[Closed] Im still fuming..Is it just me or are rodies a breed apart...arrogant??

Hang on, you say in your original post it wasn't wide enough for two cars + a bike so how would them going into single file have made it any better? It would have made it worse if anything as you'd have a longer line to pass - I've been in such a line where a driver has aborted an impatient overtake due to an oncoming car and believe me it's no fun when a car forces it's way into a line of cyclists...

I do agree a lot of roadie groups don't do themselves any favours but not sure I see it in your example. The only other thing they could do would be to pull over and let you past, I'm all for doing that occasionally if a lot of cars are backing up or an HGV is stuck behind but it ruins a ride pulling over every 5 minutes and shouldn't be expected from drivers.

169

Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.

The bit that many people forget, especially those with horse boxes on around North Yorkshire this weekend 😉

I HATE RODIES. not all off them just the ones that think thay are better than plp on mtb's. all i say to em tho is watch this pop it up on rear wheel and thay soon put there heads down.

I can wheelie my roadie just as badly as my MTB, so don't think that argument works. 😀

OP, lets see a street view of the road.

I generally don't mind following cyclists, I always treat it like a proper overtake.

4 miles is a long time though. Having said that is perfectly possible to get stuck behind other slow moving road users (Nissan Micra drivers) for longer with no expectation that they will move over.

I once spent three days stuck behind a caravan near Durness.

3 pages? No new personal problems in the chat forum today?
Like many drivers the OP needs to read the highway code, has little foresight and is too confruntational for someone who's wrong! Pity one of the cyclists couldn't have calmly explain how wrong he was then he could have come running to the forum to share his newly found knowledge and educate a few other bad drivers.

Looking back, Im so glad I never got irate and lost my rag as the whole point of me stopping was because I genuinly couldnt understand their actions. As I said they knew I was a cyclist when I stopped, I never wanted an oppology. Just couldnt understant their actions, still dont to be honest.
I dread to think what other non-cycling people would have done in the same situation. I could think of plenty of people I know that would have ended-up doing something silly and dangerous to get past.
Its left me with the atitude I really dont want to be ascociated with people like that... I suppose thats how the rift between Rodies and MTBrs started and continues. We are just not the same.!

I was out in a group of five on road bikes Sunday morning; None of us club riders, just a mixed bunch.

I have to say we generally pulled in to a line when cars were approaching, we did on occasion bunched into a a bit of a 2/2/1 formation on some quieter straight sections where Cars could still pass comfortably...
Where ever it got twisty we went back to single file...

We did choose a route that mostly avoided heavy traffic.

We got no negative shouts or beeps from car drivers, we did however have one incident with some dappy cow in a Rav 4 who pulled out on the head of our group (coming Downhill), four of the five of us heaved on the anchors and came to a shuddering halt right behind her bumper, the fith rider (a bit of a liability TBH*) shot past her on the RH side just as she started indicating to turn Right after 10 yards!...
It could have been a bad smash all because one driver didn't consider her follow on actions, signal early or estimate closing speeds properly...

So dispite having not impeding any drivers we seem to have caught the negative side of the OPs group of ten's bad kama...

TBH a group of five, you might comfortably pass on a straighter section of A or B road, but 10 strung out in single file, thats a ~20 meter pass your considering, similar to a reasonable length HGV, I doubt you'd normally chance that on a twisting single carriageway.
I reckon they did you a favour of sorts, sounds like you might have had a pop at a bit of a ****ty pass had they been in single file, and wound up having to explain that decision to the plod when you potentially spangled a couple of them...

Its all swings and roundabouts of course, there are probably about the same proportion of cocks in any given group, Roadies, MTBists, Car drivers or HGV drivers.

(*I am the Liability of course...)

I can wheelie my roadie just as badly as my MTB, so don't think that argument works

ill upload a vid on youtube next time i have someone to record. can wheelie at 10mph for easy 500m

I HATE RODIES. not all off them just the ones that think thay are better than plp on mtb's

I have a road bike and do honestly think i'm better than most mtbrs. They are fat, slow, socially retarded, don't know how to correctly ride bikes and evidently drive cars also.

