Why you should give cyclists a wide berth when passing.

[GetCarter]

Just to explain my point.

I live on this road - that is this wide:



So I cannot possibly obey that 'rule' (for many, many miles).

[Zoobeef]

WinstonWolf said:

That is my answer

If I'm driving on a narrow road and I physically can't leave that much space I keep my speed differential low as if I were passing a horse.

I'm a chilled driver these days, I pass when it's safe not just because there is a slower road user in front of me

So you wouldn't go on the mud to give more space you would go slower. Not at all what you said earlier.

[GetCarter]

WinstonWolf said:

stuff

What would you suggest I do, as I can't possibly obey that 'rule'?

[WinstonWolf]

That's the price you pay for having such a fking lovely house, you'll get no sympathy from me

I'd say enjoy the scenery but I hate you

[GetCarter]

WinstonWolf said:

That's the price you pay for having such a fking lovely house, you'll get no sympathy from me

I'd say enjoy the scenery but I hate you

Well that's fair enough, (and ta) but if you have any chance of getting cyclists to move into passing places, rather than holding up cars, on purpose, 'because they can', it would be appreciated. It drives us nuts up here.

[krisdelta]

GetCarter said:

Just to explain my point.

I live on this road - that is this wide:



So I cannot possibly obey that 'rule' (for many, many miles).

Keen road cyclist here - I think this particular type of road requires the cyclist(s) to be sensible and let cars past.

On the majority of roads, it's simply about cars being patient and overtaking allowing enough space. So many times I have cars passing within 5-10cm's from my handlebars because they don't want to wait for oncoming traffic to clear on wide, well sighted roads. It's easy to forget how exposed cyclists are.

[Conscript]

GetCarter said:

WinstonWolf said:

That's the price you pay for having such a fking lovely house, you'll get no sympathy from me

I'd say enjoy the scenery but I hate you

Well that's fair enough, (and ta) but if you have any chance of getting cyclists to move into passing places, rather than holding up cars, on purpose, 'because they can', it would be appreciated. It drives us nuts up here.

Have you tried contacting any local cycling clubs? Open a discourse with them. They are, of course, entitled to use the road, but remind them that part of that obligation is still to be considerate to others. Ask if they can perhaps put the word out to their members to try and make more opportunities for vehicles to pass, etc.

[WinstonWolf]

GetCarter said:

WinstonWolf said:

That's the price you pay for having such a fking lovely house, you'll get no sympathy from me

I'd say enjoy the scenery but I hate you

Well that's fair enough, (and ta) but if you have any chance of getting cyclists to move into passing places, rather than holding up cars, on purpose, 'because they can', it would be appreciated. It drives us nuts up here.

I ride a similar road in the fens, I use the passing spots, 99% of drivers either wait or pass slowly. It's just the odd tt who passes on a road that wide still doing 60

Chances are that one percent would be tts on bikes too.

[caelite]

WinstonWolf said:

That's the price you pay for having such a fking lovely house, you'll get no sympathy from me

I'd say enjoy the scenery but I hate you

What about the poor sod who needs to deliver stuff to his 'lovely house? Does the rule still count for us?

[WinstonWolf]

caelite said:

WinstonWolf said:

That's the price you pay for having such a fking lovely house, you'll get no sympathy from me

I'd say enjoy the scenery but I hate you

What about the poor sod who needs to deliver stuff to his 'lovely house? Does the rule still count for us?

He has goods flown in by helicopter in a silken sling of course.

[BigLion]

RenOHH said:

lord trumpton said:

We get a lot of the cycling clubs out together around here. All dressed up in their maching Lycra and taking up the whole lane in their imaginary peloton living the dream.

The problem I have is the roads are narrow country roads and it's really difficult to pass them and leave plenty of room. It seems some cyclists can put themselves in harms way, or at least increase their chances of a close shave by some of the more impatient drivers or old biffs.

It's actually safer for groups of cyclists to travel 2 abreast as that shortens the length of time a car needs to spend on the other side of the road. Much easier to pass properly.

Do us a favour and just stay in a line with some gaps, let us drivers worry about the rest

[Jodyone]

GetCarter said:

Just to explain my point.

I live on this road - that is this wide:



So I cannot possibly obey that 'rule' (for many, many miles).

That is a really narrow road. Too narrow for a bicycle and a car next to each other with much speed differential. Or a horse and a car, and so on. Simply, things can't safely pass each other on that road.

If I was cycling slowly up that hill with a car behind me I'd pull over when I could. If I was in a group of bike riders then I'd realistically expect that the car will just have to wait. A large group cannot easily synchronise and pull off the road to let cars by. It's one reason I don't really enjoy rides in large groups! (Downhill, at least, you won't be held up)

What other option is there, but mutual tolerance? We are nearly 70 million people in a reasonably small country and we all want to be in the same places at the same time. This is a very narrow road designed for light traffic. Conflicts of interest happen.

