Cycle question...

Author
Discussion

Digby

Original Poster:

8,237 posts

246 months

Friday 23rd August 2019
quotequote all
Are you allowed to head out as a pack of riders and have a large luton van (and a quad bike) following said pack with hazards on, roughly doing five to ten mph max for several miles making it impossible for anyone to overtake ? This was on the A252. Not sure how long the queue behind was, but I would imagine by the time a few got waved past on one straight section (not past the bikes, just the van) and they all then eventually pulled into a pub, there must have been thirty or so vehicles behind me.

This isn't a moan. I was in no rush and just crept along pondering the legalities.

Edited by Digby on Friday 23 August 21:38

foxbody-87

2,675 posts

166 months

Friday 23rd August 2019
quotequote all
I had this a few years ago and wondered the same. In this case there were two Transits around 75 yards apart. Between them were a lot of cyclists riding in close formation ie. no gaps. Passing was impossible. Luckily I had a turn off after a couple of miles!

anonymous-user

54 months

Friday 23rd August 2019
quotequote all
What's the speed limit for the road? I thought driving too slow was inconsiderate driving. I'm sure you can't just go onto a road and drive as slowly as you want no matter what the reason.

Solocle

3,272 posts

84 months

Friday 23rd August 2019
quotequote all
flashbang said:
What's the speed limit for the road? I thought driving too slow was inconsiderate driving. I'm sure you can't just go onto a road and drive as slowly as you want no matter what the reason.
It's certainly not illegal to drive in convoy with an organised cycle event. It's not inconsiderate if you're keeping pace with the vehicle ahead, I'd expect.

anonymous-user

54 months

Friday 23rd August 2019
quotequote all
Solocle said:
It's certainly not illegal to drive in convoy with an organised cycle event. It's not inconsiderate if you're keeping pace with the vehicle ahead, I'd expect.
And if it isn't organised?

numtumfutunch

4,721 posts

138 months

Friday 23rd August 2019
quotequote all

I often go for an early Sunday morning bike ride with my mates Daz, Baz and Gaz
We meet at 7AM and are safely out of your way by 11AM at the latest

Our routes largely take in lightly traffic'd minor B roads

Occasionally we have a car stuck behind us waiting for a safe overtaking opportunity
This can sometimes delay them for as much as 20 whole seconds

Despite this we expect and regularly endure continuous low level abuse and intimidation from motorists

On the other hand I was "lucky" enough to be held up by the local hunt this afternoon on a busy A road
There were approx 30 horses and riders leisurely trotting along making no concession to an equal or even larger number of cars and vans held up by their procession

Yet in contrast to me and the lads the horse riders were treated with much more courtesy and decency despite holding up orders of magnitude more traffic for orders of magnitude more time on a main arterial road.

In fact when anybody got the chance to overtake - which was rare due to on coming traffic on a busy road - there was usually a friendly wave from the motorist

So why do you hate cyclists so much???


Digby

Original Poster:

8,237 posts

246 months

Friday 23rd August 2019
quotequote all
numtumfutunch said:
So why do you hate cyclists so much???
Ask the people who hate them.

meatballs

1,140 posts

60 months

Friday 23rd August 2019
quotequote all
Bikes and horses can be a bit frustrating if you do get stuck behind for a long time, but most of the time it's a few seconds and doesn't impact the actual journey time at all. You get past and can now catch up with the next motor vehicle doing 40 in the NSL.

surveyor

17,809 posts

184 months

Friday 23rd August 2019
quotequote all
Had this a few weeks ago for about 15 miles. Turned out it was a bobbies charity ride, and was escorted by blue lights all the way. Basically it was suck it up buttercup...

Digby

Original Poster:

8,237 posts

246 months

Friday 23rd August 2019
quotequote all
And this is the same group on the A2 London bound with the van and quad arrowed. Rather large queue behind them, too. No idea how long that went on for.


Marcellus

7,118 posts

219 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
quotequote all
They probably thought it safer and caused less disruption that they all ride together in a somewhat condensed group protected in from behind by the Luton van, than being a long drawn out group with no rear protection.

I think they were probably right, and let’s not forget if you couldn’t overtake the Luton you shouldn’t have overtaken the cyclists if it weren’t there.......... I suspect loads would have.

