Dangerous Spot- Putney Embankment!

southwestcyclist

Hi everyone!

In August 2015 I fell off my bicycle whilst turning right into Rotherwood Road on the Putney embankment next to the Vesta rowing club and was hospitalised with multiple fractures to my leg and ankle. A second cyclist fell at almost exactly the same spot whilst I was being attended to by the police pending arrival of an ambulance, and the same morning whilst I was cycling to work I saw a cyclist getting up and limping after having fallen at the very same spot. I recently met another cyclist who told me that she had also fallen from her bicycle at the same spot in February 2017 and that someone from the boathouse had kindly come to her assistance and told her that lots of cyclists had fallen there.

I was wondering if anyone were aware or had witnessed any other bike accidents at this spot, or if anyone is aware of why the road is slippery in this particular area?

Do you know if anyone has reported the slippery surface of the road to the Council?

If you were able to supply any information or comment it would be greatly appreciated, and I thank you in advance for any assistance you might be able to provide.

Bobbinogs

You haven't detailed weather conditions or if the road has any visible reason as to why it may be slippery. We have a few junctions like that around my way and I have noticed that the surface appears to have some kind of worn sheen on it which is bad in normal conditions but treacherous when wet/greasy with salt, etc. I now slow down and stay very upright which seems to work. When conditions are bad I simply avoid, which works best of all.

Garry H

Roads can become greasy during the first rainfall after a dry spell.

Ben6899

I already replied to the original post in the "Women's Forum", but...

I spotted this and thought I'd check out what's being said.

I looked on Google Maps/Earth and the road surface here looks very "fatted up" - a non-technical term for the bitumen working to the surface and overcoming the aggregate in the mixture.

The aggregate offers friction/grip to the road surface. If it's covered in smooth bitumen...

This isn't the only example of this defect that one will find in London, or indeed anywhere, but if it's particularly bad and it's where cyclists are turning right (or left) into the side road, well...

roger_merriman

Ouch that's a nasty crack!

It is a bit broken there, I am come though now and then though I tend to turn just before the bridge, having come down the tow path on my CX or similar.

I'm a bit surprised it's had many crashes there since relative to the surrounding roads it a quieter road, but there are crash maps so may be worth seeing if there is a higher incidences at that spot?

lakesluddite

http://road.cc/content/news/224520-why- ... embankment

I see the 'other place' has taken this up as well - interesting comments! Sounds to me like it's the stuff washed up from the Thames that might be the issue?