another cyclist rant :/

utajoker · 11 Dec 2010 at 10:24

every couple of months the roads around here get full of 100's of cyclists.

thats not a problem.

what is, is when they decided to ride 3 abreast along the road taking up 3/4 of a lane, casually chatting away riding at about 10 mph with a nice queue of cars behind them without a care in the world.

is it to much to ask to just ride single file so traffic can get past??

i've just driven back about 8 miles at about 10 mph behind a truck because he couldn't overtake because there was a group of 10 or so riding 2-3 abreast all the way home.

if you pay tax to ride n the road fair enough but you don't so have some consideration and make it easier for traffic to get past!

Randomface74 · 11 Dec 2010 at 10:26

Just honk your horn like a mofo. They'll move.

DM · 11 Dec 2010 at 10:28

Turn windscreen washers sideways and let them have it on the way past, combined with a cheery wave and thumbs up.

Poppy · 11 Dec 2010 at 10:36

If a lorry is in capable of overtaking cyclists travelling at 10 mph then theres something very wrong with that lorry!!

Poppy · 11 Dec 2010 at 10:40

utajoker said:
every couple of months the roads around here get full of 100's of cyclists.

thats not a problem.

what is, is when they decided to ride 3 abreast along the road taking up 3/4 of a lane, casually chatting away riding at about 10 mph with a nice queue of cars behind them without a care in the world.

is it to much to ask to just ride single file so traffic can get past??

i've just driven back about 8 miles at about 10 mph behind a truck because he couldn't overtake because there was a group of 10 or so riding 2-3 abreast all the way home.

if you pay tax to ride n the road fair enough but you don't so have some consideration and make it easier for traffic to get past!

3 abreast does sound a bit off and thoughtless for other road users.

Believe it or not, cyclists have as much right as anyone else to be on the road. SHOCK some cyclists own cars too and actually pay for there road tax.

danza · 11 Dec 2010 at 11:10

I find the best place to encounter cyclists is in the darkness, riding down Handcross Hill on the A23. Seriously, it's the best idea ever.

[FnG]magnolia · 11 Dec 2010 at 11:11

Is 3 abreast legal? Doesn't that require race conditions?

olv · 11 Dec 2010 at 11:16

Cyclists for the win.

-TA- · 11 Dec 2010 at 11:24

Patience is a virtue etc etc,

JayMax · 11 Dec 2010 at 11:25

Poppy said:
Believe it or not, cyclists have as much right as anyone else to be on the road. SHOCK some cyclists own cars too and actually pay for there road tax.

Does this mean I only need one tax disc for any wheeled transport I choose to take on the roads?

DM · 11 Dec 2010 at 11:26

danza said:
I find the best place to encounter cyclists is in the darkness, riding down Handcross Hill on the A23. Seriously, it's the best idea ever.

Must be perfect for knocking them off, how many have you done so far

Mr-White · 11 Dec 2010 at 11:43

How many points do get for knocking off a cyclist ?

MW

DM · 11 Dec 2010 at 11:50

Mr-White said:
How many points do get for knocking off a cyclist ?

MW

Well obviously you do get less if its dark because the risk/reward is less.

However i dont see anything at all wrong with awarding at least 10 points even down a dark bit of the A23.

Just to clarify im talking about a proper up and over knocked off for 10 points, not just driving close and causing them to do a speed wobble, thats's only 5 points.

eidolon · 11 Dec 2010 at 11:55

utajoker said:
if you pay tax to ride n the road fair enough but you don't so have some consideration and make it easier for traffic to get past!

How about me? I pay tax for my car, tax for my motorbike but I also have a road and mountain bike, do I pay enough tax to satisfy you? Can I please share the roads with you?

DM · 11 Dec 2010 at 11:56

eidolon said:
How about me? I pay tax for my car, tax for my motorbike but I also have a road and mountain bike, do I pay enough tax to satisfy you? Can I please share the roads with you?

Certainly not ride on the pavement.

Eriedor · 11 Dec 2010 at 12:01

What's this road tax everyone is talking about?

There's no such thing....

jak731 · 11 Dec 2010 at 12:12

DiamondMark said:
Certainly not ride on the pavement.

Riding on the pavement is illegal (£500 fine if the bobby is feeling arsy).

The highway code says a car should give the same space to a cyclist as it would a car when over taking, so even if they are three abreast you should be able to overtake as if there was only a single cyclist as you should be right out in the other lane.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070314

bsoltan · 11 Dec 2010 at 12:17

HighwayCode said:
You should never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069837

DM · 11 Dec 2010 at 12:35

jak731 said:
Riding on the pavement is illegal (£500 fine if the bobby is feeling arsy).

The highway code says a car should give the same space to a cyclist as it would a car when over taking, so even if they are three abreast you should be able to overtake as if there was only a single cyclist as you should be right out in the other lane.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_070314

Thanks for that, does that mean i have to stop running them over for 10 points each too?

Lakeland · 11 Dec 2010 at 12:43

I find this very annoying, even more so on country lanes. I never cycle more than two abreast on a country road and I move out of the way well before any car gets near me.

Two guys were killed locally when a coach drove straight into them, it's not the best of ideas on a quiet country road when you can hear cars, never mind on a busy main road.