Does anyone really care if a few roadies get run over though? Really? I mean, it'd just mean a few less overpaid, middle-aged marketing managers in the world, surely?

And how can that be a bad thing?

Be amusing if it didn't actually happen with such regularity.

Matt

Does anyone really care if a few roadies get run over though? Really? I mean, it'd just mean a few less overpaid, middle-aged marketing managers in the world, surely?
And how can that be a bad thing?

a tad extreme for some tastes..

perhaps a more workable system would be that any cyclist exhibiting displays of the deliberately obtuse and self righteous antisocial militant opinions that are being discussed could be forced off the internet for an immediate below knee amputation..?

specialknees - Member
I suppose thats how the rift between Rodies and MTBrs started and continues. We are just not the same.!

I suppose thats how the rift between Rodies and MTBrs started and continues. We are just not the same.!

Personally I just say I ride bikes. Cause that's what I do.

I bit of reflected editing above ?

Charlie from yesterday

For me it's about dead friends, their widows and fatherless children. Bumping into their kids and having to be cool, easy going and jolly... Totally ignoring the dreadful truth. I want to pick her up and hug her, cry out loud and just collapse to my knees and just cry.

For a moment I was sure I saw rob this week, walking out of his front door. But he is dead, cut down by a young driver who had picked up points for speeding on the exact same bit of road a few months earlier, thrown up the road, snapping his neck and totally killing him.

The argument of having them pull over to the side of the road is an interesting one.

Ideally, motorists should treat a group of cyclists as one - you treat it like a long vehicle basically. What one cyclist does affects what everyone else in the group does.

However unlike other long vehicles which have one driver who can decide "yes, I'm pulling over here", a group of cyclists has 10 individual drivers. In order to pull over, someone needs to say "riders, we will pull over at the next layby", that instruction needs to be communicated up and down the line and the next layby indicated clearly. You can't just come round a corner, have Rider 1 see a small pull in and slam the brakes on as 9 riders behind him will crash into him/each other. On a climb or descent, where the riders are spread out more, that's never going to happen and even on the flat it's a difficult move to execute without causing an accident.

Either way, the group are on the road in front of you and they have right of way like it or not. There's a fine line between common courtesy, safety (for all concerned) and blunt ignorance admittedly and your perception of that line is obviously different to theirs.

Im so glad I never got irate and lost my rag

And yet here you are still fuming.

Just a thought OP, were they rude because you called them "[b]rod[/b]ies" to their faces? Could have been mis-interpreted, especially if they were all in lycra. As for the rude lady (sic), perhaps that was a case of envy!?! 😉

I once spent three days stuck behind a caravan near Durness.

Its a good point though

Fast group of roadies doing 25mph: "OH MY GOD BLOODY CYCLISTS MUST GET PAST!!!!"

Little old lady in a Honda Jazz doing 35mph: "Oh well best wait patiently to get past would want to scare the old dear"

I think there should be more of this -
[img] [/img]

I still couldn't over take - but the transition 'moves' from peloton to rolling pyramid would help fill the waiting. 🙂

Ideally, motorists should treat a group of cyclists as one - you treat it like a long vehicle basically. What one cyclist does affects what everyone else in the group does.

that is advanced group riding theory, and has nothing whatsoever to do with the highway code, proper road use or anything else..

could I legitimately make the same excuses for a large group of boy racers out for a spin in their hideously converted astras..!?

what utter bollueax
grow up

How many lay bys big enough for an HGV to pull into were on this 4mile stretch of road?

specialknees, I'm guessing by your them and us comment that you've never experienced riding in a big roadie group? Maybe you should get out on the road to experience this first hand. You might have a different view to this then.

Not saying we're all perfect but from experience and as pointed out already, when riding on narrow country lanes with few overtaking places, riding two up is by far the safest way to ride. Sometimes you have to weigh up between common sense and safety.

super soaker full of piss would be the appropriate response I believe..

winding road? so you'd do what 30mph along it? group of roadies averaging 20mph? it cost you what, 5 mins at most? sat in a chair, listening to the radio, pushing and pulling a couple of levers and turning a wheel.
boo. hoo.
they didn't think it was safe. you don't get to make that choice. suck it, up susan.

fair shout, but what you going to do if he has his windows closed?

wait til he gets out at the garage for a rant..

fair shout, but what you going to do if he has his windows closed?

wait til he gets out at the garage for a rant..

