Passed a guy commuting today on a busy A road. He was wearing a Sam Brown belt, was lit up and sitting 1-2ft from the kerb. As a driver and a cyclist I thought he was doing everything OK.
However, he was commuting down a reasonably narrow, national speed limit A road and bringing traffic to a crawl. He was riding on the sort of road where a car probably can squeeze past a cyclist if it crosses the centre lines and any drivers coming the other way pull into the side, but it doesn't leave a lot of room to spare. But this road also has a substantial number of lorries and busses travelling along it.
Finally, I know the area. There are a lot of smaller, quieter roads he could use (I know - I use them both in the car and on the bike) to get to all the major towns in the area.
I guess what I'm trying to say is this: should he have been there? I know he has every right to (he pays tax, yadda yadda yadda), but by being there he's A. slowing rush hour traffic to a crawl ("Shame!" I hear you cry. Just bear in mind he's adding to impatient drivers impatience) but also B. putting himself in danger by doing this on a particularly nasty piece of road, when there are better options available.
If I were him I know what I'd do, but what would you do?
)
