Traffic light improvements A61 Chesterfield

[Umpire]

A little bit more useless information.We came down Derby Road this afternoon and counting under my breath I reckon the lights on Derby Road at the junction with St Augustines stayed on green on the main road for approximately one minute.

[Old Cruser]

A little bit more useless information.We came down Derby Road this afternoon and counting under my breath I reckon the lights on Derby Road at the junction with St Augustines stayed on green on the main road for approximately one minute.

Now then Umpire - you have started something because I use that route frequently and will now be counting minutes whilst at the lights at different times of the day !! 

That will be my route today as I believe the work on lights begins!!

[Umpire]

Silly me I made a big mistake this evening.I left home about 5pm to go to Hasland  and decided to risk the by pass from Tesco to Horns Bridge.The Tesco roundabout was gridlocked with traffic queueing  to get to Whittington Moor Roundabout..Once on the by pass I got about 50yards and there were both lanes stood going towards Horns Bridge.I finally made it to Hasland 50 minutes later.
My brother in law is servicing and getting the car Mot tomorrow so I left it with him.I walked it back to Newbold and it took me exactly time as it did to drive there.
I should have done what I said in an earlier post.

[Old Cruser]

Silly me I made a big mistake this evening.I left home about 5pm to go to Hasland  and decided to risk the by pass from Tesco to Horns Bridge.The Tesco roundabout was gridlocked with traffic queueing  to get to Whittington Moor Roundabout..Once on the by pass I got about 50yards and there were both lanes stood going towards Horns Bridge.I finally made it to Hasland 50 minutes later.
My brother in law is servicing and getting the car Mot tomorrow so I left it with him.I walked it back to Newbold and it took me exactly time as it did to drive there.
I should have done what I said in an earlier post.

Tch Tch - how could you - 

I went the scenic route but will miss Wingerworth next trip as the children are going in/out of school, will come off Derby Road and go via Grangewood.

PS I tried counting the minutes but car passengers kept talking to me  Failed miserably - next time though --- next time 

[Fly]

Dropped a customer off on Herriot Drive today, first left after the cinema going up Derby Rd. I went via St Marys Gate, Markham Rd, Park Rd, Baden Powell Rd, but that's another story 
On leaving Herriot Drive and turning right back towards Horns Bridge roundabout, I noticed the new road/pavement markings on the junction of Trevorrow Crescent/Derby Rd. If you're travelling by foot or on the cycle lane up or down Derby Rd, there's 'Give Way' markings on the pavement 

So who has got the right of way LOL 

[Old Cruser]

Well fly put it like this. If you were walking on there and a bicycle came towards you at speed - would you stand your ground to see if the cyclist gave way -   

[Fly]

I didn't word that very good. The give way markings are on the pavement edges so cyclists 'and' pedestrians give way to traffic.
Defeats the object of what the work was done for doesn't it ?

[Scimitar]

Since when did a cyclist obey any traffic rules
Dons hat and runs for cover

[Fly]

I cycled thousands of miles up until the age of about 16. I know all the tricks in the book LOL
Probably why I'm a taxi driver now 

Makes me laugh when I see some of the stories involving cyclists. They all appear to be so squeaky clean 

[Old Cruser]

I cycled thousands of miles up until the age of about 16. I know all the tricks in the book LOL
Probably why I'm a taxi driver now 

Makes me laugh when I see some of the stories involving cyclists. They all appear to be so squeaky clean 

Such as wobbling about and preventing driver at the back from overtaking.  - Just saying 

[Scimitar]

Today at junction of Derby Rd & Storforth lane I almost saw a cyclist come to grief. He was undertaking cars in the left hand lane whilst one of the cars wanted to turn left onto storforth lane - the cyclist wanted to go straight up Derby Rd Luckily the cyclist stopped in time because the car driver clearly didn't see him.
To be fair to the cyclist, the car driver did not indicate he was turning left.

THAT'S ANOTHER BLOODY ISSUE - INDICATORS!!
I'm going for a lie down...........

[Umpire]

I agree.I would say that well over fifty per cent of vehicles do not indicate when exiting a roundabout.I think they are scared of draining their battery.
A couple of years ago a mate of mine was pulled up after coming  through the Tupton/Wingerworth roundabout on the A61 and the copper asked him if his indicators were working as he had not used them exiting the roundabout.Suffice it to say he uses them all the time now as he told him if he caught him again he would get a ticket.

[Scimitar]

Well said Umpire.
My take is that some drivers are too lazy to bother with indicators at roundabouts, or deliberately choose not to use them, because they want priority whatever the right of way is.
A deliberate action in order to deny other road users access.
That's just one small observation from me as a professional driver (Bus) since 2005.
I could go on & on but there is no point on here - it needs a wider audience.

[bransoj]

Today at junction of Derby Rd & Storforth lane I almost saw a cyclist come to grief. He was undertaking cars in the left hand lane whilst one of the cars wanted to turn left onto storforth lane - the cyclist wanted to go straight up Derby Rd Luckily the cyclist stopped in time because the car driver clearly didn't see him.
To be fair to the cyclist, the car driver did not indicate he was turning left.

THAT'S ANOTHER BLOODY ISSUE - INDICATORS!!
I'm going for a lie down...........

Whilst i agree the lack of indicators is poor should the cyclist be taking more care and not just making assumptions as he undertakes the traffic fully aware there is a left turn ahead? I was once parked in Matalan car park nipping to Lambrellis to get some lunch with both lanes queuing up to the lights on the roundabout. In the lane nearest Lambrellis was a big truck and i crossed over the road in front of the car and truck in the two lanes. As i got to the far side of the truck by the cars parked in front of the shops a motorbike came up between the two and skidded into me. Somehow, i still dine out on the fact, the bike bounced off me and the only thing to end up on the floor was the bike and rider. As he got up to have a go at me i suggested we contact the police to see who was at fault seeing as he came up undertaking vehicles at which point he got on his bike and took off again undertaking his way to the roundabout. He had no awareness for the fact he was coming up blind and what could happen anywhere on that stretch of road.

As for cyclists i see it from both sides as i often bike to work along Chatsworth Rd from Brookside and over to Old Rd. You get cars\trucks not giving you a lot of room but on both sides its a minority of drivers\riders that cause the grief between the two groups. Whilst heading to the Lakes on Friday we were sat at traffic lights with two lanes of traffic waiting to go straight on when a cyclist came flying between the two lanes, through the lights on red at a major crossroads never checking what could be coming from either side, over to the far side of the road and up a side street across the front of an oncoming car who had to brake to avoid hitting him. I suspect had there been a collision folk would have looked at the car driver to be at fault but it was all the fault of the cyclist.

Cyclists can be a law unto themselves at times...i was heading to the Lake

[Old Cruser]

I have to agree with all of what's been said.

 There are Cyclists who don't give enough thought to what is happening around them and it is their responsibility as well as the drivers of vehicles to take notice.
On Derby Road some will come on the inside to overtake whilst others on the outside -  eyes in back of A@@@ comes to mind
I was taught to drive by speaking to other drivers by using indicators ( my instructors words )
Also, to look at what is going off several vehicles in front and use my mirrors - that includes my side mirrors, some I think don't use any !

When I have  the wheelchair in the back of the car it does obstruct my rear mirror view a little and so my side mirrors are used more to double check.
I was only explaining this a couple of weeks ago to a  new driver who will soon be able to use the car and take my daughter out, I will be with her for several trips - precious cargo on board 

The little Walton roundabout bugs me as not many drivers indicate and the ones that do sometimes give off the wrong indications!

I also think that putting Pelican Crossings so near to roundabouts isn't good, why did they do that??