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

So, Im driving along a country lane near home, its wide enough for two cars to pass but not two cars and a bike.
A group of riders (around 10 in total)in front of me nearly all two-a-breast, some three. All nice expensive bikes, most had some sort of team kit on.
I politely sat behind for a mile, not even a hint from the riders to form single file and let me pass. Another mile goes by, several look round and acknowledge me there. Still no attempt to let me pass, road just a bit too winding for me to pass safely. After four+ miles group pull into a petrol station.
I pull in and without loosing my rag and politely question them, asking why they never let me pass (I had cycle gear on too as I was on my way to a ride). To say they where arrogant and non-caring would be an understatement, not one of them came up with a reason as to why they never let me pass.
I think this sort of thing gives cyclist me included a bad name. All they had to do was form a single file and let me pass, basic decency as far as Im concerned. I ended by telling them without swearing or raising my voice that people like them give cycling a bad name and make non-cycling road users take unnessesary and dangerous chances. I was then told to F-OFF by the only female in the group.! I laughed and walked back to my car.
What do the collective think, am I out of order?

Handily I’ve just made myself a cup of tea…

Lycra clad cocks!

You wasted your time and breath.

Have a nice day.

SB

Chocolate digestives to hand

If ten riders got into single file wouldn’t that just leave you with a very long line to try to get past safely? Or would you just start to pass and then push into the middle of them if something was coming the other way?

Still no attempt to let me pass, road just a bit too winding for me to pass safely.

so you can’t overtake as per the highway code, your problem.

After four+ miles group pull into a petrol station.

so now is your chance to overtake.

All they had to do was form a single file and let me pass,

read the highway code, it would still not be safe for you to overtake. You are expected to make a real overtake not squeeze past trying not to cross the white line just in case a car is coming round the corner.

rule 163

4+ miles!!!

You sir, have the patience of a saint……and need some lessons in overtaking 😯

No (I ride a road bike too).

Thats just rude on thier part. FWIW, I witness this yesterday – I was passed (whilst on my bike) by 3 riders who continue up the road three abreast.

An orderderly queue of cars started behind them. After about 5 miles and 3 cars had passed and irate lorry driver (who of course needs more space), honked his horn. They all gave him 1/2 fingers as he went past.

Its especially worse as the left side of the road has a 1m bike lane.

IMO, and this is what I’d do, they ^^ should have moved across single file.

Its not anything to do with road biking btw, just some obnoxious idiots on a bike.

In my experience, it is pretty rare for it to be unsafe to overtake riders who are two abreast but would be safe to overtake a line of single riders.

Single file means double the length of the group, I suspect that the cyclists felt that there was nothing that they could do to allow you to overtake safely besides keep going until a better passing place comes along.

This is going to end badly.

I can see a well used and dog eared image from a highway code website winging its way here as we speak!

+1 what mrmo said, if it’s not safe to pass dont pass. If it had been a large slow moving vehicle what would you have done?

Well it’s a no win situation. You pass them they are going to windge, on the other end, they’ll never be pilote or corteous enough, to make overtaking easy for you. Welcome to roadie universe.

Bugger was just going out with the dug

I can see a well used and dog eared image from a highway code website winging its way here as we speak!

happy to oblige

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

While cycling enjoys its 15 minutes, road riding seems to be attracting this kind of nobber. I wouldn’t worry too much. Give it a month or two and they’ll be kite surfing or something

In the meantime…..

Can someone explain to me how overtaking people riding two (or even three) abreast is sooooo much more difficult than overtaking people riding in single file?

+1 what mrmo said, if it’s not safe to pass dont pass. If it had been a large slow moving vehicle what would you have done?

^^ This.

I wonder at the attitude of some people where they’ll happily (OK, maybe not happily but at least tolerably) sit behind a tractor doing 15mph for 3 miles but put them behind a group of roadies doing 15mph for 3 miles and they’ll turn the air blue with curses…

Yes they *could* have moved into single file but suppose you started your overtake of a line that was now twice as long as a 2-abreast line up and a car came round the corner – you say yourself that the road is just a bit too winding.

road just a bit too winding for me to pass safely

Sounds like a pretty good reason for them to claim the lane and not let you pass.