OP wrote

Looking back, Im so glad I never got irate and lost my rag as the whole point of me stopping was because I genuinly couldnt understand their actions. As I said they knew I was a cyclist when I stopped, I never wanted an apology. Just couldn't understand their actions, still dont to be honest.

I [b]do[/b] still think the OP was being entirely reasonable and my worry would have been that drivers behind would have become increasingly frustrated until one of them did something stupid,

There is not much 'win' in riding like that, whether it be to prove a point or just plain ignorance or selfishness. At best you piss other people off or worst, you end up in a horrible accident.

A bit of give and take goes a long way and is sadly lacking in a lot of people.

Its a good point though

Fast group of roadies doing 25mph: "OH MY GOD BLOODY CYCLISTS MUST GET PAST!!!!"

Little old lady in a Honda Jazz doing 35mph: "Oh well best wait patiently to get past would want to scare the old dear"

Yep. Same for tractor/horse or any other slow load. For some reason cyclists just [i]have[/i] to be passed straight away.

See this on the road out my village all the time. It's a hill with a few blind bends. It's really not long and finishes at a T-junction, but for some reason people prefer to do suicidal blind dives in the other lane than be held up by a cyclist for what is a matter of seconds.

Incidentally how fast were they going OP?
4 miles at 25mph is 9 minutes 36 seconds.

From the sounds of the road you'd normally be doing 40-50ish?
4 miles at 45mph is 5 minutes 20 seconds - so you're talking about maybe a 4 minute delay? Is that really worth raging about? You must go mental when you get to traffic lights.

Good point Woody,
A bit of give and take.

that is advanced group riding theory, and has nothing whatsoever to do with the highway code, proper road use or anything else..

could I legitimately make the same excuses for a large group of boy racers out for a spin in their hideously converted astras..!?

It has everything to do with it.
Certainly on the continent there is some sort of driving law whereby a group of cyclists is treated as one. If the head of a peloton makes it through a green light which then changes, the rest of the group still have right of way even on red (like the tail end of a lorry going through). If a driver cannot overtake the whole group in one move, they can't just overtake half, pull in then wait to overtake the other half.

Use the same analogy on ramblers if you want - you approach of group of ramblers walking along a trail and there will be carnage as they all mill aimlessly around, some going one way, some going another. Most roadies are like that when faced with a car - some will want to let it past, some won't care but as a result, you'll never get one decision (like "we will pull in here") made instantly.

I'm not saying that the riders were right to continue on their merry way holding up all and sundry behind them but I'm not exactly saying it was wrong either...

Graham,
The time is totally unimoportant to me. As I said I was in no rush, if it were someone else though they may have been.
It was the F YOU JACK im alright attitude I didnt like.

As previously said they could have let me past safely. Im a cyclist and a motorist and I was there.

Im a careful driver and cyclist, I believe this sort of riding, three a breast dont forget leads to accidents and the car will always come of best.

Going by your description of the road, it would have made no difference if they were single file or 2/3 abreast, as long as they weren't crossing the while line. In fact, as has been pointed out, it can be easier to pass a more compact group as you will need less length of road to do so.

I got knocked off by a lorry last year going up a hill on an A road in a 30mph village. I could hear him sat behind me for approx 500yards. I was due to turn off right or I might have considered stopping as he was making me feel uncomfortable.

Just before I was due to turn he started to overtake heading towards a blind bend. It being 6pm surprise surprise a car came the other way. It stopped - the lorry could have braked to a halt but instead decided to wipe me against a wall.

The statement he gave to the police was 'he didn't pull over to let me past...."

Im a [s]careful[/s] passive aggressive driver and cyclist, I believe this sort of riding, three a breast dont forget leads to accidents and the car will always come of best.

FIFY

As previously said they could have let me past safely. Im a cyclist and a motorist and I was there.

I wasn't but they were. Perhaps they decided that they couldn't let you past safely?

