Close call - reminder to me to ride more defensively ...
Roastie
Posts: 1,968
.. and assume the worst.
E&C Roundabout:
I came in from the south intending to take Borough High St to London Bridge. I had a clear run into the roundabout, there were some vehicles in the inside lane of the roundabout, but this was not an immediate problem as the inside lane splits into two for traffic going to London Bridge and others, and the lane I was in effectively runs onto the bus lane to Borough HS. The white van to the right of me is not signalling left as we head towards the first exit (A302). I assume, from the lane the van is in, that he is continuing right around the roundabout. I had quite a bit of momentum coming into the roundabout and, loathe to lose it, continued about 5mph faster than the van in the middle lane (this being my other mistake, I think).
As I'm turning onto the bus lane approaching the tube station and road to Blackfriars, the van, unexpectedly and without signalling, starts heading for the first exit. The next few seconds were terrifying. I was *just" in front and to the left of the van, so nearly in front. At this point it seemed inevitable that the van could clip my rear wheel and I'd be a gonner. I tried to change my course but really was just bracing myself for hitting the deck.
Van Man must have seen me in time and also taken evasive action because somehow I now found myself headed at speed towards the pavement. I didn't register any anger from Van Man - he was probably as shaken as me - but I did find an involuntary torrent of abuse emanating from my vocal chords.
My mistakes aside (trust me, I am annoyed with having taken such an unneccesary risk), why is lane discipline in roundabouts so terrible? I find the same when in my car. Some people think (and it is almost the norm) that you can circulate on the inside of a multi-lane the roundabout and then head for whatever exit you choose. Do these people think that lane markings are there just for effing decoration? Gets my goat.
That said, I really should know better.
E&C Roundabout:
I came in from the south intending to take Borough High St to London Bridge. I had a clear run into the roundabout, there were some vehicles in the inside lane of the roundabout, but this was not an immediate problem as the inside lane splits into two for traffic going to London Bridge and others, and the lane I was in effectively runs onto the bus lane to Borough HS. The white van to the right of me is not signalling left as we head towards the first exit (A302). I assume, from the lane the van is in, that he is continuing right around the roundabout. I had quite a bit of momentum coming into the roundabout and, loathe to lose it, continued about 5mph faster than the van in the middle lane (this being my other mistake, I think).
As I'm turning onto the bus lane approaching the tube station and road to Blackfriars, the van, unexpectedly and without signalling, starts heading for the first exit. The next few seconds were terrifying. I was *just" in front and to the left of the van, so nearly in front. At this point it seemed inevitable that the van could clip my rear wheel and I'd be a gonner. I tried to change my course but really was just bracing myself for hitting the deck.
Van Man must have seen me in time and also taken evasive action because somehow I now found myself headed at speed towards the pavement. I didn't register any anger from Van Man - he was probably as shaken as me - but I did find an involuntary torrent of abuse emanating from my vocal chords.
My mistakes aside (trust me, I am annoyed with having taken such an unneccesary risk), why is lane discipline in roundabouts so terrible? I find the same when in my car. Some people think (and it is almost the norm) that you can circulate on the inside of a multi-lane the roundabout and then head for whatever exit you choose. Do these people think that lane markings are there just for effing decoration? Gets my goat.
That said, I really should know better.
David
Engineered Bicycles
Engineered Bicycles
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But yeah, generally lane discipline on roundabouts is censored . The roundabout closest to my home is marked out in lanes, but even so people still cut them so they don't have to bother turning their steering wheels a few more degrees. :roll:
I'd like to apologise for not saying sorry, and also thank her for not being arsey when I blanked her. I rode a little more safely all the way in, and still managed a respectable 15mph average for the run.
12mile each way commuter: '11 Boardman CX with guards and rack
For fun: '11 Wilier La Triestina
SS: '07 Kona Smoke with yellow bits
Had a similar one on the A2 in my car this morning. On a 4 lane section going up the hill towards Bluewater we're all sitting at about 50'ish when the HGV on my inside decides he needs to keep his momentun up and starts to pull out (without indicating) as I'm about 2/3rds of the way along him. The only options were to either hit the brakes - hard - and hope whoever's behind me has ABS as well, or hit the gas and tailgate the poor sod in front of me. taking the latter option I still have no idea how he missed me, at one time he was about 6 inches from me. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
Vans and trucks are all the same, bloody shite drivers sho shouldn't be on the road :twisted:
Revised FCN - 2
On Fulham Road there is a bit where they are doing work and it's down to one lane with the temporary traffic lights. I waited patiently until green (at the front of the queue) started riding down the single lane when a female motorist overtook me and nearly ran me into the road works. I should have ridden slap bang in the middle of the lane so there was no chance of passing me. I was going quickly enough and it is a short section, so there was no need for it really.
What annoyed me even more was that she had one of those "child on board" signs on the back of her car - as if other road users should be more considerate to her.
Why is it that the people who have those signs never take them down and when there is no child on board they drive like total twunts??
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Luckily I wasn't going very fast so I just braked and went with her towards Borough rather than to my chosen exit. She didn't signal or anything and just looked at me through the car window as if to ask what are you doing there? Silly cow...
I go on the pavement* around the Bricklayers' Arms roundabout. Bricklayers' Arms falls into the same bucket as E&C - far too full of crazy mo-fo car drivers desparate to save a few seconds to risk cycling around.
* Shared use path with those blue signs of ped and bikes, before you all start.
I dunno, I have used a few very large roundabout and nowadays I am finding that it is possible to follow lane markings correctly and arrive at your desired exit. Admittedly these are generally where you have 3+lanes (or at least enough lanes for the exits -1)
I think what annoys me more is people who fail to indicate at all, there have been numerous occasions when I've had to be bl00dy psychic to figure out where some drivers are going!
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Getting on from Borough High Street can be a mare! You have to hit it just right otherwise your stuck and lose all momentum :-(
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Famous for it as it happens too frequently! :oops: