Driving too close to a cyclist.

[Gunge]

So the real question is, at what speed do you overtake a cyclist ? At what point do you think it is okay to give abuse to any other road user ? Why is it (mostly) perfectly good people become animals behind the wheel and blame it on road rage ?

If a cyclist is keeping up with traffic or maintaining the road speed should it be okay for them to position themselves like a car or motorbike ? And if they did would you go to overtake them or use your horn ? Because you wouldn't to a car or motorbike.

Please respond in an orderly fashion.

I treat cyclists as I do horse riders, as in a previous post, though it doesn't stop me from quietly simmering as I go by. How many roads have a 15mph speed limit? I get the need for them to not get too close to the kerb. It's only those who ride two or three deep, completely oblivious ( or maybe not) to the unnecessary hold-up they are causing and the danger they are placing themselves in. Advancing years and greying temples have put paid to any road rage tendencies I may have had.

 

[Vambrace]

Plenty of 20mph roads in London and if the ground dictates I assume a dominant position in the lane when I'm cycling. I'll do the same in a 30 but only if there's a good reason, or if I'm doing 30mph.

If I was keeping up with the speed limit and someone was trying aggressively to pass me, I'd be pretty pissed off.

I was knocked off my bike last year by a lunatic who overtook me then turned left across the front of me without indicating. My Strava trace showed that I was going 39kph at the time, before dropping dramatically to zero when I hit the side of his car.

 

[Gunge]

I was knocked off my bike last year by a lunatic who overtook me then turned left across the front of me without indicating. My Strava trace showed that I was going 39kph at the time, before dropping dramatically to zero when I hit the side of his car.

This happens to motorcyclists with tedious frequency. I've developed a keen sense of ESP over the years and can spot a potential disaster a mile away.

 

[Vambrace]

This happens to motorcyclists with tedious frequency. I've developed a keen sense of ESP over the years and can spot a potential disaster a mile away.

I'm a biker too and ESP is the only way to stay alive - I've lost too many friends whose spidey-sense was obviously having a day off.

 

[Gunge]

I'm a biker too and ESP is the only way to stay alive - I've lost too many friends whose spidey-sense was obviously having a day off.

Some folk may scoff but you really do develop the ability to see and take evasive action to a likely situation without giving it any conscious thought, and more often than not the dozy driver goes and acts out the manouvre that you've just foreseen. Agree?

 

[bigbud78]

 

[Vambrace]

Some folk may scoff but you really do develop the ability to see and take evasive action to a likely situation without giving it any conscious thought, and more often than not the dozy driver goes and acts out the manouvre that you've just foreseen. Agree?

100%. Little signals, like small behaioural indicators when you're looking for dodgy people in a crowd focus the attention.

 

[Thumper]

What does annoy me about a certain sort of cyclist is their insistence on riding two abreast on totally unsuitable roads, most cyclists seem to have a lot of common sense (probably self preservation) but you get these bunches of Wiggins wannabees who in my view do it to wind motorists up, i certainly wouldn't ride two abreast on most roads in the lakes.

.

Apparently cyclists are advised to ride in "packs" to try and take up roughly the same footspace as a car. The theory is this makes them more visible and easier to overtake than a strung-out, single-file line. Maybe this practice will stop with the new law, as their confidence in drivers allowing them proper overtaking space increases?

Edit: I see BigBud has beaten me to it, and with a diagram!

 

[Pivovar]

Riding Two abreast SHOULD make it no more different than riding singularly ... IN FACT, it's easier to pass 1 pair of cyclist CORRECTLY side by side than two cyclist in a line ... This is part of the problem ... If you find it easier to pass ONE cycle width than two, you are probably too close ...

There are good and bad of everyone .. and a great deal of cyclists are also car drivers......

 

[Gunge]

Riding Two abreast SHOULD make it no more different than riding singularly ... IN FACT, it's easier to pass 1 pair of cyclist CORRECTLY side by side than two cyclist in a line ... This is part of the problem ... If you find it easier to pass ONE cycle width than two, you are probably too close ...

There are good and bad of everyone .. and a great deal of cyclists are also car drivers......

But to give ample, safe clearance to two cyclists means driving in the opposite carriageway. Depending on oncoming traffic you could be waiting ages.

 

[Sadfield]

I think you are missing the point Gunge. If you are giving a single cyclist enough room, a good portion of your car should be in the opposing lane anyway, so oncoming traffic will still be a consideration.

See diagram 5 in the earlier post.

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[Linalmeemow]

But to give ample, safe clearance to two cyclists means driving in the opposite carriageway. Depending on oncoming traffic you could be waiting ages.

Yeah, hard luck.

 

[Vambrace]

I can see how there might be an argument for staying in single file on single track roads, where there physically isn't the space to pass cyclists who are 2 abreast and leave a decent clearance.

 

[Dutto]

But to give ample, safe clearance to two cyclists means driving in the opposite carriageway. Depending on oncoming traffic you could be waiting ages.

Oh dear! Poor you! "Waiting ages." eh? :lol: :lol:

1. Most cyclists are actually cycling so you aren't "waiting" you have just slowed down. :thumb:

2. It isn't the cyclist's fault that you should have set off earlier :nono: :nono:

So "Waiting ages" actually means a car driver has realised that they have to slow down!

Oh poor you! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Sadfield]

Oh dear! Poor you! "Waiting ages." eh? [emoji38] [emoji38]

1. Most cyclists are actually cycling so you aren't "waiting" you have just slowed down. :thumb:

2. It isn't the cyclist's fault that you should have set off earlier :nono: :nono:

So "Waiting ages" actually means a car driver has realised that they have to slow down!

Oh poor you! [emoji38] [emoji38] [emoji38] [emoji38]

But they love waiting for each other, can't help themselves, sat one behind the other for ages in a queue. They love it.[emoji6]

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[pms67]

This is turning out luvly

 

[Gunge]

But they love waiting for each other, can't help themselves, sat one behind the other for ages in a queue. They love it.[emoji6]

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Not when I'm on me motorbike - I can filter thru miles of stationary traffic right to the head of the queue. Winds motorists up no end, great fun! Even better, the cyclists are too slow or knackered to keep up!

 

[Gunge]

Yeah, hard luck.

I know, it's terrible! Never long tho' before they're eating my dust.

 

[Linalmeemow]

So what are you moaning about then?

 

[Gunge]

So what are you moaning about then?

Um... cyclists!