(and no I don't think moving into single file and letting you squeeze alongside is "passing safely" on the road you describe)

I agree that it would have been courteous to have pulled in somewhere safe (side road, bust stop, parking place) and let you past - but I don't know what was available to them. They did pull into a garage, perhaps for that very reason?

Likewise it would have been courteous to give you an acknowledgement thumbs up for hanging back. I would have.

believe this sort of riding, three a breast dont forget leads to accidents

No idea why three abreast makes any difference TBH.

I'm not saying that the riders were right to continue on their merry way holding up all and sundry behind them but I'm not exactly saying it was wrong either...

fair enough.. sorry for being a bit caustic.. I'm getting my knickers in a twist..
most [i]cyclists[/i] can't understand the blinkered attitude of the roadie group to other road users, so to expect joe public motorist to understand it seems a bit rich..

these threads just get my goat when people (not you in this case) dumbly stand behind an interpretation of the highway code ordering other road users to simply get over it..

it's not good for cycling

Sounds like you've decided that anyone on a roadbike is arrogant, and then used this attitude to create a problem.
What would you have said if they were children?
Or on a charity walk?
Or a group of singlespeeders?

Never mind, at least you've got a 4 page thread on STW...

Have taken the time to read the OP a couple of times, and bearing in mind that WE are ALL responable for road safety, i would say the following.

The Op was trying to pass the cyclists by giving them half the carrage way width or a cars width, if you are two up on a bike this can't be done unless the road is quite wide.
So if you are two up drop to single file or be prepared for some close passing (because it will happen in the end)

If the road group is long (peloton - oh get her :D) and the road is narrow then as an individual you are responable for your own actions.
You need to ask yourself if you are contributing to a safe situation?

Seperating the group up in smaller batchs or riding together and stopping at regular intervals might be safer for everyone.
Also a little bit of road craft and good manners goes a long way.
having driven some slow vehicles on some tricky roads, regular stops the odd left hand indictor when the road is clearing tends to stop normal people acting like cocks.
(cocks will always be cocks thou)

As for the sole female with a bunch blokes to back her up telling you the FO. Blimey thats a real victory for wimens wrights.

Yunki: no probs and thanks for the apology.

these threads just get my goat when people (not you in this case) dumbly stand behind an interpretation of the highway code ordering other road users to simply get over it..

it's not good for cycling

Agreed.
I mean we're quite lucky here in that the OP has come to a cycling forum to vent, some people have kind of agreed with his POV, others have educated (?) him with regards to the whys and wherefores etc. Imagine what would have happened if he'd have gone to the Daily Mail website to vent...

😉

The statement he gave to the police was 'he didn't pull over to let me past...."

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnng.. I hope the police explained the error of his ways and charged him with Dangerous Driving (yeah right).

I had a taxi driver do this to me last week. Fortunately with no consequences. It is literally 210 metres (I just measured it) between turning onto this road http://goo.gl/maps/Sxngu and the point where I turn right to go over the Millennium bridge. Plus it is a 20mph Zone.

Taxi driver took exception to me riding out from the kerb (taking the lane for my upcoming right turn) so he sat on the horn then went screaming past me just as I should have been turning right.

I must have "held him up" for less than 10 seconds tops. He wouldn't have even thought about it if I was another car.

Hmmm...

Well covering very windy bits of road round me, I judge it on my speed, the road, my knowledge of any upcoming passing places etc and make a judgement accordingly.

If there's a passing place I'll pull in and drop some speed. If i know there isn't a passing please then I might up my speed. I might pull close to the edge of the road if I think there's a passing opportunity in the road ahead.

In a big group we have in the past split our selves to allow a car to pass some of us, and then the rest.

depending on the width of the road number a abreast can make the difference, but its a balancing act between balancing width and length.

Certainly some roadies can behave in a more dominant we're special way... but not all. were they perchance, all wearing matching clothing?

Wasnt aware a '4 page spread' was something to covert.

Just wanted other peoples views. Which is what I have got.
Dont agree with all of them but thats part of life.

