Cyclist - in middle of road

russell664 · 14 May 2022 at 14:47

Hi all,

A bit of advice, I was riding down a road which is on a right hander, and a national speed limit road.

As I came around the corner there was two cyclists with their hands out in the middle of the lane, I slowed down to around 30. There was two of them, the one at the front went to the middle of the road, but the one behind him stayed in the middle of the lane.

I rev bombed around 15ft away to let them know I was there (I was worried about them coming back to the left and into me) of course I got a whole load of abuse I couldn’t quite hear.

Anyway, I had my partner on the back who wasn’t impressed. I’m not a fan of cyclists, especially when it isn’t clear what they are going to do.
My partner said that they could report me, however it didn’t cause a crash or contact it made her jump as it seemed that they was not paying attention to what her positioning was.

After I passed on the inside (left) and carried on.

Is this something I should worry about?
Can I lose my license or anything stupid like that?

Thanks all.

BUDFORCE · 14 May 2022 at 14:52

I'm confused, is this in this country, eg driving on the left?

If so, you came around a corner, it then seemed the cyclists almost intentionally moved into the middle or the road/in your way, then you overtook them on the inside between them and the edge of the road?

Begbie · 14 May 2022 at 14:59

I'm pretty sure there is no reason ever to over take on the left, and if you were worried that they'd come into you then just show some restraint and wait. Nothing in the world is worth risking someone's life.

arknor · 14 May 2022 at 15:03

you might wanna read the updated highway code..... and most cyclists have cameras these days

russell664 · 14 May 2022 at 15:07

BUDFORCE said:
I'm confused, is this in this country, eg driving on the left?

If so, you came around a corner, it then seemed the cyclists almost intentionally moved into the middle or the road/in your way, then you overtook them on the inside between them and the edge of the road?

No sorry. I went on the left of them as they where in the middle of the lane. Well one of them was. Turning right.

In the UK. I didn’t word it great.

Begbie · 14 May 2022 at 15:08

russell664 said:
No sorry. I went on the right of them as they where in the middle of the lane. Well one of them was.

In the UK. I didn’t word it great.

Was there a junction? It's illegal to overtake at a junction, I believe?

russell664 · 14 May 2022 at 15:11

Begbie said:
I'm pretty sure there is no reason ever to over take on the left, and if you were worried that they'd come into you then just show some restraint and wait. Nothing in the world is worth risking someone's life.

I went on the left of them but as I came around the corner one was in the middle of the road, the other was in the middle of the lane. Swerving around. I braked when I saw them, but there was a car up my backside so couldn’t just stop either.

So I tried to get their attention (admittedly could’ve used the horn) and passed as far left as I could

russell664 · 14 May 2022 at 15:12

Begbie said:
Was there a junction? It's illegal to overtake at a junction, I believe?

No, straight road. They was going into a right turn, which explains why they moved over. But one was in the middle of the actual lane. Not moving over fully.

BUDFORCE · 14 May 2022 at 15:32

If they were waiting/stopped to turn right, then you passed them on the left I don't see anything particularly wrong with that.

Was there anything coming in the opposite direction at any point during this?

If they were leading up to turning right, but the entrance into the side road was a bit further up so still traveling, they probably moved into the road to discourage you (and the following traffic) passing on the right, knowing they'd have to move over at some me point effectively moving in front of the traffic.

In which case you probably shouldn't have passed on the left until they had stopped or turned off to the side road.

To be fair, if a cyclist did that to me, and the side road was some ways off it would have ****** me off as well, but I would have looked to pass them on the right if there was enough of a gap (as normal) not inside on the left, that is a bit naughty.

It sounds like the cyclists were being dicks if I'm honest, but your reaction wasn't the best either.

Dis86 · 14 May 2022 at 15:38

Rev bombs a pair of cyclists and wonders why he gets abuse...if only there was some sort of item fitted to your bike that allows you to communicate with others without being a clown.

arknor · 14 May 2022 at 15:46

Dis86 said:
Rev bombs a pair of cyclists and wonders why he gets abuse...if only there was some sort of item fitted to your bike that allows you to communicate with others without being a clown.

yea OP buy an airhorn

russell664 · 14 May 2022 at 16:00

BUDFORCE said:
If they were waiting/stopped to turn right, then you passed them on the left I don't see anything particularly wrong with that.

Was there anything coming in the opposite direction at any point during this?

If they were leading up to turning right, but the entrance into the side road was a bit further up so still traveling, they probably moved into the road to discourage you (and the following traffic) passing on the right, knowing they'd have to move over at some me point effectively moving in front of the traffic.

In which case you probably shouldn't have passed on the left until they had stopped or turned off to the side road.

To be fair, if a cyclist did that to me, and the side road was some ways off it would have ****** me off as well, but I would have looked to pass them on the right if there was enough of a gap (as normal) not inside on the left, that is a bit naughty.

It sounds like the cyclists were being dicks if I'm honest, but your reaction wasn't the best either.

There was a car further up on the other side of the road.
They moved in the middle of the road a good 30-40 yards before the actual junction. Yes they had hand signals, but if they was both where the front cyclist was there wouldn’t of been a problem. But the one trailing behind was in the middle of my lane not moving and getting ready to stop.
I slowed as I said before, I’m hindsight I should’ve used my horn but that would still of made them jump whichever way I did it. I didn’t overtake on the right because there was a car further up and they was almost at junction at this point.

They moved over, one of them was in the right place, the bloke. The women behind was not and just after a turn was in a dangerous place. If I was a car it would’ve been a full stop.

