1.5 metres ?

[OneArmedBandit]

@PK99, that isn't an acceptable bike lane - it isn't even the width of a bike!

I hate those road markings because they seem to encourage drivers that it is acceptable to pass cyclists if you are in the hatchings, no matter how close or how potholed the edge of the carriageway is.

 

[classic33]

Am I alone in finding quieter "A" roads to be more of a hazard than a busy one, even some dual carriageways.

 

[OneArmedBandit]

Am I alone in finding quieter "A" roads to be more of a hazard than a busy one, even some dual carriageways.

There aren't any quiet A-roads around here, but I definitely get worse passes on B-roads than A-roads. And worse still on residential roads.

If it wasn't for the general unpleasantness of riding with cars I would far rather be on a busy A-road.

 

[classic33]

One "A" road used on a regular basis
http://www.cbrd.co.uk/articles/burdock-way/photo-tour

You went from two lanes to four to three, to four on any approach/exit combination on the roundabout.

Entering from the flyover and exit at the last exit, you went from two lanes to four, to five, to three, back to five then two, four and back to two.

 

[Alan O]

Am I alone in finding quieter "A" roads to be more of a hazard than a busy one, even some dual carriageways.

I regularly ride a few fairly busy dual-carriageway A roads, and I'd say they're generally less hazardous. I think it's probably a combination of wider lanes and good visibility.

 

[simonali]

Definitely not the bus driver that virtually scraped my elbow earlier. I doubt they heard me efiin' and jeffin' at them afterwards, but it made me feel a bit better!

 

[Mrklaw]

View attachment 423668

Here’s the picture from the section in the online Highway Code regarding overtaking a cyclist giving ‘plenty of room’

Why don’t they just say to overtake as you would another car? I.e be completely in the other carriageway.

If you’re 75cm into the road, and they give you 1.5m, that’s 2.25m from the kerb. There is no way to overtake without being at least partly in the oncoming lane, at which point youn can only do it when the oncoming lane is clear - so why not go the whole hog and just call it like a normal overtake of a car?

 

[Racing roadkill]

Why don’t they just say to overtake as you would another car? I.e be completely in the other carriageway.

If you’re 75cm into the road, and they give you 1.5m, that’s 2.25m from the kerb. There is no way to overtake without being at least partly in the oncoming lane, at which point youn can only do it when the oncoming lane is clear - so why not go the whole hog and just call it like a normal overtake of a car?

You’re right, but it’s too hard for the average carzi to visualise the ‘whole car width’ thing, so the have to cover their bases.

 

[Mrklaw]

You’re right, but it’s too hard for the average carzi to visualise the ‘whole car width’ thing, so the have to cover their bases.

Surely ‘get in the other lane’ is easy enough to figure out?

 

[boydj]

I agree with all the comments re close passes, but sometimes cyclists do themselves no favours wrt antagonising motorists.

A few week ago MrsPK and I were cycling along this road (in the same direction as the silver car), which some might recognise as the road from Kingston bridge to Hampton Court.

There is a perfectly acceptable Bike Lane, with solid line - we have never had any issues with close passes along this road.

But, we came up behind a group of 12/14 cyclists, in matching kit and on decent bikes, doing around 12/14ish mph - much less than we anted to do
They were in a double line with the solid white line down the middle of their double line.
Now we could argue the toss as to whether a double line in this situation was acceptable or not.
What was not acceptable, was that the back pair were off-set, with the left hand man on the white line and the right hand man well to his right making any pass impossible without crossing into the oncoming traffic. They did this along the whole length of the road -about 1 mile. Frankly, as a fellow cyclist, I thought they were taking the pish.

View attachment 423803

In the first place, that is not an acceptable cycle lane - it's far too narrow. As a single cyclist I would be riding on the outside edge, or possibly further out. If I was cycling 2-up in a group I'd expect the inside rider to be maybe just inside the cycle lane and the outside rider to be a foot or two outside, just like the group you describe. The rear pair being offset slightly is probably just to give them a view at that point of the road ahead, but maybe also to give some protection to the riders in front from overtaking drivers by ensuring that the drivers are taking a properly wide line to overtake the group. I don't see a problem with them riding like this.

As for faster cyclists trying to pass the group, just like cars, you have to wait until it is safe to pass, and once you are past the rear pair, you'll be able to come in a bit closer and probably be able to stay in the same lane without getting too close (after you've singled-up). A group like that riding relatively slowly would suggest some relatively inexperienced cyclists, so I doubt they were 'taking the pish' and your impatience is more akin to some of the poor drivers that we complain about so much.

 

[sheddy]

LCC Petition
https://staywider.org/

 

[Racing roadkill]

Surely ‘get in the other lane’ is easy enough to figure out?

You’d be surprised.