I took up cycling 30+ years ago when finding it too stressful to drive and park in central London. Initially I would pedal round the block at night and return covered in sweat, but my 8 mile commute was quickly transformed.
I was soon enjoying longer solo rides using the same roads as my car journeys, the A12 to Southend, A10, A40 towards Oxford, A4 to Wales and A30 to Guildford and beyond.
Cycling NE from Barnet along the St Albans Road leads (un-announced) to the S Mimms Roundabout (J M25/A1) Four lanes with traffic up to 60mph. There are three exits to cross before reaching the safety of the turn to the services with St Albans beyond. I cycled this regularly. It always amazed how anyone could have designed this with no thought for anything other than motor vehicles!
A client bought The Belfry Hotel (M40 J7) run down and fire damaged in the 1990’s I was soon cycling the 50 miles from North London for the weekly site meetings using the N Circular and A40.
Both sons attended Portsmouth Uni. Occasionally I would cycle down, sometimes this would involve the A3. Each time I would end up on the Havant bypass resulting in 2 lanes of fierce traffic (from the A3(M))? joining from my left at around 70mph. Bloody dangerous, but I never saw any signage beforehand of what was going to happen.
10-12 years ago I was commuting twice a week to Chiswick along 15 miles of the North Circular. I also had a regular commute to Iver, helping a clubmate with new offices by Pinewood, this involved 12 miles of N Circular to Hanger lane and 10 miles along the A40 (there is an intermittent cycle lane, but I never used it. I also used the N.Circular from Willesden to home after the club’s weekly turbo sessions.
Cycling the A406 North Circular was a normal activity. The most interesting section being Eastbound dropping off the Brent Cross Flyover, holding the dotted white line thro 300 yards of no-mans-land, with traffic either side moving on and off the A41 at 40mph+ and me in the middle. Always a relief to reach the armco where the roads divided.
One Friday afternoon riding to Abingdon on the Airnimal I used the elevated section of A40 Westway from Marylebone Road but was shocked at the amount of debris in the nearside where I had to cycle. The chances of flatting was high and I was vulnerable high up on the flyover. This was never repeated.
I was surprised to be stopped and spot fined on A120, and lectured as to how dangerous it was. I’d inadvertently pedaled past a single No Cycling sign many miles back. At the time it looked to me a wide and clear road with excellent visibility and safe for cycling quickly.
I have use of cottage in Sennen, Cornwall. I used to cycle a couple of times a year, occasionally there and back over a weekend. Often replicating the journey by car just using the A30/303. Its flatter and faster now than when I started with dual carriageway practically from Exeter to LE. Leaving the office after work I could bat down the A303 through the middle of the night when it was mostly empty. I had a few scenic runs over Dartmoor thro Tavistock etc but that route was too hilly for me and took a lot longer. Riding through the night with short stops the 500km trip would take around 24hrs.
On a later run at 2am on the A303 I caught 2 unicyclists on their way to the Henge from London for the summer solstice, with 3’ wheels and short handlebars. They were part of a Hackney based Unicycle hockey team. A couple of hours later I fell asleep and came down very hard. Later found I’d damaged the AC joint in my left shoulder which still gives grief.
But over the last decade I've slowed up and don't have the grunt or confidence to mix it with traffic on 'their' fast roads anymore
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One regret. I never cycled the Hogarth flyover at Chiswick. Has anyone achieved this?
My vote for worst "designed" road for cyclists must go to Cycle England's absurd scheme both sides of A105 from Enfield to N Circular. This cycle lane been driven thro the middle of the pavement in front of my local shops and through all of the bus stops, is littered with ramps, razor sharp kerbs, changes of surface and direction, 1m high posts and half dinner plates set in the surface to deter vehicles from trespassing! It could only work for people pottering around on bikes or with children in tow. Negotiating these cycle lanes is by far the most stressful part of my present commute into central London.