I made a mistake this morning...

.... and if I hadn't been aware of that fact while I was making it, i'd
possibley not be typing this.

I took the GH back into town to have a new front wheel and disks fitted
(as originally orderd) so was cycling in traffic I'm not reallyu
familiar with. I approached a traffic light controlled junction that had
a n advanced stop line and one of those death trap feeders to it. I
noticed that the lorry at the front was all the way up to the ASL and I
also noticed that the road straight ahead was closed (the way I wanted
to go) apart for peds and cycles. The lorry was not indicating, which he
should have been, as he had to go right or left.

So full of rightous indignation at the two henous crimes being committed
I dit a Really Stupid Thing. I attempted to get to the front of the
queue using the death trap feeder, to prove I had right of way. VERY
SILLY. the lights changed as I was about half way along the lorry. he
sets off, and totally oblivious to me, turns left. Its a tight corner,
and his near side rear wheels (its a 6 wheeler) mount the curb as he
goes round. The gap I was attempting to occupy disapears, i turn into
the curb, fall of and pull the Gh to safety. He's still totally unaware
of my existence, and the REALLY SCAREY thing is that he could have
ceased that existence and been none the wiser.

It was a wakeup call to this country bumpkin. I assumed the Primary Road
Position and behaved like traffic for the rest of the day. I had not one
single additioanl problem. I had a few people rev their engines, but I
ignorede them and moved over when it was safe for me to do so. No one
seemed to be overly bothered.

So, lesson learned with only damage to my pride. The busier the road,
the more important it is to adopt the PRP
--
..paul

If at first you don't succeed...
Skydiving is probably not the sport for you.

On Thu, 1 Jul 2004 23:51:36 +0000 (UTC), paul
wrote:

... and if I hadn't been aware of that fact while I was making it, i'd
possibley not be typing this.

Very nasty. A real bowel-emptying moment. You see how dangerous cycle
lanes can be, especially for inexperienced riders? You were aware of
the left hook and you still nearly got caught. I'm glad you're alive
to tell the tale.

--
Dave...

Get a bicycle. You will not regret it. If you live. - Mark Twain

paul typed:

So full of rightous indignation at the two henous crimes being committed
I dit a Really Stupid Thing. I attempted to get to the front of the
queue using the death trap feeder, to prove I had right of way. VERY
SILLY. the lights changed as I was about half way along the lorry. he
sets off, and totally oblivious to me, turns left. Its a tight corner,
and his near side rear wheels (its a 6 wheeler) mount the curb as he
goes round. The gap I was attempting to occupy disapears, i turn into
the curb, fall of and pull the Gh to safety. He's still totally unaware
of my existence, and the REALLY SCAREY thing is that he could have
ceased that existence and been none the wiser.

At least you saw what was coming .. and are all the better prepared for it
...


--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

On Thu, 1 Jul 2004 23:51:36 +0000 (UTC), paul
wrote in message
:

full of rightous indignation at the two henous crimes being committed
I dit a Really Stupid Thing. I attempted to get to the front of the
queue using the death trap feeder, to prove I had right of way. VERY
SILLY. the lights changed as I was about half way along the lorry. he
sets off, and totally oblivious to me, turns left.

Fresh underpants for Paul.

I would write to the council and tell them what a death trap that
feeder is. In this circumstance it sounds like the feeder should
either be between lanes (if there is more than one) or to the right of
the motor traffic.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University

Just zis Guy, you know? typed:
On Thu, 1 Jul 2004 23:51:36 +0000 (UTC), paul
wrote in message
:

full of rightous indignation at the two henous crimes being committed
I dit a Really Stupid Thing. I attempted to get to the front of the
queue using the death trap feeder, to prove I had right of way. VERY
SILLY. the lights changed as I was about half way along the lorry. he
sets off, and totally oblivious to me, turns left.

Fresh underpants for Paul.

I would write to the council and tell them what a death trap that
feeder is. In this circumstance it sounds like the feeder should
either be between lanes (if there is more than one) or to the right of
the motor traffic.

Sounds to me like it's a single lane, and traffic can turn either right or
left .. If there _has_ to be a cycle lane, then the left hand side would
seem most appropriate, though with dickheads taking up the cycle spaces I
doubt it would matter which side the cycle lane was on ...

Makes a good case, though, for cyclists _not_ to try passing large vehicles
when approaching traffic lights, 'specially if they've been stood a while
already and are likely to change mid-manouvre .. .


--
Paul ...

(8(|) ... Homer Rocks

In article ,
says...
Just zis Guy, you know? typed:
On Thu, 1 Jul 2004 23:51:36 +0000 (UTC), paul
wrote in message
:

full of rightous indignation at the two henous crimes being committed
I dit a Really Stupid Thing. I attempted to get to the front of the
queue using the death trap feeder, to prove I had right of way. VERY
SILLY. the lights changed as I was about half way along the lorry. he
sets off, and totally oblivious to me, turns left.

Fresh underpants for Paul.

I would write to the council and tell them what a death trap that
feeder is. In this circumstance it sounds like the feeder should
either be between lanes (if there is more than one) or to the right of
the motor traffic.

Sounds to me like it's a single lane, and traffic can turn either right or
left .. If there _has_ to be a cycle lane, then the left hand side would
seem most appropriate, though with dickheads taking up the cycle spaces I
doubt it would matter which side the cycle lane was on ...

Makes a good case, though, for cyclists _not_ to try passing large vehicles
when approaching traffic lights, 'specially if they've been stood a while
already and are likely to change mid-manouvre .. .



Indeed, it was only rightous indignation that put me in a foolish
situation. The wagon driver is still a twunt, but I could have avioded
the situation... Remember its no good being right, if you're dead.
--
..paul

If at first you don't succeed...
Skydiving is probably not the sport for you.

paul wrote:


Remember its no good being right, if you're dead.

That's being dead right

Tony

"paul" wrote in message

[snip]

So full of rightous indignation at the two henous crimes being
committed
I dit a Really Stupid Thing. I attempted to get to the front of the
queue using the death trap feeder, ..

Here in London about a quarter of all cyclist fatalities are caused
by left turning lorries. The Transport for London leaflet on the
subject says, "Cycle lanes and advanced stop lines are there to help
you - but take care not to get trapped by a lorry as it turns."

As I understand it, the purpose of cyle lanes is to encourage novice
cyclists to ride in places where they otherwise wouldn't

Jeremy Parker

"Jeremy Parker" writes:

Here in London about a quarter of all cyclist fatalities are caused
by left turning lorries. The Transport for London leaflet on the
subject says, "Cycle lanes and advanced stop lines are there to help
you - but take care not to get trapped by a lorry as it turns."

Has there been any call about getting lorries equiped with mirrors that
enable them to see what's in that blind spot there? It's a recurring
discussion in the NL but AFAIK nothing has actually come of it.

Roos

On Fri, 2 Jul 2004 15:41:24 +0100, "Jeremy Parker"
wrote in message
:

As I understand it, the purpose of cyle lanes is to encourage novice
cyclists to ride in places where they otherwise wouldn't

Like up the side of lorries? ;-)

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University