I try hard not to pigeon hole cyclist 'Roadie' 'MTB' 'Singlespeeders' etc. I dont do road riding which is why I couldnt understand their actions. Some here have made some good points and I know more now than I did.

Fair play, you sound pretty reasonable all round, you just picked a contentious subject for a monday morning on this place 🙂
Even wearing team kit and going hard, roadies are no quicker than a moped. They are slow moving vehicles.

ill upload a vid on youtube next time i have someone to record. can wheelie at 10mph for easy 500m

YES, YOU ARE AWSUM. not sure you'll keep up with a roadie at 10mph mind.

as others have said, little bit of give and take goes a long way.

'I try hard...'

Really? The evidence would suggest otherwise...

I'd say a few car drivers will simply not overtake even little old me when I'm riding solo unless they can use the full width of the road i.e. they've got ~500m visibility ahead and can see there is no on-coming traffic, they will then use the whole of the opposite carriage way to creep past...

I'd say the majority of drivers actually manage to judge the width of their cars/the road/me a bit better and give me a comfortable ~half of the carriageway, pass quickly and efficiently, and hold back if they can't be sure of doing so...

A few however will always chance the narrow pass rather than accept a minor delay...

The Narrow passers would not chance it though with a large doubled up group IMO, they might get irate, beep their horn and pull over for a shout at you further down the road.
But what they won't manage to do is stuff half your group into a wall with their tin box, thus where the road layout, course and conditions dictates I'd say doubling up a group (especially a large one) can be the safer option, as it pre-empts any driver ****tery...

Despite the ongoing debate, I'm sure we can all agree that the only real losers are those that wear pro team kit on their Sunday pootle. What do they think they look like? the knobs.

Something just occourred to me...
Its the first time I have ever witnessed this kind of behaviour. I ride on roads on my MTB as we all do from time to time. We pull over or get out of the way of cars and I thought everybody did the same, its not something we have all agreed to do, we just do it.
Mainly out of courtesy I suppose, but self preservation plays a part too.

Fair play, you sound pretty reasonable all round, you just picked a contentious subject for a monday morning on this place

+1

I'd say doubling up a group (especially a large one) can be the safer option, as it pre-empts any driver ****tery...

Not always...

We pull over or get out of the way of cars and I thought everybody did the same, its not something we have all agreed to do, we just do it.
Mainly out of courtesy I suppose, but self preservation plays a part too.

But sometimes self-preservation means taking the road, not skulking at the kerb.

I'd say the majority of drivers actually manage to judge the width of their cars/the road/me a bit better and give me a comfortable ~half of the carriageway, pass quickly and efficiently, and hold back if they can't be sure of doing so...

There are a few die hards (I think you can guess who I am refering to!) around these parts who would have you hung drawn and quartered for considering this reasonable and a trator to your two wheel brethrin for considering it so. They will drag out "that" photo to show you why you are so wrong. I'm not one of them. I'll have to find the quote - it was quite emotional!

They would suggest that your option 1 (full road) is the only acceptable way to pass a cycle and will use this as evidence as to why singling up is never a reasonable option. FWIW singling up if there only up to say 4 of you makes a lot of sense to me but when it is a group of 10 or more your are a long train to overtake and probably no easier than a doubled up group. Best then if in an area where you know its going to be an issue to split the group up for a few miles with enough space for each group to be overtaken seperately as a seperate entity.

Am I missing something here?

The road is not wide enough for two cars plus a bike. So how would the cyclists riding in-line change anything? The road is STILL not wide enough. Moving to single file merely invites the car into a dangerous place.

Is it just me or are rodies a breed apart...arrogant??

They look harmless enough to me.

[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7272/7675907392_7e7c6fa8da_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7272/7675907392_7e7c6fa8da_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/takisawa2/7675907392/ ]southside[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/takisawa2/ ]pten2106[/url], on Flickr

I still think they could have let me past safely
How?

Easy you split the group in two so it's actually like overtaking one car each time. And when there is an interval you slow down a bit to make overtaking easier.

