ok, so we changed our ride routes for the standard ride around the river when preston point road was undergoing roadworks. well the council has now finished the “improvements” and the road is operational again. we have occasionally ridden on it and the surface is nice and smooth. the new traffic islands do restrict it a bit but nothing that the group can’t handle. to me, the biggest risk is drivers getting frustrated over limited places to overtake so they end up doing something stupid that puts us at risk. or even worse, we end up getting abused both verbally and physically.
so, what i want to know, is do we go back to using preston point road, or do we continue to avoid it???
use the poll to cast your vote and the comments to voice your opinion.
Do we go back to using Preston Point Road???
- Yes, it is safe enough. (89%, 68 Votes)
- No, avoid it and use canning hwy. (11%, 8 Votes)
Total Voters: 76
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I vote for going back onto Preston Point Road. Safer than turning at the bottom of the hill IMHO
Use Preston Pt Road, but just be aware of the chicanes at the bottom of the hill that will constrict the group slightly.
Can I suggest another route.
At the traffic lights before the Bridge over the River, turn right (Tydeman Road), take the next turn left at the traffic lights and cross the river at Queen Victoria St Bridge. Turn left after the bridge, then first turn left at East st down the hill and right into Riverside Dr and past the Left Bank Hotel. Follow this around until Preston Point Rd and turn left at the round-a-bout. Continue with the normal route.
I think in a proper sized group we can hold our own on that stretch. It’s when out in a group of 5 or less that the impatient drivers will probably consider it OK to push us into the kerb.
I agree. I went for a poddle round the river on my own today (rain or no rain I had an overwhelming need to ride) – and what I noticed was that if you’re in a group, it’s not such a drama since the traffic furniture is too tight to fit two lines of cyclists and have a car attempt to squeeze pass – so in my experience they don’t attempt it; they seem to respect rider numbers more and stay back. Traffic is much lighter then too. However if you’re riding on your own and you leave it any later than 6.30am-ish before you reach that point, cars will bully you out of the way (I had that happen this morn). So, riding early and in a bunch seems to be ok. And the tarmac is nice ‘n smooth. But any later and you might have issues.
Agree on two fronts,
– In a group, drivers (to date) have been holding back over this stretch.
– When riding solo I have been using the route Jorgy suggest ( nice break in the routine )
Jorgy hit the nail on the head.
Avoid the trouble spot by using a perfectly good, easy to use and safer alternative. Personally I would like to see everyone not go onto Preston Point Road until at least the Petra St roundabout or further east of there.
Jorgy’s suggested alternative doesn’t avoid all of the problem area as it puts the group out onto Preston Point Road at the worst spot (immediately east of that first roundabout), but it reduces it somewhat.
Don’t purposely put the group into a known trouble spot hoping that drivers will not be recklessly impatient or wilfully confrontational.
A big part of the club’s responsibility to it’s riders is to mitigate known risks. This part of Preston Point is clearly a known risk. Avoidance is the best form of mitigation.
okay well i road along preston point road by myself at about 7:45am today and i personally had no issue with it… two cars passed me no problem and they gave me plenty of room, but i can also see how this road could potentially be hazardous depending on the circumstance and the type of driver thats behind you. I do however think that due to the sheer size of our group on tuesday morning rides cars arent really gonna try anything and besides half of the time there proabaly wont be a car behind us along that section given its still so early……..
i think if you are riding solo or with a couple of other riders its fine because the cars just tend to wait for the sections where there arent any islands and then overtake. but if you had a group of about 5-10 riders things might get interesting, as cars will still be keen to overtake but there wont be enough time to overtake the whole group before reaching the next traffic island
Looks like we need a third option for the poll: No – use alternative route Q Vic Bridge / Riverside Drive
I vote for Preston Pt Road, with a little more caution. It gets us off the main road, is a known route and allows for all of everyone’s (note i don’t subscribe mysyelf, but hey) strava data to go back to normal. I know the Thursday group have reverted a few times of recent without too much issue.
Some comments on the feedback so far (i’m going to get shot down here):
– Re: Re-routing around and under the bridges
This isn’t really making any problem go away it’s just a different road, in fact it’s probably prolonging the duration which a car would be stuck behind a group of 30-odd riders, along with lots of ‘traffic calming furniture’ on route.
– Re: This is a known risk area
Is it really? I mean, this road used to be ridden on all the time prior to the road works, which are now complete. Correct me if i’m wrong, but most of the incidents which occured on this section of road were either due to the road works themselves, or at times which SPR rides tend not to be traversing them.
My new RTR black-spot is the roadworks/speed hump/slower groups/traffic cones on Melville Beach Road before you go up Majestic. Entirely random combination that was skittish on Thursday morning sketch-a-thon.
Also like to make note of kerb bunny hopping as an alternative to slowing. Almost got taken out by the down jump at Curtin Ave.
Off to be safe on the couch, just as the Storm arrives.