Tailbacks caused by people unable to overtake cyclists
Discussion
hora said:
Altrezia said:
JamesK said:
Meh! The day cyclists carry insurance, bother to obey the highway code and pay road tax in some form is the day they get any sympathy from me as a fellow road user.
I was about to post that.I am fully employed, pay N.I.
I also ride a cycle during the week AND at weekends.
Whats your point caller?
I've got three cars and I still pay car tax on my 1,500kg Focus when taking up less space and doing far less damage to the surface by commuting on my 15kg mountain bike instead. (If that's what the guy above thinks his road tax buys, if not I don't understand the comment.)
Coincidentally, on the flipside, I find it hillarious when cyclists or motorcyclists refer to 'drivers' as a distinct group when virtually everyone who goes out on 2 wheels occasionally does so on 4 wheels too.
Edited by Chris71 on Thursday 23 April 16:52
HertsBiker said:
Don't get me wrong, I cycle, drive, and ride PTW's, so I have a greater insight to this than most. But I won't ride the 'push' bike during rush hour as I think it is selfish. Discuss.
Also when traffic is heavy the que is at least one car shorter, so I'm doing you a favour. Yes all routes vary but in my case I have never knowingly caused a tail back. Using a legitimate form of transport to commute to work in is hardly selfish is it?
Don said:
So most people who overtake bikes simply don't leave enough room - you should give a pushbike-rider enough room that if he/she falls over towards your car you don't run over their head. It's actually quite a LOT of room - far more than most people leave.
I judge the space a cyclist should get by the amount of room they leave when filtering through traffic, i.e. bugger all.snotrag said:
They are following the highway code, and the advice is to 'take the lane'. They have every right to be there, and use the width of the lane as neccessary.
A car can be positioned however the driver wants within the lane using a similar argument. It's suprising how many cyclists would then complain when they have trouble filtering.alock said:
Don said:
So most people who overtake bikes simply don't leave enough room - you should give a pushbike-rider enough room that if he/she falls over towards your car you don't run over their head. It's actually quite a LOT of room - far more than most people leave.
I judge the space a cyclist should get by the amount of room they leave when filtering through traffic, i.e. bugger all.alock said:
snotrag said:
They are following the highway code, and the advice is to 'take the lane'. They have every right to be there, and use the width of the lane as neccessary.
A car can be positioned however the driver wants within the lane using a similar argument. It's suprising how many cyclists would then complain when they have trouble filtering.I really don't get it, I never have any objections to people on bikes filtering when I'm in a car - I'd do the same if I could reasonably do so. Likewise I don't take the piss when I'm on the bike and in return I simply expect other people to do the same.
Chris71 said:
alock said:
snotrag said:
They are following the highway code, and the advice is to 'take the lane'. They have every right to be there, and use the width of the lane as neccessary.
A car can be positioned however the driver wants within the lane using a similar argument. It's suprising how many cyclists would then complain when they have trouble filtering.I really don't get it, I never have any objections to people on bikes filtering when I'm in a car - I'd do the same if I could reasonably do so. Likewise I don't take the piss when I'm on the bike and in return I simply expect other people to do the same.
JamesK said:
Meh! The day cyclists carry insurance, bother to obey the highway code and pay road tax in some form is the day they get any sympathy from me as a fellow road user.
13:16[/footnote]
CTC Insurance - check13:16[/footnote]
VED paid at zero emissions rate - check
Highway code obeyance - check
Whilst we're on stereotypes, what about the 90% of non highway code obeying twunts who overtake me in 30mph zones doing at least 40? Bit more dangerous than jumping the odd red to avoid the traffic light grand prix non?
heebeegeetee said:
The number of drivers out there who will not or cannot overtake is high - I reckon about 1 in every 3 or 4. So therefore, it doesn't take long at all to get 3 cars together who will not overtake, and it's all downhill from there.
I reckon it's a higher ratio than that. And not just confined to a reluctance to pass cyclists either, it's anything that's slow moving, tractors, excavators etc. Overtaking is illegal isn't it? It's also as anti social and as unacceptable as drink driving, and it's speeding, and that's the worst thing ever.Edited by Balmoral Green on Thursday 23 April 20:09
I just had to come onto the internet and rant about four cyclist that held me up for forty three seconds. Yes, forty seconds. I know this to be a fact because I counted;
“One elephant, two elephant, three elephant” all the way until 'forty three elephants”.
Let me set this horrendous scene... I was driving home from the vets along a country lane when I saw in the far distance four, yes four cyclist riding two abreast in two pairs... omgz!!!!!!!!
As I could not safety pass them I had to wait for the forty three elephant count until I could see far enough in the distance to make sure I could get well over the centre hazard line (broken) to pass them in one easy move. Thank god I was in my little run around Fiat Punto 1.3 diesel, without the oomph this provides, I think I'd have only managed the safe pass three times over...
