View Full Version : High Barnet to St Albans
The route I'm talking about is High Barnet, Elstree, Watling Street up to St Albans, and then across to Hatfield, Potters Bar, and back to High Barnet.
I often cycle this route as it's quite a good distance, quite pleasant, and nice and straight in places to build up some good speed.
When I was cycling the route last weekend, and I came up to the roundabout where the M10, Watling Street and A414 all intersect, I noticed a "Cycling forbidden" sign on the exit from the roundabout on the continuation of Watling Street up to St Albans.
I found this odd because the sign was on the exit to the roundabout.
I was just wondering if there might have been any recent accidents involving cyclists in this area that would have prompted the local authorities to put a sign up such as this.
Thanks.
On Fri, 16 Apr 2004 17:26:03 GMT, dannyfrankszzz
<usenet-forum@cyclingforums.com> wrote in message
<LGUfc.61313$v05.44975@fe02.usenetserver.com>:
>When I was cycling the route last weekend, and I came up to
>the roundabout where the M10, Watling Street and A414 all
>intersect, I noticed a "Cycling forbidden" sign on the exit
>from the roundabout on the continuation of Watling Street
>up to St Albans.
Scene of my most serious prang. No idea when the sign went
up, didn't see it last week, but there used to be a very
short track from the Hatfield side of that exit, which takes
you to Coningsby Bank, turn left onto Watling View, which
runs up the hill to Vesta Avenue parallel to Watling Street.
No doubt the "cycling forbidden" bit is to stop those
pesky cyclists from slowing down the Almighty Car as it
grinds up the hill.
>I found this odd because the sign was on the exit to the
>roundabout.
/To/ the roundabout? That roundabout is a complete bugger,
due to clueless half-blind attention deficient tossers in
cars - obviously the only sane thing is to leave them being
clueless etc. etc. and restrict the movement of their
victims. Anyone for night curfews for women to curb rape?
>I was just wondering if there might have been any recent
>accidents involving cyclists in this area that would
>have prompted the local authorities to put a sign up
>such as this.
Mine were all years ago ;-)
--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk (http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/)
88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University
Might this be to do with the M10's re-classification as
an A-road??
The M10 had its special road status revoked in January (so
it is no-longer a motorway), as far as I can tell - although
the Statutory Instrument which revoked the special road
order is a little vague.
http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2003/20033339.htm
It is now part of the A414 Trunk Road - but still has
certain restrictions imposed on it - like no cycling, no
agricultural vehicles etc. Maybe the sign was indended for
this road?
Richard
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <outlook.bugs@microsoft.com> wrote in message news:<lr808053ligemu2e1808qfhb49dpgg0e0r@4ax.com>...
> On Fri, 16 Apr 2004 17:26:03 GMT, dannyfrankszzz <usenet-
> forum@cyclingforums.com> wrote in message
> <LGUfc.61313$v05.44975@fe02.usenetserver.com>:
>
> >When I was cycling the route last weekend, and I came up
> >to the roundabout where the M10, Watling Street and A414
> >all intersect, I noticed a "Cycling forbidden" sign on
> >the exit from the roundabout on the continuation of
> >Watling Street up to St Albans.
>
> Scene of my most serious prang. No idea when the sign
> went up, didn't see it last week, but there used to be a
> very short track from the Hatfield side of that exit,
> which takes you to Coningsby Bank, turn left onto Watling
> View, which runs up the hill to Vesta Avenue parallel to
> Watling Street.
>
> No doubt the "cycling forbidden" bit is to stop those
> pesky cyclists from slowing down the Almighty Car as it
> grinds up the hill.
>
> >I found this odd because the sign was on the exit to the
> >roundabout.
>
> /To/ the roundabout? That roundabout is a complete
> bugger, due to clueless half-blind attention deficient
> tossers in cars - obviously the only sane thing is to
> leave them being clueless etc. etc. and restrict the
> movement of their victims. Anyone for night curfews for
> women to curb rape?
>
> >I was just wondering if there might have been any recent
> >accidents involving cyclists in this area that would
> >have prompted the local authorities to put a sign up
> >such as this.
>
xposted to uk.local.hertfordshire 'cos it's a local group
for local people ;+)
WTF? I didn't realise there were any 'cycling forbidden'
roads (ie not motorways) in St Albans. St Julian's Hill
(which is the road referred to here) isn't particularly bike
friendly- and the roundabout is certainly challenging- but
that's no reason to ban bikes.
z
zaphod wrote:
> St Julian's Hill (which is the road referred to here)
> isn't particularly bike friendly- and the roundabout is
> certainly challenging
Shurely Marlborough Hill? ;-)
(showing my age)
--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk (http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/)
88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <outlook.bugs@microsoft.com> wrote in message news:<c633v3$77ia1$1@ID-151936.news.uni-berlin.de>...
