It seems that ALL the fair-weather cyclists were out this weekend, which got me thinking, why do so many people insist on riding along roads 2/3 abreast?

I always try to be as considerate as possible when passing bikes (I know what it’s like to ride on busy roads so try to remember that), but some people seem to be trying to make things more dangerous.

Other than making it possible to have a chat (or possibly to p*ss people off), is there any real reason for riding like this?

Because you're allowed to?

why do so many people insist on riding along roads 2/3 abreast?

To chat to your mate
To stop idiots trying to squeeze past when there really isn't enough room

no rule that says you have to ride single file to my knowledge.. though 3 abreast is taking the pi$$

plus if they are roadies and in a chain gang then need to ride two abreast to they can rotate turns on the front

stops fannys squeezing through.

chaingangs work better 2 up

safety is the main issue – more road presense , people see you.

both times ive had folk take offence to this ive had a cop in the pack – threatening behavior warrents a visit from his friends 😉

One long single file of bikers is more difficult to pass than one shorter file of 2 abreast plus it stops motorists attempting to squeeze past when there isn't enough room.

The problem is that motorists don't know this, as a general rule motorists have no clue whatsoever about how to handle large numbers of cyclists so they just get wound up.

Highway Code:

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
not ride close behind another vehicle
not carry anything which will affect your balance or may get tangled up with your wheels or chain
be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians. Let them know you are there when necessary, for example, by ringing your bell if you have one. It is recommended that a bell be fitted

A mate has a habit of riding way out in the road to stop overtaking on narrow roads, where it's not IMO dangerous to overtake. Really winds me up. Cyclists don't own roads.

as a general rule motorists have no clue whatsoever

do the same rules apply to walkers on a 2 way cycle path ? they get all het up when you ring your bell to get them to stop walking 5 abreast , pull there dog/child/RABBIT !!! in from blocking the entire 8 foot wide path !

Some cyclists aren't very considerate to drivers.
Some drivers aren't very considerate to cyclists.

One of these facts kills people. The other just makes people a bit late sometimes. Take a deep breath. 🙂

The stops dangerous overtakes line is bollocks. It might stop some, but then it makes as many safe overtakes dangerous by narrowing a road that is wide enough to pass one cyclist. Drivers will still go for it. All you've done there is make the consequences worse as the first thing that will happen in a crash is the outside rider will go through the inside rider.

If anything it will have a negative impact on safety as you'll piss more (ignorant) motorists off, who then go for the dangerous overtakes.

But at least it gives people something to complain about on the internet on a Monday!

Some cyclists aren't very considerate to drivers.
Some drivers aren't very considerate to cyclists.

One of these facts kills people. The other just makes people a bit late sometimes. Take a deep breath.

I dissagee, they both have the potential to kill people as paulrockliffe says:

If anything it will have a negative impact on safety as you'll piss more (ignorant) motorists off, who then go for the dangerous overtakes.

Although I also agree with this:

But at least it gives people something to complain about on the internet on a Monday!

2-a-breast fine, anymore is just dangerous.

Single file on busy and narrow roads too.

Not this one again…

On a single carriageway road which is not wide enough for a car to overtake a cyclist without moving into the oncoming lane then riding two abreast is preferable, as this will make the group of cyclists half as long and so easier to overtake than if they were in single file.

Such logic is lost on most car drivers though.

If the road is wide enough for a car to overtake a cyclist without moving into the oncoming lane then a group of cyclists should single out to let the traffic past.

they both have the potential to kill people

Right, so an irritable motorist doing a dangerous over-take because he hasn't the patience to wait and overtake safely is an example of a cyclist killing people by being inconsiderate? 🙄

Anyone who actually was riding yesterday will be able to confirm that the head wind (one of those magical doesn't matter which direction you are going in it's still a headwind winds) made it incredibly difficult to hear approaching traffic from behind.

I personally will ride 2 abreast but if I'm aware of a car travelling behind me will always drop into single file to allow them to pass, this seems to work very well for everyone usually. But on a couple of occasions yesterday cars overtook and literally could not be heard by myself or my riding buddy till they were right behind or parallel with us.

Cyclists don't own roads

Neither do car drivers! Idiot.

i agree toby – i took out the TT bike yesterday for alittle adapting to position. Rode to cupar to watch east fife tri.

Looked forward to TTing home with a tailwind along the a92 ….

