Still the same junction
Cab
Posts: 770
Many of you may remember I've posted in the past about the junction of Arbury Road/Union Lane and Milton Road in Cambridge.
Its a simple four way junction. I'm often coming at it from Union Lane, heading straight on up Arbury Road. I wait at the lights, when they change I head straight on across the junction.
The problem is simple; its a busy junciton. A short distance ahead of me on Arbury Road there are parked cars, and in the lane going the other way there will be traffic waiting its turn, Arbury Road is on a different phase of the lights to Union Lane.
Very often a car will try to overtake, despite the lane being insufficiently wide to allow that to happen. If theres no traffic on the other side, no problem, if there is then it ain't safe.
I've taken to being well right of centre in the lane. The parked cars are 30 yards or so up the road, theres no way theres space to overtake, so I'm not allowing it. Trouble is, that short delay is sufficient to bring aggro. Like, on Sunday morning I got to the lights first, stayed in primary position, a car pulled up level with me (so straddling the opposite side of the road) within inches of me, the driver completely blanking me out. Later the same day, going the same way, I had an Audi inches behind me souning his horn. On Thursday I had a bloke poking the front of his car at me, assuming I'd just move aside, and then he gave me aggro further down the road when he did pass (needlessly and intentionally too close).
I'm still refusing the temptation to RLJ at this junction; the pedestrian phase is the one before Union Lane, and on two (arguably three) of the four corners of the junction there are cycle routes that cross the road, and cyclists uniformly go on the pedestrian phase. And more often than not cyclists waiting where I am illegally go on that phase too. I think it would be safe to go on the ped phase, but that doesn't half pee off the motorists... But then behaving perfectly legally there pees them off too.
Opinions/advice please?
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Its a simple four way junction. I'm often coming at it from Union Lane, heading straight on up Arbury Road. I wait at the lights, when they change I head straight on across the junction.
The problem is simple; its a busy junciton. A short distance ahead of me on Arbury Road there are parked cars, and in the lane going the other way there will be traffic waiting its turn, Arbury Road is on a different phase of the lights to Union Lane.
Very often a car will try to overtake, despite the lane being insufficiently wide to allow that to happen. If theres no traffic on the other side, no problem, if there is then it ain't safe.
I've taken to being well right of centre in the lane. The parked cars are 30 yards or so up the road, theres no way theres space to overtake, so I'm not allowing it. Trouble is, that short delay is sufficient to bring aggro. Like, on Sunday morning I got to the lights first, stayed in primary position, a car pulled up level with me (so straddling the opposite side of the road) within inches of me, the driver completely blanking me out. Later the same day, going the same way, I had an Audi inches behind me souning his horn. On Thursday I had a bloke poking the front of his car at me, assuming I'd just move aside, and then he gave me aggro further down the road when he did pass (needlessly and intentionally too close).
I'm still refusing the temptation to RLJ at this junction; the pedestrian phase is the one before Union Lane, and on two (arguably three) of the four corners of the junction there are cycle routes that cross the road, and cyclists uniformly go on the pedestrian phase. And more often than not cyclists waiting where I am illegally go on that phase too. I think it would be safe to go on the ped phase, but that doesn't half pee off the motorists... But then behaving perfectly legally there pees them off too.
Opinions/advice please?
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Comments
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I'd just go on the ped phase, taking care obviously, as it's just not worth the grief. Actually, I'd enjoy antagonising the drivers so perhaps I wouldn't [:D]0
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Graham G</i>
I'd just go on the ped phase, taking care obviously, as it's just not worth the grief. Actually, I'd enjoy antagonising the drivers so perhaps I wouldn't [:D]
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Well, you'd be antagonising them by jumping the red light too, so it wouldn't be all bad [:D]
I think that RLJing can only be justified as an absolute last resort. I'll do it at that junction if I spot a drver behind me who I know has been a menace there in the past, it would then seem to me that the balance has shifted such that breaking the law (along with the other five cyclists on average who will be doing so) will be the safer thing to do at that junction.
I wonder whether theres any joy to be had in contacting the road traffic planners locally...
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hmm, very very hard to say cab, as personal safety should be number 1 priority.
I know you must have answered this question before, but isn't there another route you could take to skip this junction out?
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Erwin Rommel0 -
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Jacomus-rides-Gen</i>
I know you must have answered this question before, but isn't there another route you could take to skip this junction out?
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Its the route back from my allotment to the house. The straight line route is something under a mile I should think. Because the road to the allotments comes straight out on Union Lane, I'd have to go the other way down that rouad, on to Chesterton Road turning right, then right again at the big roundabout (nasty), right at the roundabout onto Milton Road (nothing like as nasty), then left onto Arbury road, or instead straight on at the second roundabout and through the residential bit, about the same distance though. So... I rekon about two miles, or over, in total. Seems like the long way round when I've had a hard day digging!
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Sounds to me as if the only thing you are getting wrong is allowing these people to antagonise you. They totally blank you, you need to do the same to them. THEY DO NOT EXIST. You seem to be getting too emotionally involved when out on your bike, don't. Save it for the wife. Also angle your bike so that they cannot try to squeeze you out. They would not try to squeeze another car out of the way, they would happily wait for it, it is only because they hate cyclists.
