Ok, This is a bit of a rant, but hopfully I’m not out of line….

I went out on my Motorbike this weekend into the Peak District to enjoy the last of the summer sun. All around the north Peak District, there seemed to be a cycling event on.

Now I’m very respectful of cyclists on the road (as one myself), but there seems to be a double standard going on, and it’s getting worse with the increase in cyclist in our area.

I know you are entitled to ride side by side, but come on! use some common sense!

On a narrow country road with a line of parked cars all down one side, going up a 7/8% hill (slowly), don’t just sit there two across, miles from the edge of the road, and block all the traffic behind you while you have a chat…

Our route was quite hilly, and so we ended up going up many hills behind groups of riders, and I was amazed by the amount that turned around (at the noise of a motorbike approaching), had a look at us, then just carried on having a chat with his mate next to him and make no effort to move over.

I always move over if I can when I’m cycling, and when driving will always try to overtake on the other side of the road to give as much room as possible. Shame a lot of others don’t seem to have common courtesy.

If there isn’t room for you to overtake when they are two abreast, there certainly isn’t for anyone else to ‘push’ past.

Therefore probably better they protect their position.

Why not rant at the car parkers taking up half the road?

Was there enough room to pass a cyclist with a 1m gap?
Was the bigger problem the cars blocking the road?
Trying to work out if this was a 2 lane road? ie was there another lane available to overtake in? Google map?

I was out riding with a few kids from our club at the weekend and a car cut in quite badly on one of the kids on a winding downhill. I was at the back so pulled out to prevent anyone else overtaking until it was safe to do so. There seemed to be a lot of dodgy drivers out this week.

Sometimes self preservation is better than worrying about holding someone up.

Really, again! Two abreast means half the group length = safer / sooner a car can make a safe overtake and move in.

If you are operating something with an accelerator then its your patience that needs managing, as irritating as it may make you feel.

I think bikes understand the place in the food chain here in Germany, better than the UK. Cyclists, rightly just get on with cycling. Cars / traffic does slow and adapt, or wait ..

I asked my partner why cyclists don’t pull over into the gutter to let cars past and she said, why educate drivers that its Ok to push bikes out of the way… or expect to be let through ?

Think she has a point actually. It does feel a lot safer here.

This comes up loads on here. And the same old stuff gets trotted out all the time. But in the situation the OP is describing by singuling out a vehicle, certainly a Motor bike can pass SAFELY. so in this instance I very much agree with him.

Read the OP: “I went out on my Motorbike this weekend…”

If there’s room to ride two abreast, there’s room for a motorbike to overtake safely if you’re single file. I’m with OP, cyclists should have moved over in this instance. I could understand them protecting their position from approaching cars, but to not let motorbikes past safely is unneccesary.

This comes up loads on here. And the same old stuff gets trotted out all the time. But in the situation the OP is describing by singuling out a vehicle, certainly a Motor bike can pass SAFELY. so in this instance I very much agree with him.

So you’re saying they should pull in to let the motorbike past but then pull out again in front of whatever other traffic might be behind? I can see that ending brilliantly.

Waiting for the OP to show us where the road was before I say much more….

Can I make the astounding observation that singling out or riding two abreast is very much down to tbe circumstances on that road at that time, as they are perceived by the cyclists involved.

Second guessing, hindsight and internet warriors quoting conflicting sections of the Highway Code is just a waste of bandwith.

Though some cyclists, like some drivers and motorcyclists, can be inconsiderate at times.

Had my own ‘bad experience’ at the weekend, turned out of a junction behind a huge group of cyclists, seemed to be a mixed a family, experienced and inexperienced. Perhaps around 30 of them.

Wasn’t going far so was trickling along behind in my large van, as they settled down a couple of gaps opened up ahead and the cars behind were clearly lining up to overtake me so I leapfrogged into a couple of large gaps but then had to wait again, the road was clear but no gaps in the cyclists if something came the other way.

Then one of the faster guys decided to undertake me and start leading other cyclists up my inside whilst driving along behind the group in front. Suddenly I’m driving with cyclists on my left and in my blind spot, a car behind trying to pass me, and a pinch point directly ahead then a T junction after that.

Large groups should be organised into groups of eight or so and leave gaps for their own safety, riding two or even three abreast keep overtaking distances short and stops drivers trying to squeeze past.

Many roads, but try the village on the approach to Holm Moss for example. I’m talking roads narrow enough so if a car come towards you in the other direction, you couldn’t ride two across…

Not in big long groups (don’t have issue with that), just in small groups of 3 or 4, but lots of groups spaced out. There seems to be more and more people out in just 2 or 3 people groups riding side by side in the last year.

I just think sometimes people think “I can ride two across, so I will and I’m not moving for anyone!”, even if the situation doesn’t call for it or get any advantage from it.

I also have a big problem with too many cars parked on the roads, but let’s not start that. 😉

Personally, when cars come up behind me, I will not be the guy stuck out in the road and will always pull in behind my mate. Because I don’t see why I should make an overtake more difficult, and I don’t feel that safe out there.

just my opinion though.

These posts always start “I’m very respectful of cyclists on the road (as one myself), but…”

… and then go on to whine pettishly about some minor irritation sustained at the hands of some cyclist or other who was not observing a precisely-defined standard of consideration or common sense so as to save the poster 4 seconds of entitled rage.

Save it until you get home, and then tell your wife all about it. She’ll probably be so impressed she’ll want to have secksual relations with you. 😉

Ok, This is a bit of a rant, but hopefully I’m not out of line….

