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Just common courtesy, innit? If I'm on a road, be it on fat or skinny tyres, I usually make a point of giving cars room to pass, mainly because I don't like having an increasingly wound-up and frustrated motorist sat 2 feet behind me. The longer they have to wait, the more likely they are to take a chance at barging past and leaving you upside-down in a ditch.
The worst offenders seem to be the club-roadie types who appear to think their natty matching kit makes them immune - I got stuck behind a certain Midlands-based club wearing orange and blue yesterday - similar story to the OP, but without the confrontation - because I know how that would have turned out... 🙄
teamhurtmore +1
However, what surprises me is how many motorists haven't worked out the simple combination of stick and pedal movements that make their car go faster. I generally cycle alone, but the vast majority of cars that make overtakes are chugging along next to me for far longer than I am comfortable with.
4 miles? I can't imagine a piece of road, even on the windiest country lanes, where with some give and take you couldn't have got past. A decent tractor driver would have pulled over after far less.
But we won the tdf so I imagine roadies feel they can do what they want.
it's like the critical mass lot but with different haircuts..
some of you lot are so shallow..
courtesy costs nowt and it's this sort of thing that [i]really[/i] gives cycling a bad name.. never mind whether it's technically legal or not..
Junkyard,
You have put it better than I ever could.
I was patient and just needed a bit of assistance and cooperation from the group.
I usually make a point of giving cars room to pass,
how, bare in mind the highway code guidance is quite clear on how the driver overtakes?
The only option is for the cyclists to pull over and get off the road if the road is that winding.
If you came up behind a couple of horses what would you do?
Yunki,
You too make a lot of sence.
Can someone explain to me how the group could have helped the car overtake? Or at least quote the bit where someone else has explained it?
Riding en masse 2 or 3 abreast with total disregard for whats stuck behind you?... Hmmmmmm.....
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Well if your going to start quoting the highway code to defend your troll point then it quite clearly states they were in the wrong in the section pasted below. We could rangel all day about the highway code and legalities, but point remains, roadies that hold up traffic for several miles are just bleeding inconsiderate of other road users. Even tractors pull in and let you pass if there's a spot. Cycling like that just gives us a bad name.
66
You should
keep both hands on the handlebars except when signalling or changing gear
keep both feet on the pedals
[b]never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends[/b]
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
just out of interest, what urgent mission where you on that meant that you couldn't be slowed down for a couple of miles?
Bruce wee,
You seem to looking for a fight?
Sorry, you got the wrong person.
Can someone explain to me how the group could have helped the car overtake?
By pulling over if opportunity arose. 4miles equals 12-15mins - I'd be feeling pretty uncomfortable if the same person was stuck behind me after that much time. Others clearly wouldn't.
Bruce wee,
You seem to looking for a fight?
Sorry, you got the wrong person.
Actually, I just want to know what you wanted them to do. Single file wouldn't have helped so what was it they should have done to help you get past? Pulled off the road and stopped?
Roadies are not all bad.
The other day there was a well-fed group in Team Sky gear coming the other way while I was riding along the pavement on my DH bike.
I shouted WIG-GO! and they shouted WAN-KER!
Smiles all round happy days
Pulled off the road and stopped?
Yep, that's what I'm happy enough to do every now and again( or at least a slow roll through a lay-by or passing place) on roads where backing up behind a bike is inevitable. 2-3mins max of stuck behind me and I have to stop every now and again seems like a reasonable compromise of inconvenience all around.
Even tractors pull in and let you pass if there's a spot.
If there is a spot, they got to a garage and pulled in.
job done.
never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends
still doesn't help the OP overtake though and going by normal events, the car pulls into the middle of the group because it can't complete the overtake, forcing riders to take evasive action. I have seen accidents due to this kind of stupid behaviour.
If you can overtake safely do so, if you can't you wait. 10riders 2 abreast is about 20m, if they are in single file your looking at nearer 40m, on a narrow twisty road that is a long time to be on the wrong side of the road?
and i am interested to know where this happened i can't think of many places where there are 4miles of bends where an overtake couldn't be safely performed?
And people do seem very prone to getting stressed out by having to wait. so time perception gets a bit skewed.
If you were in such a hurry why did you pull into the petrol station to [s]argue[/s] talk to them.
Can someone explain to me how the group could have helped the car overtake? Or at least quote the bit where someone else has explained it?
They could have gone into 2 groups of single file allowing him to overtake in 2 stages as he was patiently waiting for 4 miles.
''Pulled off the road and stopped''
Either of the above or simply go from three to two abreast would have helped.
Single file with a few gaps would have been even better.
I suppose we are never going to all agree on this but if I was one of the cyclists I know I would have done something and Im sorry but three abreast is just asking for trouble in my book.
would it been okay if they were on mountainbikes?
i'm guessing here, but even single-file those yard wide handlebars would be about as broad as two roadies
Three abreast is also illegal isn't it?
Oh not another weekly road incident thread where the scenario gets analysed in more detail and from more angles than the 'trial of the century' with O.J freekin Simpson!
Get back to work,get out on yer bikes or hit another website before this turns into another 10 pager!
and i am interested to know where this happened i can't think of many places where there are 4miles of bends where an overtake couldn't be safely performed?
If its a really busy day and there is a constant stream of cars coming the other way, I can think of loads of places.
''If there is a spot, they got to a garage and pulled in''.
They passed at least three other places they could have done the same.
Either of the above or simply go from three to two abreast would have helped.
Single file with a few gaps would have been even better.
Trust me it wouldn't, it does cause accidents. cars and bikes in that sort of arrangement is never good.
You either overtake the whole group or you don't.
''If you were in such a hurry why did you pull into the petrol station to argue talk to them''.
I wasnt in a hurry, never said I was.
As I said I had cycle kit on and thought I would at least get an explaination, being part of the gang so to speak.
Single file with a few gaps would have been even better.
WHAT!!! There is no way in hell that I'd ever think that was a good idea either as a driver or a cyclist. Putting a car in the middle of a group of cyclists on the public road is never a good idea.
As a road user you have to expect that sometimes you will be held up by others. You do not own the road, you do not have special priviliges, you should not expect that other people should get out of your way (blue flashing lights excepted) although it is nice when they do.
I rarely ride on the road, but in the instance above then yes, I would pull in at the side of the road to let the cars past as soon as I was able. It isn't the TDF, a few seconds of their time could have saved the OP 12-15 minutes!
Some MTB'ers and some Roadies are - but the bast majority arn't - that's just their problem - don't let them tar your view!
Does anyone [i]really[/i] 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?
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]Pulled off the road and stopped[/i]
I did this once during the 50 miles I put in yesterday. It was not a problem for me and once the car had pasted I could happily continue along the country lane, without having a car behind me. This took all of a few seconds.
When walking along the foot path, if I become aware of someone walking faster than me or apporaching in the opposite direction, I will move to one side of the pavement and let them by.
As I said I had cycle kit on and thought I would at least get an explaination, being part of the gang so to speak.
As said earlier, the moment you pulled over, you are a threat, you are the idiot who is going to lamp someone. Or at least that is how you will be treated.
Yes it sounds like they could have pulled over, but depends on the group as to how easy it is to get everyone to realise a car is behind, where to get off the road etc.
I have driven devon lanes with a police car on blues behind me, no where for them to get past at that point but i know one spot, so aim for that, noticing after the event that i could have stopped elsewhere.
Lots of things may have been happening that you weren't aware of.
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?
+1,000,000
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.
169Do 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.