Dangerous drains? (or am a an idiot)

jopari

On my commute there's a set of lights I often have to stop at. Just on the white line is a drain grate with wide, diagonal openings. I've absent mindedly thought "what would happen if my wheel went down there when I set off". Well, I found out yesterday. Set off, clipped in, wheel went at just the right angle and bang, fell off, still clipped in, infront of car which was just setting off. Luckily it saw me in plenty of time (another car driver actually asked if I was alright!)

So, should I report this as a danger to cyclists, or just put it down as a note to self "listen to those nagging doubts" and CONCENTRATE?

kurako

jopari wrote:

On my commute there's a set of lights I often have to stop at. Just on the white line is a drain grate with wide, diagonal openings. I've absent mindedly thought "what would happen if my wheel went down there when I set off". Well, I found out yesterday. Set off, clipped in, wheel went at just the right angle and bang, fell off, still clipped in, infront of car which was just setting off. Luckily it saw me in plenty of time (another car driver actually asked if I was alright!)

So, should I report this as a danger to cyclists, or just put it down as a note to self "listen to those nagging doubts" and CONCENTRATE?

Is this in the middle of the road or in the gutter?

Best not to ride over metalwork. If it has holes you can get stuck. If it's wet it's like ice.

Agent57

You're an idiot. HTH.

Seriously, in 35 years of cycling on roads, I've never lost a wheel down a drain. Ride further out from the gutter.

jopari

Fair comments! I'm only ever this far into the kerb when starting off. I guess it's because I stop and put my left leg on the kerb at this point out of laziness. Prime position for me from now on!

nation

There's one of these at a set of lights on my commute that is right smack in the middle of the lane, a bit to the right of the worn track made by the left wheels of motor traffic. I think it's where the gutter was once upon a time, but the road's evidently been widened since to add a filter lane.

I've been meaning to complain about it because it's right in the path of a cyclist taking primary, and easy to miss because there's always queuing traffic at those lights.

Rooner

sounds like what is known as 'target fixation', ie you see the hazard, your brain says 'watch out!' but your unconciousness says 'ride into it'!

Yep, ride further out! Seriously though, slippery drain covers, metal banding etc in the road really p's me off. I ride a motorbike as well, and there is nothing more sphincter clenching than seeing a wet drain cover in your line whilst going around a bend. Come on government, invest some money in our roads! No slip surface for everywhere!!!

rhext

Learn how to bunny-hop them!

Specialized Needs

jopari wrote:

Fair comments! I'm only ever this far into the kerb when starting off. I guess it's because I stop and put my left leg on the kerb at this point out of laziness. Prime position for me from now on!

Are you riding clipless? If so I'll wait for the post next week describing how you keeled over gracefully in primary at the front of the traffic queue while waiting for the lights to change ...

Gazzaputt

Idiot.

Next.

jonny_trousers

Well if you're an idiot then so am I, twice over. There's a drain cover with a verticle line in it on my commute (bottom of Rosendale Rd.) that I have been bullied into dropping into by a car suddenly swinging left (managed to stay in control) and the vertical slits in the drain covers around Regent's Park outer ring are bloody lethal (I very nearly lost it in one of those not so long ago). Sure we should ride further out from the curb (not always easy), sure we should keep an eye out for potential hazards, but with the sheer number of cyclists on the roads these days, there must be people doing themselves an injury on poorly considered drain covers every day.

Greg T

Agent57 wrote:

Seriously, in 35 years of cycling on roads, I've never lost a wheel down a drain.

That's torn it . . .

I give you a week before you are posting asking for tips on how to tie your shoelaces with a busted clavicle.

greg66_tri_v2.0

jopari wrote:

On my commute there's a set of lights I often have to stop at. Just on the white line is a drain grate with wide, diagonal openings. I've absent mindedly thought "what would happen if my wheel went down there when I set off". Well, I found out yesterday. Set off, clipped in, wheel went at just the right angle and bang, fell off, still clipped in, infront of car which was just setting off. Luckily it saw me in plenty of time (another car driver actually asked if I was alright!)

So, should I report this as a danger to cyclists, or just put it down as a note to self "listen to those nagging doubts" and CONCENTRATE?

Ok, I may be being a bit slow here, but how (TF) did you get a wheel at 45 degrees to the direction in which you should have been pointing?

The Rookie

Its the pullaway wobble that usually precedes the nodders nod.......

Simon