[Closed] Cyclists on narrow country roads . . .

Haha, I knew you meant roadies.

I hate stopping competely, but will use passing places or try to make myself as thin as possible hugging the edge etc.

My mate refuses to make any sort of of effort out of a very militant anti-traffic stance, and I just get embarassed, seems to just be generating needless aggro.

Conversely, I get really irritated by ultra-cautious drivers that crawl along behind you when there's plenty of room for them, always feel like I'm being stalked.

Worst of all were the folk in the hire car descending to Bridge of Balgie, epic twisty long descent but they were going at about 15mph despite two cyclists on their bumper trying to find a way past 👿

Any thoughts

Get back under the bridge....

I commute on my mountain bike which is 90% country lane over 10 miles each way. I always keep an ear out and look over my shoulder for cars coming, and get out the way if it's narrow. As much to protect me, as to help them out to be honest, don't fancy someone going into the back of my bike! It's tempting fate a bit by acting like a car when you're on a bike, at least down country lanes etc. IMHO of course!

Any thoughts

Yes, tough.

But surely, as you are in a car, you have right of way because you pay road tax. It's up to the cyclist to find a safe area to squeeze into.

I'll always look to let other traffic past - I can't see the point in possibly antagonising or delaying them

I hate stopping competely, but will use passing places or try to make myself as thin as possible hugging the edge etc

Same here.

Half my route is on narrow country lanes. I tend to normally get out of the way pretty quickly. But there is one downhill section which lasts about 1/2 mile, that I won't give way on, despite what I imagine look like plenty of possible places to pull over from a motorists point of view), because cars are only about 5-10mph faster than me, and the pull in points have hidden features that make em a bit hairy.

The one that does frustrate me sometimes is cautious drivers who don't overtake on narrow lanes where there are plenty of opportunities. Though I can't really fault them for their consideration.

The ones I really can't stand though are the indecisive cautious ones who get their car bonnet past your back wheel, but then can't quite decide what to do next. Meanwhile you're left with no way of avoiding all the pot-holes until they grow some balls (or ovaries) and finally creep past.

My mate refuses to make any sort of of effort out of a very militant anti-traffic stance

but cyclists are traffic.

you'll always get some militant members of society who were too conservative to contemplate doing anything even remotely rebellious in their younger days..
so they try and make up for it in tedious and peculiar ways.. such as not giving a damn about other road users.. which inevitably just leads to animosity..

nobs I call them..

Both the cyclist and the motorist have the right to use the road.
The motorist can go faster
Why wouldn't you do what you could to let the car pass?
It's just good manners.

Two or more abreast. No need, simply no need.

Can be chronic for this in the summer round these parts. The buggers won't even attempt to filter back into single file. Boils my bladder on a Sunday morning.

Why wouldn't you do what you could to let the car pass?
It's just good manners.

Because when I'm on a training ride I ain't giving up a single second of my average speed just so he can have his microchips 1 minute earlier 😉

DavidB - Member

Why wouldn't you do what you could to let the car pass?
It's just good manners.

Because when I'm on a training ride I ain't giving up a single second of my average speed just so he can have his microchips 1 minute earlier

Im guessing rather than mirowave chips you diet consists of Billygoats?

[i]Why wouldn't you do what you could to let the car pass?
It's just good manners.[/i]

It's a question of inconviences.
I'm not going to dive head long into a pile of stingers just to stop a car having to slow down.

I always pull to the side when a motorist is behind me and the road is narrow, better than being knocked off and seruiously injured, by a druged or drunk, uninsured motorist, driving a stolen car, or just a woman with no road sence, who fails to understand the width of her vehicle,and the space required to pass a cyclist on a narrow road.

Tsk, women, eh ?

When I'm following cyclists I'm sure sometimes they think I'm being over-cautious. But I drive a large fully laden van, at 10-15mph, unless you do some clever footwork to get it into 1st without everything falling off the seats into the footwells (and many cyclists would assume the revving during the down change is an impatient driver) it just hasn't got the power in 2nd to pick up the revs quick enough to get any decent acceleration out of it. So this leaves you dawdling about on the wrong side of the road, and you only get really start to get any usable power once you have passed the cyclist and started pulling back in. Part of my regular route home is a fast twisty B road and if I can't pass as I approach and have to slow down, I'm usually following minute or two at least. Once I pass, all the idiots behind tend to just follow on the blind bends.

[i]Two or more abreast. No need, simply no need.

[/i]

But cars are, in effect, two abreast as well.

So, you get delayed over the course of 2 miles (which at a rough guess would take about 3-4 mins longer than you pootling along at a maximum of 30-40 mph if the road is as narrow as you describe), leading to a nuclear reactor overheating, cardiac patients not receiving their transplants...or you being a minute or late to switching your PC on at work?

