Bike crash in ford

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9494arnold
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by 9494arnold »

Not to be treated lightly at all.
Wife has a fractured collar bone after a fall in a Ford, and a mate of mine has a broken hip from a fall in a Ford ( which introduced him to the Joys of Tricycles)
In fact I have seen a quote about Why someone rides a trike, they say it was so as they can stop in the middle of a Ford and roll a cigarette without getting their feet wet . :lol:
All it really needs is for you to be aware of the possible problems and to do a dynamic risk assessment before entering . ( You are constantly doing Dynamic Risk Assesment when you ride if you realise it or not )
thirdcrank
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by thirdcrank »

Unless there's a nearby footbridge, who's going to dismount?
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simonineaston
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by simonineaston »

Am super-sympathetic to folks as has slipped on wet stones - like ice, really - same as on decking, caused by algae as pointed out up thread. Hope all get well soon.
It set me thinking - now old, alarm bells ring in the old noddle when I see wet / submerged stones in streams or wotnot as I have learned that the combo of stone, water and plant-life often-but-not-always results in a super-slippery surface. A lesson learned quite early on, maybe with its first germ of idea experienced while messing about aged 10-ish in the stream that flowed through the local park & wider afield, during DoE award or somesuch... am conscious that some algae/stone combos are slippery and some are not! Difficult to see how that learnt info can be simply replaced by a roadside sign that may or may not be read and may or may not be acted upon. Tempting to see sign as simply a metal & paint equivalent of the land-ower brushing off accidents by saying, "Fall off? Well don't blame us - go do your DoE award !!"
Last edited by simonineaston on 11 May 2021, 1:08pm, edited 3 times in total.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
thirdcrank
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by thirdcrank »

rcwaterfall wrote: 10 May 2021, 11:50am Recently, two cyclists crashed when riding through the (slippy) village ford. Both were hospitalised, with serious injuries. Has anyone advice as to what our parish council might do to reduce the risk e.g. put up a "Cyclists Dismount" notice by the ford. Roger Waterfall, Marlesford.
I'm always cautious about first-time posters on contentious subject and CYCLISTS DISMOUNT signs are the blue painted equivalent of a red rag to a bull. I'm also cautious about names.

Anyway, if I've got the location right then the ford in question is on the appropriately named Ford Road and is furnished with both an adjacent footbridge and a prominent depth gauge. It looks as though it's a decade since the google car passed by, but the road surface doesn't look to be affected by watery growths. My vote would be for leaving things as they are
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.17221 ... 312!8i6656
CliveyT
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by CliveyT »

It's not just cyclists. Near us there is a permanent ford with gates on either side so police/highways can close it when the level is too deep. Drivers have been known to go onto the verge to bypass the gate.
They often have plenty of time to reflect on their actions
Image (photo from Daily Mail).
On our christmas day ride this year it was impassible even using the footbridge, which was out of the water, just not long enough on one side to clear the flood. On foot fine, but I don't normally cycle in wellies.
Bonefishblues
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by Bonefishblues »

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squeaker
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by squeaker »

Jdsk wrote: 10 May 2021, 7:42pmTo my surprise parish councils have responsibility for "danger signs". I have no idea how this interacts with responsibilities of highway authorities.

https://www.localgov.co.uk/Parish-counc ... ties/29135

Jonathan
I share your surprise, along with a couple of others on that list 'Rights of Way – footpath and bridleway maintenance' and 'Signs – danger signs, place names and bus stops signs' to name but two. I wouldn't rely on the accuracy of that source.
"42"
Jdsk
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by Jdsk »

The same list appears on the web sites of several individual parish councils. I couldn't find anything authoritative... anyone, please?