However full team kit carbon exotica roadies are scums. Everyday commuter gets my upmost respect and road consideration. The former not so much.

juan - Well congrats on a sweeping generalisation of a post. Typical Frenchman eh? 🙄

In a little defense of the OP, I did a charity ride yesterday, Manchester to Chester. There were some groups on the ride spreading themselves over a single width lane, not even having the decency to let faster riders passed until asked.

It seems on all sides roadies MTB'ers drivers some peopls are either not aware of what is around them or plain dont care, safety is one thing ignorance of others is another.....

Simple, they should have allowed you to pass by going single file - if nothing else then simply going back to 2 abreast when traffic conditions allow.

The amount of time I see this it drives me crazy.

Common courtesy costs nothing, helps others than yourself, makes the passing and general road safer and like I said....

COSTS NOTHING.

bunch of lycra-clad mincing whinging retard ****s the lot of em.

m1xmag - Member - Block User - Quote
Simple, they should have allowed you to pass by going single file - if nothing else then simply going back to 2 abreast when traffic conditions allow.

Simple, they should have allowed you to pass by going single file

Did you read any of the rest of the thread? How would going single file help if, as the OP states, the road is "wide enough for two cars to pass but not two cars and a bike"

Instead of having to make say a 10 metre pass in the opposite lane he now has to make a 20 metre pass in the opposite lane.

bunch of lycra-clad mincing whinging retard **** the lot of em.

This place makes me sad sometimes.

crawps calm down people, let me update my comment...

Simple, they should have allowed you to pass by going single file

If not then judging the impact they may have been having on other users and if necessary taking appropriate action.

The OP says that the road wasn't wide enough to pass even a single file queue of bikes.

No the OP said the road was wide enough for 2 cars so by going into single file he could not only have more space but more visibility before overtaking.

So, Im driving along a country lane near home, its wide enough for two cars to pass but not two cars and a bike.

the OP said the road was wide enough for 2 cars

so riding 2 abreast made them easier to overtake...

druidh - Member
I don't know where you're getting this "us and them" thing from.

MBUK circa 1997.

I think the biggest problem here is you imposing an attitude on them that they don't have. This is whats left you "fuming".

OP you need to go out on a few road rides to understand how it feels cycling in traffic. At times it feels like open season on cyclists - close passing, abuse, sometimes psychotic behaviour. I had a guy nearly crash on a country lane - he was so busy giving me the finger after he close overtook me, that he stopped looking where he was going.
Is someone like that psychologically fit to be driving? I don't think so... but my life is in their hands and I don't like that...

So this kind of experience becoming too often the norm, we learn to ride defensively so we don't get killed or injured. Not just for our own convenience or selfishness but also because my friends and family would be in pieces standing around at my funeral and I don't want to do that to them.

So to avoid that appalling scenario, on a narrow country road where I feel tucking into the gutter would invite a driver to make a dangerous overtake, I take primary position - as taught by Bikeability - ie: in the middle of my side of the road. It's safer for me, safer for anyone trying to overtake, safer for the car driver coming the other way. Sadly this is often interpreted as selfish cycling...

Driver education is what is needed here so they can understand why we ride defensively and to respect our desire to stay alive. Cyclists have been group riding since before today's drivers were born. My club was formed in 1938... cars don't have a magic priority.

As for the 'it makes drivers angry' if they can't get past. An individual's response to a situation is entirely their choice. If they choose to get angry because they can't get past a cyclist or group of cyclists I suggest they need to see a therapist. It's probably the most unhelpful mental state to be in when driving 1 tonne + of metal.

Try some road riding - it'll help you understand how to drive more safely around cyclists, and hopefully help you to understand being angry isn't a terribly helpful response for you or anyone. I do however give you full credit for the fact that, unlike many drivers, you did have the patience and maturity to sit behind them for 4 miles. When that happens to me, I always give a thank you wave. Win win for everyone!

well put

This has parallels with the Critical Mass issue. Why, as a motorist, do you think you have a greater right to be on the roads than cyclists? Why is it such an issue that you have to drive slowly for a while? How would you feel if it were a tractor, or funeral cortege you were following? Would you still be as impatient?

The road does not exist for your exclusive unhindered enjoyment. Perhaps you would be wise to consider this.

