Riding several abreast?

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Night Train

Maker of Things
Thr driver was wrong to vent frustration but I guess sometimes it can be understood if not condoned.

My experience of cyclist more then two abreast was considerably more scary.

A couple of years ago on the B6138, Blackstone Edge Road, in Yorkshire I was driving northbound when it was still a 60mph road (it is now a 50mph road). I saw a group of cyclists coming towards me at 3 abreast. As we got closer it became 4 abreast, closer still and it became 5 abreast with the 5th rider on the white line. Then as we were about to pass each other a 6th shot out onto my side of the road to try and over take the lot of them. I went past with two wheels in the narrow grass verge trying not to brake, spin the car, and wipe out all the cyclists and myself.

I must admit I leaned heavily on the horn then.
 

barongreenback

Über Member
Location
Warwickshire
I was stuck in my car in Devon today behind a group doing the Deloitte tour of Britain. Must admit, on this particular road, riding up to 4 abreast in a long group was inconsiderate to other road users. As ever, common sense and common courtesy should apply.
 

gavintc

Guru
Location
Southsea
I was stuck in my car in Devon today behind a group doing the Deloitte tour of Britain. Must admit, on this particular road, riding up to 4 abreast in a long group was inconsiderate to other road users. As ever, common sense and common courtesy should apply.


So, you come across a group of cyclists. What in your opinion, other than get off the road, should they do?

Single up - and create a very long no overtaking hazard
Double up - shortens the hazard by half.

So, common courtesy is 'get off my road'
 

Sheffield_Tiger

Legendary Member
So, you come across a group of cyclists. What in your opinion, other than get off the road, should they do?

Single up - and create a very long no overtaking hazard
Double up - shortens the hazard by half.

So, common courtesy is 'get off my road'


They should block silly overtakes.

Bloody cyclists* riding in single file letting cars past where there isn't space caused my wing mirror to get clipped today by an idiot who decided to squeeze through between me (oncoming traffic) and the bikes

*Yes, I know that it wasn't the cyclists' FAULT, and the blame lies squarely with the overtaking car, but I guess some would apportion part of the blame just for them being there, and the fact is that though not to blame, if they had been riding out of the gutter, idiot wouldn't have squeezed through {a} scaring them half to death and {b} bashing my wing mirror

Thankfully 16 year old Skoda wing mirrors are bulky, square, sturdy things and tend to win wing-mirror jousting competitions, so if anyone wants a newish silver Honda(?) driver's side wing mirror, I think there's one in the middle of the road on the A625 between Sheephill Road and Flying Mile :becool:
 

barongreenback

Über Member
Location
Warwickshire
So, you come across a group of cyclists. What in your opinion, other than get off the road, should they do?

Single up - and create a very long no overtaking hazard
Double up - shortens the hazard by half.

So, common courtesy is 'get off my road'

Absolutely not. Based on my knowledge of this particular road, the conditions and the size of the group they would have been better splitting into two groups with some space in between. It is no more 'my road' than it is theirs. We all share and thus it goes back to my original point - common sense and courtesy should apply. It is possible to balance the two without p***ing everyone off. No-one's right to the road should be trumped by the other unless there's a safety issue. In my view the safety of the cycling group would not have been compromised by splitting up on this particular section of road.
 
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