Riding 2 abreast.

[Banjo]

If driving the car I would rather pass 2 cyclists 2 abreast than one behind the other.Its a no brainer, you either pull out to pass somethimg only about 5 foot long or pull ouit to pass something much longer if they are in line.

Why then is it inevitable some clown will give U abuse for doing it? Or am I asking the unanswerable as these type of people dont have logical brains?

 

[fossyant]

Just because !

Smile and wave ! (Penguins of Madagascar) PS It really annoys them, but they can't do owt !

 

[guitarpete247]

If, as a driver, I'm going along a busy main road it is easy to pass 2 cyclists in single file without having to stray too far over the white line so it is easier to pass. 2 abreast is like trying to pass a tractor and for some drivers this can get to be frustrating and lead to them giving the cyclists (or tractor driver) some verbals. If on a narrow country lane I come across cyclists 2 abreast it is impossible to get past them at all. Again it is like following a tractor but now a tractor that could if it wanted to slim down and allow drivers to pass.

If I'm riding with some one else I like to ride along side them to have a chat as we go along but, no matter what type of road one of us will drop back to allow faster moving traffic pass.

This is just the same as when polite tractor drivers (I come across a lot of tractors on the road round here have used them as an analogy) pull over to allow the stream of traffic past and the rude ignorant drivers stick there and have a mile long queue behind them.

Whatever you are riding or driving. If you are slower than other traffic let it past or you end up getting impatient aggressive people, behind you on the road, ready to be abusive towards you.

 

[corshamjim]

If driving the car I would rather pass 2 cyclists 2 abreast than one behind the other.Its a no brainer, you either pull out to pass somethimg only about 5 foot long or pull ouit to pass something much longer if they are in line.

Why then is it inevitable some clown will give U abuse for doing it? Or am I asking the unanswerable as these type of people dont have logical brains?

These type of people have entirely logical brains. They expect you to complete the overtaking manoeuvre you started then pull back over ( "to the gutter where you belong" is sometimes how this thought illogically finishes though).

 

[Banjo]

If, as a driver, I'm going along a busy main road it is easy to pass 2 cyclists in single file without having to stray too far over the white line so it is easier to pass. 2 abreast is like trying to pass a tractor and for some drivers this can get to be frustrating and lead to them giving the cyclists (or tractor driver) some verbals. If on a narrow country lane I come across cyclists 2 abreast it is impossible to get past them at all. Again it is like following a tractor but now a tractor that could if it wanted to slim down and allow drivers to pass.

If I'm riding with some one else I like to ride along side them to have a chat as we go along but, no matter what type of road one of us will drop back to allow faster moving traffic pass.

This is just the same as when polite tractor drivers (I come across a lot of tractors on the road round here have used them as an analogy) pull over to allow the stream of traffic past and the rude ignorant drivers stick there and have a mile long queue behind them.

Whatever you are riding or driving. If you are slower than other traffic let it past or you end up getting impatient aggressive people, behind you on the road, ready to be abusive towards you.

Ifully agree with you pete and wont ride 2 abreast if this makes passing impossible.

Even when passing is still entirely possible some prat will bravely blast his horn before accelerating away.

I dont understand though your comment about being able to pass without going too far over the line. If something is coming the other way you shouldnt pass anyway if not it makes no difference how far over the line you go. Obviously on busy roads with narrow lanes then 2 abreast isnt appropriate but on quite roads or where theres loads of room no problem.

 

[HLaB]

Just because !

Smile and wave ! (Penguins of Madagascar) PS It really annoys them, but they can't do owt !

+1

If I'm out with the ERC we quite often get muppets coming towards us on the opposite side of the road! getting wound up by us cycling 2 abreast, touch wood I've never experience that with the DCC.

 

[summerdays]

I often cycle with a friend who will go two abreast to chat. ... but I seem to have a lower tolerance to when I think we should be in single file ... I don't think I've ever seen her being the one that drops back or goes forward ... unless I prompt her. I love having a chat ... but just wish she would take on some of the responsibility for deciding when to go single file - otherwise she is a good cyclist that I don't mind cycling with (apart from the fact she goes up hills better!).

