Last night on my way into town, I had numerous drivers pulling out of turnings forcing me to brake sharply, numerous drivers not using their left side mirrors and turning into my path, drivers ignoring give way signs, ignoring my right of way on roundabouts;

So you bought that amazing Cloak of Invisibility…..

gwj72 – Member

gwj72 – Member
2 roadies going past the garage riding two abreast holding up the traffic (I was 3 cars back), with a nervous older woman immediately behind them.
I always give cyclists room for obvious reasons. But when twunts deliberately hold up traffic so than have a natter, I draw the line. Especially if they act all indignant when it goes tits up. There was even a cycle path there that they refused to ride in!!

typical car drivers attitude. Too many folk on here are car drivers who cycle occasionally.

It is legal to ride two abreast, car drivers should give cyclists plenty of room, you don’t have to ride on cyclepaths.

typical car drivers attitude. Too many folk on here are car drivers who cycle occasionally.

It is legal to ride two abreast, car drivers should give cyclists plenty of room, you don’t have to ride on cyclepaths.

I cycle nearly every day thanks. Just not on roads.

It isn’t legal at all. If your moving at less than 20mph in a 50mph zone, and deliberately holding up traffic by not using the lane provided – then that classes as driving without consideration of other road users. Which is an offence I’m afraid (for cyclists as well as drivers).

I’m still incredulous that people believe their actions in any way influence the behaviour of the vast majority of motorists. Yes there might be a few nutters out there, but I doubt their behaviour is overly influenced either way; they’d be dangerous regardless. The most common danger is simply complacency whichever way you want to dress it up, clearly this applies to everyone.

BTW, anyone who refers to all cyclists as **** is clearly a cretin. With that attitude you could polish their car for them in traffic then hand them a cup of tea and a nice bit of cake and they’d STILL be moaning. People like this are irrelevant.

gwj72 Go look at a highway code.

61

Cycle Routes and Other Facilities. Use cycle routes, advanced stop lines, cycle boxes and toucan crossings unless at the time it is unsafe to do so. Use of these facilities is not compulsory and will depend on your experience and skills, but they can make your journey safer.

66

You should

* never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends

63

Cycle Lanes. These are marked by a white line (which may be broken) along the carriageway (see Rule 140). Keep within the lane when practicable.

Too many folk on here are car drivers who cycle occasionally disagree with me

Isn’t this what you mean….. 🙂

gwj72 Go look at a highway code.

I have. You might try looking at the road traffic act. Holding up other road users (by obstruction of driving too slowly) is an offence under section 3, of driving without consideration of other road users.

Drivers are regularly fined for this, google it. The same rule applies to all road users.

I have. You might try looking at the road traffic act. Holding up other road users (by obstruction of driving too slowly) is an offence under section 3, of driving without consideration of other road users.

Google “Daniel Caddon”

p.s. You don’t “drive” a bike.

gwj72 – does not apply. read this

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4774

Yeah but I’d be amazed if a cyclist was fined for holding up other traffic. I mean, you can only go so fast on a bike, most folk won’t be travelling at more than 15-20mph tops. If that’s too slow for others, tough. What about when you get stuck behind a tractor? Hmm? You just have to sit and wait. Same should apply for cyclists. I’m not going to stop and inconvenience myself just so’s you can get past. Why should I? There’s no legal obligation for me to do so, so shut up. Bibbing your horn at me well I’ll ride even slower and you can bloody well sit there for a bit longer all in a hurry you’d only get another ten yards further anyway selfish knob.

Google “Daniel Caddon”

p.s. You don’t “drive” a bike.

That’s an example I’d agree with. In my case, 2 roadies were cycling slowly (not downhill), 2 abreast with the cycle lane right next to them and unobstructed. Also deep in conversation with no idea what was going on around them. I doubt that judge would have found in favour of these pricks.

Taking legality out of it – I do have to ride on the road between trails and I would never dream of driving in a way that would hold other road users up. Basically because I’m not in the habit of acting like a prick who thinks he owns the road (whether in a car or on a bike).

They are still in the right to do so. thats what the law is. Bikes are traffic – they don’t “hold up traffic”

Its no wonder that bikes get a hard time on the roads when even someone who claims to be a cyclist will not give them the consideration the law says they should have.

