Head on crash between Horseferry Rd and Butcher Row

ndru

Yes infamous cycling direction change on CS3. I've just left the park and went over the bridge over the Rotherhithe tunnel. When I spotted a cyclist comming the other way on collision course I decided to swerve left, so did he, so I swerved right, and so did he - and then we met. Head on handlebar collision. All because of this screwed up design of the cycle path, when suddenly, without warning you are expected to change the side from left to right. Sure, I should have reduced my speed, which makes me feel guilty as hell. The bloke on the other bicycle had at first said he's ok, but when I was making a call I saw him having a lay down on the ground. He still clamed he's ok if a little lightheaded. Then a cycling lady stopped and asked if she could have a look as she was a doctor (thanks a bunch for your kindness). THe bloke finally rode off. I was left with a front wheel totally out of true. The recovery company said they can pick me up in an hour, so I decided to ride home (around 5 more miles). I had to totally open my front brake (the wheel was still brushing against it anyway) and then proceeded very carefully down Narrow Street, getting looks from all the cyclist passing me from both directions (do I still loose my scalp if I ride with a squreish wheel). Then on Poplar High Street one of the nipples gave way and one of the spokes has punctured the inner tube, all to the sound of cracking metal (like a thunder). And I had to continue with a squreish wheel and a flat... I made it though.
What a day.

Anyways - apologies to the bloke on the other bike. I hope you're ok mate.

lastant

Ah, this was the other thing I was thinking this morning (apart from does the coating on the CS's go really slippy in the wet) and wanted to mention on here...

...that weird change of cycle lane direction. Confuses the hell out of most people I see in the morning at around 07.20ish so god knows what it's like when it's busier.

Can see why they've done it in that if it was 'normal' you'd have people at the bottom trying to cut that corner anyway - put people going down that steep-ish descent and not expecting that and you've got collisions aplenty. May as well have those coming down on the wrong side and able to swing out of the way of them.

Yes, it's a mess but one that has some logic behind it. I think.

ndru

It's not very logical if you think about it - the whole idea of it is a bit silly. I remember signing a petition to the council to change it, and I found out that they are going to cycle all of the CS3 today and identify the issues. Hopefully they are going to fix them as well. It would have been easily solved if the whole cycling lane would be moved to the left side of the road where it should be. And for the time being there should be some way of telling who's got right of way or something.
Lesson learned -I'll be much more careful now on that stretch.

rolf_f

I heard that Horseferry road will be repaired but Butcher Row is a complete write off

Clever Pun

if stuff like that is happening point to the other cyclist then point to your right in no uncertain terms...

it should help avoid this kinda thing...

ndru

If I had that much time I would have stopped mate. The problem is that when you are on the bridge you can't see much of what's going on the other side of it. Once you jump out there's not much you can do. I am not making excuses of course - I should've just slowed down.