> zaphod wrote:
>
> > St Julian's Hill (which is the road referred to here)
> > isn't particularly bike friendly- and the roundabout is
> > certainly challenging
>
> Shurely Marlborough Hill? ;-)
>
> (showing my age)
Really? OS map shows it as St Julians.
z (feeling my age after sprinting *far* too hard up the hill
on the way to work.) No...not *that* hill.
z
zaphod wrote:
>> Shurely Marlborough Hill? ;-)
> Really? OS map shows it as St Julians.
Do try to keep up at the back!
St Julian's School was "rebranded" to Marlborough in the
early 80s (from memory) in a largely successful attempt to
kill off its terrible reputation.
--
Guy
===
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after
posting. http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk (http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/)
88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at
Washington University
On 20 Apr 2004 04:50:23 -0700, uktelecommobile@yahoo.com (zaphod)
wrote:
>"Just zis Guy, you know?" <outlook.bugs@microsoft.com>
>wrote in message
>news:<lr808053ligemu2e1808qfhb49dpgg0e0r@4ax.com>...
>> On Fri, 16 Apr 2004 17:26:03 GMT, dannyfrankszzz <usenet-
>> forum@cyclingforums.com> wrote in message
>> <LGUfc.61313$v05.44975@fe02.usenetserver.com>:
>>
>> >When I was cycling the route last weekend, and I came up
>> >to the roundabout where the M10, Watling Street and A414
>> >all intersect, I noticed a "Cycling forbidden" sign on
>> >the exit from the roundabout on the continuation of
>> >Watling Street up to St Albans.
No! It is a triangular sign so is just a warning to watch
out for cyclists.
>> Scene of my most serious prang. No idea when the sign
>> went up, didn't see it last week, but there used to be a
>> very short track from the Hatfield side of that exit,
>> which takes you to Coningsby Bank, turn left onto Watling
>> View, which runs up the hill to Vesta Avenue parallel to
>> Watling Street.
Still there.
>> No doubt the "cycling forbidden" bit is to stop those
>> pesky cyclists from slowing down the Almighty Car as it
>> grinds up the hill.
(see below)
>> >I found this odd because the sign was on the exit to the
>> >roundabout.
>>
>> /To/ the roundabout? That roundabout is a complete bugger
>> (snipped)
Mosts motorists would agree! However there is a cycle way
underpass for those following Watling Street. Presumably the
OP missed this?
>> >I was just wondering if there might have been any recent
>> >accidents involving cyclists in this area that would
>> >have prompted the local authorities to put a sign up
>> >such as this.
Likely. The said underpass/cycle way officially ends here
with a hair-raising right turn across Watling Street just
north of the roundabout exit - a piece of design which the
County Council should be ashamed of. They could easily sign
the cycle way as continuing via Coningsby Bank as someone
has metioned, or extend it to join the Watling Street
service road a little further North. Presumably only
strangers go the offical way!
>
>xposted to uk.local.hertfordshire 'cos it's a local group
>for local people ;+)
>
HTH
>WTF? I didn't realise there were any 'cycling forbidden'
>roads (ie not motorways) in St Albans. St Julian's Hill
>(which is the road referred to here) isn't particularly
>bike friendly- and the roundabout is certainly challenging-
>but that's no reason to ban bikes.
As explained, no ban here!
--
Peter Lawrence
> No! It is a triangular sign so is just a warning to watch
> out for cyclists.
Doesn't it depend which way it is up ? It's been a while,
but pointing down's an order, pointing up is a caution ??
On Sat, 24 Apr 2004 10:07:48 +0100, "R45six"
<news.richardNO@SPAMntlworld.com> wrote:
>> No! It is a triangular sign so is just a warning to watch
>> out for cyclists.
>
>Doesn't it depend which way it is up ? It's been a while,
>but pointing down's an order, pointing up is a caution ??
Agreed. It is pointing up so its a caution, (The only down
poiting ones I can think of are Stop instructions at
junctions, Most prohibitions are circular.)
--
Peter Lawrence
"Peter Lawrence" <pj.lawrence@ntlworld.com> wrote in message news:<4087e4db.457135@text.news.ntlworld.com>...
> Likely. The said underpass/cycle way officially ends here
> with a hair-raising right turn across Watling Street just
> north of the roundabout exit - a piece of design which the
> County Council should be ashamed of. They could easily
> sign the cycle way as continuing via Coningsby Bank as
> someone has metioned, or extend it to join the Watling
> Street service road a little further North.
..but this would involve Herts Highways partnership/St
Albans district council having
a> an incling of a clue about how to design cycle facilities
a> worth the
name and
b> enough vision to realise that they need to link said
b> farcilities
with each other to create a contiguous network. and
don't forget
c> half a brain.
z
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