There’s no legal obligation for me to do so, so shut up. Bibbing your horn at me well I’ll ride even slower and you can bloody well sit there for a bit longer all in a hurry you’d only get another ten yards further anyway selfish knob

What a cock!

So you think that 2 people are entitled to hold up other road users, just so they can have a chat? There was no good reason to not use the cycle lane. There was no reason they couldn’t have rode 1 abreast to let other road users past. They just thought, with the same cockhead attitude as you, I can do it so I will – f*ck ’em.

And you wonder why drivers give you no grace?

gwj72, the Caddon case shows that your point about the cycle lane is moot – there is no requirement to use it. Nor should there be.

Just because you perceive them to be acting inconsiderately, doosn’t mean they were breaking the law.

It’s a national disgrace!

And you wonder why drivers give you no grace?

Some drivers give us no grace because some drivers refuse to accept that we have a right to use the road. Our behviour does not make the slightest bit of difference to this attitude.

They are still in the right to do so. thats what the law is. Bikes are traffic – they don’t “hold up traffic”

Its no wonder that bikes get a hard time on the roads when even someone who claims to be a cyclist will not give them the consideration the law says they should have.

So because you think you can then you should? Despite it being of no real inconvenience to you to move out of the way? Do you not see that is a bit selfish?

Is this the militant wing of the CTC I’m addressing here or something?

gwj72, the Caddon case shows that your point about the cycle lane is moot – there is no requirement to use it. Nor should there be.

Just because you perceive them to be acting inconsiderately, doosn’t mean they were breaking the law.

No it doesn’t. It says in that particular example he was acting legally. If the cycle lane was actually right next to them, not 3 lanes away, then the judgement may have been different.

Acting inconsiderately is judged on its merits. In this case I don’t think the guy was. In the case I saw, I think they were.

So your need to overtake means that the cyclist must be inconvenienced / put at risk? Cyclists are second class citizens that must get out of the way of the great god car?

Or perhaps cyclist are legitimate road users with whom you need to share the road.

you have admitted you dont cycle on the roads so clearly you cannot judge if what they are doing was appropriate and your arguments about the legality of it have been comprehensivly refuted

I was riding with a friend 2 abreats a couple of months back. We were on a wide road enought for traffic to get past. Some old dear came up behind us and started tooting her horn. She had room to get past but obviously was imcompotent, therefore we stayed 2 abreats and slowed down 🙂

NORMALLY, we are two abreast and if there is a norrow road ill drop behind or go up front, let the traffic past and drop to chat. If they get all inpatient and beep, well, why should I move?

66

You should

* never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends

It could have been a busy road, they should have been in single file…………. 😈

No it doesn’t. It says in that particular example he was acting legally. If the cycle lane was actually right next to them, not 3 lanes away, then the judgement may have been different.

There is no requirement to use a cycle lane. Full stop.

It could have been a busy road, they should have been in single file…

“Should” is not the same as “must”.

Doesn’t the highway code say you can cycle two abreast unless you are causing an obstruction?

never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends

If I am riding two abreast to have a chat, it’s narrow and a car comes along, I get back in line sharpish. I don’t want to annoy anyone, cos I’m nice.

Actually, just because I can apparently. The next bunch of roadies that come up behind me in the peaks are going to struggle to get past. As an MTB rider I have as much right to ride on that road at my chosen speed as them. So I’ll use Schumaker-esque roadcraft to force them into oncoming traffic. Because apparently I can 😀

Oh dear

Doesn’t the highway code say you can cycle two abreast unless you are causing an obstruction?

Rule 66 Highway code

You should

* never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends

You should

* never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends

Should rather that must.

Its also often safer to ride 2 abreast rather than single file.

So your need to overtake means that the cyclist must be inconvenienced / put at risk? Cyclists are second class citizens that must get out of the way of the great god car?

How were these guys being inconvenienced? I’m not expecting them to dismount or get off the road. They should just for 10 seconds or whatever, got in single lane in the unobstructed cycle path to let other road users past. It’s just common decency.

Instead they refused to and then picked on an old woman for having the audacity to try and overtake. How in the name of **** can you defend these people?!

Was she overtaking too close? I find it hard to beleive that a guy would kick off for being overtaken?

