So today we’re heading out for a family walk. Driving over the tops in the car, narrow country lane, come round a corner, 100 yds ahead two mountain bikers riding abreast chatting away. No probs I think, they’ll drop in line as I approach, nope, stay two abreast I go into the verge put my hand up In a wtf manner and receive a mouthful of abuse. Nice one fellas, let’s improve relations with the driving community.
Riding back from the Chase today. Narrow lane, two of us, car wishing to overtake. We ride single file and pull right over, car overtakes safely, cheery wave.
Next corner, three Altura-clad bell ends on touring bikes riding three abreast, right across the lane, talking. Car brakes. We brake. Bell ends continue riding three abreast. Car has to stop. We stop. Bell ends finally assume single file.
I saw worse when cyclists refused to give an inch to a bus, therefore putting a bus full of cyclists in a ditch
See i dont get stuff like this. When i cycle i dont assume anyone will move for me, so would always be prepared to stop or move out the way. Why when someone (even a ‘im a cyclist too’) is driving do they carry on regardless then have to make a panic move like veering into a ditch or verge? Yes in both these cases the cyclists were clearly d***s but how does the driver end up in a ditch/verge, why not just stop earlier?
What upset me the most was the mrs saying (as I ride in the exact same area) what was wrong with that ****, go you behave like that when out in the road. I genuinely stopped and wanted to give it the whole “I ride bikes too, you’re giving us a bad name” speech etc.
He probably just saw us as the typical stereotype family out in their estate car clogging up the country roads!
Yeah we went out, walked half a mile then decided we needed a pub lunch, told all our friends about our countyrside adventure, posted it on twatter book got 4 likes then rushed back home to watch dancing on ice…
What do you reckon aracer, standard?
What bearing does a tractor have on mr abusive mountain biker? I’d have done exactly the same as I did , slowed down moved over and mr tractor would’ve probably put his hand up in a jovial manner and said thanks for that.
Rather the waving your hands at them did you think to stop and have a word expressing how outraged you were at their lack of consideration? Or was it easier just to have a nice wee rant to make yourself feel better?
Suck it up princess, some cyclists feel safer riding two abreast. It’s not illegal.
A tractor takes up a lane, moves at 20mphish. Much like cyclists riding 2 abreast. Still gonna drive onto the verge to overtake then whinge on the internet about what a **** the farmer was?
*Suspects op expected this to go differently….*
I laughed at a woman who basically had the same rant as the op, but finished it with:
‘And, worst of all, once I’d overtaken them, they were both smiling!!’
See i dont get stuff like this. When i cycle i dont assume anyone will move for me, so would always be prepared to stop or move out the way. Why when someone (even a ‘im a cyclist too’) is driving do they carry on regardless then have to make a panic move like veering into a ditch or verge? Yes in both these cases the cyclists were clearly d***s but how does the driver end up in a ditch/verge, why not just stop earlier?
Bus comes round bend on fireroad, bus needs momentum for the next bit of road, cyclists start heading towards bus, sort of looking like they’re going to give room then dont bother. Bus has to move to the side as they obviously aren’t going to try to go around, bus slides off fireroad and into ditch.
Why didn’t you just stop on the lane leaving a single cyclist gap? Tends to make the point. I might pull onto the verge if it was a tractor coming the other way, but there’s really no option apart from that or reversing to gate openings.
EDIT: Read OP as meeting riders head-on, rather than overtaking. If you have to hit the verge to overtake any riders, regardless of how inconsiderate they are being, it isn’t best practice, isn’t it?
Suck it up princess, some cyclists feel safer riding two abreast. It’s not illegal.
Driving over the tops in the car, narrow country lane
Highway code, rules for cyclist 66
You should:
* keep both hands on the handlebars except when signalling or changing gear
* keep both feet on the pedals
* never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends
Rather the waving your hands at them did you think to stop and have a word expressing how outraged you were at their lack of consideration? Or was it easier just to have a nice wee rant to make yourself feel better?
Suck it up princess, some cyclists feel safer riding two abreast. It’s not illegal.
And this is where the issue is ‘princess’. A lack if consideration in any situation causes problems. In this case the cyclists are clearly at fault. We all make mistakes – being on a bike doesn’t make that any less likely. (Edited as a little unclear!)
Suck it up? What when folk constantly bitch on here about inconsiderate drivers? I fortunately do both so have a reasonably balanced view. He had no intention of moving, and when I say pootling they were doing all of 5 mph. Bloke was weaving around they were going that slow and they were coming towards us. Just a complete tool who unfortunately causes many of the problems other sensible considerate riders have to endure daily.
there’s a few narrow roads where I ride, with pretty rough “margins” (they’re sort of half-paved) that wouldn’t take a road wheel and I doubt they’re much fun in a car.
I haven’t really come to it yet as I ride alone and haven’t met a big enough vehicle but I do have the view that all I need to progress on that road is my own side of it; if they won’t use the margin and so need both sides they can **** well wait ’til it’s convenient.
… mind, that attitude may have to be tempered by the fact that half of them (when oncoming) don’t seem to look at the road at all – it’s the new forest, see, and there’s horses and everything !
I feel this is going to turn into a multi-page behemoth, but surely it would have been reasonable for the guys on the bikes to just go into single file, for a brief moment, as the car passed?
People do realise you’re no less off a man/cyclist to occasionally give way to a motor vehicle?
Most of the time it’s best to let things go. Congratulate yourself that you didn’t kill or unnecessarily endanger anyone’s life and smile. Smiling confuses people.