Police pull over 'two abrest' cyclists - argument ensues
Discussion
NinjaPower said:
Isn't this a case of blame the law rather than the cyclists?
They are obeying the rules as far as I can see, and the officer tries to tell them they aren't.
If we don't want cyclists riding side by side, then the law needs to be changed to preclude this. You can't really get angry at people for sticking to the letter of the law.
Yup. And the road really doesn't appear to be THAT busy...They are obeying the rules as far as I can see, and the officer tries to tell them they aren't.
If we don't want cyclists riding side by side, then the law needs to be changed to preclude this. You can't really get angry at people for sticking to the letter of the law.
kambites said:
swisstoni said:
I'm with the policeman on this. Cycling in line is clearly the most considerate way, if not illegal.
Why? Yo need a bigger gap to overtake two cyclists who are line-astern than two who are side-by-side. If you pass cyclists, you should pretty much end up on the other side of the road anyway if you give them the correct amount of room, which means you can only pass when there is no incoming traffic.
You will be on the wrong side of the road for less time passing two abrest than two in a line.
If you try to pass them without crossing over the line, then the chances are you aren't leaving them enough room.
SS2. said:
I've not watched the video but could their riding have been viewed as being without reasonable consideration for other road users ?
I'd say quite the opposite. It's actually easier for cyclists to cycle behind each other (because they get a significant slip-stream); they tend to cycle side-by-side because on most roads it makes it harder for people to overtake them dangerously and easier for people to overtake them safely. A single cyclist should be riding roughly in the middle of their lane anyway to stop idiots overtaking when there is traffic in the adjacent lane, so moving them out a foot and adding another cyclist between them and the kerb makes bugger all difference in that regard.
As mentioned above, the cyclist had a chip on his shoulder the moment he was pulled in and from the number of vehicles that then passed he knew they were holding people up.
Slightly off topic but don't you just hate the cyclists that freewheel when there's traffic coming the other way but pedal like fury when there's the slight chance they might get overtaken?
Slightly off topic but don't you just hate the cyclists that freewheel when there's traffic coming the other way but pedal like fury when there's the slight chance they might get overtaken?
TonyG2003 said:
As a cyclist the other thing which is really really odd is drivers who don't overtake when there is plenty of room for an easy overtake. I've had this and as a cyclist you want them to come past. Really strange and I'm seeing more of this as people stop overtaking as much.
Sat 6 inches behind you, just slightly to the right, travelling at 10-15 mph in 5th gear. Usually driving a French car.This happened to my mate and I police officer pulls alongside us and says single file please. Instead of acting like a nob and arguing with her he pulled behind and after a few minutes resumed riding two abreast as it was a very wide road, not busy and we weren't causing a hazard to cars.
TonyG2003 said:
As a cyclist the other thing which is really really odd is drivers who don't overtake when there is plenty of room for an easy overtake. I've had this and as a cyclist you want them to come past. Really strange and I'm seeing more of this as people stop overtaking as much.
Quite a lot of timid drivers on the road who don't have the confidence to overtake you? Either that or a driver who likes trying to wind cyclists up.b
hstewie said:
hstewie said:NinjaPower said:
Isn't this a case of blame the law rather than the cyclists?
The law probably says I can legally drive down a motorway at 40mph.That doesn't necessarily mean it's safe or sensible to do so.
On an on topic note, I think the issue is that these people seem to feel that they have something to prove, they believe it is there legal right to be as disruptive as possible and is thus there responsibility to exercise that right. You see it on the road all the time, the drivers who deliberately block your passes as you are 'speeding', the lorryists who deliberately straddle lanes to stop people 'jumping the queue' and the cyclists who seem to deliberately avoid cycling facilities in favour of using busy roads, even dual carriageways as they have 'just as many rights as a car'.
These people seem to seek pleasure in making there own life's and the life's of others around them as inconvenient as possible.
DSGbangs said:
Riding 2 a breast is dangerous...
How so?The cyclist is entitled to ride a few feet out from the side of the road to avoid debris and drains etc, and if you pass a cyclist as per the police guidelines and leave plenty of room, then you will be on the other carriageway regardless of whether the cyclists are single file or two abreast.
So in either scenario, you have to wait until there is no incoming traffic to perform an overtake.
So why is two abreast more dangerous?
Antony Moxey said:
spookly said:
Up in the Mendip hills you see hundreds of cyclists getting in the way in big groups, and as soon as you pass one group you'll find another within a minute or two. They never do anything to let traffic pass. I get that it is a nice place to ride, walk, or drive, but they can be a menace in some areas.
