Of course it's not uncourteous; I'm not sure anything is or ever has been.
It is sometimes discourteous.
Dont let abuse from motorists spoil your day.
- Thread starter Banjo
- Start date
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Of course it's not uncourteous; I'm not sure anything is or ever has been.
It is sometimes discourteous.
Angelfishsolo
A Velocipedian
- Location
- Cwmbach, South Wales
Angelfishsolo
A Velocipedian
- Location
- Cwmbach, South Wales
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
And in the spirit of courstesy and consideration, I would like to agree that there are indeed times when riding in single file is the right thing to do!
I was once riding through the small town of Ramsbottom on the Rossendale Mountain Bike Challenge and a pair of cyclists in front of me were not making any friends ...
The most outrageous cycling I saw (which made me feel embarrassed to be in the same group of cyclists) was on a training ride near Calpe, just north of Benidorm. The coast road twists and turns, but is wide enough for traffic to flow safely in both directions even while overtaking the many cyclists who generally ride within white lines painted either side. It is often okay to ride 2 abreast. It isn't okay to ride 5 abreast!
Many members of the group I was with decided to blatantly ignore courtesy and consideration and form a mobile road block on our side of the road. A queue of cars was forming behind us. I heard someone call out "No more than 2 abreast, cars behind" and someone else shouted out "F*** 'em, they can wait!" (Laughter.) This went of for about 10 minutes. They were well out of order!
A long-suffering motorist eventually gave a short blip on his horn to request to be let through. They gave him 'the finger'. That caused dozens of motorists behind to blast us with their horns. More jeers from the cyclists, and more use of the fingers, plus references made to WW II when they noticed that the driver in the convertible at the head of the queue was German. In the end, a driver about 4 cars back saw 'the red mist' and floored his throttle. He overtook us at a stupid speed and cut in so viciously that he almost hit the front riders of the group. More abuse from them ...
Absolute f***wits!
I was once riding through the small town of Ramsbottom on the Rossendale Mountain Bike Challenge and a pair of cyclists in front of me were not making any friends ...
The thing is - yes, that road was narrow, but traffic was moving at a safe, slow speed so allowing motorists to creep by was the right thing to do there and then. Creating a huge tailback wasn't. Cars which had safely passed me were not able to progress further. The predictable happened ...ColinJ said:
The most outrageous cycling I saw (which made me feel embarrassed to be in the same group of cyclists) was on a training ride near Calpe, just north of Benidorm. The coast road twists and turns, but is wide enough for traffic to flow safely in both directions even while overtaking the many cyclists who generally ride within white lines painted either side. It is often okay to ride 2 abreast. It isn't okay to ride 5 abreast!
Many members of the group I was with decided to blatantly ignore courtesy and consideration and form a mobile road block on our side of the road. A queue of cars was forming behind us. I heard someone call out "No more than 2 abreast, cars behind" and someone else shouted out "F*** 'em, they can wait!" (Laughter.) This went of for about 10 minutes. They were well out of order!
A long-suffering motorist eventually gave a short blip on his horn to request to be let through. They gave him 'the finger'. That caused dozens of motorists behind to blast us with their horns. More jeers from the cyclists, and more use of the fingers, plus references made to WW II when they noticed that the driver in the convertible at the head of the queue was German. In the end, a driver about 4 cars back saw 'the red mist' and floored his throttle. He overtook us at a stupid speed and cut in so viciously that he almost hit the front riders of the group. More abuse from them ...
Absolute f***wits!
Glow worm
Legendary Member
- Location
- Near Newmarket
apollo179
Well-Known Member
I agree colin.
Riders riding as a group have that gang mentality thing where acting as part of a gang both enboldens then to do stuff they otherwise would not have the courage to do alone and gives them a sense of moral affirmation to do stuff they would otherwise not do alone. I suspect a single rider on the calpe benidorm road would not be quite so inconsiderate. Habitual gang riders are ok , it is we single riders who are vulnerable to motorists looking for payback after being given the finger driving round the beniborm coast.