I went out on my bicycle this weekend into the highlands to enjoy the last of the summer sun. All around the highlands, there seemed to be a motorcycle event on.

Now I’m very respectful of motorcyclists on the road (as one myself), but there seems to be a double standard going on, and it’s getting worse with the increase in Bikers in our area.

I know you are entitled to ride like Guy Martin, but come on! use some common sense!

On a narrow country road with a line of cyclists all down one side, going up a 7/8% hill (slowly), don’t just sit there hand on hip, miles from the edge of the road, and gurn at your buddies behind you while you try and figure out an overtaking plan…

Our route was quite hilly, and so we ended up going up many hills in lines of riders, and I was amazed by the amount that turned around in fear(at the noise of a motorbike approaching), had a look at us, then just carried on having a chat with his mate next to him and made no effort to overtake properly.

I always overtake safely if I can when I’m motorcycling, and I always try to overtake on the other side of the road to give as much room as possible. I have after all got a lot more BHP to get on with it.Shame a lot of others don’t seem to have as much common sense.

😀

I also have a big problem with too many cars parked on the roads, but let’s not start that.

Why not? For starters, do you want to compare the surface area of the earth currently located under parked cars with that located under cyclists who are inappropriately riding 2-abreast up streets not quite wide enough for them to do so without inconveniencing any cry-baby motorist? ‘Cause I think I know where the big wins are here.

🙂

So which road are you talking about grenosteve?

There are bad drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, horse riders, pedestrians etc out there.
Some times it is lack of experience/confidence, lack of knowledge of other forms of transport they share the roads with or even maybe they were just P!$$ed off at being blasted past at close quarters by motorbikes that day and you happened to be the next one along and they said bugger it, we’ll show them 😉

Until the powers that be start cracking down on & educating road users, then it will just continue to get worse.

It was ‘Cycle Derby’ yesterday so there was a phenomenal degree of bad cycling on display on the route yesterday.

Narrow country road with inconsiderately parked cars, and you blame the cyclists who were actually using the road for its intended purpose, ie travelling along it rather than using it as a free car park?

These posts always start “I’m very respectful of cyclists on the road (as one myself), but…”

It’s probably a bit of a trope, but how else could the OP start the story if he is genuinely respectful of cyclists?

I’m with the OP on this, seems like a little bit of consideration from the dudes on push bikes would have kept everyone happy.

Although, I feel the OP could have offered this thread with free haribos, and would still have taken a kicking. It’s a cycling forum after all.

I’m with the OP on this, seems like a little bit of consideration from the dudes on push bikes would have kept everyone happy.

Only if it’s as he suggests, I’m wondering how much room there actually was…

I’m with the OP on this, seems like the a bit of consideration from the dudes on push bikes would have kept everyone happy.

+1

Only if it’s as he suggests, I’m wondering how much room there actually was…

He was on a motorbike, so unless it’s one of those ridiculous endure monsters with 3ft wide pannier boxes on each side, it isn’t going to be that much wider than a fat MAMIL.

My point, at that width it’s really not suitable for any overtaking really. Whats the issue to the motorbike if he has to wait till it’s safe? If it’s too tight for a motorbike to pass then there is no way a car should be passing even a single file cyclist.

Why not rant at the car parkers taking up half the road?

They were cyclists too! the bastards!

My point, at that width it’s really not suitable for any overtaking really.

Well we don’t know that, all we know is that the OP inferred that if the cyclists were riding single file, then he may have been able to get past.

I’ve certainly been in the situation where it would be safe to pass a single cyclist, in prime position, and giving him enough room, but wasn’t able to pass the two side by side safely in the same manner.

It’s not about who is legally entitled either – it’s about common courtesy and the implications of unnecessarily pissing off other road users.

It’s not about who is legally entitled either – it’s about common courtesy and the implications of unnecessarily pissing off other road users.

+1

Cars always travel two abreast. Unless it’s a McLaren F1 when those selfish SOBs drive three abreast.

Rule 66 of the Highway Code, states, amongst other things.

“Never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends”

Rule 66 of the Highway Code, states, amongst other things.

there’s all sorts of stuff about drivers not being asshats around other people in the HC which is regularly flouted. And as drivers frequently point out about anything in the HC that may slightly inconvenience them, if doesn’t explicitly say “must” it’s not worth shit (apparently) and rule 66 is all “you should”

general observation, not making any point about the OP.

On a narrow country road with a line of parked cars all down one side

Ok. I wasn’t there so I can’t judge but: the OP said it was a narrow country road with a line of parked cars…

1. Best practice is to stay away from parked cars – stay out of the door zone. The alternative is to find yourself knocked off your bike by an unobservant car-dweller. Potentially into the path of the car behind or one coming down the road, which is dangerous for everyone and potentially fatal for the rider so not really something to compromise on.

2. If it was a narrow lane with cars down one side I can’t quite understand how there was space for an overtake – whether cyclists were single or double file. Certainly there are times when overtaking parked cars I’ve taken extra primary to prevent a dangerous overtake, or on a club ride we’ve not singled out because to do so would signal to a following car that they could overtake, when in fact there’s not the space.

Not all cyclists riding doubled up are ignorant and selfish. Sometimes it’s deliberate to keep themselves safe and to manage the traffic… read Cyclecraft by John Franklin.

Happily, yesterday’s club ride was absolutely dominated by cars taking a lot of care to give us loads of space, for which they got profuse thanks. So the message does appear to be getting through at last…