Can you cycle on A roads?
- Thread starter songwriter
- Start date
I was just in France on a bike tour and in France they have "A" roads which are auto routes. I am not sure if "A" roads are a EU thing. They are the only road i believe that bicycles are not allowed on in France. The national routes do allow bikes. An auto route is like a freeway in America and a National route is like a highway.
At almost every auto route entrance there is a sign that indicates bicycles are not allowed. It's a symbol not words so its easy to see. I had a few problems when i would ride onto an auto route becuase there was no sign at the entrance.
To get back to your original question I would say if A roads in the UK are the same as French auto routes dont ride your bike on them. I did maybe 30 miles on auto routes and it was scarey not to mention i missed scenic roads. There is often no shoulder and the drivers are expecting to go fast and don't want bikes in their way.
At almost every auto route entrance there is a sign that indicates bicycles are not allowed. It's a symbol not words so its easy to see. I had a few problems when i would ride onto an auto route becuase there was no sign at the entrance.
To get back to your original question I would say if A roads in the UK are the same as French auto routes dont ride your bike on them. I did maybe 30 miles on auto routes and it was scarey not to mention i missed scenic roads. There is often no shoulder and the drivers are expecting to go fast and don't want bikes in their way.
aaaaargh!!!! if the police finds you with a bike on an autoroute in Italy you'll go directly into JAIL!!! I've been in Chile and I was very scared when we moved on an motorway, and also surprised... but the cyclists that were with me told me: "it's normal... we do not have as many routes as in Europe, we have a recent history of motorization..."
In Italy you must pay (and a lot of money...) to use motorways; there's a gate with tickets when you enter a motorway, there's a cashier to pay when you exit (you pay depending on the distance...)
In Italy you must pay (and a lot of money...) to use motorways; there's a gate with tickets when you enter a motorway, there's a cashier to pay when you exit (you pay depending on the distance...)
songwriter said:
the Answer is Almost Always. A-roads can be anything from quiet country roads, to urban high street, to three-lane dual-carriageways. Their designation is more about relative importance to the local area than the traffic conditions or legal status.
Some A-roads are restricted and effectively subject to the same rules as Motorways (ie the UK equivalent of Autobahn/Autostrada) but they'll have clear 'no cycling' signs (ie a bike within a red circle)
A-roads can be the best place for cycling, because they're kept in good condition and usually have street lights. I think all of my ride home this evening will be on A-roads.
In the UK we have M-ways, A-roads, B-roads and unclassified roads. In the Welsh or Scottish mountains, an A-road may actually just be a single-track lane.
