cyclists blocking the road

[rich p]

I'd simply be interested to know (as opposed to "invent") how much of the OP is true and how much is embellished. And how much is down to a driver misinterpreting the actions of the cyclists and how much to the cyclists behaving like supercillious arses. As I said, not having seen the incident in question I don't know any of these things, so comment seems a bit pointless.

Well, RT, I know the road very, very well and know that the OP's friend must have been talking bollix (or exaggerrating if you prefer) as I pointed out earlier. I hope this post isn't deemed as pointless as everyone elses'

 

[Red Light]

Well, RT, I know the road very, very well and know that the OP's friend must have been talking bollix (or exaggerrating if you prefer) as I pointed out earlier. I hope this post isn't deemed as pointless as everyone elses'

I'm inclined to agree without knowing the road in question. The original report was of being held up for half a mile. When I pointed out that probably meant a delay of all of 20-40 seconds it suddenly became a 17 minute hold up over 4+ miles. Funny that wasn't mentioned at the outset but only after the story was challenged. I wonder if there even is an OP's friend or whether the whole thing was made up. It echoes almost verbatim a post (copied below) on the CTC forum a couple of weeks ago about a regular occurrence near Stevenage.

So a friend is being blocked by cyclists....
​

My female friend works at the weekend helping the elderly & infirm with personal care, helping to feed them & other domestic chores so timing is extremely important between jobs in any case.

Her problem is that she encounters a group of cyclists on Saturdays whom are riding 5 sometimes 6 abreast on a particular road stopping her from getting past for 3-4 minutes. She's a very good driver and has always asked me what she should do in a given situation with regard to cyclists but she is very frustrated that they will not at least move into two abreast so she can overtake with plenty of space in the other lane.
To me it sounds like a deliberate attempt to block another road user when there's absolutely no need to do so, she has seen some of the riders look back and then still maintain their stance.
There are no cars coming the other way and it's not on a blind bend etc. She has no option but to use this road and she cannot change her times to enable to avoid them (just not remotely possible, I asked!)

I've told her to quickly stop, get out the car photograph them and report it to the police to see if they'll do anything.
What should she do?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I now have four eye witnesses at work (120+staff) claiming sightings of a large group of cyclists riding en masse riding several riders abreast, reports vary as to precise numbers, rolling road block stylee along the the some of roads immediately north of the south downs on the weekend. From east of Hurstpierpoint to well west of Poynings. Responses have vaired from 'faffing faffer faffwits getting in my way AGAIN' to 'what a spectacular and splendid sight'. Responses seem to vary in accordance with how hard the teller is trying to get a rise from me as I appear to be their appointed authority on all things cycling and 'one of them' and thus responsible for the behaviour of every cyclist they see. Of course.

On a happier note someone here was heading south thru Wivelsfield/Ditchling early doors Saturday, I suspect some form of 'drive of shame', and complimented FNRttC for its good order on the road and the smiling faces atop the beacon.

 

[funnymummy]

I had chosen no to bother making any more comments on this thread, as everyone seems to have an opinion on something that no-one saw with their own eyes.
I did not see it, only repeated what a work colleague told me, she is a truthful person & not someone given to wild exagerations.


But there are several comments that I now feel need responding too, after that i shall commnet no more & TBBH I wish i'd never writen about the dammend incident, I actulay feel quite offended that it has been insinutaed by several on here that I have made the whole thing up.

Well, RT, I know the road very, very well and know that the OP's friend must have been talking bollix (or exaggerrating if you prefer) as I pointed out earlier. I hope this post isn't deemed as pointless as everyone elses'

No you don't...(I pointed this out before but that commnet seems to have been ignored) You cannot know the road in question, as I never mentioned which road, In fact I do not know which road, only that she was on her way to Fulking.
I may in conversation say I was on my way to Fulking, but I could have been on the road I live on or the road in Fulking, without a road name - Which when I see her next i may ask just for my own curiosty, you cannot say you know the road in my OP at all.

The original report was of being held up for half a mile. When I pointed out that probably meant a delay of all of 20-40 seconds it suddenly became a 17 minute hold up over 4+ miles.

I didn't say 1/2 a mile, I said after a total of 1/2 mile she beeped her horn, I never mentioned anything about 4 miles at all. I then replied that in total it was 17 mins from when she first spotted thre cyclist til she managed to pass them

BUT, it would seem from Gregs post...

