StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
You'll be wanting a pic of him brandishing a crucifix the next time someone mentions mudguards......
What is the Law (UK) when it comes to cycling in the road?
- Thread starter roadracerash1
- Start date
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StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
He was speaking for himself and expressing an opinion that, judging by responses to date, is in line with that of at least several others.
growingvegetables
Guru
- Location
- Leeds
Damn - the idiot has flounced. Pity - it could have been fun to see him juggle this one. But maybe the little mini-me somebody (david_k) who liked his post can shed some light.
- Leeds ring road. 2-3 mile tailback of VERY slow moving traffic.
- In the middle of the tailback, two guys pushing a tandem. The stoker (for david_k, the guy on the back) walking on the left of the bike and pushing the rear handlebars, and the pilot (me, the guy on the front, again for david_k) walking on the right side of the tandem, pushing the front handlebars, and steering. Taking up at least a metre and a half of the lane - often more.
- Pilot (me) is thoroughly ****ing p*ssed off because well over half the drivers who do manage to pass damn near take my kidneys out with their wing mirrors. Pilot (me) says not a single word, not a ****ing whisper. Afik, stoker is entirely unaware.
Questions for beany_bot (if the brainless idiot hadn't flounced) and mini-me david_k.
- are the tandem riders/walkers correct to take up at least 1.5 metres of the lane?
- are any motorists justified in passing so close that the front rider has to bellydance to protect his kidneys, so that their progress (?) is unimpeded?
I advise you not to cycle in France or Italy (and possibly other countries) as a friendly toot to inform a cyclist that a car is present is very common.
Hawk
Veteran
- Location
- Glasgow Southside
All Beany_Bot was saying was that on narrow country roads, cycling two-abreast where the rightmost cyclist is very near the centreline means that even if a driver moves as far right as possible when overtakking at the safest stretch of road, he will leave only maybe a foot or less of space between the cyclist and his vehicle. There are narrow country roads where this is the case for many miles. If the cyclists moved to single file then the driver, again moving as far right as possible when overtaking, would be able to leave a more satisfactory 3 feet of space.
I don't think it was fair to be rude to him, to call him a poor/impatient driver etc.
And I do think it is possible to be inconsiderate by cycling 2-abreast in some situations despite it being apparently legal all the time. I'd hope cyclists in extreme such situations would be prosecuted for inconsiderate cycling.
I say this as a cyclist who doesn't drive.
I don't think it was fair to be rude to him, to call him a poor/impatient driver etc.
And I do think it is possible to be inconsiderate by cycling 2-abreast in some situations despite it being apparently legal all the time. I'd hope cyclists in extreme such situations would be prosecuted for inconsiderate cycling.
I say this as a cyclist who doesn't drive.
Is there such an offence?
Is there one for inconsiderate moterists as well?
If so, the local police around here will have a field day.
Hawk
Veteran
- Location
- Glasgow Southside
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/3ZA
2008882 said:
I think that's what Beany meant...
Hawk
Veteran
- Location
- Glasgow Southside
2008945 said:
http://goo.gl/maps/C8MtY
http://goo.gl/maps/XpWl8
http://goo.gl/maps/f6jgT
If you sit two abreast on these roads, (particularly the second and third), there is no way an overtaking car can give 3ft of room.
If you sit single file, cars will often not be delayed at all.
All of these roads are cycling routes near me, one is an extremely popular training hill, the other is a key commuter route, the last is a NCN
srw
It's a bit more complicated than that...
If a car is not delayed on that last one when passing a cyclist the driver really ought to be shot.
There are lots of country roads around here (60mph speed limit roads I should add) where I've been stuck crawling along in my car at 10mph for what feels like AGES, all because cyclists are riding next to each other for no real reason, and it's not possible to overtake. Also a lot of the corners on this road are pretty blind in the summer when the hedges have grown out and not every driver is looking for cyclists... so cycling right in the middle of the road where you're literally impossible to avoid is stupidly risky. I only look for cyclists because A) I cycle and B) I'm used to seeing them on this road. Lots of tourists use the roads as well, however, who may not do either. Assuming that all drivers are on max alert for cyclists completely blocking the road around the corner is unrealistic.
It is inconsiderate to the max and essentially just being a twat, IMO.
I always feel like doing some pointed beeping to get the message across that they're not giving me any room to pass, but I'm paranoid that it'll make them jump and fall off their bikes or something. Irritating idiots that they are, I don't really want to run them over.
It is inconsiderate to the max and essentially just being a twat, IMO.
I always feel like doing some pointed beeping to get the message across that they're not giving me any room to pass, but I'm paranoid that it'll make them jump and fall off their bikes or something. Irritating idiots that they are, I don't really want to run them over.
Nigel-YZ1
Guru
- Location
- Somewhere else... maybe soon.
srw
It's a bit more complicated than that...
I'll leave the re-education exercise to someone else this time, but Feastie - you might want to read the thread.
OK - a firing squad might perhaps be a bit strong. But did you click the link? It's a narrow, straight single-track road with good sightlines. In the absence of any obstruction, a car could happily and safely do 40mph. I rather hope that every would expect a car do be doing rather less than 40mph before passing a cyclist with the foot or so room that the road would give them."Here lies Joe Bloggs. Executed for giving too much room to a cyclist"
2009119 said:
I know, it's stupid, but many people drive along it at that speed. See the speed limit, go the speed limit and all that. I avoid cycling on it like the plague, but it is the main road/route and also the only flat one so a lot of people do cycle down there.
No need to be condescending, of course I've read the thread. You might want to read my reply... but clearly you must have done in order to reply to it, so there's no point in me making a comment quite so pointless(!).
growingvegetables
Guru
- Location
- Leeds
I must remember to install an enormous neon sign on my back when cycling 2 abreast - "Take care, I am cycling 2 abreast with my considerably less experienced daughter, to protect her and build her confidence."
It sounds to me like you're making some pretty big assumptions?
What would you think of a tandem being walked up a hill? Guy who was on the back walking on the left of the bike, at least a foot from the road edge; guy who was on the front, walking on the right of the bike, in the traffic lane - at risk of his kidneys being taken out by car mirrors skimming by? Taking up at least 1.5 metres of the lane?
Guessing you'd think there's "no real reason" for such odd behaviour? Go on - have a go