It's not a race.

Chill out, enjoy the country, or even better, get on your bike as well. 🙂

Not letting me through seems to give them some sort of enjoyment, when they turn off, generally a little before the end, there has never been a courtesy wave back once.

I have no idea what you're expecting from them, I've never given anyone a courtesy wave for not running me over or forcing their way past. When someone's given way for you, then yes, obviously. People do get a 'wave' from me occasionally, like the bloke who almost pushed me off the road tonight as he overtook around a blind bend into oncoming traffic that he couldn't see. There was **** all courteous about it though 😈

But surely, as you are in a car, you have right of way because you pay road tax. It's up to the cyclist to find a safe area to squeeze into.

trolling are we?

you do know road tax doesn't exist. It was abolished in 1937!

hmmm i live on country roads and ride on them all the time, i'm keen to let traffic by at the best chance i get, with a little wave usually, and if someone gives me an ultra wide berth i give them a wee wave when they pull back in - good manners cost nothing, and it can change attitudes - as can being an ignorant bar**** and do nothing at all to help fellow man/motorist/cyclist.... my 2pence worth

I often wonder why car drivers regard their journey as more important/urgent than mine.

So important that they will risk killing/maiming me to get past.

(BTW, I'll always wave someone through if the road is clear or if I'm not in a hurry.)

Luckily up here in the Highlands most motorists are very considerate.

(BTW, I'll always wave someone through if the road is clear or if I'm not in a hurry.)

Yup, if it's safe to do so, no problems.

i wave them through when/if safe. Why slow someone down when it is off no advantage to you ? I would rather let a driver past than have someone irrate and unpredictable behind me.
I used to own a very old van that was really slow and used to pulll over to let vehicles pass about 5x more people beeped and gave me the bird than thanked. Perhpas they have had the same?
Perhaps they have headphones in and not hear you?

I had someone today sat behind me for a good 1/2 mile or so on a section of normal road (parked cars on one side but in their own little marked out bays) and she could have got past me on numerous occasions. She eventually eased her way past very carefully (about 5mph faster than I was going), got 20m in front of me then slowly eased on the brakes, indicated left and slowly turned.

I couldn't believe it! After the exaggeratedly overcareful sitting behind/giving me loads of space she then does something like that! Muppet.

Back to the OP though - I've let cars through on country lanes in the past, they get round the next corner and there's a tractor coming so they have to stop, pull right into the hedge and effectively cut me off. If they stay behind me then I can squeeze past the oncoming traffic no probs while they get held up. I'm traffic too. If I can see a fair way ahead, I'll let them through, if not, they can sit behind me until it's safe for them to overtake or until i can find a convenient space (convenient for me!) to pull in and let them past. You wouldn't get impatient if it was a horse, you wouldn't hoot and rev your engine then, so don't do it for a cyclist.

Both the cyclist and the motorist have the right to use the road.
The motorist can go faster
Why wouldn't you do what you could to let the car pass?
It's just good manners.

cyclists, horses and pedestrians have the right to use the queens highway.
motorists are merely licensed and must pay for that privilege (not 'a right')

I always acknowledge the nice drivers who stay behind me and pass with consideration. Problem is one idiot on a ride makes me more aware and I start making it harder for other drivers to pass unless I am sure it is safe.

Sometimes I pull in on country lanes, but only if it is safe for me if not I stay where I am, really its only two miles and that type of road you are not going to be driving fast anyway.

crazy-legs - Member

Back to the OP though - I've let cars through on country lanes in the past, they get round the next corner and there's a tractor coming so they have to stop, pull right into the hedge and effectively cut me off. If they stay behind me then I can squeeze past the oncoming traffic no probs while they get held up. I'm traffic too. If I can see a fair way ahead, I'll let them through, if not, they can sit behind me until it's safe for them to overtake or until i can find a convenient space (convenient for me!) to pull in and let them past. You wouldn't get impatient if it was a horse, you wouldn't hoot and rev your engine then, so don't do it for a cyclist.

+1. Exactly what I do.

Highway Code says slow moving traffic should pull in every so often to allow traffic behind to pass, doesn't it? Used to.

I let cars pass on country lanes where it's safe and worthwhile to do so. Partly because we're all just trying to get along, partly because the more some drivers get held up the more likely they are to attempt a riskier overtake. (Make that *all* drivers, and yes, I include myself - the difference is how rapidly and how severely that calculation becomes skewed.)

cyclists, horses and pedestrians have the right
to use the queens highway.
motorists are merely licensed and must pay for
that privilege (not 'a right')

+100000000
Boils my wee wee the attitude of most drivers.