I now have four eye witnesses at work (120+staff) claiming sightings of a large group of cyclists riding en masse riding several riders abreast, reports vary as to precise numbers, rolling road block stylee along the the some of roads immediately north of the south downs on the weekend. From east of Hurstpierpoint to well west of Poynings. Responses have vaired from 'faffing faffer faffwits getting in my way AGAIN' to 'what a spectacular and splendid sight'. Responses seem to vary in accordance with how hard the teller is trying to get a rise from me as I appear to be their appointed authority on all things cycling and 'one of them' and thus responsible for the behaviour of every cyclist they see. Of course.

That there have been other reports of large groups out & about in that area on the same day, so maybe my friend may have misinterpretted the way the cyclist were riding, it has been suggested that they could have been riding in staggere formation, which from a drivers perspective may have looked like 6 abreast..
So please, could we stop with the 'she made it up, she's lying, it's all bollox' comments

And Thnank you Claud

It's not a truth commission. What interests me is not the incident itself but the meanings of its representation - here, now, on the forum. The driver, if we are to take it all at face value, chose to relate the incident to the OP, and the OP chose to post it here, framing it in a certain way (as an example of the bad behaviour of cyclists "giving us all a bad name"). The cyclists may or may not have been supercilious, the driver may or may not be pretending to be patient and reasonable while exhibiting signs of suppressed anger and hostility towards cyclists. It doesn't really matter - what matters is contesting the function of the story as posted.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

BUT, it would seem from Gregs post...

fwiw, two of them sought me out to moan at me about it including someone who 'got' me as I walked through the door first thing Monday....

 

[asterix]

My ride yesterday to Cawood was very encouraging.

First there is an old swing bridge over the river with only one lane - a pinch point. It was my right of way despite which I expected the oncoming car to go first as they so often do there. Nevertheless it stopped and waited! As I passed I gave it a wave.

Next, a dust cart flashed me to let me know it would wait at a parked car to let me go! He too could have squeezed by asserting might over right. As I passed I gave it a wave.

Finally, the lights are bust in Cawood. At the X-roads 3 cars arrived. All gave way to me! I gave them a wave!

Patient motorists - in Cawood anyway.

(York to Cawood and back, c.24 miles in 70 mins so over 17 mins I could have done nearly 6 miles)

 

[asterix]

Was talking with a lady who I used to work with today, she is a regular cyclist, rides to school with her children & out most weekends on their bikes.
She told me about an incident on Sunday morning, she was driving near Fulking and came up behind a group of cyclists, they were at that point 6 a breast accross the road, filing the left hand lane, the road was quite narrow & bendy and she didn't feel it safe to overtake, after about 1/4 of a mile, 2 of the group dropped back, but the other 4 just spread out to occupy the space, she said that after another 1/4 mile she got so cross she beeped her horn several times, which obvioulsy annoyed the group as they slowed down.
She wasn't in any hurry to get to her destination, but felt this was really bad form on the riders part, she eventauly managed to pass them on a straight part, but was given much abuse, rude lanaguage & gestures by the cyclist as she did, she had her 2 children 9 & 5 in the car with her.
It's behaviour likes this that gives cyclist a bad name...Why do some riders insist of behaving in this manner?

Beeping your horn in the way described is hardly good manners, is it?

Your post makes it sound as if the driver was suffering from the impatience that gets motorists a bad name and posting it on the forum you got the responses you must surely have expected so why complain?

 

[asterix]

..and there's another thing!

By hooting repeatedly at the cyclist she was of course setting her kids a pretty bad example, no?

At least the kids would have received the lesson that if you are rude to folks they may very well be rude back!

If she wasn't in a hurry why the flip couldn't she have just waited? Or was it her bounden duty to reinforce the superiority of the motor car over all other road users?

 

[benb]

We don't need to know the road to know that claims of riding 6 abreast must be exaggerated.

But I do agree that people should hold off on "she's full of crap, she's lying" posts, as they are not very helpful.

 

[dellzeqq]

Blimey I almost forgot ! Friday night , enemy stormtroopers approaching from the East. We ll group in the hills and attack at dawn.

a great image.....I look forward to forming a phalanx of bicycles and repelling your Welsh Woadishness.

 

[lukesdad]

a great image.....I look forward to forming a phalanx of bicycles and repelling your Welsh Woadishness.

Just make sure RP s riding shotgun so he can be picked off first

 

[supercooper]

My link read this