Then, and you'll never believe this, the lead guy in the front pair actually gave me a 'thumbs up' gesture. I can only assume this was because I had shown courtesy to another lawful road user. I hate polite b
ds. Especially lycra glad ones.
Someone should build them cycle lanes along these country lanes and force them to use them while paying road tax for bikes and ensure they wear helmets and have no free choice...
If all of the above had been executed, I would have got to the next stop junction which was about 800 yards ahead a full 43 seconds earlier and then I would have not missed the opening credits to the Simpsons. Which, incidentally I'm not watching because I'm so incensed that I had to switch my laptop on, log on, fire up the browser, log on to Pistonhead, type this out in MS word to ensure I didn't spell anything incorrectly then post it, all the while I continue to hold onto this ember of rage within...
Of course, I won't go onto complain about the minor traffic offences that occurred by the other vehicles around me and one pedestrian who had clearly never learnt the green cross code (never mind the fact they were about six years old and it's probably not taught anymore)...
I'll just stick to ranting about these cyclists that I come across once in a blue moon.
Still, the drive home in rush hour from town reminds me while I cycle in everyday.
“One elephant, two elephant, three elephant” all the way until 'forty three elephants”.
Let me set this horrendous scene... I was driving home from the vets along a country lane when I saw in the far distance four, yes four cyclist riding two abreast in two pairs... omgz!!!!!!!!
As I could not safety pass them I had to wait for the forty three elephant count until I could see far enough in the distance to make sure I could get well over the centre hazard line (broken) to pass them in one easy move. Thank god I was in my little run around Fiat Punto 1.3 diesel, without the oomph this provides, I think I'd have only managed the safe pass three times over...
Then, and you'll never believe this, the lead guy in the front pair actually gave me a 'thumbs up' gesture. I can only assume this was because I had shown courtesy to another lawful road user. I hate polite b
ds. Especially lycra glad ones.Someone should build them cycle lanes along these country lanes and force them to use them while paying road tax for bikes and ensure they wear helmets and have no free choice...
If all of the above had been executed, I would have got to the next stop junction which was about 800 yards ahead a full 43 seconds earlier and then I would have not missed the opening credits to the Simpsons. Which, incidentally I'm not watching because I'm so incensed that I had to switch my laptop on, log on, fire up the browser, log on to Pistonhead, type this out in MS word to ensure I didn't spell anything incorrectly then post it, all the while I continue to hold onto this ember of rage within...
Of course, I won't go onto complain about the minor traffic offences that occurred by the other vehicles around me and one pedestrian who had clearly never learnt the green cross code (never mind the fact they were about six years old and it's probably not taught anymore)...
I'll just stick to ranting about these cyclists that I come across once in a blue moon.
Still, the drive home in rush hour from town reminds me while I cycle in everyday.
Having learnt to drive in Cambridge I had to learn how to overtake cyclists, and it wasn't by following until there was no other traffic in sight. If we drove the way some people on here suggest the city would grind to a complete halt. Overtaking a cyclist and leaving enough room in case they fall off is simply not practical. That would be the same as leaving 6 feet between the car and a pedestrian in case they fell into the road.
The irony is that the people who do not overtake a bike when safe to do so are usually driving the smallest cars and could easily overtake without any issues.
The other problem is oncoming cars often refuse to move over to allow cars to overtake bikes safely. An observant driver should see what is happening ahead and try and help by giving more space to the overtaking car.
It is however a travesty that we continue to build roads without dedicated cycle paths. Short sighted in the extreme. The government think that painting a few lines on existing paths means we are being bike friendly. Quite ridiculous.
The irony is that the people who do not overtake a bike when safe to do so are usually driving the smallest cars and could easily overtake without any issues.
The other problem is oncoming cars often refuse to move over to allow cars to overtake bikes safely. An observant driver should see what is happening ahead and try and help by giving more space to the overtaking car.
It is however a travesty that we continue to build roads without dedicated cycle paths. Short sighted in the extreme. The government think that painting a few lines on existing paths means we are being bike friendly. Quite ridiculous.
There is a village just outside Cambridge where the road planners have put traffic islands every 50 yards or so to ensure that the road is nice and narrow. To compensate for this they have put in a cycle path. Do the cyclists use this, of course they don't. They would rather meander along listening to their Ipods, holding up the traffic that cannot overtake due to the spacing of the traffic islands. I did wind the window down and shout "Use the cycle path!" at a couple, but the vacant "What?" when they did eventually hear me over the music didn't fill me with confidence over their long term survival prospects. Still, whatever happens it will be the car drivers fault, remember folks, the car driver is evil and must be punished.
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