Cycling two abreast....agree or not?

[blade7]

otolith said:

blade7 said:

When I'm in the car and there's a lot of oncoming traffic, I slow right down put the right indicator on and carefully pass bikes, giving them 3 or 4ft of clearance. What's all this nonsense about using the other side of the road?

If you can give them enough clearance without blocking the oncoming lane, fine. Otherwise, if you have to wait until it is clear anyway, why not give all the clearance you can?

Problem is that a lot of people will try to pass bikes into oncoming traffic when there isn't enough space for all three and the bike gets squeezed into a close pass or worse.

Usually oncoming traffic will move to the left and make space to pass. Personally I'd rather ride in the gutter when I hear a car behind me, than risk being a hood ornament. That's why the majority of my riding is off road, I'd rather do 3 laps of the local reservoir than 30 miles on the road.

[jakesmith]

RobM77 said:

No, it is unreasonable. The speed limit is a limit, not a target. What if you meet a tractor or a slow lorry? The roads are for use by everyone.

A tractor or a slow lorry are travelling at the speed they are able to. That can be a bit frustrating but the drivers are not being inconsiderate. 2-3 people riding along side each other on a narrow road holding up traffic behind so they can socialise is extremely inconsiderate. Of course they’ve got every right to be on the road but that’s just inconsiderate to others. The road is not a social club.

Chat at the cafe. Don’t hold other road users up so you can chat. If you’re cycling single file up a hill and it holds me up, absolutely No problem as again you’re not being inconsiderate.

[Fady]

Ares said:

Fady said:

Ares said:

DoubleD said:

Cycle lanes need to be of a good standard before they will be used. Once they are then yes their use should be compulsory

I know of one within 20/30 miles of me, runs up the side of the Alderley Edge by-pass. I'll use that rather than be on the road, as do the vast majority of cyclists. Its not perfect, it's only about 1.5m wide and is multi-use so you have to cope with headphone-wearing runners & walkers, plus of course phone-zombies, as well as families with small kids pootling along on their bikes not much over walking speed.

Take a look at the Lakefront Trail in Chicago if you want to see how a true cycle/running track would be effective.....or indeed the dozens of miles of cycle tracks running alongside roads the leads to it. And that's Trump's America!!!

A bit more land to play with there and some!

Not really in the two examples given!

You mentioned Trump's America. Not that he would have anything to do with your examples, but I am referring to the land mass.

[RobM77]

jakesmith said:

RobM77 said:

No, it is unreasonable. The speed limit is a limit, not a target. What if you meet a tractor or a slow lorry? The roads are for use by everyone.

A tractor or a slow lorry are travelling at the speed they are able to. That can be a bit frustrating but the drivers are not being inconsiderate. 2-3 people riding along side each other on a narrow road holding up traffic behind so they can socialise is extremely inconsiderate. Of course they’ve got every right to be on the road but that’s just inconsiderate to others. The road is not a social club.

Chat at the cafe. Don’t hold other road users up so you can chat. If you’re cycling single file up a hill and it holds me up, absolutely No problem as again you’re not being inconsiderate.

Ah, now we've changed things. You've brought in "narrow road" and 3 abreast. The Highway code prohibits both: rule 66 states never to ride more than two abreast, and also to always ride single file on a narrow road.

[otolith]

blade7 said:

Usually oncoming traffic will move to the left and make space to pass. Personally I'd rather ride in the gutter when I hear a car behind me, than risk being a hood ornament.

I think I'd rather go over the bonnet than under the wheels.

blade7 said:

That's why the majority of my riding is off road, I'd rather do 3 laps of the local reservoir than 30 miles on the road.

And that's fine, but not for everyone - and some people on bikes are trying to get from A-B.

[RobM77]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Sure, believe what you want, but rules are there to be followed. I don't agree with loads of rules and laws, but I abide by them! When driving you are agreeing to abide by the Highway Code as written.

[AmyRichardson]

otolith said:

If you can give them enough clearance without blocking the oncoming lane, fine.

That's the problem; on a typical UK single-carriageway (2.8m - 3.8m per lane) there simply isn't enough room for ~1m of cyclist space, ~1m of clearance and ~2m of car.

As others have noted, oncoming traffic generally moves to the left of it's lane, creates additional space and makes such a pass viable on wider single carriageways, but as often as not the "overtake into oncoming traffic" is far more of squeeze than the driver perceives.

If it was a choice between "flatly advise against it" and "trust Joe Average's (rather variable) judgement" I'd consistently plump for the former.

[jakesmith]

RobM77 said:

jakesmith said:

RobM77 said:

No, it is unreasonable. The speed limit is a limit, not a target. What if you meet a tractor or a slow lorry? The roads are for use by everyone.

