Courting danger or a.... man?

[gar]

The "A" (35*) goes from Dorchester to Wool in Dorset, very heavty traffic these days at all times of year. Heavy lorries and 30 cars per minute in fairly frequent bursts.

1) There is a cycle path for 800metres nearer to Wool.
2)There is a Sustrans Cycle route 1 1/2 miles north all the way from Dorchester to Poole ferry
3) There is a good off road route 1/2 mile to the north.

I was not surprised therefore to see a young woman in her late teens/ early twenties with a woman's right look about her,
using the main road with traffic very close to her indeed, without a helmet, whilst ALL these three routes were available without scarce involvement with traffic at all.

Still she was being brave perhaps not using a helmet, and had opinions about these things.

I shouted to her to stop, the way Gar does, and I am hoping I gave her a conscience about her
own safety. She may have thought she was going to be raped, as I have a pair of crutches and a fairly tight plaster cast on my leg.

Comments please

[TJ]

The only criteria I apply to any trip by bike is to choose the safest route available.
If there is a cycle path next to an A road, I'll use it, if there is a route through a park, I'll use it, if the A road is the only real option, I'll use it.
If there is an off-road option, I'll take my MTB, as long as it isn't too muddy, as arriving at work plastered in mud isn't something I enjoy.

I suppose it also depends on how confident you are on the road. Some people refuse to cycle at all because of the perceived danger, while others, couriers for instance, will cycle in all conditions with inpunity.
After an enforced lay-off due to an injury some years ago, my confidence on the road was reduced by the inactivity.
The more you cycle, the more confident you become.
My own accident was in part due to OVER confidence and a feeling of invincibility. It was a painful lesson to learn.

[ChrisO]

How's the signposting to these alternative routes. It may be that she was familiar with the road from driving and not aware of the other options.

I find that on routes where I have not cycled much I tend to stick to main roads either because I know the way, or because the directional signage is often better than what you get on the cycle routes in London.

[gar]

familiar with the road from driving and not aware

That was probably the reason. Cycling instruction
is offered by DA groups these days or is it the local constabulary? A short explanation of what maps are available would be very useful in those groups.

She had a mountain bikeon a busy road so was she going off road soon enough and casually confident on a busy road or did she merely not have ANY opportunity to avoid the main road to get to anywhere?

If I were living just off an "A" road I would blaze a trail on an existing footpath to get to the signed or well beaten cyclists routes.

In fact she had given no thought at all to permissive paths or cycling tracks as she
pedalled blythely along the heavily used road, with a cycling track along side not knowing that is what it was, AND on a mountain bike.

That is why she must have thought I was going to rape her when I shouted. I have a pair of crutches.

[gar]

She was on her way to the station and taking her bike on the train to get to work in the local metropolis at the other end.

Just the kind of cyclist we want BUT a very inadequate way of going about it. Live and learn.
I shall put a note on local DA which has a message board I think.

Gar

[braz]

Route signing: I am not alone in thinking that cycle route signage could be vastly improved. Have recently returned from JOG, where the talk amongst all the cyclists I met regarded a), the almost complete lack of signage in Edinburgh - and what there was just confused us all, b) the strange conflicting signs alongside the A9 heading northwards (Route 7, 77, 83, nothing, local council sign, handwritten sign, brave sign acclaiming 'cycle route complete ahead of time' when in fact it vanished 300 yards later) and so on. Yes please - we would all like to use the cycle routes - if we can find them! Come on Sustrans, you get enough Government money - get someone to ride the routes you promote and see just how poorly they are signed! Braz.

[CJ]

Or maybe she was tired – or in a hurry.

I'll wager that compared to each the aforementioned alternatives, the main road had at least one and likely several of the following advantages, all of which made it by far the easier option:
(a) better, smoother surface
(b) less hilly
(c) more direct
(d) not interrupted by stop lines

I've just returned from a few days in Germany and before that had a holiday in Denmark. In both countries the many cycle paths are generally surfaced in thick, smooth, ripple-free tarmac without nasty little bumps at every kerb, do not wander up hill, down dale and all around the houses and always enjoy the same right-of-way over side roads as the main road they parallel.