 

[ClichéGuevara]

I go single file and try to give the cars as much opportunity to get past as I can, without compromising myself but as someone else mentioned above, the ones I struggle with are cars coming in the opposite direction on country roads. Some seem hell bent on driving straight down the middle as if I'm not there.

What doesn't help (in my opinion) are the angry cyclists who seem to ride looking for confrontation with cars.

Part of the driving test should include an element where people cycle along a section of road so that they can understand it from a cycle/motorcycle perspective.

 

[funnymummy]

I was out last Friday cycling with a friend, she's more of an 'off-roader' type of rider, the first 10 miles or so of our ride where accross The Downs - she led the way, then we looped bcak on the roads with me acting as lead. We cycled two abreast on the quieter roads, with me pulling ahead & in when the odd car was behind us on narrower lanes, we got off & waited as a couple of groups of horseriders passed from the opposite direction, smiles & nods excahnged, a tractor pulled over & let us pass on a downhill singletrack lane.
We then had to do several miles along the A27 - Dual carriageway 70mph limit, at one point it was down to one lane as workers were repairing the central barrier, there was nowhere to pull over as the road is staright onto hedges on the leftside, on several occasions we were aware of lorries behind us, and at every available spot & opportuntity we pulled over to let the tailbacks pass, we recived friednly waves, smiles & happy toots from the vehicles as we let them pass - Not one cross face.
Why can't every time I go out on my bike be like that....??

 

[Smokin Joe]

To continue to ride two abreast while you have vehicles queuing behind is just asking for trouble. It's no more than basic courtesy to single out and provide more room for overtaking.

 

[ian turner]

To continue to ride two abreast while you have vehicles queuing behind is just asking for trouble. It's no more than basic courtesy to single out and provide more room for overtaking.

Careful or you'll get the organised road ride mafia arguing the toss

 

[Bicycle]

I have a pal with whom I no longer ride because he's a "let them wait" 2-abreast cyclist.

Lovely guy; still a good pal but I never ride with him.

It just seems slightly selfish to ride like that when there's someone trying to pass.

On quiet lanes I'll go 2-abreast and chat, but as soon as a car, van, tractor or horse appears I have a burst and sneak in.

Whether this is right or wrong I do not know, but as a driver I find the habit of other cyclists riding 2-abreast when someone's trying to pass slightly unhelpful.

I dare say the counter-argument may be more compelling than mine, but it seems slightly indicative to me of an ethos foreign to my own.

I like to ride, but I like to cause minimal inconvenience. Riding in line seems to achieve that.

 

[henshaw11]

I had the same argument with two mates last weekend who just didn't get it either.

Now admittedly I *would* tend to drop back into single file because a lot of drivers seem to be a bit inept regarding overtaking, but the reality is it's no harder to past two abreast than it is two in single file. Are you scared to get the car over the other side of the white line ? - how you would pass a tractor or any other slower moving vehicle ? If so, get your head round why you're having difficulty - trying to overtake in the wrong place, not looking far ahead or not using visual clues (eg closer central dashed lines, direction signs, junctions ahead) to identify a safe/unsafe overtake points?

It's not unusual for motorcyclists to do some sort of advanced tuition (IAM, ROSPA, etc) - as a car driver you *can* do likewise if you're not confident.

Bear in mind the highway code's kinda done the work for you, in that 'overtake a cyclist as you would a small car' or whatever the exact wording is actually directs you to do the right thing...

If you're in a group of any size it's far better to form a wider, shorter group - whereas if you string out, the person overtaking has straddle/be across the other side of the line for a far longer distance, and is more likely to have trouble finding a good overtake spot.
Even if you've moved over the line, you're not actually commited to the overtake until you're starting to pass what you want to overtake, if you spot something to change your mind - you *do* have the option of moving back in lane, relative speeds permitting.

 

[jethro10]

I drop to one abreast, and leave a gap between us so the car can pass each of us individually. Far safer and much more polite.
I hate cyclists with a vengeance who bunch up and make it difficult for cars to pass for no reason except perhaps their own ego.


Jeff

 

[tyred]

You need to judge each situation on it's merits. In most cases, I would favour 1 abreast to make it easier for someone to overtake but there are times in a large group or if the road is perfectly wide and straight enough to give clear overtaking oppurtunities, then two abreast would possibly be the best way.