Forum Topic

Felsham Road

In the week I was walking down to the Nationwide, as I was crossing Felsham Road, a large lorry stopped for me to cross,  with that a woman on a cycle continued past him on his left hand side did not attempt to stop, it's only I have a habit of looking the other side of the vehicle to make sure nothing is still stupid enough to carry on. If a child had continued to walk across the road the child would have been hurt. The Lady also had a little dog in the basket on the front of her bike. She had to stop at the lights by the Nationwide anyway, so I said to her hadn't she got the sense to realize the lorry had stopped for a reason and she could have knocked somebody over. Her expression stayed blank, possibly a bit like her brain. So much for the new bloody pavements.

Barbara Stevens ● 1853d9 Comments

Although I'm not tempted back onto a bike because of the traffic in London, this is where I learnt to ride a bike in London in the late 1950s. Perhaps we need more places like this now to promote cycling and helping both drivers and cyclists to develop good habits using roads at an early age? I hadn't realised it still existed and had been refurbished - although it seems to be used as a play area rather than learning about road safety, which seems a pity. https://diamondgeezer.blogspot.com/2015/02/model-traffic-area.html The current official site: https://lordshiprec.org.uk/what-to-see-do/model-traffic-area/ And one with more pictures from the past: https://tottenham-summerhillroad.com/lordshiprecground.htm

Michael Ixer ● 1853d

Cyclist won’t have a long life if they don’t keep their wits about them.  Next time that lorry might have stopped to let a white van in a hurry pull out.  Or an HGV.  There are some right dimbos out there on two wheels.  When I first moved to London I went out for a few rides with the LCC, whose members went out of their way to teach me safe (and courteous) urban cycling techniques.  After many years since spent cycling around London, I reckon that knowledge has saved me from injury or worse on many occasions.

Heather Christie ● 1853d

No there wasn't Timothy, just a white lorry, also a cycle that couldn't care less.

Barbara Stevens ● 1853d

I have to check the signs but as far as I am aware such crossings have pedestrian priority.Unfortunately "pedestrian priority" is not a term that a lot of cyclists understand or perhaps they do and choose to ignore?Timothy i can believe that. Sometimes I just avoid that road for that reason.

Ed Robinson ● 1853d

The Copenhagen crossing Felsham/PHS has not had any yellow lines so now is being used as a lorry unloading bay and by Barclays customers "while they pop in".The end result is greater danger for pedestrians and less space - the opposite of what was intended with the "footpath area" now frequently blocked by vans and cars.Good intentions but poor execution and management with area taken over by cars,vans and dozens of delivery bikes with drivers using Felsham as a toilet.

Timothy Horgan ● 1853d

I'm glad you had your wits about you, Barbara! It pays to be aware.

Lisa Cottam ● 1853d

I have been waved across by kind motorists too. Sometimes it is not a good idea. They mean well, but they may not have used their mirrors. I have also made some similar errors to the unsighted cyclist. I try not to be oblivious.

David Ainsworth ● 1853d

Lisa, I told the lorry to carry on, I waved my hand, but he insisted I cross. He hadn't suddenly stopped. He could probably see he couldn't pull out into the High Street anyway.

Barbara Stevens ● 1853d

It sounds like the cyclist was unsighted due to the lorry. As a pedestrian, cyclist or driver I really don't like for drivers to stop like that. The unexpected causes confusion all round. I'd much prefer a lorry to go on its way and be out of the way.

Lisa Cottam ● 1853d