Riders riding as a group have that gang mentality thing where acting as part of a gang both enboldens then to do stuff they otherwise would not have the courage to do alone and gives them a sense of moral affirmation to do stuff they would otherwise not do alone. I suspect a single rider on the calpe benidorm road would not be quite so inconsiderate. Habitual gang riders are ok , it is we single riders who are vulnerable to motorists looking for payback after being given the finger driving round the beniborm coast.
And in the spirit of courstesy and consideration, I would like to agree that there are indeed times when riding in single file is the right thing to do!
I was once riding through the small town of Ramsbottom on the Rossendale Mountain Bike Challenge and a pair of cyclists in front of me were not making any friends ...
The thing is - yes, that road was narrow, but traffic was moving at a safe, slow speed so allowing motorists to creep by was the right thing to do there and then. Creating a huge tailback wasn't. Cars which had safely passed me were not able to progress further. The predictable happened ...
The most outrageous cycling I saw (which made me feel embarrassed to be in the same group of cyclists) was on a training ride near Calpe, just north of Benidorm. The coast road twists and turns, but is wide enough for traffic to flow safely in both directions even while overtaking the many cyclists who generally ride within white lines painted either side. It is often okay to ride 2 abreast. It isn't okay to ride 5 abreast!
Many members of the group I was with decided to blatantly ignore courtesy and consideration and form a mobile road block on our side of the road. A queue of cars was forming behind us. I heard someone call out "No more than 2 abreast, cars behind" and someone else shouted out "F*** 'em, they can wait!" (Laughter.) This went of for about 10 minutes. They were well out of order!
A long-suffering motorist eventually gave a short blip on his horn to request to be let through. They gave him 'the finger'. That caused dozens of motorists behind to blast us with their horns. More jeers from the cyclists, and more use of the fingers, plus references made to WW II when they noticed that the driver in the convertible at the head of the queue was German. In the end, a driver about 4 cars back saw 'the red mist' and floored his throttle. He overtook us at a stupid speed and cut in so viciously that he almost hit the front riders of the group. More abuse from them ...
Absolute f***wits!
explorethedales
New Member
We are generally a unfit nation - many drivers don't understand cyclists because they've not been near a bike since primary school. In France it's different. Drivers are polite because lots of them also cycle.
Drivers complain about cyclists all the time, yet never give cyclists enough room to cycle safely. look at the average rush hour street. How much width do they give - none. So cyclists have to either ride on the pavement or risk death. Maybe as pertol prices increase and more people go back to bikes, things will improve - here's hoping...
We get so many information vids - let's have some for cyclists and educate drivers.
Robert
Drivers complain about cyclists all the time, yet never give cyclists enough room to cycle safely. look at the average rush hour street. How much width do they give - none. So cyclists have to either ride on the pavement or risk death. Maybe as pertol prices increase and more people go back to bikes, things will improve - here's hoping...
We get so many information vids - let's have some for cyclists and educate drivers.
Robert
asturel131
New Member
I refer to these individuals as "steering wheel warriors" similar to a keyboard warrior who acts tough on the internet, except these are the car driving version. I come across some right jackasses on my daily ride.
explorethedales
New Member
Big car - small dick. I love philosophy.
FreewheelingUK
Active Member
- Location
- Brighton, United Kingdom
Cycling two abreast takes less road width than a motor car with a single occupant! If there's not enough room to overtake cyclists two abreast, there's probably not enough room to overtake a single cyclist riding in primary position. As others have mentioned, it's actually easier to safely overtake cyclists two abreast than it is to safely overtake two cyclists riding single file because you have less distance to overtake.
Another far more common scenario... two people in cars driving two abreast... blocking two lanes in a motor car in the rush hour, thus taking up the space of about 12 two abreast cyclists; that's inconsiderate!
explorethedales
New Member
If we start using correct terms like 'primary position', then we'll really confuse the average motorist. They see the only primary position on any road as being the driver's seat...
Maybe the driving test ought to have a greater cyclist awareness element to it.
Maybe the driving test ought to have a greater cyclist awareness element to it.
Angelfishsolo
A Velocipedian
- Location
- Cwmbach, South Wales
I find you assertion that riding two abreast is inconsiderate most strange. You do realise this is a cycling forum.
apollo179
Well-Known Member
Yes - but the fact that i like football dosnt meant that i have to defend football hooliganism or eric cantanas kungfu kick etc etc.
