding experience. Cyclecraft is recognised as a good source of safe riding techniques. You could also look for training courses, which are commonly based on that advice.

Keep safe.

[Si]

The common problems people have when doing a right turn are road position and not looking behind enough. Key thing is to start the move early - don't leave it till the last minute as you'll get trapped on the kerb. start from at least 1m from the kerb - any closer and you are inviting close passes as they don't have to steer around you). Proper look behind, not a 'roadie glance', and see what the traffic is doing - make eye contact with the car that you are going to move across in front of (or if at night stare at the windscreen in front of the driver's face - they'll be able to see you even if you can't see them). Good meaningful signal, not a limp wristed flap....it needs to be saying "I am moving across". At this point 9 out of 10 times the car behind knows that you are coming across and so will make allowances, so move across into a right turn position (approx 1m from centre line). If not then start moving across gradually, look behind again, pick a spot, communicate with the driver. Take the gap.

The looking behind properly is really important and is something that many cyclists just don't do right, even quite experienced ones. Not only is it giving you info as to where the gap is, it's also telling that driver that you are about to do something, and it humanfies you by letting them see your face - emphasises the fact that you are a real person and they need to take care, or tells them that you have seen them so if they do something stupid you know who did it.

I've no idea of your riding experience. Cyclecraft is recognised as a good source of safe riding techniques. You could also look for training courses, which are commonly based on that advice.

Funnily enough some well known cycle training agencies have stopped recommending the book as it has veered away from the National Standards in the odd place. It's a pity because many trainers think that the book is right and the NS wrong, but they have to train to the NS.

[beardy]

If you dont already have one, a reflective wrist band or glove with a large area of reflective tape, so they cant claim to have not seen your signal in the dark.

I have similar manoeuvres to this on some regular routes and it isnt really possible to accurately predict how many cars will ignore your hand signal before one stops to let you out. So there is quite an overlap of indicating too early (when they will overtake because it is too early and they have time to do so) and indicating too late (so they will overtake you because they would have to make an effort not to).

I allow for at least the first two cars to pass me after I have started signalling, then I start coming out.

[Heltor Chasca]

Welcome Oliver. I hope you don't mind me jumping onto the back of your thread. I did 5 years of commuting in London and learned most of my skills through experience. I had a couple of minor incidents but otherwise those 5 years added a different element to my cycling skills. It just made me love cycling even more.

Since then I've mainly been MTBing, touring, cycle camping and general leisure riding. For the last year I've been building cycling into my lifestyle. That is using the bike for my errands and the school run. I ride through a badly designed town with my 6 YOD on the back of my Big Dummy and I too am looking for some text book tips.

I'll cut to the chase: Apart from the comments above: What are people's thoughts on purchasing 'Cyclecraft' as a learning aid? I used to coach sailing and although I thought I 'knew it all' it's amazing what little gems I picked up from books. At the very least, reading formalised my train of thought. I would transfer my knowledge onto both my girls. One of whom is nearly ready to head out on her own for the whole day.

Thank you...b

[661-Pete]

Hi Oliver.
I don't think you're doing anything wrong in stopping and waiting for a chance to turn right. I have to do that sometimes myself. If the following traffic is so heavy and fast that normal filtering across to the right lane is practically impossible, do what you are doing.

Many years ago I used to have the same situation at this junction:

The junction doesn't look like that now. The traffic lights are gone, the main A23 is a dual carriageway, and there is a LH slip road and underpass to get onto the road to the right of the petrol station (the A273).

But in those days I had to filter across somehow to the RH lane (where the Volkswagen is) to turn right. That was difficult! The traffic lights weren't much help, the ones for traffic going straight on, only rarely changed to red. So I often had to stop on the nearside and wait. And wait....

[ArMoRothair]

The common problems people have when doing a right turn .......................

......................... it's also telling that driver that you are about to do something, and it humanfies you by letting them see your face - emphasises the fact that you are a real person and they need to take care, or tells them that you have seen them so if they do something stupid you know who did it.

Excellent post.

I think one of the things which keeps one alive in traffic is to always be predictable. As Si says: indicate decisively, move purposefully. When road users are unpredictable then other road users are caught by surprise.

[Flinders]

I do a route where I have to move across two lanes on a rural dual carriageway to do a right turn, into a right filter lane on a long left hand bend. The speed limit is 60mph. I have to choose between moving out very, very early on the straight section before any signs or countdown markers appear and staying in the far R of the RH lane next to the wide central verge in case a maniac comes speeding round the bend in the RH lane (I can't wait for the signs as by then you can't see the traffic behind for the bend) , or doing as the OP does. Even the OP's option isn't wonderful. You can't cycle across it- you have to push the bike and run to the filter lane across the two lanes (again, due to the bend and vehicle speeds).