During theTour de France in central London a few years ago, I witnessed a small number of extremely irate car drivers angry that their route had been blocked to hold a huge sporting event enjoyed by millions. I just thought their behaviour was extremely selfish. Perhaps such people shoud not drive cars, if they get so angry if others impede their progress.

To be fair brooess, it sounds (from him) like the OP behaved quite reasonably.

Actually that's a point OP, you say the road was 2 cars wide only, and twisting; had they gotten into singlefile do you think you could have stuck the pass on the whole group at once or would you have then needed them to break into convieniently smaller groups still?
i.e. 5 at a time, 3, maybe 2?
What exactly were you expecting by way of 'courtesy' from a group of group of 10 roadies to yourself and the other road users?

You are clearly concerned about the huge inconvienience to you, but you want them to break their group down (and in doing so probably drop their speed even further) so you can play leap frog over the course of what a couple of miles? all so you can sit in a queue at some lights 30 seconds sooner... you'd have wound up sat for a mile and a half unable to pass the last 3 riders due to blind corners with 7 more up your chuff giving you evils for being impatient.

However much time you think they cost you, it won't have been anything like that much, pulling in to start an argument probably did...

Thats the other thing, arguably the 'Worst' thing you can ever do in any altercation on the road is stop and get out of the car to take it further...

You might well be after a polite debate on the highway code, but I reckon most people would tend to interpret pulling over, getting out and walking up to someone who's use of the road you object to, as being a bit aggressive. Common practise these days is a beep/shout/finger on the way past to register displeasure, then off you pootle on your merry way, taking the time to approach other road users after the fact normally indicates a bit of a self control/road rage issue...

TBH, Ten of them, One of you, getting told to 'Eff off' was about the best outcome you could have hoped for...

The more I think about it, the less in control of yourself (and by extension your car) you seem OP...

To be fair brooes, it sounds (from him) like the OP behaved quite reasonably.

There are some world class knuckle dragging forkwit comments in this thread, and I'm mainly referring to the "[s]roadies[/s] other type of cyclists are scum" comments.

You should be collectively ashamed.

Moving on, I'm stunned that the OP couldn't get past a group of cyclists over a 4 mile stretch. Apparently Southern England has the busiest roads in the country but I can not think of a single time or place where I / a group of riders would hold up traffic for this amount of distance. - I can only presume this happened in some remote area of the UK?

Now we don't have all the facts but I think the road riding group could have shown more consideration in holding traffic up. Be that a simple 'sorry for the delay' type wave or once they pulled in, being polite and reasonable.

The OP's comments at the garage suggest a reasonable effort to engage them so the F O was childish in the extreme. - I can see the other side of the argument but if I was approached by someone who appeared to be a fellow cyclist and wasn't venting steam, I wouldn't immediately get all stroppy.

To the posters who referenced them all riding in the same (club) kit, you will generally find club riders are responsible human beings and very likely have been riding for many years.

A couple of additional comments.

I did the BHF London - Brighton night ride back in May and this was my first charity ride. Even being at the front of the ride I saw some [b]really[/b] crap cycling on the Queen's highways. Charity rides are on the whole a good thing but they don't half bring out all sorts of people riding bikes*

Whenever I get a vehicle behind me for a period of time, I will whereever possible, indicate and pull in to let them past. - I don't want X tonnes of van/bus/truck helping me down the road any more than they want to be stuck behind some bludy cyclist. 99% of the time I will get a toot or flash of thanks. - A tiny bit of courtesy goes along way as does a wave from me for folk who've waitied.

* = people riding bikes are not necessarily cyclists.

Riding two abreast is in the same bag as running a red light and riding on a pavement - it's not right but people do it. Annoys me and try not to do it but get caught out sometimes as no-one is perfect but I pull in asap.

When I had a brief stop on the roadside on the mtb yesterday I got passed by a group of riders, some said hello which is rare! There was a queue of traffic behind them. A few places to pass but there was a long line of cyclists so overtaking was difficult. I ended up overtaking on a corner to talk to the guys at the back who were no longer so polite. He said he doesn't have to ride single file on a road! Laughed in their faces and rode off. Car behind then managed to overtake, beeped like mad giving a universal hand sign and then proceeded to slowed without letting them pass. Childish but funny

+1 for Yunki + Junkyard

I don't get why people have to be such c**t* these days - cyclists, motorists etc etc People just seem to like being awkward and claiming it is their right.

