So There I was cycling along the main dual carriageway out of Eastbourne as I thought I would try cycling the way I would normally drive. Previously I had been taking a slight short cut to stay on the quieter roads. But I need to up the miles a bit.
So rapidly approaching the large roundabout at the end of the road needing to go straight on I stayed on the inside. Went round the island to realise that in the car I would normally turn right at the next roundabout in about 150 yds time. Of course in the car I would be in the outside lane.
Unfortunately I have all the poise and grace of Bambi on ice when it comes to looking behind me to my right to assess whether it is safe to cross over to the outside. So fearing for my life under the wheels of a truck or riding straight into the nearest lamppost, I bravely bottled it and turned Left.
Now committed I had to crack onto the polegate roundabout, which is huge. There was no way I was cycling round that so at the end of this stretch I got off and walked across the road and carried on up towards hailsham, Hellingly, Herstmoceux (yes a real place) Windmill Hill, and Boreham street. This takes my usual ride home from 11 miles to 17 with the last mile up standard hill. Unfortunately the village where I live is on the site where Duke William of Normandy camped the night before his little tiff with Harold, and they always seem to go for the highground for these sort of pre-scurmish encampments. So which ever way I go home the last mile is a killer.
I really need to get these traffic islands sorted. It may need to be some sort of little rearview mirror arrangement, otherwise I'll be planning a route to JOG avoiding right turns at large traffic islands!
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