Edited by Jodyone on Sunday 21st August 21:31

[Storer]

In this part of the country there has been £ millions spent on dedicated cycle paths beside main roads. Yet it is still necessary for 'speedy cyclists' to ride on the road beside them.

Drivers pay way more in taxes/duty than is used to build or maintain the roads. Cyclists pay nowt to use them (please don't say you have a car so pay your share - you pay to drive your car).

If there is a specifically built cycleway then it should be a requirement that all cyclists use it. It should also have a speed limit - say 15mph - (5x walking pace seems enough). There is no need for a cyclist to go faster. They are not racing after all, as that is illegal on the public highway!

If cyclist want to go faster then rent a race track, just like car drivers do.

A bicycle is the only vehicle you can use on the public highway with no training or licence AFAIK (a horse is not a vehicle, in case you hadn't noticed!).

[Jodyone]

DuckDuck said:

Jodyone said:

That is a really narrow road. Too narrow for a bicycle and a car next to each other with much speed differential. Or a horse and a car, and so on. Simply, things can't safely pass each other on that road.

If I was cycling slowly up that hill with a car behind me I'd pull over when I could. If I was in a group of bike riders then I'd realistically expect that the car will just have to wait. A large group cannot easily synchronise and pull off the road to let cars by. It's one reason I don't really enjoy rides in large groups! (Downhill, at least, you won't be held up)

What other option is there, but mutual tolerance? We are nearly 70 million people in a reasonably small country and we all want to be in the same places at the same time. This is a very narrow road designed for light traffic. Conflicts of interest happen.

Edited by Jodyone on Sunday 21st August 21:31

The cyclists should pull in and let traffic pass, why not ? if it were a car doing 10mph in front the driver would be expected to pull in and allow overtaking, that's what the rules say. Why should the cyclist be treated any differently?

It feels as if the answer to your question is in my quoted comment. Still, I'll elaborate: a group of bike riders might easily be ten or so. Can you envisage how easy it is for ten cyclists to pull over on a narrow road uphill in synchrony, every time a car wishes to pass? It surely doesn't take much imagination to see that it's way more difficult than for an individual car to pull in to an appropriate space in a similar scenario.

Even it they could, it'd be a constantly repeating event, on some of the hills in the lake district and so on that are cherished routes for bike riders and car drivers alike. Like I said: mutual tolerance.

I live in Cornwall and spend half my driving time stuck behind tractors. They're also slower than me on a bike (unless uphill), and I know from experience that I'm vastly more delayed by tractors than cyclists, whatever I'm using. I can get irritated by them, sure, but usually I just accept it - they have a perfectly good reason to be there - and listen to the radio. The ratio must be similar for others hereabouts- yet, I rarely hear other people ranting aggressively about tractors: but cyclists! Oh, they're the devil incarnate. I think it's a tribal objection rather than a pragmatic one.

[GetCarter]

Jodyone said:

GetCarter said:

Just to explain my point.

I live on this road - that is this wide:



So I cannot possibly obey that 'rule' (for many, many miles).

That is a really narrow road. Too narrow for a bicycle and a car next to each other with much speed differential. Or a horse and a car, and so on. Simply, things can't safely pass each other on that road.

Edited by Jodyone on Sunday 21st August 21:31

It's the main road where I live and is single track for the best part of 40 miles, so if cyclists use it, cars have to pass them (It's on the NC500 route, so lots of Pistonheads come here to drive it). 90% of cyclists pull over into passing places, but there are the 'militant faction' that decide cars should drive at the cyclists speed - and other than running them off the road, you're stuck with it.

Edited by GetCarter on Monday 22 August 08:05

[jamieduff1981]

krisdelta said:

GetCarter said:

Just to explain my point.

I live on this road - that is this wide:



So I cannot possibly obey that 'rule' (for many, many miles).

Keen road cyclist here - I think this particular type of road requires the cyclist(s) to be sensible and let cars past.

On the majority of roads, it's simply about cars being patient and overtaking allowing enough space. So many times I have cars passing within 5-10cm's from my handlebars because they don't want to wait for oncoming traffic to clear on wide, well sighted roads. It's easy to forget how exposed cyclists are.

That's very similar to my locality and to be fair, most cyclists (and a lot of horse riders - and farm equipment for that matter) using the roads to get anywhere will pull over to let motorised vehicles pass if they're aware that they're getting in other peoples' way. It's not a big problem. A friendly smile & wave and everyones' happy and on their respective ways. That goes for car drivers pulling over too particularly for goods vehicles. Generally there's an unspoken understanding that whoever has the most suitable mount does the pulling over - if I'm out in the Cerbera then someone in a Discovery will pull off onto the verge. If I come across a little hatchback when I'm out in my Ranger, I'll drive off the tarmac to let them through.