A tractor or a slow lorry are travelling at the speed they are able to. That can be a bit frustrating but the drivers are not being inconsiderate. 2-3 people riding along side each other on a narrow road holding up traffic behind so they can socialise is extremely inconsiderate. Of course they’ve got every right to be on the road but that’s just inconsiderate to others. The road is not a social club.

Chat at the cafe. Don’t hold other road users up so you can chat. If you’re cycling single file up a hill and it holds me up, absolutely No problem as again you’re not being inconsiderate.

Ah, now we've changed things. You've brought in "narrow road" and 3 abreast. The Highway code prohibits both: rule 66 states never to ride more than two abreast, and also to always ride single file on a narrow road.

I’m changing things? I have only ever been talking about one specific road, which is narrow and doesn’t usually present passing opportunity due to the volume of oncoming traffic.

If you think I’m angry about cyclists riding 2 abreast on a road with frequent safe passing opportunity then I’m afraid yet again you are wrong.

Can’t really see the affore mentioned double puncture risk here. Just use the provided lane that I paid for and had built for you and stop whinging.

[RobM77]

otolith said:

blade7 said:

That's why the majority of my riding is off road, I'd rather do 3 laps of the local reservoir than 30 miles on the road.

And that's fine, but not for everyone - and some people on bikes are trying to get from A-B.

Plus of course there are many areas of the country without trails or off-road opportunities. Where I live, in a rural area, all the land is private, other than a few permitted footpaths. The only opportunity to exercise on a bike, or to get from A to B on a bike, is to use the roads.

[RobM77]

jakesmith said:

RobM77 said:

jakesmith said:

RobM77 said:

No, it is unreasonable. The speed limit is a limit, not a target. What if you meet a tractor or a slow lorry? The roads are for use by everyone.

A tractor or a slow lorry are travelling at the speed they are able to. That can be a bit frustrating but the drivers are not being inconsiderate. 2-3 people riding along side each other on a narrow road holding up traffic behind so they can socialise is extremely inconsiderate. Of course they’ve got every right to be on the road but that’s just inconsiderate to others. The road is not a social club.

Chat at the cafe. Don’t hold other road users up so you can chat. If you’re cycling single file up a hill and it holds me up, absolutely No problem as again you’re not being inconsiderate.

Ah, now we've changed things. You've brought in "narrow road" and 3 abreast. The Highway code prohibits both: rule 66 states never to ride more than two abreast, and also to always ride single file on a narrow road.

I’m changing things? I have only ever been talking about one specific road, which is narrow and doesn’t usually present passing opportunity due to the volume of oncoming traffic.

If you think I’m angry about cyclists riding 2 abreast on a road with frequent safe passing opportunity then I’m afraid yet again you are wrong.

Can’t really see the affore mentioned double puncture risk here. Just use the provided lane that I paid for and had built for you and stop whinging.

I was replying purely to your other comments, not your comments about this specific road.

[otolith]

jakesmith said:

I’m changing things? I have only ever been talking about one specific road, which is narrow and doesn’t usually present passing opportunity due to the volume of oncoming traffic.

If you think I’m angry about cyclists riding 2 abreast on a road with frequent safe passing opportunity then I’m afraid yet again you are wrong.

Can’t really see the affore mentioned double puncture risk here. Just use the provided lane that I paid for and had built for you and stop whinging.

Ah, so it is the shared use footpath rather than an actual cycle lane. That must have been some damn expensive paint you bought, did anyone else chip in?

[MiseryStreak]

jakesmith said:

Don’t worry I do cycle too, Live near Box Hill, plus I have an electric scooter, and I ride defensively and despise car drivers when I’m riding, I’m a balanced rider.

I was finding this thread mildly amusing but you’ve just raised it to another level.

A balanced rider! How long have you been without stabilisers?

Please, tell us more about your illegal electric scooter escapades!

[df76]

I've cycled quite a bit in Belgium and they look to provide dedicated cycle infrastructure on all major routes. Works really well, but some of it is pretty tired and clearly not high up their maintenance priority list. However, cycling is pretty popular over there, partially as a consequence of the better infrastructure. Does mean that they have large club rides on Sundays though. Big groups of about 50 in huge pelotons.. with support cars running behind. Now, that would give you plenty to complain about (rather than the huge inconvenience of two cyclists..)! And no, they don't use the cycle lanes either..

[blade7]

RobM77 said:

Sure, believe what you want, but rules are there to be followed. I don't agree with loads of rules and laws, but I abide by them! When driving you are agreeing to abide by the Highway Code as written.