I’ve learnt a couple of things from this. Though, if a car wasn’t up my backside I would’ve most likely stopped, but I had my partner on the back to worry about too.
So if avoided didn’t want to do an emergency stop unless it was really needed.

Trifid · 14 May 2022 at 16:18

russell664 said:
In hindsight I should have been patient and held back

I fixed it for you.

BUDFORCE · 14 May 2022 at 16:24

Well I mean, if you are going round a corner, you should always leave enough braking distance to your vanishing point, and therefore even if the cyclists were stopped in the middle of the road in front of you, you could have been able to stop.

You never know there could have been a car broken down, or some bloody farm vehicle taking up both lanes coming in the opposite direction - had that before!

I get why they did this, they didn't want anything passing on either side, as if they had stuck to the left, they would have had to have stopped and waited for the traffic from behind, and if stuck to the right, there is a risk the traffic behind passes on the left (like you did) and then the cyclist is sandwiched between traffic passing behind on the left, and the oncoming traffic.

It would depend on how far and how long they were blocking the road for though, I mean they have the right to do it, and if you can't pass safely on the right, like normal, then you should have waited.

I do see some cyclists that get pushy with this stuff though and start taking the ****, I personally think it's a bad idea to get in front of a 1+ tonne steel box (or motorcycle) on a pedal bike as you will never win, and laws aside, it might be some ***** in a stolen car you try and block who won't give a **** about taking you out.

I wouldn't risk it personally.

russell664 · 14 May 2022 at 16:24

Trifid said:
I fixed it for you.

A car was well up my backside. I couldn’t just abruptly stop. If there was no car I’d of stopped no hesitation.

Trifid · 14 May 2022 at 16:38

russell664 said:
A car was well up my backside. I couldn’t just abruptly stop. If there was no car I’d of stopped no hesitation.

I'm reminded by this post by 10 pence short on Pistonheads which may help you re-evaluate how you take corners. You don't know what may confront you as you go round a bend. There might be a cyclist, an animal, or in this case a fellow motoring enthusiast who failed to take the corner.

Prison? - Page 3 - The Lounge - PistonHeads UK

www.pistonheads.com

I caused an accident after losing control of my car. It was sideways straddling both sides of a B road, a motorcyclist coming the other way came around a blind bend to be confronted with a car blocking the road. The impact launched him over my (destroyed) car and dumped him on the middle of the road, unconcious. His bike had been thrown some 14 metres back the way it came. My car dangled precariously over the edge of a drop past the verge.

russell664 · 14 May 2022 at 16:41

BUDFORCE said:
Well I mean, if you are going round a corner, you should always leave enough braking distance to your vanishing point, and therefore even if the cyclists were stopped in the middle of the road in front of you, you could have been able to stop.

You never know there could have been a car broken down, or some bloody farm vehicle taking up both lanes coming in the opposite direction - had that before!

I get why they did this, they didn't want anything passing on either side, as if they had stuck to the left, they would have had to have stopped and waited for the traffic from behind, and if stuck to the right, there is a risk the traffic behind passes on the left (like you did) and then the cyclist is sandwiched between traffic passing behind on the left, and the oncoming traffic.

It would depend on how far and how long they were blocking the road for though, I mean they have the right to do it, and if you can't pass safely on the right, like normal, then you should have waited.

I do see some cyclists that get pushy with this stuff though and start taking the ****, I personally think it's a bad idea to get in front of a 1+ tonne steel box (or motorcycle) on a pedal bike as you will never win, and laws aside, it might be some ***** in a stolen car you try and block who won't give a **** about taking you out.

I wouldn't risk it personally.

This is the thing.
If the car wasn’t close to me and I had space I could’ve stopped. I was just below the speed limit, nothing in front of me at all. If it wasn’t for the car I could’ve stopped. He backed off after the fact but at that point it didn’t matter.

It was safe to pass I didn’t force her over or anything like that, there was a good gap between me and them when I did pass, after the rev they did move over a bit, almost to where they should’ve been.
But they where too far to the left to begin with.

Do you think this whole thing is something I should worry about, biting me, or just leave it and learn from it?

russell664 · 14 May 2022 at 16:44

Trifid said:
I'm reminded by this post by 10 pence short on Pistonheads which may help you re-evaluate how you take corners. You don't know what may confront you as you go round a bend. There might be a cyclist, an animal, or in this case a fellow motoring enthusiast who failed to take the corner.

Prison? - Page 3 - The Lounge - PistonHeads UK

www.pistonheads.com

Wow. An awful read, but enlightening all the same. Thank you.

Griffo · 14 May 2022 at 17:54

Whenever I am in a situation with a car right up close behind me I go slow enough to give me confidence I can still do all the things I'd do if that car wasn't there, whilst feeling confident I won't get read ended. There's obviously only one lower limit to that lower speed.

Not that I'm a perfect rider of course

. But given these situations will occur, whenever we are party to one it's a learning opportunity. At least that's what I remind myself! "Gosh how lucky I am to get another learning opportunity " etc.

BUDFORCE · 14 May 2022 at 17:54

russell664 said:
This is the thing.
If the car wasn’t close to me and I had space I could’ve stopped. I was just below the speed limit, nothing in front of me at all. If it wasn’t for the car I could’ve stopped. He backed off after the fact but at that point it didn’t matter.

It was safe to pass I didn’t force her over or anything like that, there was a good gap between me and them when I did pass, after the rev they did move over a bit, almost to where they should’ve been.
But they where too far to the left to begin with.

Do you think this whole thing is something I should worry about, biting me, or just leave it and learn from it?

I think in the scheme of things it's a non event, and I really wouldn't worry about it, other than use it as a learning experience.