Ride for Daniel

I didn't know him, but on 17th April 16 year old Daniel was riding his moped on the A4174 Bristol ring road. The actual incident is of course still being investigated but he was struck and killed by a car that had crossed a red light on the new A4174 "throughabout".

I've driven over and around this (and one other, in Gloucester) throughabout. I've noticed how bewildered some drivers are when they suddenly find a road going through the middle of a roundabout, now additionally peppered with traffic controls and complex lane divisions, and how randomly some of them self-correct their trajectory.

It's fair to say throughabouts are probably in the same chapter of the dummy's book of daft designs as smart motorways... The roll out of throughabouts in South Gloucestershire is currently on hold. They're also known as Hamburger Roundabouts, but probably not because of the ground up meat...

Anyhow, his parents wanted to send Daniel off with a motorcycle escort, and about two hundred plus of us turned out this morning. The run was brilliantly marshalled with all road junctions and traffic lights 'managed'. This is of course a crop from my rear facing camera. Ride on, Daniel.

Afterthought: how mad that the Magic Roundabout seems safe in comparison.