I always assist cars get past. My friends and I ride 2 abreast when no cars are around and immediately filter in line to ensure cars can pass with a decent gap between groups of 2/3 and minimising how far they go over the white line. I also help guide them through if I can see further ahead it is safe to overtake. I make a point of making eye contact with other road users so they know I am aware of them and likewise they are aware of me. It is kind of in my own best interests to avoid any kind of incident - whether I have right of way etc I don't care - right of way/law on my side is not much use if I am dead!

I remember driving back from Afan during the Wiggle dragon ride to pick up a mate who was taking part and we had been mountainbiking.

I had to overtake small clusters who where all very courteous despite being in a race. True I felt a bit like a support car at the TDF but they way I drive around cyclists they know I know what I am doing as I stay back off their wheels, make sure I have a good view, make eye contact and give them plenty of room and notice I am passing.

There was a few times when I was stuck behind a group so waited and saw faster cyclists coming up behind so I made sure I backed off, gave them room and waved them past. Later on the same courtesy was returned.

I do similar for motorbikes who are riding sensibly - I make sure they have enough room to pass safely and give them a chance to - it doesnt cost me any time to do so and makes sure they are safe.

Some cyclists need to understand they are not doing the TDF and they need to break up the group and bit and stop chatting and give room for people to pass them occasionally. But sadly a lot are just arrogant tossers - they probably are in other aspects of their lives too. Just like there are a lot more who don't ride bikes. Human race: too many self centred arses.

It is difficult to escape the conclusion that a lot of people on here only "ride" by putting their bike in their car and driving to the trail centre, or wherever they off-road.

Anyone that thinks cyclists should hug the gutter on the road either lacks experience or is an idiot.

OP - next time, just observe the actions of this guy... seemed to work for him.

NB. I believe he did end up in a mental asylum though.

Riding two abreast is in the same bag as running a red light and riding on a pavement - it's not right but people do it.

Except that riding two abreast is entirely legal whereas jumping red lights and riding on the pavement isn't??

You've got 2 arguments here based around consideration for others:
1. Car drivers should be more considerate to cyclists, ease up and sit behind until there's space
2. Cyclists should be more considerate to car drivers and get out of the way [i]if [/i]they're holding things up

I agree in part with both arguments, and the Highway Code can support both too. I suspect that, depending on the scenario, both behaviours can be most appropriate.

Which is the nub of the issue. No-one argues against greater consideration for others. But which action delivers that consideration? Depends entirely on the circumstances...

We need clearer law and clearer priorities. As it's impossible for car driver and cyclist to communicate their points of view and needs whilst both travelling along a country lane, confusion and conflict will continue...

Oh and riding in the gutter suggests that cyclists are somehow secondary citizens and as cycling numbers increase, this is likely to lead to more injuries and deaths (cyclists and drivers), not fewer

* = people riding bikes are not necessarily cyclists.

I can see your POV and, as a cyclist, I agree with it. The problem is that, to a non cyclist (general member of the public/a lot of drivers), ANYONE riding a bike is a cyclist regardless of it it's someone on a Boris bike, a commuter on a Brompton, a kid on a BMX, a lycra clad roadie or an armoured up DHer. To the general public they're one and the same. That's why certain comments on this thread about "roadie scum" vs MTBers are so depressing to read.

You're right about charity rides, Sportives etc, they really do bring out some spectacularly shit riding and in that respect, cyclists do themselves no favours whatsoever. I hate riding in groups of more than about 6 for that very reason. For all the comments about rubbish drivers, stupid overtakes etc (which I agree with), there can be similar comments aimed at groups of cyclists who (often unthinkingly) do some unbelievably stupid things.

I really hope Taff is a troll.

What exactly is wrong with riding two abreast if the road is not wide enough for two cars plus a bike? If a safe overtake is already going to involve the car using the other carriageway, then what's the problem with riding two abreast?