There are tts from every walk of life. Whether it's that middle-aged Ford Focus wielding cow round our way who just goes arseholing down all roads not only expecting but requiring everyone else to take avoiding action for her cutting of unsighted bends, or the very occasional road cyclist fixated on his Strava times who either doesn't notice he's become a born leader of traffic or simply doesn't care - they're a menace and they all need to learn that roads are a transport network first and foremost. I enjoy having fun on the roads more than most, but it's absolutely always secondary to the transport needs of everyone.

[Prawo Jazdy]

WJNB said:

Let's be very clear, the lycra-loonies just LOVE riding side by side (maybe wishing they could hold hands as well), but mainly so they can have a good old gab. The absolute bonus which makes their day is to be holding up those dreadful people in smelly cars polluting the planet. Double bonus if one or more of the cars is something expensive or sporty & just superior to their little contraptions.
Consider also the strange attraction of enjoying dressing up in bright coloured skin tight clothes that leave little to the imagination - a thoroughly vulgar sight when it comes to the male with their miniscule yet obvious swellings.

I can't speak for the people you are describing, but I did enjoy the irony of their imaginary taking-of-offence-for-no-reason, followed immediately by your own, actual, taking-of-offence-for-no-reason, so thanks for that.

[WinstonWolf]

Storer said:

In this part of the country there has been £ millions spent on dedicated cycle paths beside main roads. Yet it is still necessary for 'speedy cyclists' to ride on the road beside them.

Drivers pay way more in taxes/duty than is used to build or maintain the roads. Cyclists pay nowt to use them (please don't say you have a car so pay your share - you pay to drive your car).

If there is a specifically built cycleway then it should be a requirement that all cyclists use it. It should also have a speed limit - say 15mph - (5x walking pace seems enough). There is no need for a cyclist to go faster. They are not racing after all, as that is illegal on the public highway!

If cyclist want to go faster then rent a race track, just like car drivers do.

A bicycle is the only vehicle you can use on the public highway with no training or licence AFAIK (a horse is not a vehicle, in case you hadn't noticed!).

I tax three vehicles, by your logic I have more right to use the roads than you do.

Roads are not paid for from VED, they are paid for from general taxation. You pay to use your car on the roads, not to maintain them

[spookly]

Jodyone said:

I live in Cornwall and spend half my driving time stuck behind tractors. They're also slower than me on a bike (unless uphill), and I know from experience that I'm vastly more delayed by tractors than cyclists, whatever I'm using. I can get irritated by them, sure, but usually I just accept it - they have a perfectly good reason to be there - and listen to the radio. The ratio must be similar for others hereabouts- yet, I rarely hear other people ranting aggressively about tractors: but cyclists! Oh, they're the devil incarnate. I think it's a tribal objection rather than a pragmatic one.

So you don't understand why people get annoyed with tractors but not cyclists..... I bolded the bit where you hit the nail on the head.

The reason cyclists are more annoying - they are holding us all up for fun.

Tractors, HGVs, Plant equipment etc.... they are all holding us up because they have a job to do. Nobody is taking their tractor out for a joyride down the A38.

Yes, I realise some people also take their cars and motorbikes out for fun. I'd get just as annoyed if a car or motorbike was going 10mph up a hill and refused to let traffic past. But in reality, that rarely happens. Even the slowest old Doris will not hold you up as much as a cyclist.

I've also had lots of tractors stop to let traffic pass if they aren't going a short distance. I have yet to see a cyclist stop to let traffic past.

[WinstonWolf]

spookly said:

Jodyone said:

I live in Cornwall and spend half my driving time stuck behind tractors. They're also slower than me on a bike (unless uphill), and I know from experience that I'm vastly more delayed by tractors than cyclists, whatever I'm using. I can get irritated by them, sure, but usually I just accept it - they have a perfectly good reason to be there - and listen to the radio. The ratio must be similar for others hereabouts- yet, I rarely hear other people ranting aggressively about tractors: but cyclists! Oh, they're the devil incarnate. I think it's a tribal objection rather than a pragmatic one.

So you don't understand why people get annoyed with tractors but not cyclists..... I bolded the bit where you hit the nail on the head.

The reason cyclists are more annoying - they are holding us all up for fun.

Tractors, HGVs, Plant equipment etc.... they are all holding us up because they have a job to do. Nobody is taking their tractor out for a joyride down the A38.

Yes, I realise some people also take their cars and motorbikes out for fun. I'd get just as annoyed if a car or motorbike was going 10mph up a hill and refused to let traffic past. But in reality, that rarely happens. Even the slowest old Doris will not hold you up as much as a cyclist.

I've also had lots of tractors stop to let traffic pass if they aren't going a short distance. I have yet to see a cyclist stop to let traffic past.

Ahem, I commute eighteen miles by bicycle...