Cyclists injured on Motorway
Discussion
Diderot said:
Either way, whoever it is, cyclists are not permitted to ride their bike on motorways. Everyone knows this. It’s very simple. The big blue signs denote, MOTORWAY. These absolute muppets are absolute muppets shocker.
I worked in Portsmouth for a short time.There was an 'arcade game' experience of French cyclists getting off the 'horrid AM' ferry and cycling the wrong way up the M275. The big blue signs are only blue and informative on one side.
This happened near our place.
Apparently the cyclists joined from the slip just west of Larbert. Quite a busy time too. Word is foreign tourists.
The stretch where it happens is arguably one of the most dangerous in central Scotland. M876 merges with M9 creating a 3 lane section for about half a mile and then M876 splits off again.
Always a wee bit chaotic at the merge with drivers on M876 expecting to change lanes instantly and then discovering they can't. So as M876 approach goes from 2 lanes to one often there are 2 vehicles having to "sort themselves out".
Traffic on M9 wanting to take M876 exit generally either tries to merge immediately at start of the 3 lane section, or boots it further along and merges further along. Often last few seconds before the motorways split.
Lots of points where drivers have a lot going on and plenty to be keeping an eye on.
Possibly worst stretch of road within quite a large area for a cyclist to be. Particularly if they tried to merge from M876 across to M9.
Apparently the cyclists joined from the slip just west of Larbert. Quite a busy time too. Word is foreign tourists.
The stretch where it happens is arguably one of the most dangerous in central Scotland. M876 merges with M9 creating a 3 lane section for about half a mile and then M876 splits off again.
Always a wee bit chaotic at the merge with drivers on M876 expecting to change lanes instantly and then discovering they can't. So as M876 approach goes from 2 lanes to one often there are 2 vehicles having to "sort themselves out".
Traffic on M9 wanting to take M876 exit generally either tries to merge immediately at start of the 3 lane section, or boots it further along and merges further along. Often last few seconds before the motorways split.
Lots of points where drivers have a lot going on and plenty to be keeping an eye on.
Possibly worst stretch of road within quite a large area for a cyclist to be. Particularly if they tried to merge from M876 across to M9.
EmailAddress said:
You think someone on a motorway is unable to see a cyclist?
Probably. I probably cycle just 200 miles a year. Not a lot, but hey....
I avoid Dual carriageways of any sort, unless they have a cycle path.
I would avoid a motorway like the plague.
I avoid any busy road, busy roundabouts, busy junctions.
Because I'm cycling for fun, it's no big deal taking a convoluted route to get where I want to go.
A few years ago I was cycling 5 miles each way to work. I found a route that was six miles and avoided almost all traffic. Mind you I almost fell in the canal once.
Back when I was a kid (45 year years ago, me and a mate) decided to cycle to visit a friend who had moved to Manchester.
My dad gave us an OS map, and drew on the route, which took us under the M58, only the map was so.old the m58 wasn't on it, and we'd got a bit lost, and were one junction further up it and got to.the roundabout above it. At 12, we knew that cycling down the motorway was a stupid idea, despite the sign to Manchester.
We back tracked and asked in an industrial estate for directions. The owner of a garage drew the motorway on our map. And all was good.
oyster said:
Just to throw one out there - what if the driver of the Audi wasn't driving legally?
For example, what if they were speeding? On drugs? On their phone? Not paying due care and attention?
Not to mention that there are circumstances where you can legally cycle on a motorway. For example, what if they were speeding? On drugs? On their phone? Not paying due care and attention?
Police can direct prohibited traffic onto a motorway as an emergency diversion (I believe an instance of this happening was a collision on the A64/A1(M) roundabout left the only available exit as the motorway, so all traffic was being sent onto it).
There's the necessity situation, where for instance you're on a roundabout, and a driver overtakes you only to cut you off for a motorway entrance. To avoid a collision you now have to turn with them onto the motorway.
There's "unlawful but not illegal" when the motorway isn't correctly signed.
