Two cyclists just gave me some verbal

esoteric

esoteric

esoteric

Soldato
Joined
5 Aug 2004
Posts
2,738
Driving home from the hospital 40mins ago, two cyclists side by side blocking the entire lane of a steep uphill road. I was quite a ways behind them and beeped my horn to alert them and got no response so I got closer and beeped again and this time they heard and dropped into single file, and as I passed they started hurling abuse and making comments like "is the road not wide enough for you", and "sorry for taking up my time", I was chill about it but my passenger wasn't, she opened the window and told them to get to the side of the f'in road then called them ****.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (see Rules 211 to 213 and 214 to 215).

So why should it bother you if they are two abreast? It is actually quicker to overtake them given they won't be as long.
 
FerretBoy said:
give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (see Rules 211 to 213 and 214 to 215).

So why should it bother you if they are two abreast? It is actually quicker to overtake them given they won't be as long.
Click to expand...

Because it's difficult to give enough room if they aren't in single file, cyclists shouldn't be two abreast on the highway as it's a hazard.
 
FerretBoy said:
But if you give them the room dictated by the highway code it's a non-issue. Unless you plan to go against the highway code?
Click to expand...

Riding two abreast can often be an inconsiderate thing to do and single file is more appropriate for the situation, if riding two abreast is preventing an overtake that would otherwise be safe then you shouldn't be doing it.

You MUST NOT

carry a passenger unless your cycle has been built or adapted to carry one
hold onto a moving vehicle or trailer
ride in a dangerous, careless or inconsiderate manner
ride when under the influence of drink or drugs, including medicine.
Law RTA 1988 sects 24, 26, 28, 29 & 30 as amended by RTA 1991
Click to expand...
 
You need to get that ddzzzzzz sound in stereo next time as their rear tyres rub your bumper. When you get it accelerate until they get to the same speed as the cars and all is good. They might get a bit tired after a mile or so but you'll be warmer.
 
mufc802 said:
You don't beep your horn when you want to overtake someone.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
You don't beep your horn when you want to overtake a road vehicle that is equipped with mirrors, as you can make the assumption they can see you. Most cyclists can't. It is therefore not unreasonable to make a quick blast of the horn so they know. After all, the horn is there to let other people know where you are.
 
Most roadies think they own the road. I was going through some lanes last year and met 3 of them across with a forth over taking. Anyone coming the other way on a bend would have ploughed at least one of them down. You don't see things like this from MTB riders :D
 
The cyclists have just as much right to be taking up the road as car drivers. Unless the rules have changed and it's fastest mode of transport takes priority.
 
FerretBoy said:
give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (see Rules 211 to 213 and 214 to 215).

So why should it bother you if they are two abreast? It is actually quicker to overtake them given they won't be as long.
Click to expand...

What a ridiculous response. If you are supposed to give one cyclist the same space as a car, then clearly you can't do that when the idiots ride two abreast in breach of the rules of the road.

Cyclists need to be held responsible for their behaviour on the road and not expect everyone else to work round their stupidity.
 
PMKeates said:
You don't beep your horn when you want to overtake a road vehicle that is equipped with mirrors, as you can make the assumption they can see you. Most cyclists can't. It is therefore not unreasonable to make a quick blast of the horn so they know. After all, the horn is there to let other people know where you are.
Click to expand...

Its highly likely they were aware he was coming behind them. If anything, the horn can be quite dangerous and make the cyclist jump and possible lose balance and can be seen as being used to intimidate rather than warn of presence.
 
mufc802 said:
Its highly likely they were aware he was coming behind them. If anything, the horn can be quite dangerous and make the cyclist jump and possible lose balance and can be seen as being used to intimidate rather than warn of presence.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry that's nonsense. 'Make the cyclist jump'? They are riding around on a road with trucks, buses, cars and a horn is going to make them jump? Give over. It's a car horn, not that space shuttle launch.
 
Personally I think if cylcists want to ride on the road with other cars they must have:

1. Insurance
2. Mirrors

Why they don't have have actual insurance is absolutely beyond me.
 
esoteric said:
Driving home from the hospital 40mins ago, two cyclists side by side blocking the entire lane of a steep uphill road. I was quite a ways behind them and beeped my horn to alert them and got no response so I got closer and beeped again and this time they heard and dropped into single file, and as I passed they started hurling abuse and making comments like "is the road not wide enough for you", and "sorry for taking up my time", I was chill about it but my passenger wasn't, she opened the window and told them to get to the side of the f'in road then called them d'heads.
Click to expand...

Sometimes you can't win with cyclists. If you had passed within lunging distance of them while they were riding two abreast they would probably have taken a pot shot at your wing mirror.

I enjoy cycling myself and normally stick to narrow (often single width) country lanes. While I have as much right to use the roads as anyone else it takes me about 10 seconds to pull right into the verge or hop up onto the grass if it is low enough to let cars pass so I do so at the earliest possibility. I think so many people are out on a personal mission or are so worried about their Strava sector times that they get a bit inconsiderate.
 
Riding two abreast seems generally obnoxious. Yes I get you want to have a nice little chat but if you're holding up traffic then perhaps some consideration for other road users would be sensible, especially as they are all in potentially lethal chunks of metal.
 
Its actually safer for the cyclist to ride 2 abreast as the following cars have to overtake more cautiously, And not just barrel past like most do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom