Crossing Freeway Exits

When I was in Sydney a few years ago I used to do quite a bit of riding along the M5 between
Campbelltown and Bankstown. It used to be great as I was training for Triathlons and it was pretty
flat so that using the Tri Bars was possible pretty well all of the time. I never used to use the
"Cyclists Cross Here" part of the exit lane as that involved slowing down, checking for traffic,
then crossing.....instead I used to hug the dotted line and was pretty well of the mindset that
cars behind me would see me in plenty of time to either exit in front or behind me (this is a
100km/h zone).

The other day I was travelling on the freeway here in Melbourne and I saw an impatient driver in
front of me who was right up the back of a large truck in the left hand lane (I mean close enough
that if he were on a bike he would be drafting). He evidently was taking the next exit and when he
pulled out from behind the truck to cross the dotted line that was the one that I used to follow I
realised that had there been a cyclist there, he wouldn't have had a chance. (no cyclists allowed on
this freeway though).

It gave me a bit of a shiver down the spine to think of what may have happened to me simply because
I didn't want to slow down for a couple of seconds to do the right thing.

I hope that anyone else who rides on roads with exit lanes is currently doing the right thing and if
you are not then I would strongly advise that you do.

Keep Safe,

Gags

 

Its a terrible thought! Seeing things like that really shake me up.

My neighbour's husband was killed several years ago in very similar circumstances.
Witnessing the way people drive on freeways and highways, I don't think I could enjoy riding in such an environment.

Troy

 

"Gags" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> When I was in Sydney a few years ago I used to do quite a bit of riding along the M5 between
> Campbelltown and Bankstown. It used to be great as I was training for Triathlons and it was pretty
> flat so that using the Tri Bars was possible pretty well all of the time. I never used to use the
> "Cyclists Cross Here" part of the exit lane as that involved slowing down, checking for traffic,
> then crossing.....instead I used to hug the dotted line and was pretty well of the mindset that
> cars behind me would see me in plenty of time to either exit in front or behind me (this is a
> 100km/h zone).
>
[snip]
> Keep Safe,
>
> Gags

I often ride on Sydney's M4 and M2 (where allowed) and I always treat freeway exits and entrances as
a "rest section". The speed differential and traffic volume necessitates looking over the shoulder
for long enough to assess the whether the crossing is clear. Sometimes you have to really slow down
and wait for a gap, especially when traffic is heavy. These exits are usually at least 1 to 2 km
apart, giving you some nice intervals anyway!

echo the Keep Safe, Ritch

 

"Gags" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]... <snip>
> I hope that anyone else who rides on roads with exit lanes is currently doing the right thing and
> if you are not then I would strongly advise that you do.

There is one peice of advice that cannot be understated on Melbourne roads. Whenever there is a lane
branching off to the left cars will almost never give way to cyclists going straight. I'm a pretty
aggresive cyclist sometimes and I like to push my right of way a bit. I've experimented with going
straight on certain intersections (with an escape route in mind) and more than half the cars on the
road will not recognise your right of way. I gave up on the side panel bashing and general agro and
just decided to live with it. If more than 50% of people do it you don't have the energy to be mad
with that many people. Just keep it in mind and try to survive.

 

"Duncan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Gags" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]... <snip>
> > I hope that anyone else who rides on roads with exit lanes is currently doing the right thing
> > and if you are not then I would strongly advise
that
> > you do.
>
> There is one peice of advice that cannot be understated on Melbourne
roads.
> Whenever there is a lane branching off to the left cars will almost never give way to cyclists
> going straight.

Best solution I've found to this is just prior to a left turn slip-lane, pull out to claim the
centre of your lane, or even right of centre. This puts a stopper on drivers cutting by to overtake,
and at the same time opens up a space for them to move into the LH slip lane. Mind you I am talking
about regular roads here - I don't ride the freeways, in Melbourne. It's illegal and I'd reckon
damned unpleasant.

Cheers Peter

> I'm a pretty aggresive cyclist sometimes and I like to push my right of way a bit. I've
> experimented
with
> going straight on certain intersections (with an escape route in mind) and more than half the cars
> on the road will not recognise your right of way. I gave up on the side panel bashing and general
> agro and just decided to live with it. If more than 50% of people do it you don't have the energy
to
> be mad with that many people. Just keep it in mind and try to survive.

 

"Peter Signorini" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Duncan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > "Gags" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > <snip>
> > > I hope that anyone else who rides on roads with exit lanes is
currently
> > > doing the right thing and if you are not then I would strongly advise
> that
> > > you do.
> >
> > There is one peice of advice that cannot be understated on Melbourne
> roads.
> > Whenever there is a lane branching off to the left cars will almost
never
> > give way to cyclists going straight.
>
> Best solution I've found to this is just prior to a left turn slip-lane, pull out to claim the
> centre of your lane, or even right of centre. This puts a stopper on drivers cutting by to
> overtake, and at the same time
opens
> up a space for them to move into the LH slip lane. Mind you I am talking about regular roads here
> - I don't ride the freeways, in Melbourne. It's illegal and I'd reckon damned unpleasant.

I'm not talking about freeways, just left turn slip lanes. Some are much worse than others, the
worst are on roads that people drive so often that in their heads they're not making a left turn but
going straight. They also don't consider passing a bicycle to be an overtaking manouvre. I sometimes
do the move out into the centre, but mainly stick my arm out to indicate right even though I'm going
straight. Seems to get the message across most of the time but always look over your shoulder for
eye contact.

 

Here in Hobart the entrance to the Bowen Bridge from the eastern shore is an absolute nightmare for cyclists. When travelling from the south you are on the left hand side of the road in a single lane. Then on your left, a second lane starts so that people travelling from the north can go around a clover leaf in a single lane and get into the left hand lane of the double lane road over the bridge.

Cyclists can then get stuck in between two lanes of traffic travelling at around 80 kph. At best the cyclist is doing about 40kph. The motorists, once they go from the single lane, are in to the double lane road and are generally looking to jockey for position, especially those in the left lane who may have been held up by a slower vehicle. The scenario above of the tailgater pulling over quickly would mean goodbye cyclist.

I predict that one day I will be posting that a cyclist has been seriously injured or killed on this ridiculous piece of road design (that's if I'm not the one who cops it).

The tragedy of this is that there are numerous such situations throughout Tasmania on the major highway network.