I find it more daunting than cycling in heavy London traffic. At those speeds, unless there are no vehicles behind you at all when you look, you can't move out, eye contact doesn't come into it.

Basically, which method I choose depends on weight of traffic and how brave I feel. I don't do this route at all at peak commuter times, I can't think how anyone would manage it.

Drivers on this road have killed at least two cyclists on a straight bit half a mile away since we moved here - just ran into them from behind both times, IIRC. So no way will I move out on the actual bend.

[Vantage]

- just ran into them from behind both times,

This is easily my biggest fear while riding and the main reason I swear by my rear view mirror. Plenty of cyclists can keep their bike going in a straight line while doing shoulder checks whereas I'm all over the place. The mirror helps me see behind while keeping steady. I find last second glances are immeasurably easier with the mirror.
Only last week I was about to move over to the right hand side of the lane prior to turning right and had made a very clear hand signal indicating my intentions to the following traffic. I allowed the car behind to pass and shoulder checked to make sure it was clear to move. A big tipper truck was some distance back but he had more than enough space to let me move out. I started drifting right. A quick glance in the mirror and I near **** myself while quickly veering left again. I swear I could see the moulding pips on the tippers tyres as it blazed past half straddling the opposite lane.
The driver saw me. He just didn't care.
If not for that glance in the mirror I might not have been sitting here with my daughters.

[Vorpal]

I'll cut to the chase: Apart from the comments above: What are people's thoughts on purchasing 'Cyclecraft' as a learning aid? I used to coach sailing and although I thought I 'knew it all' it's amazing what little gems I picked up from books. At the very least, reading formalised my train of thought. I would transfer my knowledge onto both my girls. One of whom is nearly ready to head out on her own for the whole day.

I think it's a really good book. Bikeability tells you how to do stuff, John Franklin explains why. Not only does that make it sensible, but it it provides a sort of logic; a way of thinking about how we move in traffic that is really useful when something entirely new comes up. If you aren't sure, ask for a copy at your library.

[PH]

Also by John Franklin in conjunction with the Institute for Advanced Motorists in the book How to be a Better Cyclist.
http://www.iam.org.uk/cyclists/insight-cyclists

The advice is pretty much the same as in Cyclecraft, some of the explanations are not so detailed, and IMO it's better for it. The diagrams are very clear.
It also gives me great pleasure to show the disenters that I'm following advice from a well respected motoring organisation

[Heltor Chasca]

I'll cut to the chase: Apart from the comments above: What are people's thoughts on purchasing 'Cyclecraft' as a learning aid? I used to coach sailing and although I thought I 'knew it all' it's amazing what little gems I picked up from books. At the very least, reading formalised my train of thought. I would transfer my knowledge onto both my girls. One of whom is nearly ready to head out on her own for the whole day.

I think it's a really good book. Bikeability tells you how to do stuff, John Franklin explains why. Not only does that make it sensible, but it it provides a sort of logic; a way of thinking about how we move in traffic that is really useful when something entirely new comes up. If you aren't sure, ask for a copy at your library.

Thank you. I've tried reserving a copy from the library online but you can't. You have to pop in. Trouble is I'm more terrified of the elderly ladies manning the desk than I am of anything else. What to do?

[Heltor Chasca]

Also by John Franklin in conjunction with the Institute for Advanced Motorists in the book How to be a Better Cyclist.
http://www.iam.org.uk/cyclists/insight-cyclists

The advice is pretty much the same as in Cyclecraft, some of the explanations are not so detailed, and IMO it's better for it. The diagrams are very clear.
It also gives me great pleasure to show the disenters that I'm following advice from a well respected motoring organisation

Great advice thank you. And at £2.81 online this isn't far off the reserve-price at my local scary library...b

[TonyR]

In my opinion its really what you feel most comfortable doing and if stopping on the left and waiting for a gap feels most comfortable, go for it. The way I do it which works well for me is to pull across gradually from some way back. If you move further and further out into the lane cars have to do more and more exaggerated overtakes to go past you and at some point one of them will give way and you can pull across. Personally I don't find the "turn like a car" of indicating and then pulling across when one allows works. Just gently squeeze them out of space.

[tatanab]

Another way of coping with the turn --- it is easier to turn across the traffic the closer I am riding to traffic speed. Up hill, with a convoy passing, this is sometimes impossible so I keep going and make a right or a U turn somewhere that is easier. Obviously I would not go a great deal further, but this is where only local knowledge can advise - as with alternative routes.