Jonathan
thirdcrank
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by thirdcrank »

I've never been comfortable riding through fords - at least since I got more sensible as I grew up. The only one I've regularly encountered - and not recently - is on the road from Storiths past the Cavendish Pavilion - mentioned on a recent thread. The surface is Paris-Roubaix style with gaps in the cobbles. There's an adjacent footbridge - hidden in this streetview which I've generally used. The water is often deeper than in this streetview

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.99095 ... 312!8i6656

Some years ago, I was driving that way and there was a duck and a flotilla of ducklings treading water on the ford. We watched for several minutes with what passes for a traffic jam in those parts building up. I can't remember how it ended; presumably the duck decided it was time to move on
jo' bo
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by jo' bo »

9494arnold wrote: 11 May 2021, 8:37am Not to be treated lightly at all.
Wife has a fractured collar bone after a fall in a Ford, and a mate of mine has a broken hip from a fall in a Ford ( which introduced him to the Joys of Tricycles)
In fact I have seen a quote about Why someone rides a trike, they say it was so as they can stop in the middle of a Ford and roll a cigarette without getting their feet wet . :lol:
All it really needs is for you to be aware of the possible problems and to do a dynamic risk assessment before entering . ( You are constantly doing Dynamic Risk Assesment when you ride if you realise it or not )
Yes dynamic risk assessment is definetly required.

I can understand people comming to the conclusion they can cycle through them, what I find difficult to understand is how they can be suprised when they fall off and look to blame/ sue others.

what sighs exactly would have made any difference to their decision, cyclist do seem to have a talent fOr ignoring signs and barriers, these are normally signs that effect the safety of others, perhaps it's this desensitization to signs in general that lead to them ignoring signs that are really just their for their safety .

If their injuries are that severe, there seems a,fair chance they hadnt slowed to walking speed, for the duration.
CliveyT
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by CliveyT »

jo' bo wrote: 11 May 2021, 11:26am
what sighs exactly would have made any difference to their decision, cyclist do seem to have a talent fOr ignoring signs and barriers, these are normally signs that effect the safety of others, perhaps it's this desensitization to signs in general that lead to them ignoring signs that are really just their for their safety .
Again not just cyclists. The road was closed on a fairly busy commute recently (burst water main and repairs). I could get past by being a pedestrian for 10m or so (and the signed diversion was definitely not bike friendly). The drivers that were having to practice their three point turns had ignored at least three signs warning them the road was shut
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mjr
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by mjr »

squeaker wrote: 11 May 2021, 10:40am
Jdsk wrote: 10 May 2021, 7:42pmTo my surprise parish councils have responsibility for "danger signs". I have no idea how this interacts with responsibilities of highway authorities.

https://www.localgov.co.uk/Parish-counc ... ties/29135

Jonathan
I share your surprise, along with a couple of others on that list 'Rights of Way – footpath and bridleway maintenance' and 'Signs – danger signs, place names and bus stops signs' to name but two. I wouldn't rely on the accuracy of that source.
I think it looks accurate but Jdsk seems to have misread "powers and duties" as "responsibilities". Parishes can do a lot, but are not required to do much. I think maintenance of closed burial grounds was the most expensive duty my old council was obliged to do. Allotments were expensive too but their tenants pay! We did do some other things, such as some street lights, bins and footpath maintenance that neither the district council nor the forest would do any more, but those were discretionary.

On highways, our power to put up signs was limited by the district's power under a Highways Act to fine erectors of unauthorised signs, which effectively means only they would put signs up but we could pay for extra ones they did not object to, which I think we never did because someone would always turn up to complain about "sign clutter" if any were proposed!

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1972/70/contents is the definitive legislation for parish councils but the actual duties and powers are scattered across Acts back to 1852 if not before.
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Jdsk
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by Jdsk »

squeaker wrote: 11 May 2021, 10:40am
Jdsk wrote: 10 May 2021, 7:42pmTo my surprise parish councils have responsibility for "danger signs". I have no idea how this interacts with responsibilities of highway authorities.

https://www.localgov.co.uk/Parish-counc ... ties/29135
I share your surprise, along with a couple of others on that list 'Rights of Way – footpath and bridleway maintenance' and 'Signs – danger signs, place names and bus stops signs' to name but two. I wouldn't rely on the accuracy of that source.
Found a nice overview:

Powers and Duties of Parish Councils
https://committees.westminster.gov.uk/D ... ls.doc.pdf

Jonathan
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simonineaston
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by simonineaston »

Donks ago me and chums were cycling from Easton, Bristol to Easton on Portland when we came across a badly flooded lane. A local labrador kindly acted as scout, by dint of throwing him sticks to fetch. We avoided the bits of the lake where he disappeared from view...
S
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Jdsk
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Re: Bike crash in ford

Post by Jdsk »

Yes, lab tests can be very helpful.

And if it was that long ago I'd guess that feline contributions weren't available...

Jonathan
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