How would them riding single file help? You’d have a much longer pass to make and you’d still have to go into the oncoming lane (assuming you were overtaking in accordance with the Highway Code and giving them as much room as a car).

That said. 4 miles is a bit of a pain, so unless they were going at a pretty decent clip I’d expect them to let you pass at a side road or parking spot as a courtesy (as any other slow road users should: tractor, caravan etc)

A line of 10 bikes in single file with a good gap between each (cos you’ve broken up their close formation) would be lots longer than an artic. Overtaking would need a good long view ahead- they were probably right & you were wrong.

Yep, all roadies are cocks, and become bigger cocks linked to the value of their bikes.

You would have have none of this fuss from a salt of the earth mountain bike riding an entry level hard tail.

Shocking stuff you should have evoked the spirit of Clarkson and mowed through them all listening to some pile of shite soft rock cd.

OP – you’d have been as well titling your post “please explain the Highway Code to me”.

Have to say, I’m amused that after 4 miles you then gave up your opportunity to get past them. I guess you weren’t in such a hurry after all.

So.. it seems Im the one out of order then.

I still think they could have let me past safely, it was the F YOU JACK im alright attitude that got me.

I cant believe I kept my cool, probly wrong footed by the fact the rude one was female.

its wide enough for two cars to pass but not two cars and a bike

So how would them riding single file have helped? Are you expecting them all to pull over and wait at the side of the road for you to pass?

What do the collective think, am I out of order?

Well, going by the comments above some of “the collective” seem to agree with you. I don’t.

“Basic decency”

“Common sense”

“Thinking of others”

Problem sorted – sadly neither cyclists not motorists seem capable of applying each/all consistently. Chapeau for your patience. The VERY least that they should have done is to acknowledge this. I always make a point of waving thank you to motorists who drive sensible around me and make every effort to let them pass at suitable points on narrow roads. Quite simple really.

Bruce Wee,
Do you really need an explaination?

Woman in a mans world, she had the most to prove 😉

I still think they could have let me past safely

How?

If possible, they should have stopped and let you through.

Common decency innit?

pap your horn after 2 miles …u mite get a wave of some gesture tho :wink::wink:…crickey what a patient car driver you are …..
the female cyclist was being ‘hard headed’ cos she was with the fellas (lol, again

Bruce Wee,
Do you really need an explaination?

Yes please

Im with the OP here. 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.

While on the road with mates we always go to single file when cars are coming in both directions. Sorry but its just common sense. Yes, the highway code states when overtaking you should leave as much room for cyclists as other vehicles, but it also states you should wear high visibility clothing with reflectors etc…

The most important highway code rule is common sense.

Yes they *could* have moved into single file but suppose you started your overtake of a line that was now twice as long as a 2-abreast line up and a car came round the corner – you say yourself that the road is just a bit too winding.

single file with enough room for a car between each rider, just in case like or better still they should have pulled over immediately and let the OP through he obviously more important as he drives a car.

teamhurtmore,
I agree.

There is middle ground here, sadly there was no attempt by the cyclists to get there.
I suppose motorists (me included) do think we have a right of way.
Still not changed my views though, they could have easily let me pass safely and everybody would have got on with what they were doing.

This causes so many problems / accidents and I feel that there should be more public information about this to educate both motorists & bikers.

I always cover this when teaching Mountain Bike Leader Courses. This is spot on –

BruceWee – Member
If ten riders got into single file wouldn’t that just leave you with a very long line to try to get past safely? Or would you just start to pass and then push into the middle of them if something was coming the other way?

If you and few mates where followed into a petrol station by a motorist for a “critical chat” would you give a sh!t about what they had to say.

Your the one with problems if your still fuming now with a “tar everyone with the same brush attitude”.

Could you not just clip the back wheel of the rider at the back…if it’s anything like TdF they’ll all be laid in the hedge bottom in 5 secs…problem solved

Explain how they could have let you past safely

.and need some lessons in overtaking

The way they do it around here is pick the most dangerous spot and scream by with the yell of….Waaannnkkkeeeerrrssss…

specialknees – Member

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

From this in the OP it’s tough to see how he could have passed single file riders safely.