Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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In the same area as this there are some great roads for cycling and even sections of the A19 itself offer some good stretches (as long as the wind is blowing in the right direction). There's no reason as adriver that you would use this road and not expect to see cyclists as it is regularly used by cyclists (I was round here on Sunday and saw a fair few up and down the back roads, its a pretty busy area for cyclists, I guess due to the quiet back roads and lack of hills)
Thing is, it's a nice WIDE, STRAIGHT road. Its single lane, but unless the driver or cyclist is being an idiot there's plenty of room to pass, even with a "truck" (was this an HGV or a flatbed?). I can't see any reason why any driver wouldn't see a cyclist at the junction considering just how straight the road is leading up to the roundabout from either direction.
Until we know the full details its difficult to comment, but as I say, the A19 here is a reasonably busy, but straight road and for an experienced cyclist shouldn't pose any more risk than cycling on any other A-Road. I find junction 32 of the M62 (XScape) to be a far more dangerous junction to cycle across than this. This section of the A19 isn't the same dual carriageway beast as the busy road it becomes north of York, so its not like they were taking their life in their hands as some have alluded to.
My sympathies go out to the cyclist and his family.
I try my best to avoid these types of locations but for some it is unavoidable. I don't know the facts but it would be good to see dedicated cycle crossings on these types of roundabouts....but that costs money and we don't seem to want to do that in this country. Again, the government has increased the speed of lorries on single carriage a roads to 60, not saying this is a factor in this horrible incident but it makes no sense from a safety perspective for cycling or any other road user, they do not stop quickly.
RIP
Thoughts to the family at this terrible time.
RIP, sad news.
I was hit on a roundabout side on last week (just caught my rear wheel), if they had not slammed on brake's, I doubt I would be writing this
My right of way, nobody else on roundabout!
RIP.
I would question whether riding on such major busy routes was the best idea. I know you can and all that but you are pushing your luck not to be killed by some inattentive moton or some pyscho who just takes exception to you cycling on such a busy road holding them up so drives over you.
RIP again.
How else do you propose getting yourself and your bike from one side of a motorway to the other side? Ride 15 miles out of your way to an underpass/overpass that isn't a junction, perhaps?
The reason why these places are particularly dangerous is because of the weight of often fast moving multilane traffic with drivers trying to change lane and enter and exit the roundabout. There's an awful lot of driver workload. Driver workload increases the chances of mistakes.
I would never say a cyclist shouldn't be on these roads but I would take a reasonable detour to avoid one. I don't know if there is a reasonable detour in this instance. This is exactly where proper protected cycle infrastructure is needed. Unfortunately it's easier to paint a white line on a big wide road where it isn't really needed at all.
Which then leads to the question, should we not be slowing down the junctions? If there is an issue with the amount of information being presented to the driver and there being a lack of time to take it in, the obvious solution, at least to me, is to cut the traffic speed to allow drivers more time to take in the environment. Traffic lights, T junctions etc, and not roundabouts.
I would question making such a comment. I know you can but it runs the risk of at best being insensitive and at worst helping to promote an idea that cyclists do not belong on the roads. Your call.
I don't like crossing the big motorway roundabouts on my bike, you feel awfully exposed. RIP chap.
FFS....how freaking hard is it not to drive into people.
oops...I seem to have hit someone. oh well, accidents happen.
my deepest sympathies to the family
Everyone's worst nightmare. I have a motorway roundabout junction that I have to ride through daily and you just know that so many people take risks without a second thought as to how it might impact someone else. Thoughts and sympathies to his family, I'm sure few of us can imagine what they have been through in the past few days.
RIP