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cyclists beware

by ianfliesrussian

31 Mar 2011

About 18 months ago I decided to return to cycling, leaving my car on the drive whenever I could. I used my old bike until recently, but I've just bought a brand new racer so I can go further and faster. It has racing tyres, but the road surface in the gutter area (where we're supposed to ride) is so poor it's destroying my tyres and threatens to throw me off.

The goverment wants us to cycle more, but I wonder if any of them have ever tried it? In addition to potholes, there are drain covers, rubbish items, thick road lines and other obstacles near the road edge which make it more like a mountain bike track than a smooth road. In addition cycle lanes start and stop with no apparent logic.

I recently worked in Germany for a while and there they have got it right. Roads are smooth across their width, cycle lanes are plentiful and linked-up and cyclists are everywhere.

Does anyone esle get the feeling that the UK government talks about things, but rarely does them?

I wear full protection when I'm riding (flourescent stripe, winking lights, crash helmet etc) but sometimes I still feel quite vulnerable. This is especially the case when I'm forced to move out from near the curb because of a pothole. I wonder if I will be hit from behind by a vehicle. One cannot see them early enough to signal.

If I get clouted off my bike or drop it due to the direct effects of a pothole, and am lucky enough to survive, someone will get the sharp edge of my tongue, to say the least. Perhaps someone could advise me who best to address such comments to on a national level?

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Comments (2)

fedupp posted : 04/04/11 at 12.04pm

I am a cyclist too and agree that the edges of the roads are in a bad way. But recently, to try to save on petrol and as I have a motorbike licence I decided to get a scooter. Riding it is horrendus. I remember all the lifesavers and other defensive riding tips that I'm supposed to do when out on a bike but to be honest I spend so much of the time looking out for and avoiding potholes that my concentration on what's going on around me is destracted to say the least. Many roads including busy A roads are not even fit for purpose and it makes me so angry when I think how much we're paying in driving related taxes.

Potholes.co.uk Expert posted : 31/03/11 at 10.00am

The Cyclist Touring Club (CTC). They seem to have the Government's 'ear' more than any other cycling groups.

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