UK Roads

Set off on a bike ride from Weymouth today, got 2km down the road, turned around came home and went for a run. It was fucking terrifying, what is going on, narrow road, too many cars, going too fast and aggressive drivers. I really didn’t appreciate how lucky I am in Switzerland.

Honestly it was a deeply unpleasant experience. I also think I am still very nervous after my crash

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I went for a ride yesterday and i was convinced it was national ‘drive a Chelsea tractor like a twat day’. I had like 3 close passes within 5km!

It’s not particularly pleasant.

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I don’t know what you lot are on about.

I honestly don’t.

I had more close passes and crap drivers during five days in Mallorca than I’ve had all year here.

(This excludes when I’m a knob and head out for a bike ride at 3:10pm - school closing time - then it’s bad)

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It has got a lot worse in recent years, too many people in a rush and simply not concentrating.

I think I’m fortunate where I am as things tend to be slightly better than I see when I’m travelling. Our biggest problem is often surface dressing.

When I was in the NW last week the roads were horrendous and some of the driving was dangerous. Might have just had a bad day but I wouldn’t fancy riding regularly

It’s the number of cars and lack of roads in comparison to the continent.

It’s the one thing I genuinely miss from france - road cycling on quiet roads even on the supposed “A” roads.

To be fair it is holiday season in Weymouth, so roads are much busier than at other times of the year, it seems that many people are going off the main roads to avoid traffic into and out of the town.

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I’ve said that about Mallorca before but you’re not allowed to say that on here! :wink:

I compare my riding to Oz, which is truly, truly fucking terrifying beyond anything you’ll experience in the UK, especially Sydney.

However, the things that I revelled in when we moved here about riding, have gotten worse. I can only imagine what it’s like in Sydney now. I still remember my mate being shot in the leg whilst riding.

It’s all relative to what you are used to it my personal comfort zone riding here is not what it was and I prefer to stay off the roads unless with a small group from the club.

Love my XC bike but seem to be drifting away from the road.

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The road services in Montreal were appalling - very paris, in fact - but the car drivers courteous and patient…

I’ve cycled round Paris.
On a Velib.
It was absolutely amazing :heart_eyes::baguette_bread::fr:

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In a weird coincidence, I put my TT helmet up for sale on the club site and someone is coming at 4.30 to buy it.

‘Once was a cyclist’ :wink:

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So why has it gotten worse in the last few years? Are we talking since March 2020; has the Pandemic affected people in ways we don’t yet understand?

Tbh, I haven’t done a ‘proper’ ride on the roads since April '21. But I agree with @awildt that there are more roads and real estate on the continent. But the nobs who speed through the village are a broad church; not just white van man; in fact middle aged women seem to be a lot of them. My wife drives too fast imho…and she’s a fooking awful passenger.

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There was a lull around Covid especially the first part when it was quiet.

No real evidence to back it up it seems that there is more angry traffic to me, but that’s mostly in towns and the bigger roads. Still plenty of quiet lanes for me fortunately.

The worst is when cars simply must overtake you and often force oncoming traffic to take evasive action. Or they just pass too close.

Perhaps I’ve switched off a bit from it with using Zwift more

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Hard to say. Where I live, there seems to be endless reasons to dig a road up or put in lights that are for developments. More road furniture overall probably means more reasons for folks to stop or be held up. That leads to frustration and cyclists are like moving road furniture for the cagers.
Given how many dash cams there are now, I’m amazed at how some people drive but then I watch Dash Cam Oz and it seems to be getting worse there as well.

I wonder with rising bills, tribal politics, doom and gloom that people feel driving fast is something they ‘own’?

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Worst for this when I’ve been driving toward said driver are older females; I don’t know if it’s that they are just not used to having cyclists on the road, and lack the situational & spatial awareness (they think cars are still tiny). A car is just as dangerous in the hands of a pensioner as it is a thug.

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Decrease in public transport investment therefore usage and easier access to finance for cars. This means that there are just more cars on the road. Add to that the general “I’m the most important person here” attitude these days and it creates a complete mess.

As @Poet says, the velibs around paris are ace however there’s a new dimension to them now - e-scooters - and it does make slightly more scary these days.

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if i lived in a city i’d certainly take this option…

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I think the use of satnav has put a lot more traffic onto smaller roads. That certainly seems to be the case in Surrey, where some of the lanes seem to be a lot busier than they used to be.

Having cycled in London for the last 23 years, I think I’ve probably become conditioned to having lots of traffic in close proximity to me. If I’m commuting I’m more worried about other people on bikes than I am about motorised traffic.

Out on the roads in Surrey at the weekend, there’s so many more cyclists on the roads than there used to be that the locals are at least expecting you to be there, even if they don’t like it :roll_eyes:

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Def bad in some parts of UK, better in other parts. Road surface, weather and impatient/moronic driving from idiots who think it’s us and them

Spain is so chilled by comparison

Up here it’s not too bad once off the A roads. Road surfaces can be truly shocking. My mum and dads though - amazing network of B roads, their side of the A5. Hardly see a car. Total bliss

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Yeah, but apart from Madrid at rush hour (done it), Spain is mahoosive with a smaller population than here!

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Also the press seem to stir it up more here, particularly the red tops. So that just gives the Gammons more to hate.

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