IPK

286 posts

157 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
quotequote all
I would be surprised if they were only doing between five and ten miles per hour. Between twenty and twenty five would be more likely.

Aretnap

1,650 posts

151 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
quotequote all
flashbang said:
And if it isn't organised?
A disorganised cycle event?

"Oh bugger, forgot my bike!"
"Hey, I thought YOU were manning the drinks stop!"
"The website says it's tomorrow!"

Brainpox

4,055 posts

151 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
quotequote all
numtumfutunch said:
I often go for an early Sunday morning bike ride with my mates Daz, Baz and Gaz
We meet at 7AM and are safely out of your way by 11AM at the latest

Our routes largely take in lightly traffic'd minor B roads

Occasionally we have a car stuck behind us waiting for a safe overtaking opportunity
This can sometimes delay them for as much as 20 whole seconds

Despite this we expect and regularly endure continuous low level abuse and intimidation from motorists

On the other hand I was "lucky" enough to be held up by the local hunt this afternoon on a busy A road
There were approx 30 horses and riders leisurely trotting along making no concession to an equal or even larger number of cars and vans held up by their procession

Yet in contrast to me and the lads the horse riders were treated with much more courtesy and decency despite holding up orders of magnitude more traffic for orders of magnitude more time on a main arterial road.

In fact when anybody got the chance to overtake - which was rare due to on coming traffic on a busy road - there was usually a friendly wave from the motorist

So why do you hate cyclists so much???
Do you just copy and paste that in any cycling thread? Because you clearly didn't read anything in the OP.

Macneil

891 posts

80 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
quotequote all
When you realise and accept that roads are provided for everyone's use, not just or in the main for motorists, then life gets a lot simpler and cyclists get a lot safer.

Digby

Original Poster:

8,237 posts

246 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
quotequote all
IPK said:
I would be surprised if they were only doing between five and ten miles per hour. Between twenty and twenty five would be more likely.
You would have to be surprised, then!

ElectricPics

761 posts

81 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
quotequote all
Aretnap said:
flashbang said:
And if it isn't organised?
A disorganised cycle event?

"Oh bugger, forgot my bike!"
"Hey, I thought YOU were manning the drinks stop!"
"The website says it's tomorrow!"
Thanks for making me laugh out loud! laugh

Marcellus

7,118 posts

219 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
quotequote all
Digby said:
IPK said:
I would be surprised if they were only doing between five and ten miles per hour. Between twenty and twenty five would be more likely.
You would have to be surprised, then!
If, as I suspect, it was a charity ride (L2P over a bank holiday weekend) then it could easily by 5/10mph.

Pothole

34,367 posts

282 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
quotequote all
Digby said:
Are you allowed to head out as a pack of riders and have a large luton van (and a quad bike) following said pack with hazards on, roughly doing five to ten mph max for several miles making it impossible for anyone to overtake ? This was on the A252. Not sure how long the queue behind was, but I would imagine by the time a few got waved past on one straight section (not past the bikes, just the van) and they all then eventually pulled into a pub, there must have been thirty or so vehicles behind me.

This isn't a moan. I was in no rush and just crept along pondering the legalities.

Edited by Digby on Friday 23 August 21:38
Who's permission are you questioning? The cyclists are just cyclists. Re: the van:

highway code said:
Hazard warning lights. These may be used when your vehicle is stationary, to warn that it is temporarily obstructing traffic. Never use them as an excuse for dangerous or illegal parking. You MUST NOT use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead. Only use them for long enough to ensure that your warning has been observed.
I suppose the van driver might claim he was using the lights as a constant warning of the hazard, but it's likely the whole escapade would be told to pack up by any passing traffic car. (once every thousand years or so...)


Marcellus

7,118 posts

219 months

Saturday 24th August 2019
quotequote all
Pothole said:
I suppose the van driver might claim he was using the lights as a constant warning of the hazard, but it's likely the whole escapade would be told to pack up by any passing traffic car. (once every thousand years or so...)
I'm not so sure they would.... I've done a few "charity rides" and on one the organisers had the NEG to marshal the event, there were sections of which they would form a cocoon around the group of 2/300 riders effectively creating a rolling road block. this was mainly on dual carriageways or through City Centres.

The organisers didn't need any consent from any authorities and the NEG would just inform the Police they would be passing through their area as a matter of courtesy.