Because you are attacking cyclists for merely being on the road acting legally and responsibly. They shouted at her becuase her incompetence and impatience put them at risk.

It take the same amount of road to overtake a bike in single file as it does two abreast if you are obeying the highway code. You are wanting the cyclist to squeeze into the edge of the road so the car can push past where there is not room to overtake safely.

if there’s room to pass a single cyclist safely, there is generally room to pass a pair.

likewise if it is not safe to pass a pair then it *normally* isn’t safe to pass even if they were in single file.

you should give as much room as you would a car which means even in single file you will normally be crossing the central line to pass so 1 versus a pair is pretty much the same thing.

I think what I’m trying to say is, just wait until it is safe to pass, they are well within their right (legally and morally) to be two abreast.

what would you do if it were horses?

people sometimes cyclist are idiots too sometimes drivers are
Two abreast does seem to annoy car drivers I rarely do it.When I do it is usually to stop them overtaking me/us. The fact they still try shows you just how stupid some drivers are IMHO
IME cycle paths are rubbish OOP north last for 150 yds then stop dead take you on the pavement then back on to the road give you very odd angles to look at to see if it safe to rejoin the road etc.
i tend to avoid using them

You’re on a loser here I’m afraid gwj72, and once again I’m amazed that someone on a ‘cycling’ forum, who claims to ride a bike, holds such a view.

Yep, the fact that most cyclepaths are rubbish is a good reason to avoid using them. Let’s face it, no-one wants to pay for Dutch-style facilities, so instead of stupid white lines down narrow pavements, lets focus on making the roads safer for us to use.

Because you are attacking cyclists for merely being on the road acting legally and responsibly

Not necessarily. I don’t believe it’s always responsible to ride two abreast.

Aside from the highway code, we all have a responsibility to get along with each other. For instance, you don’t HAVE to let people out of junctions, but you do, don’t you?

Not often that I join in on these threads, and very rare that I agree with TJ (…sorry 😉 …) but as a club we ride two abreast for our own safety. It stops car drivers from trying to squeeze past when there is no room – cyclists are entitled to the same room as that given to a motor bike or other motorised vehicles – this means that when a car overtakes a cyclist they should give at least 3 foot space. It also forces drivers to slow down and not pass at high speeds 👿

We will, however, thread down to single file if were are causing an obstruction – but sometimes 10 or 12 riders in a single line is harder to pass than two lines of 5 or 6…what ever we/I/you do you’ll get knobbers getting all angry at you 🙄

Was she overtaking too close? I find it hard to beleive that a guy would kick off for being overtaken?

You should ask jeremy, apparently he witnessed it too!

No, these guys had no idea she was there. They were trundling along yakking and looking at each other not the road. When the safest spot came to overtake she tried (after following for about 1/2 mile), and muppet on the right decided to swerve to his right for no particular reason other than shit balance. She didn’t hit him as she was well aware of where he was, but they came too close for his comfort. So he raged at an old woman, presumably with the same indigence being shown here.

There was absolutely no excuse for it. I’m not saying they are indicative of all cyclists (although my mind is being wavered now) or that in every case the driver is correct. I am saying in cases like this, the cyclist should be aware of their surroundings and try showing some of the respect they want from drivers.

I feel weird talking about cyclists as another group here. I thought I was one. And I have raged against motorists who haven’t given me room. But I know what’s right and I’m not the type to exercise some perceived legal right just to be a dick towards drivers.

Junkyard,agree with your views on cyclepaths. So many near me put you into pinch points etc, so I dont use many of them.

There is a stretch of roadworks on a road I use to go home and to stop cars squeezing past me and putting me in danger I ride in the middle of the road. Ive been doing this for about 5 months and only had one person complain, the rest realise what I am doing and that it will only hold them up for 2 mins MAX.

but they have a point get off the road and have some fun down the trail centre sicko 😉
those of us who commute learn where is dangerous and sometimes act aggressively for our own safety.
I had a spot with a parked cars on my side then a blind bend in a 30 zone. i have had people overtake me with their vehicles entirely on the wrong side of the road and speeding to get past me – donehil so iam doing about 30 anyway. When it goes all wrong for them – vehicles coming towards them…this then becomes my fault apparently as I made them do this. the number of times I had to slam on when I realised what they were trying to do is a large number.