Undertaking on cycle paths

[captain nemo1701]

Apologies for the rant but the behaviour of some of my fellow cyclists sometimes warrants my wrath and little wonder that the right wing press hates us.
This morning on my commute down the Bristol Railway Path I overtook pedestrian, no problem. I resumed my standard position, which is about 2ft from the left hand grassy verge. Imagine my surprise when some dingbat on a road bike started to try and undertake me by riding through on my left, on the grass and obviously in some hurry. It was a sudden close pass I was not expecting especially when you consider that there was enough room on my right to overtake in Concorde! .I shouted after him that it was a stupid undertake but he didn’t even look back. You wouldn't drive along the pavement to undertake others, would you?. So why on a cycle path?.
In retrospect, I should have matched his speed (I have 29” wheels so often give the roadie guys a run for their money), struck up a conversation and smiled as Mr Undertake went crashing into a rapidly approaching streetlight....

 

[steve50]

You get them in all walks of life, best just let it ride over your head and forget about it, don't let it spoil your day.

 

[summerdays]

I was once going down the cycle path on the ring road (leading to the hotel entrance off the ring road), when a cyclist rang their bell to pass me (a bit surprised as there was enough space to pass to my right)... but I moved left .... only to discover he was going to the left of me at high speed, and he veered onto the grass and nearly onto the road!!! He didn't seem very competent and I overtook him again once on the flat. But spent the rest of the ride going as fast as I could to make sure he couldn't try it again!!!

 

[JtB]

On shared cycle paths it's not about speed. If there are pedestrians I tend to cycle at little more than a walking pace because you can't assume they've heard you approaching from behind and you don't know what they will do next. I certainly wouldn't consider chasing after less considerate cyclists, my responsibility is to cycle safely myself, not to try and educate others who choose not to.

 

[Sixmile]

Maybe he was a tourist who is used to driving on the other side of the road and thought you were in the 'fast lane'.

 

[Dogtrousers]

People do bonkers things on cycle paths. Toddlers, dogs and unicyclists materialise from nowhere. People amble around with their eyes glued to their phones.

Expect it. It's how it is.

 

[mjr]

I shouted after him that it was a stupid undertake but he didn’t even look back. You wouldn't drive along the pavement to undertake others, would you?

No and maybe he got it wrong and knew he got it wrong and he was too ashamed to look back. I know it's against the highway code, but I think telling him such advice is probably the right thing if it stops him repeating the mad move... and sometimes I can't help myself, like on Sunday, I did ask a motorist "And where do you think you're going?" when he started a spectacularly ill-advised overtake likely to result in him either hitting oncoming traffic or side-swiping me. He dropped back

On shared cycle paths it's not about speed. If there are pedestrians I tend to cycle at little more than a walking pace because you can't assume they've heard you approaching from behind and you don't know what they will do next.

Please ring your bell / parp your horn gently or say hello, then they look at you and some negotiation can take place, ending with thankyous. I think I did that three or so times on the way into town today and barely had to slow once. Don't sneak up on people at a little more than walking pace - that's just rude.

 

[tyred]

Unfortunately people will do silly things.

 

[captain nemo1701]

Thanks for the advice everyone. It's a daft thing to do as sections of the path were dug up for new lighting several years ago and the verges are a mess of old railway ballast, concrete lumps, tree stumps and have streetlight every 50 yards or so. It's all nicely grassed over now and hidden in growth. It's a wonder he didn't hit a hidden obstruction and go over the handlebars.

 

[hennbell]

Here in Canada we tend to be much less concerned about undertaking be it in a car or on a bicycle. As long as I know you are passing, go for it.
What bothers me is people walking on multi user paths wearing over ear headphones, no matter how loud I shout or ding my bell they take no notice.

 

[ufkacbln]

A couple of years ago on a Randonnee

Me on a faired recumbent trike when two fully liveried roadies decided that the 8" between me and the kerb was sufficient space to undertake

Both ended up on the verge

Roadies really should not try and throw tantrums in road shoes... but they did until a following group from a cycling ny club explained just how stupid they had been

 

[smutchin]

There is no 'correct' side to pass other cyclists on a cycle path*. The only stipulation in the Highway Code is that on a segregated path you stay off the pedestrian side. So the other cyclist is entitled to pass you on the left or right.

That said, it does sound like he made an unsafe pass and generally behaved like a bit of a twerp.

And call me a boring pedant if you like, but when did undertaking become a thing? It's all overtaking, isn't it? As in, he was behind you but now he has overtaken you. You can specify the type of overtaking by qualifying it with 'on the left/nearside/inside' but undertaking is something done by men in black suits with an obsequious manner.

*From pictures I've seen of the Bristol railway path, there are no 'road' markings or signs, so there is no obligation to stick to one side or the other and you should expect people to be approaching or passing you on either side.

 

[smutchin]

What bothers me is people walking on multi user paths wearing over ear headphones, no matter how loud I shout or ding my bell they take no notice.

The onus is on you as the one doing the overtaking to do it safely, at an appropriate speed and with plenty of space between you and the person you are passing (as the idiot in the OP's case didn't do). Even if the person ahead of you has their ears uncovered, you can't guarantee that they have heard your bell/call - perhaps because of wind noise in their ears, or maybe even because they are deaf.

And how do you know that they aren't taking any notice anyway? Is it because they are just carrying on walking/riding as they are entitled to do? What do you expect them to do - dive out of your way?

 

[fossyant]

You get idiots that don't know what side to be on either. Keep to the left ! Was nearly wiped out by someone who couldn't keep a straight line - the path is a good 4 meters wide, go to overtake, and they suddenly veer to the right, pushing me on the grass (on a road bike). The cheeky cow said 'get a bell' to which I replied, 'learn to ride in a straight line'. You can't make it up sometimes.

 

[dim]

I live in Cambridge and cycle approx 40km per day commuting (on cycle paths and through the city)

I'm more afraid of cyclists (especially people from other countries), than cars or buses ...thousands of international students and many travel by bicycle

I've had some very close encounters....