EPIC FAIL – major headwind – despite the major headwind on the way to cupar

in small groups ill do as you describe – 2 up and then go singlefile when its safe for the car to get past.

Tend not to ride narrow (1/1.5) car wide busy roads though – pick wide busy roads over narrow busy roads – to get to the narrow quiet roads !

While I wouldn't recommend cycling more than two abreast, the piece of highway code that cynic-al quotes is a 'SHOULD NOT' not 'MUST NOT' (therefore not road traffic law) so its not strictly illegal.

A good percentage of my time on the road (on my own ) I'd be where the outermost cyclist would be anyway.

I'd be where the outermost cyclist would be anyway

Sounds like adding more risk? No? Surely you would want to leave maximum distance between yourself and the overtaking car?

so an irritable motorist doing a dangerous over-take because he hasn't the patience to wait and overtake safely is an example of a cyclist killing people by being inconsiderate?

The cyclist won't kill anyone, but they do seem to be putting themselves in unnecessary danger (I may be wrong, but that's how it appears sometimes).

lol – have you ever ridden on the road hainey

Seriously !

Yes, i ride on the road every day.

So, before you jump to conclusions i am both a cyclist and a driver.

Cyclists who sit in the middle of the road rather than slightly over to the left are putting themselves and other road users at more risk IMPO.

so you havnt ridden on the road either jengledow

ok – ever done basic motor bike training ?

know where your least likely to be seen ?

being seen is most of the rules of survival.

The halfing the line length thing; if you're trying to make things as safe as possible for yourself on the road, surely you would be leaving enough room for a car to overtake you and pull in between you and the bike in front?

It's better training for you anyway not relying on someone else to tow you along isn't it?

For balance, I ride on the road myself, and don't have any particular objections to the way people ride their bikes, but I can see that in plenty of accidents the cyclist is guilty of contributory negligence.

Hainey, being a gutter hugger positively encourages bad overtakes.
as well as making you less visible in general. If you're overtaking me you do it when its safe or you dont do it at all.

No one has mentioned gutter hugging in anyway so don't jump to conclusions. That is more dangerous than cycling right out in the lane.

I see we have a few of the 'trail centre only' MTBers popping up.on this thread 😕
If its so dangerous hainey, why have I had so few incidents in 25 odd years of (helmetless) cycling?. Why do I also have little aggro between me and other vehicles?

Surely you would want to leave maximum distance between yourself and the overtaking car?

thats got to be implying gutter hugging – that would be maximum distance….

riding alone i ride where the passenger of a car would be – riding 2 up ill ride just to the right of the midline of the car as the outside rider.

riding alone i ride where the passenger of a car would be

I don't think we are talking at cross purposes here.

Christ some people seem to be awfully militant this morning? 🙄

Surely the 'militants' are the drivers that insist on having the road to themselves?
edit; and my names west kipper, not Christ

The worry I have about road "pleasure" cycling is the same worry I have about people riding high performance motor bikes.

Both are using the public highway as a playground !!

That seems to me to be very dangerous. Especially to themselves but also to other road users who are not "playing" but trying to get from A to B.

Others don't want to be in their "game" but have no choice if they come across them or are involved in a incident with them.

Would you let your kids play on a busy road ?

Then why are they

Surely the 'militants' are the drivers that insist on having the road to themselves?

🙄 🙄 🙄

"Then why are they"

Because badly designed badly thought out and downright dangerous cycle paths are not as good an option ….

mixing high speed (relitively) cyclists with foot traffic.

provide us with a good(or even just safe) network of cycle paths with more than 2 ways out of town (north and south) that isnt a dirt track and isnt littered with debris and glass , oh and maintained like the roads … ie gritted !

I commuted all winter and on most occasions i was forced onto the road as the snow was hub deep/deeper on the cycle path !

G o read cyclecraft by John Franklin. Get it from your library if they have it or ISBN 978-0-11-703740

Ro5ey, you're staying onto the recreational/essential journey argument, in which case is your motor journey essential?, should you be allowed to use the road to take you or the kiddies to their hobbies?
Should we ban all absolutely non essential traffic from the road?

so you havnt ridden on the road either jengledow

I have, but choose not to (too many idiot car drivers!) and have never ridden in a large group on the road.

My original question was why do riders appear (to me) to put themselves in more danger by riding 2/3 abreast. The idea of halving the length of a group makes sense.

Why can't some people ride in single file on the road?

Why can't some people in charge of motor vehicles drive them more safely for all concerned?