Ditchling beacon, the highest point on the South Downs is something of a mecca for roadies with the main road leading to it dotted with knots of riders heading for the climb on a Sunday morning.
I was descending the beacon on yesterday, my MTB ride done and witnessed some pretty poor riding. A group of cars had built up behind a rider on one of the steeper, twistier sections. They were doing the right thing, hanging back and giving him space and not forcing through an overtake. At this point another cyclist decided to overtake the queue of cars himself, moving out and riding up the wrong side of the road into the teeth of a blind corner, and as it happens almost into the teeth of my front bumper. I was able to brake in time and he to pull back in out of the way but it was an unpleasant experience. Moments later I saw another rider slapping the back of a car with his hand as he attempted an overtake.

Be careful out there guys, lycra won’t offer much protection if it goes wrong!

As per usual, idiots will be idiots, regardless of their chosen form of transport.

To balance things out, I went on my first proper road ride on Sunday – Crawley to Box Hill and back – and the motorists (apart form the person in the Nissan Qashqai, who decide it would be really interesting to overtake us immediately before turning left into their driveway) were incredibly patient and considerate. Not many cyclist out either – either due to the threatening weather, or it being Mother’s day.

DBs a bloody nightmare on any Sunday with the traffic, both 2 and 4 wheel, tbh.