Cycling on single-track roads. Advice?

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Drago

Legendary Member
And give a cheery wave to drivers that do behave sensibly. It's a nice feeling when they smile or wave back, and does no harm for our image.
 

Banjo

Fuelled with Jelly Babies
Location
South Wales
In some ways I think single track roads are safer for cyclists as you control when and where the cars pass you.
I usually cycle on until theres a slightly wider bit then pull over and let them go by.

On descents just remember that if theres a car coming up around a blind bend there may not be room for you to get past it so be able to stop in the distance you can see.
 
OP
OP
F
Not many people drive on the road what I wouldn't mind cycling on, but I guess I'll just have to be careful especially when trucks and wagons full of logs come whizzing towards or behind me.

I'll have to be extra careful if my sister comes cycling with me (she has much less experience cycling on any road!)
 

oldwheels

Legendary Member
Location
Isle of Mull
Just use common sense. Judge distance and speed and you can usually arrange to arrive at a passing place at the same time as another vehicle so avoiding a stop. The other vehicle ( unless a tourist) will be doing the same. Most cars will stop in a passing place for you on a bike. Remember to allow overtaking traffic to pass. Nothing infuriates locals more than excessively slow drivers and those who will not pull over in a reasonable time. As said earlier wave to those who stop and allow you space. Makes everyone feel better. There are exceptions of course and I have found those heading for Iona are generally the pits. Good Christians trying to get nearer to God as fast as possible.
 
In some ways I think single track roads are safer for cyclists
+1

On descents just remember that if theres a car coming up around a blind bend there may not be room for you to get past it so be able to stop in the distance you can see.
I had it drummed into me by my dad years ago - it's good manners for the guy descending to stop and give way to the vehicle coming up. Try not to make the guy climbing stop.

[Hmm - good advice in the days of 1960s brake systems; maybe not so now. Tough - I still ride/drive that way ^_^]
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Most Scottish single-track roads have regular passing places so much of the advice above isn't relevant.

In addition to the gravel, watch out for wandering sheep and slippery cow poo.

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Unless it's a long vehicle like an HGV or a bus.
It would be quite rare that the passing place wouldn't accommodate them and that approach might come unstuck if you had cars behind you because then you couldn't get out until the lorry had cleared and they couldn't clear until the cars behind you had cleared, I've seen that happen. Of course being on a bike makes all that irrelevant but in general, most drivers won't expect you to take a passing place not on your side but I agree with your general principle, that singletrack roads might present you with situations outside of normal rules.
 

Mr Celine

Discordian
It would be quite rare that the passing place wouldn't accommodate them and that approach might come unstuck if you had cars behind you because then you couldn't get out until the lorry had cleared and they couldn't clear until the cars behind you had cleared, I've seen that happen. Of course being on a bike makes all that irrelevant but in general, most drivers won't expect you to take a passing place not on your side but I agree with your general principle, that singletrack roads might present you with situations outside of normal rules.

Where I cycle there is never a queue of cars behind on single track roads, if there was I would already have pulled over.
The most common form of HGV I encounter are timber lorries. I am not going to stop opposite a passing place wondering if the fully / over loaded timber lorry coming hurtling towards me can fit into the passing place, or whether he'll bother to do so even if he can.
 
I am not going to stop opposite a passing place wondering if the fully / over loaded timber lorry coming hurtling towards me can fit into the passing place, or whether he'll bother to do so even if he can.
That's a slightly different situation and I've had people just ignore my presence on a singletrack and barge past me, in which case all bets are off if I think someone is not going to follow the signed guidance. Funnily enough that's never been a timber lorry but I always considered it good etiquette to get out their way anyhow due to the challenges they face driving those roads and on a bike you can generally hear them or see them coming long before you meet.
 
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