I've let 4x4s past on some local fire roads before, further on where It's a bit rougher and I've caught them up, it's never reciprocated.

"I was riding along a narrow bridleway and this guy with red socks was walking right in the middle. He knew I was behind him, but despite there being numerous places for him to move over a bit and let me past he didn't.. What a t@%t."
Before I started looking at cycling forums, I used to wonder why some motorists had a problem with cyclists. Reading some of your replies to the OP all is explained. 😥

If vehicles come up behind me, I will either pull over (if safe to do so) or ride up to the next passing bay. TBH I just don't want the vehicles behind me, as the drivers can be unpredictable (Well I feel they are unpredictable).

The biggest issue I have, is when a vehicle is coming towards me and the next passing bay is say 20 metres away. Most vehicles will pull into the passing place and wait until I am there, but occasionally the vehicles don't wait and are then heading straight towards me. It's a battle I won't win, so I have to pull over and rest against hedgerow etc. Although in these instances, I will leave it until the last possible moment before pulling over, whilst gesticulating with my hands! You know the signal. The international shakey hand symbol. 😉

Not bike related but a couple of years ago, I was driving the car down a country lane and I could see a tractor coming towards me. I pulling over in the passing bay and the idiot in the car behind thought I was letting him through and sailed past. Seconds later he realised, why I had pulled over and decided to reverse back but rather than reversing past me, he decided that he wanted me to reverse, so he could fit in the passing bay in front of me. I stayed put and eventually he realised that he would have to reverse past me. Once the tractor had gone past, I was very tempted (I didn't) to drive at 10 mph for the next couple of miles!

"Highway Code says slow moving traffic should pull in every so often to allow traffic behind to pass"

I do this in my car too. Though not many cyclists are fast enough to warrant pulling over.

Pfft. What about if it's a big tractor? You'd just have to wait, woon't you?

So what's the difference? Why does a cyclist have to give way? Fine, if it's convenient and safe for them to do so, but if it's not, then they're perfectly entitled to carry on as they are.

Anyway shoont be tearing around all over the place at top speed slow down relax enjoy the view a bit more you'll be dead one day.

But cars are, in effect, two abreast as well.

But they travel much faster than a bike can, so don't really get in the way in the same way that two cyclists do. If the road is wide enough to safely overtake two cyclists then it doesn't bother me but it's on narrow lanes where it's annoying. When I ride my road bike with a friend we go into single file when we hear a car coming, it's not hard..

Far too much wind and piss above, as mountain bikers we also have to use the roads as part of many loops. I was up in the dales today and all the roads I was on were single track, with limited room for passing.

Being someone corteous and well brought up. I always let cars pass, its just good manners, simple, nothing else. Also 99.9% of drivers will appreciate the gesture and are nice like minded people like ourselves. Anyone who hides behind "my right of way" are complete ****ers!

....And why the hell would you want to ride for 6 miles out in the country with a car up your ass.

Worst of all were the folk in the hire car descending to Bridge of Balgie, epic twisty long descent but they were going at about 15mph despite two cyclists on their bumper trying to find a way past

I'm sorry, why are people so bothered about letting other vehicles past that are faster than them?

The usual automatic self-defence of cyclists 'right' to be on the road as justification for basically being inconsiderate and impolite pisses me off. There's no good reason not to have a little courtesy and let people pass when there's an opportunity.

Maybe it's different in the home counties or wherever the STW armchair warriors are sitting, but in Scotland my experience is that if you pull over or give a vehicle space on a narrow road you always get a wave or a toot of thanks, and I give one back. No stress, everyone's happy!

@Kit

Agreed.

I always try to let vehicles pass if I am aware they're sat on my back wheel for no reason other than I'm in the way.

Seems to me to be the considerate and well-mannered thing to do.

What's to be gained by being pig-headed about your 'right to be on the roads' bla bla bla?

Plus, many motorists already resent cyclists enough without being given even more reason.

kit.. joao3v16

absolutely right..
sadly there seems to be a militant faction of the cycling community that are oblivious to the fact that they may be damaging the goodwill built up by everyone else.. and it's all just so that can play out some adolescent rebel fantasy..

such a shame really.. makes you wander about these sorts of people..

I ALWAYS pull over if I am going to hold someone up for more than 20s or so, or if it's a big lorry etc and can't pass. I look at make eye contact, and speed up til I find a pull in or the road widens out.

I also always give a wave for people who've waited for me or passed nicely.

I believe that I have every right to continue using the road when someone comes up behind me, however I choose to be nice.

I hope it goes some way towards helping the reputation of cyclists amongst motorists. I have to worry about stuff like this because of c*cks like some people winding them up.