Moronic cyclists

Vertigo · 23 Jan 2006 at 21:38

Driving in reasonably dense fog just outside Hereford yesterday, we came up behind a large group of cyclists riding three abreast, thus forcing any cars behind them to either queue up or risk life and limb overtaking when you can't see what's coming the other way.

Cyclists like this make my blood boil. If they'd been less selfish and ridden single file as they should have then there would have been ample space to get past without crossing the central line at all, but of course they don't care about that as they think they own the road. :mad:

adamau5 · 23 Jan 2006 at 21:41

double file is acceptable in the highway code.

Vertigo · 23 Jan 2006 at 21:47

It also says you should "ride in single file on narrow or busy roads".

What this means is that if there are cars about trying to get past you should revert to single file to ease their passage. Basically, if you're in fog and there is a queue of cars trying to get past then I'd class that as a "busy road".

It also says you must not "ride in a dangerous, careless or inconsiderate manner". If the above wasn't inconsiderate then I don't know what is.

vanpeebles · 23 Jan 2006 at 21:49

sounds like a good excuse to bolt on the old chariot wheel blades

adamau5 · 23 Jan 2006 at 21:56

Vertigo1 said:
If they'd been less selfish and ridden single file as they should have then there would have been ample space to get past without crossing the central line at all, but of course they don't care about that as they think they own the road.

Oh dear. you think its fine to squeeze past cyclists? WRONG. Have a bit of respect for people doing something they enjoy.

Cycling is often safest when double file. It stops people squeezing by, forcing the cyclist into pot holes etc.

If i cycle on my own i never use cycle lanes unless seperate from the road. I used to until an accident, and am now feel so much safer cycling in space that i have just as much right to as you.

NathanE · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:00

Adam W said:
Oh dear. you think its fine to squeeze past cyclists? WRONG. Have a bit of respect for people doing something they enjoy.

Cycling is often safest when double file. It stops people squeezing by, forcing the cyclist into pot holes etc.

If i cycle on my own i never use cycle lanes unless seperate from the road. I used to until an accident, and am now feel so much safer cycling in space that i have just as much right to as you.

Yes but if one person gets knocked off by a car then the whole row of them is going to go...

There was an accident just like this a few weeks back, as a matter of fact. IIRC several of the cyclists _died_.

The only reason they do it is so they can talk to each other. Same reason you often see horse riders in pairs.

jp7152 · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:00

Adam W said:
Oh dear. you think its fine to squeeze past cyclists? WRONG. Have a bit of respect for people doing something they enjoy.

Cycling is often safest when double file. It stops people squeezing by, forcing the cyclist into pot holes etc.

If i cycle on my own i never use cycle lanes unless seperate from the road. I used to until an accident, and am now feel so much safer cycling in space that i have just as much right to as you.

I pay road tax.

KiNgPiN83 · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:01

Cyclists should have to do a test to drive on the road, they're road users like everyone else. I see far too many with no lights, helmets, other safety gear, awareness for anyone else on the road etc etc.

Pigeon · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:03

2 abreast annoys me, but not as much as them being on the road - which is narrowed with crossing points - when there is a specially put in cycle track there for them.

Fr0dders · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:11

Adam W said:
Oh dear. you think its fine to squeeze past cyclists? WRONG. Have a bit of respect for people doing something they enjoy.

Cycling is often safest when double file. It stops people squeezing by, forcing the cyclist into pot holes etc.

If i cycle on my own i never use cycle lanes unless seperate from the road. I used to until an accident, and am now feel so much safer cycling in space that i have just as much right to as you.

from http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/03.htm :

"You should :

ride in single file on narrow or busy roads"

Just because you feel safter by preventing motorists from overtaking you, doesnt mean its right

the highway code clearly states that on busy roads you do not ride 2 abreast. This is in there deliberately to avoid blocking traffic

you seem to have other ideas though.

Mr Joshua · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:12

KiNgPiN83 said:
helmets, other safety gear

Are helmets not down to personal choice these days (I never wear one)?

eidolon · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:13

jp7152 said:
I pay road tax.

So do I, two lots of it to be accurate but I still enjoy cycling.

Do you know why a lot of cyclists ride like they do? Because they *have* to if they want to stay alive. This was something I didn't fully appreciate until I started serious cycling and I'm sure it's something you probably won't understand. Most car drivers are impatient as well as being blind. Every single day I have to make exception for stupid car drivers who fail to see me or just feel that they can intimidate me just because I'm cycling.

Have some consideration for cyclists. What's so important that you need to endanger their lives for? If they're holding you up, chill out and I'm sure you'll be able to pass them in 10 seconds time, it's not gonna make that much difference to your journey time is it?

Adam_151 · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:24

Adam W said:
If i cycle on my own i never use cycle lanes unless seperate from the road. I used to until an accident, and am now feel so much safer cycling in space that i have just as much right to as you.