It all serves to remind me that in Britain on the other hand, cyclepaths are designed upon the principle that a starving man will eat dirt! And by heck don't we just lap it up!

We, however, are highly motivated to cycle despite all the difficulties. For other people it's just a way to get about and if we make it too much of a fag they'll just not do it. I may be wrong, but I don't think the general public will use bikes in Britain, just like they do in Germany, until we build cyclepaths just like they do in Germany: paths that are not merely safe, but also just as easy, comfortable and convenient to pedal along as the adjacent main roads.

[gar]

A) More dangerous
B) More roundabouts
as well as all those you mentioned.
She did have a cycle track along side the road for 900m but that may have had glass on it. She certainly did not use it for her own safety.
She had a mountain bike on a busy road; that is her choice. The cycle track would have suited it well.
I really do think she had very little choice if she wanted to get to the station on a bike from some
houses which ONLY had the "A" road for entry and exit.
That is the only explanation for her actions except non use of a cycle track, which she may have thought to be pavement.
She could have done a mile and a half on track or pavement, but did not.

[TJ]

Goodness me!
Whatever happened to freedom of choice?

[gar]

For well over a half the distance that I
noticed her she chose the least safe alternatives

Live dangerously! Enjoy your freedom!

[SPANNER]

I am a member of the Vcc and when we have had runs in the Edinburgh area one problem we have found is where the paths are near housing estates there are always broken bottles on the path why edinburgh city council cant have someone cleaning these paths on a regular (daily ) basis beats me.
One particular route that was going to be used had to be discounted due to broken glass this was discovered by the run captain when planning the run route two weeks before the run took place but a further check the following week showed the glass still hadnt been cleaned up.
The goverment expects us to cycle to work instead of using cars but how can we ride there safely if the paths are strewen with broken glass? it's time local councils got there prioritys right if they want the paths used by cyclists they should maintain them properly anyone agree?

[SPANNER]

I am a member of the Vcc and when we have had runs in the Edinburgh area one problem we have found is where the paths are near housing estates there are always broken bottles on the path why edinburgh city council cant have someone cleaning these paths on a regular (daily ) basis beats me.
One particular route that was going to be used had to be discounted due to broken glass this was discovered by the run captain when planning the run route two weeks before the run took place but a further check the following week showed the glass still hadnt been cleaned up.
The goverment expects us to cycle to work instead of using cars but how can we ride there safely if the paths are strewen with broken glass? it's time local councils got there prioritys right if they want the paths used by cyclists they should maintain them properly anyone agree?

[SPANNER]

I am a member of the Vcc and when we have had runs in the Edinburgh area one problem we have found is where the paths are near housing estates there are always broken bottles on the path why edinburgh city council cant have someone cleaning these paths on a regular (daily ) basis beats me.
One particular route that was going to be used had to be discounted due to broken glass this was discovered by the run captain when planning the run route two weeks before the run took place but a further check the following week showed the glass still hadnt been cleaned up.
The goverment expects us to cycle to work instead of using cars but how can we ride there safely if the paths are strewen with broken glass? it's time local councils got there prioritys right if they want the paths used by cyclists they should maintain them properly anyone agree?

[SPANNER]

I am a member of the Vcc and when we have had runs in the Edinburgh area one problem we have found is where the paths are near housing estates there are always broken bottles on the path why edinburgh city council cant have someone cleaning these paths on a regular (daily ) basis beats me.
One particular route that was going to be used had to be discounted due to broken glass this was discovered by the run captain when planning the run route two weeks before the run took place but a further check the following week showed the glass still hadnt been cleaned up.
The goverment expects us to cycle to work instead of using cars but how can we ride there safely if the paths are strewen with broken glass? it's time local councils got there prioritys right if they want the paths used by cyclists they should maintain them properly anyone agree?

[gar]

Phone up the District council and tell them the problem. Make sure that you get the right officer and spend ten minutes and a few pence over it.

It may help get the job done within two or three months. tell them exactly how you would like it
cared for in future... politely mind!

You may be pleasantly surprised.