I've known Traffic Plod that don't when riding/driving for fun.

[jakesmith]

MiseryStreak said:

jakesmith said:

Don’t worry I do cycle too, Live near Box Hill, plus I have an electric scooter, and I ride defensively and despise car drivers when I’m riding, I’m a balanced rider.

I was finding this thread mildly amusing but you’ve just raised it to another level.

A balanced rider! How long have you been without stabilisers?

Please, tell us more about your illegal electric scooter escapades!

Hi there firstly I am glad that you find matters of road safety amusing - for me it's no laughing matter. Well basically I do ride an electric scooter illegally whenever it suits me, wearing a snowboarding helmet for protection as it has integrated ear muffs. It does hold up traffic sometimes as it is limited to 16MPH which you may be aware is a very typical bicycle speed, and as some of you were keen to point out that's hardly an inconvenience these days due to 20MPH limits, heavy traffic, and of course the health benefits. I'd love to see how this is now going to be turned around despite me occupying exactly the same space on the road (or possibly less, I am not overweight any more) as a cyclist... One thing's for sure, I don't go on any pavements or shared cycle paths etc - they are a liability.

[J4CKO]

jakesmith said:

MiseryStreak said:

jakesmith said:

Don’t worry I do cycle too, Live near Box Hill, plus I have an electric scooter, and I ride defensively and despise car drivers when I’m riding, I’m a balanced rider.

I was finding this thread mildly amusing but you’ve just raised it to another level.

A balanced rider! How long have you been without stabilisers?

Please, tell us more about your illegal electric scooter escapades!

Hi there firstly I am glad that you find matters of road safety amusing - for me it's no laughing matter. Well basically I do ride an electric scooter illegally whenever it suits me, wearing a snowboarding helmet for protection as it has integrated ear muffs. It does hold up traffic sometimes as it is limited to 16MPH which you may be aware is a very typical bicycle speed, and as some of you were keen to point out that's hardly an inconvenience these days due to 20MPH limits, heavy traffic, and of course the health benefits. I'd love to see how this is now going to be turned around despite me occupying exactly the same space on the road (or possibly less, I am not overweight any more) as a cyclist... One thing's for sure, I don't go on any pavements or shared cycle paths etc - they are a liability.

So, all other cyclists are "Parasites" who dont use the cycle paths provided.

But you cycle and use a Scooter and dont use the cycle paths ?

[smn159]

jakesmith said:

MiseryStreak said:

jakesmith said:

Don’t worry I do cycle too, Live near Box Hill, plus I have an electric scooter, and I ride defensively and despise car drivers when I’m riding, I’m a balanced rider.

I was finding this thread mildly amusing but you’ve just raised it to another level.

A balanced rider! How long have you been without stabilisers?

Please, tell us more about your illegal electric scooter escapades!

Hi there firstly I am glad that you find matters of road safety amusing - for me it's no laughing matter. Well basically I do ride an electric scooter illegally whenever it suits me, wearing a snowboarding helmet for protection as it has integrated ear muffs. It does hold up traffic sometimes as it is limited to 16MPH which you may be aware is a very typical bicycle speed, and as some of you were keen to point out that's hardly an inconvenience these days due to 20MPH limits, heavy traffic, and of course the health benefits. I'd love to see how this is now going to be turned around despite me occupying exactly the same space on the road (or possibly less, I am not overweight any more) as a cyclist... One thing's for sure, I don't go on any pavements or shared cycle paths etc - they are a liability.

Definitely a wind up.

[jakesmith]

J4CKO said:

So, all other cyclists are "Parasites" who dont use the cycle paths provided.

But you cycle and use a Scooter and dont use the cycle paths ?

You've missed the nuance (and an apostrophe), the parasites are those who cycle in a way that prioritises their desire for a chat, over other road users. As I said before, no issue being held up by a slow vehicle, unless it is 2 cyclists next to each other shouting away in the most obnoxious way without a thought for the traffic stacking up behind them. If the road is wide enough to facilitate this and it's just an incompetent motorist too nervous to pass then again, no problem. On a narrow road, it's just selfish to do this.

[jakesmith]

smn159 said:

Definitely a wind up.

The whole fking thread is a wind up isn't it, it's a motoring forum for starters called 'pistonheads: speed matters'. Not 'lycracuns - shouting obnoxiously matters'.

[ddom]

jakesmith said:

The whole fking thread is a wind up isn't it, it's a motoring forum for starters called 'pistonheads: speed matters'. Not 'lycracuns - shouting obnoxiously matters'.

Are you ok dear?

Now you're a cyclist parasite?