And then there's the diversion grey area:
And for one that was about to be the only exit from a closed roundabout:
Diderot said:
Get a grip yourself. Cyclists are not permitted to ride their bikes on motorways. It’s illegal. What issue do have with this very simple concept? It is illegal. These eejits were breaking the law. It is so simple a concept that it beggars belief that anyone with a modicum of intelligence is trying to justify their behaviour. Beyond this reality, it would be worth your while considering why exactly this law, that they wilfully broke, exists to PROTECT them. Anyone with an ounce of common sense will understand why. But seemingly, you cannot. 
Think unlawful rather than illegal.But anyway not sure what your cling is for.
As said one person breaching doesn't cleanse anyone around them.
Anyway, are you suggesting snipers on motorway bridges to stop illegal speeding cars?
Spitfire2 said:
This happened near our place.
Apparently the cyclists joined from the slip just west of Larbert. Quite a busy time too. Word is foreign tourists.
The stretch where it happens is arguably one of the most dangerous in central Scotland. M876 merges with M9 creating a 3 lane section for about half a mile and then M876 splits off again.
Always a wee bit chaotic at the merge with drivers on M876 expecting to change lanes instantly and then discovering they can't. So as M876 approach goes from 2 lanes to one often there are 2 vehicles having to "sort themselves out".
Traffic on M9 wanting to take M876 exit generally either tries to merge immediately at start of the 3 lane section, or boots it further along and merges further along. Often last few seconds before the motorways split.
Lots of points where drivers have a lot going on and plenty to be keeping an eye on.
Possibly worst stretch of road within quite a large area for a cyclist to be. Particularly if they tried to merge from M876 across to M9.
I too am local and if I had to pick the worst place where you could end up on a push bike, here would be my choice. It's quite staggering the distance they've cycled from where they joined which I assume is at the golf course entrance along from forth valley hospital and not thought to go back on the hard shoulder. Apparently the cyclists joined from the slip just west of Larbert. Quite a busy time too. Word is foreign tourists.
The stretch where it happens is arguably one of the most dangerous in central Scotland. M876 merges with M9 creating a 3 lane section for about half a mile and then M876 splits off again.
Always a wee bit chaotic at the merge with drivers on M876 expecting to change lanes instantly and then discovering they can't. So as M876 approach goes from 2 lanes to one often there are 2 vehicles having to "sort themselves out".
Traffic on M9 wanting to take M876 exit generally either tries to merge immediately at start of the 3 lane section, or boots it further along and merges further along. Often last few seconds before the motorways split.
Lots of points where drivers have a lot going on and plenty to be keeping an eye on.
Possibly worst stretch of road within quite a large area for a cyclist to be. Particularly if they tried to merge from M876 across to M9.
I can imagine how they've been seen last minute at this stretch of road with two separate sections of motorway merging, varying speeds of vehicles, you're simply not anticipating a pedestrian being on the motorway especially when they could remain unsighted until the last minute. No one is driving on this section of motorway anticipating to come to a sudden stop when it's flowing normally.
Edited by moanthebairns on Saturday 29th June 09:26
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
About a decade back we were on the M40, not far from Oxford.
Ahead of us cars were suddenly changing from the first to the second lane (it was quiet, fairly early on a Sunday morning) and beeping their horns.
On the hard shoulder there was a group of about a dozen Chinese men all peddling along on rather old fashioned 'sit up and beg' style bicycles.
Obviously other motorists had reported the 'incident' because half a mile up the road the overhead digital gantry sign lighted up with the warning (and I kid you not) FOREIGN OBJECTS IN CARRIAGEWAY.
About a decade back we were on the M40, not far from Oxford.
Ahead of us cars were suddenly changing from the first to the second lane (it was quiet, fairly early on a Sunday morning) and beeping their horns.
On the hard shoulder there was a group of about a dozen Chinese men all peddling along on rather old fashioned 'sit up and beg' style bicycles.
Obviously other motorists had reported the 'incident' because half a mile up the road the overhead digital gantry sign lighted up with the warning (and I kid you not) FOREIGN OBJECTS IN CARRIAGEWAY.
