a metre matters

[coffeejo]

Doesn't the Highway Code recommend that slow-moving traffic (of any kind presumably) should pull over occasionally and let built-up tailbacks disperse? I know horseboxes and trailers are encouraged to do this, as well as tractors and combine harvesters etc. Give and take on both sides?

Oh I agree completely, and I do* but I can see the end result being a situation where cyclists have to pull over to let every single car pass if cars aren't allowed to overtake whilst we're still moving. In other words, I think such a law would create more problems than it seeks to solve, especially since the people most likely to do a close pass on major roads are the least likely to obey a specific law.

(* If I don't feel it's safe for an overtake / for me to pull over, I'll ride in the middle of the lane and pull over at the safest possible point. If the driver's hesitant and I'm fine with being overtaken, I'll encourage them past.)

 

[coffeejo]

All very good arguments for a code of behaviour rather than a new 'law'.

Indeed.

 

[Biddy Walton]

Indeed.

or a bumper sticker?

 

[young Ed]

Whilst I like the idea, the numpty's that give us 6 inches at the moment will believe it doesn't apply to them, since we don't pay road tax....

it's emissions tax and i WOULD pay my £000.00 just to feel smug but they won't let me?
and i know what you mean by those that try to knock your quick release to tighten it for you!
but i do find so long as the motorists can see you they are more careful and considerate in the dark! found that out today on my first ride in the dark!
Cheers Ed

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Even if a mandatory passing clearance law is created here (Queensland may have one in a few months), I agree it will be difficult to enforce. But the very fact that the law exists will probably be enough to reduce the number of close overtakes (well, that's my optimistic prediction, anyway) .

 

[Glow worm]

Saw someone on British TV yesterday saying 50 centimeters was too close. I'd no idea what 50 centimeters is in English so had to look it up. Apparently it's less than 2 foot which is, yes, definately way too close.

 

[oldstrath]

The roads in the UK are pretty much all too narrow.
My local commute has people riding on the wrong side of the solid white line (which is about 12" from the grass verge. they occasionally wobble out of that position for a drain. the cars/HGV's/Buses/Etc just usually blast past instead of waiting for a gap in the oncoming traffic.
The road needs to be widened by at least 2 metres on each side with a strip wide enough for cyclists to use it safely. I take a 2 mile mile detour when cycle commuting to avoid it (about 3/4 mile long). It is a very busy road

Or the motorists need to learn patience. A properly enforced passing distance of 1.5 m would compel them to overtake only where genuinely safe, otherwise wait. Don't really see why anyone should have a problem. On a single-track road they wait for a passing place. They have to do it with tractors, don't really see why it's a big deal with bikes.

Proper enforcement would, of course, be the challenge.

 

[Linford]

Or the motorists need to learn patience. A properly enforced passing distance of 1.5 m would compel them to overtake only where genuinely safe, otherwise wait. Don't really see why anyone should have a problem. On a single-track road they wait for a passing place. They have to do it with tractors, don't really see why it's a big deal with bikes.

Proper enforcement would, of course, be the challenge.

This is one of the busiest roads into a town with a population of 120,0000. The infrastructure needs upgrading to accommodate all who need to use it.

 

[oldstrath]

This is one of the busiest roads into a town with a population of 120,0000. The infrastructure needs upgrading to accommodate all who need to use it.

Surely upgrading the infrastructure would be the best solution, but drivers in other EU countries cope with showing patience. Not killing people would seem more important than saving one or two minutes.

 

[Linford]

Surely upgrading the infrastructure would be the best solution, but drivers in other EU countries cope with showing patience. Not killing people would seem more important than saving one or two minutes.

Drivers do already show patience. I see this every day I use it be that by car, motorbike....or when I do choose to cycle it.
This manifests itself by the very long line of traffic forming behind a cyclist every time they use it...which does very little for cyclist/driver relations, increases pollution for the cyclists as every vehicle has to give it a big boot as they pass (poor for particulates), and means that the cyclists are given the tag of slow moving obstacles in an NSL.
What you are doing is taking the onus away from the people who manage the road network, and making that everyone else's problem.

I cycled in Spain a couple of months ago and they have a nice wide strip on each side of the road separated by a solid white line which you can comfortably ride in. I've seen this setup in the mainland, in the Canaries, the Balearic islands and also in Italy. I've also seen it in the States.

The problem seems to be that you are more than happy to settle for the second rate road network which we pay handsomely for, and then blame everyone else for the lack of suitable capacity for the various different modes.....

 

[Platinum]

The problem with the majority of British roads is that they're the same medieval roads winding around the fields, going right through every little village, just with a layer of tarmac on top. Bad for cycling, bad for driving, bad for local residents. Newer roads of the wide, straight, dual carriageway nature, better for driving, are completely hostile to cycling, at least for the normal person.

Even the cycle lanes round here are just old medieval pathways. One crappy cycle path round here is proudly displayed on maps and websites, and also goes past a Historic Scotland towerhouse so should be expected to be usable at the very least, perhaps a nice day out with the family, but I had to email the council about it because I was either climbing over boulders or up to my ankles in frog spawn! (I was fobbed off.) Then I noticed the small print at the bottom of the map said the resource they used in preparing it was the 1860 OS map. Says everything.

 

[Cubist]

The forum is littered with posts about the police unable or unwilling to enforce mobile phone use and due care offences, including non-injury collisions, so until they are given sufficient resources to tackle current legislation, the creation of new offences would be pointless. Far better to engage in a more concerted campaign of mutual respect and safe, courteous conduct on the roads by all users.

 

[jefmcg]

It seems that it would have value, even if it was not enforced routinely. It would make it clear to drivers what they should do, it would be a slam dunk conviction to anyone who struck a cyclist while passing, and would help a cyclist's insurance claims.

In fact, even with the best will in the world, I think it would be a hard policy to enforce, as how would you prove it? In that respect it's similar to the law on opening a car door: no one gets a ticket for that unless they hit someone, but it's still a useful law.

(When I got my drivers licence in Australia, new drivers were not allowed to drink for the first 2 years of driving. I believe it was never enforced directly, but a young driver - typically new to alcohol too - didn't have to make guesses about how much they'd drunk, or if they were impaired. "No thanks, I'm driving" and no one would argue with you. If you were stupid enough to drink more than the general limit, then you'd get charged with both being over .05 and .00.)

 

[Jody]

The roads in the UK are pretty much all too narrow.

It bugs me when you have an adequate size road but councils treble the width of the pavement and then make the road narrow. Must be with a view to slowing traffic down but in reality makes the roads more dangerous. It may just be
more prevalent in South Yorkshire

 

[jefmcg]

It bugs me when you have an adequate size road but councils treble the width of the pavement and then make the road narrow. Must be with a view to slowing traffic down but in reality makes the roads more dangerous. It may just be
more prevalent in South Yorkshire

Happening on twickenham high street, as we speak