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Porridge not Petrol0 -
Yo Cab...I was in that Cambridge at the w/e. ..I was driving past the fair on Midsummer common and the cops stopped me [and other drivers] to open the boot of my car so it could be inspected. What's going on, man? Tell us what headline is on today's <i>Evening News</i>.
And, er, yeah...I agree with what domT said.0 -
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by domtyler</i>
Sounds to me as if the only thing you are getting wrong is allowing these people to antagonise you. They totally blank you, you need to do the same to them. THEY DO NOT EXIST. You seem to be getting too emotionally involved when out on your bike, don't. Save it for the wife. Also angle your bike so that they cannot try to squeeze you out. They would not try to squeeze another car out of the way, they would happily wait for it, it is only because they hate cyclists.
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The woman who blanked me she'd pulled up right alongside me (needlessly blocking most of the other side of the road I thought), I knocked on her window and asked her where she was going because (a) I wanted her to know that I was actually there, and (b) I couldn't see her indicators from where she'd pulled up. I didn't then get all cross at her for blanking me, I simply came out with the simple statement that I've seen reccomended here and which amuses me ("You know that driving license? The one out of a Christmas Cracker? It isn't real, you know") and then went back to ignoring her.
I should add that it wasn't just me on that occasion; I was in a wide primary and my better half was in a sort of almost primary, there were two of us and the position of the car alongside put us three abreast at the junction. I didn't have much more angling to do really, were were comfortably using up our lane.
As for after the junction, in that stretch where you soon reach parked cars and where theres usually a row of cars queueing on the other side, the trouble is that its a long, straight road. They want past, they want past now, and they want to be comfortably doing 35 in a 30mph zone. I'm riding defensively, I've got nowhere to go other than straight on where I am or (bad choice) to move to kerbside and let them pass too close. They want the latter, and thats actually what most cyclists to.
So... For making this bit of my trip safer and to reduce aggro, what should I do?
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by maz</i>
Yo Cab...I was in that Cambridge at the w/e. ..I was driving past the fair on Midsummer common and the cops stopped me [and other drivers] to open the boot of my car so it could be inspected. What's going on, man? Tell us what headline is on today's <i>Evening News</i>.
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How odd...
Looking at the CEN, though theres this story about searching cars, but thats up in Histon, not in the city centre:
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/ci ... 6164d1.lpf
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had an iffy last week where the oncoming car crossed into my lane to pass a rubbish truck (parked cars both sides) that was ok, he'd seen me and there was time, only the four or five behind him all followed tail to tail, and quite quick, and they defo couldn't see, my bold and assertive primary quickly turned into a sharp braking swerve to the side of the parked cars
for some swearing and shaking of the fist, the sixth car stayed put and looked at me like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth
sometimes it's just ****
if king of the primary can't handle the junction who possibly could, I'd side with what you do0 -
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by maz</i>
Yo Cab...I was in that Cambridge at the w/e. ..I was driving past the fair on Midsummer common and the cops stopped me [and other drivers] to open the boot of my car so it could be inspected. What's going on, man? Tell us what headline is on today's <i>Evening News</i>.
And, er, yeah...I agree with what domT said.
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The year's '94 and my trunk is raw
In my rear view mirror is the mother ****in' law
I got two choices y'all pull over the car or (hmmm)
Bounce on the devil put the pedal to the floor
Now I ain't tryin' to see no highway chase with Jake.
Plus i got a few dollars i can fight the case
So I...pull over to the side of the road
I heard "Son do you know why I'm stoppin' you for?"
Cause I'm young and I'm black and my hats real low?
Do I look like a mind reader sir, I don't know
Am I under arrest or should I guess some mo'?
"Well you was doin fifty-five in a fifty-fo' "
"Liscense and registration and step out of the car"
"Are you carryin' a weapon on you I know a lot of you are"
I ain't steppin out of sh*t all my paper's legit
"Well, do you mind if I look round the car a little bit?"
Well my glove compartment is locked so are the trunk in the back
And I know my rights so you gon' need a warrant for that
"Aren't you sharp as a tack, you some type of lawyer or something'?"
"Or somebody important or somethin'?"
Nah, I ain't pass the bar but i know a little bit
Enough that you won't illegally search my sh*t
"We'll see how smart you are when the K9 come"
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one
Hit me
Can they really stop & search your car with no reason?<a>road</a>0 -
I had something simular. There was a guy in one of those audi RS 4 things. Came up close behind some red lights where there is 2 lane for going straight on, and about 3 or 4 sets of traffic lights. I think the guy had the idea to pass me and go through the next set. There was a car in the 2nd lane so he couldnt go there, so he sat right behind me till the next set of lights which changed to red. This happened at the next set aswell. Then he passed me which made me have to into parked cars too close and him be too close to the car next to him in the 2nd lane. He had to stop and the next set and i sat behind him looking at him, then he goes off fast from the lights and moves over 2 lanes to a right turner and got stuck at lights as i peddled past him. This was about 9am. some people have no patience0
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<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by joe24</i>
some people have no patience
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I can almost forgive impatience, its more the lack of foresight that bothers me. Theres no point weaving through traffic to get stuck at a light thats red anyway, these people are needlessly increasing their own risk and risk to others through stupid, unproductive behaviour.
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