I never get annoyed by a single cyclist, but when they are unnecessarily two abreast, or in a big pack, it's just antisocial.
So 'hundreds of cyclists' is antisocial? That's a bit ironic isn't it? How about never letting traffic past - has it occured to you that they ARE the traffic? Perhaps it's you who is being antisocial considering them to be a 'menace' that you desperately need to pass? I never get annoyed by a single cyclist, but when they are unnecessarily two abreast, or in a big pack, it's just antisocial.
Maybe they should stick to tracks or velodromes. Or do what I do and use a mountain bike to ride somewhere that I'm not holding anyone up, or likely to get poleaxed by 2 tons of metal.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-cyclist, I'm anti-bell ends who hold me up on the road for their hobby/enjoyment. So the same goes for horses, pedestrians who walk into moving traffic, and HGVs/coaches driving unnecessarily down narrow roads. If you are cycling for transport fine, these people aren't.
NinjaPower said:
ash73 said:
Police should just taser him. They should be single file on busy roads, no question. And wearing lycra over 30 should be illegal.
Moronic comments like that just automatically disqualify you from having any input into a discussion.ash73 said:
NinjaPower said:
Moronic comments like that just automatically disqualify you from having any input into a discussion.
The cylist was wrong, the police showed him the rule that they should be single file on busy roads and he didn't listen, instead wasting police time when they could be doing something useful. And he hasn't learned his lesson so will continue to hassle other road users, he even thinks he's had a moral victory when he just came across as a dick. The police are far too tolerant in this country, they should have just tasered him immediately to stop him arguing. Once people learn that will happen they will be more polite and may actually listen to advice.If you don't like my opinion I couldn't care less jog on mate.
If that's your idea of a good way of policing then I despair.
Also, did you even watch the video? The officer tried to tell them they were committing an office (which they weren't) and then unsurprisingly couldn't find the relevant legislation to back up his claim, so the cyclists were legally correct.
Just to be clear the Highway Code currently says:
never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends
Being a cyclist, a pedestrian, a car driver and a motorbiker, the one thing that annoys me more than anything with cyclists like those in the video is this....
You are a vulnerable road user. Act like it. Ride defensively.
Stop pushing your safety into the hands of others and then whining when it get endangered.
Stop looking for confrontation and start looking for cooperation.
You can know the highway code line for line, but never forget the rule that comes above all of it. "Don't be a dick."... and "Don't hit anything / get hit by anything." Doesn't matter which line of the highway code the other driver forgot if you have to try and explain it to him from a hospital bed.
never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends
Being a cyclist, a pedestrian, a car driver and a motorbiker, the one thing that annoys me more than anything with cyclists like those in the video is this....
You are a vulnerable road user. Act like it. Ride defensively.
Stop pushing your safety into the hands of others and then whining when it get endangered.
Stop looking for confrontation and start looking for cooperation.
You can know the highway code line for line, but never forget the rule that comes above all of it. "Don't be a dick."... and "Don't hit anything / get hit by anything." Doesn't matter which line of the highway code the other driver forgot if you have to try and explain it to him from a hospital bed.
Ed. said:
NinjaPower said:
ash73 said:
Police should just taser him. They should be single file on busy roads, no question. And wearing lycra over 30 should be illegal.
Moronic comments like that just automatically disqualify you from having any input into a discussion.spookly said:
Or perhaps I have somewhere to travel to, and all the hobbyist cyclists snarl up the entire road network in that area and cause big delays.
Maybe they should stick to tracks or velodromes. Or do what I do and use a mountain bike to ride somewhere that I'm not holding anyone up, or likely to get poleaxed by 2 tons of metal.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-cyclist, I'm anti-bell ends who hold me up on the road for their hobby/enjoyment. So the same goes for horses, pedestrians who walk into moving traffic, and HGVs/coaches driving unnecessarily down narrow roads. If you are cycling for transport fine, these people aren't.
I'm not a cyclist, but I do sometimes go out for a drive just for fun... as I'd imagine do most people on Pistonheads. How is that any different?Maybe they should stick to tracks or velodromes. Or do what I do and use a mountain bike to ride somewhere that I'm not holding anyone up, or likely to get poleaxed by 2 tons of metal.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not anti-cyclist, I'm anti-bell ends who hold me up on the road for their hobby/enjoyment. So the same goes for horses, pedestrians who walk into moving traffic, and HGVs/coaches driving unnecessarily down narrow roads. If you are cycling for transport fine, these people aren't.
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