One of my biggest bug bears when I'm driving, cyclists are a pain in the rear end, they are slow, and they need to be passed, which isn't always immediatly possible, or easy, so if cyclists are given a dedicated lane, and they insist on not using it, then that really gets on my wick, I refuse to believe for one minute that you are safer forcing cars to have pass you, plus you cyclists while allowed in the same lanes as cars, are a total and utter bloody nuisance when you're there (most of it through no fault of your own)

TerryWogan · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:45

Match their speed, wind down the window and calmly explain that they read the Highway Code

eidolon · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:49

Adam_151 said:
One of my biggest bug bears when I'm driving, cyclists are a pain in the rear end, they are slow, and they need to be passed

Realistically, how much time to you lose due to "slow cyclists that need to be passed"?

10 seconds, maybe 15?

Oh dear, that must really impact upon your journey doesn't it?

Vertigo · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:51

Adam W said:
Oh dear. you think its fine to squeeze past cyclists? WRONG. Have a bit of respect for people doing something they enjoy.

I said nothing about squeezing, it was a wide NSL road on which there was plenty of room for a car to pass a bike without crossing the line. I have no problem with cyclists that obey the rules of the road nor do I have any respect for selfish idiots that don't.

Cycling is often safest when double file. It stops people squeezing by, forcing the cyclist into pot holes etc.

Well apart from the fact that this is not permitted under the highway code, what does it have to do with the above situation? I'm talking about three abreast and totally blocking the road for following cars.

If i cycle on my own i never use cycle lanes unless seperate from the road. I used to until an accident, and am now feel so much safer cycling in space that i have just as much right to as you.

That's where you're wrong. You have no right to ride in the middle of the road and inconvenience other people in the process, especially when a section of that road has already been designated for you and you choose not to use it.

PardonTheWait · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:52

Vertigo1 said:
Driving in reasonably dense fog just outside Hereford yesterday, we came up behind a large group of cyclists riding three abreast, thus forcing any cars behind them to either queue up or risk life and limb overtaking when you can't see what's coming the other way.

Cyclists like this make my blood boil. If they'd been less selfish and ridden single file as they should have then there would have been ample space to get past without crossing the central line at all, but of course they don't care about that as they think they own the road.

WE think WE own the road?

You're ranting at them for using it.

Seriously, you ride a bicycle on the road in dense fog, and you see how much you like it.

You have to ride defensively on a pushbike. In fact half the time I have to ride offensively on a pushbike just to save my own skin, seeing as half of motorists don't seem to understand the concept they can't just barge me off the side of a roundabout because they're in a hurry. So when I ride round roundabouts, I do it like a right ****, at full pelt, making sure they all see me. I don't care if they swear to themselves, I only care about getting round the roundabout without some moron nearly killing me.

NathanE said:
Yes but if one person gets knocked off by a car then the whole row of them is going to go...

There was an accident just like this a few weeks back, as a matter of fact. IIRC several of the cyclists _died_.

The cyclist didn't die because they were riding double file. They died because someone in a car crashed and completely left the road, careening into them as he did so.

NathanE said:
The only reason they do it is so they can talk to each other. Same reason you often see horse riders in pairs.

That's not true. We do it sometimes, but we do it because it's safer. For us. Yeah, for us. I don't ride my bike for your benefit, I ride it for mine. If you've got a problem with it, then to be honest, you can poke it.

Vertigo · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:55

eidolon said:
Have some consideration for cyclists. What's so important that you need to endanger their lives for? If they're holding you up, chill out and I'm sure you'll be able to pass them in 10 seconds time, it's not gonna make that much difference to your journey time is it?

I hope that wasn't directed at me. Although the highway code may frown on it, I'm not overly concerned by a couple of cyclists riding abreast as I can pass in fairly short order, as you say.

What I was fuming at was the utterly stupid and selfish behaviour of these particular cyclists, riding three abreast in fog and effectively blocking the entire road. As for staying alive, maybe they should have fitted high intensity rear lights as cars are required to have, as the pathetic little things they had were barely adequate. Frankly I don't think they should have been on the road in those conditions with the lights they had.

PardonTheWait · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:56

Vertigo1 said:
As for staying alive, maybe they should have fitted high intensity rear lights as cars are required to have, as the pathetic little things they had were barely adequate.

You saw them.

In fact - you quite possibly saw them because they were riding three abreast.

Vertigo · 23 Jan 2006 at 22:57

Mohinder said:
WE think WE own the road?

You're ranting at them for using it.

No I'm not, try reading my post. I'm ranting at them for using it dangerously and inconsiderately, in light of the prevailing conditions.

Seriously, you ride a bicycle on the road in dense fog, and you see how much you like it.

I wouldn't ride a bike in dense fog and frankly nor should they have been as they were a hazard to themselves and other traffic. These were recreational cyclists, not people trying to get from A to B.