Diderot said:
Gareth79 said:
There are no Strava segments on motorways, get a grip.
Get a grip yourself. Cyclists are not permitted to ride their bikes on motorways. It’s illegal. What issue do have with this very simple concept? It is illegal. These eejits were breaking the law. It is so simple a concept that it beggars belief that anyone with a modicum of intelligence is trying to justify their behaviour. Beyond this reality, it would be worth your while considering why exactly this law, that they wilfully broke, exists to PROTECT them. Anyone with an ounce of common sense will understand why. But seemingly, you cannot. I was merely stating that it's impossible for somebody to be attempting to break a Strava record on a motorway. You seem to be obsessed with Strava.
It's probably better to figure out exactly why unauthorised vehicles end up on a motorway and attempt to fix that, rather than incoherent rants.
For example, at entrances to motorways where this is common due to confusing road layouts, foreign road users, delivery cyclists from other countries, have a row of cross-through signs showing which vehicles are not permitted. In a similar way, there are "DRIVE ON LEFT" signs where people keep driving on the right.
Edited by Gareth79 on Sunday 30th June 15:01
pork911 said:
Think unlawful rather than illegal.
But anyway not sure what your cling is for.
As said one person breaching doesn't cleanse anyone around them.
Anyway, are you suggesting snipers on motorway bridges to stop illegal speeding cars?
Think illegal, you can get fined up to £1000 for cycling on a motorway therefore it is illegal, is it not?But anyway not sure what your cling is for.
As said one person breaching doesn't cleanse anyone around them.
Anyway, are you suggesting snipers on motorway bridges to stop illegal speeding cars?
Gareth79 said:
Where have I claimed that it's not illegal or justified their behaviour?
I was merely stating that it's impossible for somebody to be attempting to break a Strava record on a motorway. You seem to be obsessed with Strava.
It's probably better to figure out exactly why unauthorised vehicles end up on a motorway and attempt to fix that, rather than incoherent rants.
For example, at entrances to motorways where this is common due to confusing road layouts, foreign road users, delivery cyclists from other countries, have a row of cross-through signs showing which vehicles are not permitted. In a similar way, there are "DRIVE ON LEFT" signs where people keep driving on the right.
Crossed through signs aren't legal signage, the correct sign would be in a red circle. Of course, sometimes people don't know what that means either. The Vienna Convention is quite clear.I was merely stating that it's impossible for somebody to be attempting to break a Strava record on a motorway. You seem to be obsessed with Strava.
It's probably better to figure out exactly why unauthorised vehicles end up on a motorway and attempt to fix that, rather than incoherent rants.
For example, at entrances to motorways where this is common due to confusing road layouts, foreign road users, delivery cyclists from other countries, have a row of cross-through signs showing which vehicles are not permitted. In a similar way, there are "DRIVE ON LEFT" signs where people keep driving on the right.
Edited by Gareth79 on Sunday 30th June 15:01
Inicidentally, I encountered quite a nice standalone example of the motorway restrictions sign on a bike ride yesterday.
Cats_pyjamas said:
If you have closing speeds in excess of 60mph with traffic lane changing and setting up to come off at the split. I cannot imagine how dangerous this situation would have been. Simply crazy.
Cars simply could not anticipate this.
I used to cycle to work along the A259 into Brighton. It was two ways either way 60mph single carriageway. Cars would regularly go at speeds in excess of 70mph. There was a rise and, just over it, and blind to those coming from the east, the road became a single carriageway.I used to cycle on the greensward, but in the summer, there are a lot of pedestrians on it, and on the macadamed footway, so I was forced into the carriageway. I made representations to the council roads department, and to the local MP as to allowing cycling on the footway, after widening. Cars simply could not anticipate this.
Both times I was told that the road was no dangerous and the closing speed was something that drivers (drivers?) had to cope with. So either the situation was not crazy or the council and local MP just couldn't be bothered to stop riders being seriously injured and likely to be killed.
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