cyclists blocking the road

[GrumpyGregry]

You must have better roads than we do on our club runs, with all the clubs I've been with 2 is the normal and occasionally a 3rd will go by (to get to the back or the front of the pack). You certainly wouldn't get 4+ easily up here on twisty trafficked roads.

It isn't the norm but it does happen, and it has happened on the lanes in vicinity of the 'incident' in the OP. On said roads I've even blocked potential overtakers where I've judged their Nissan Micra, or whatever, cannot do 20mph to 60 mph in 50 metres or 4 seconds, no matter how hard they chomp at the bit or lean forward in the driving seat, and is therefore likely to take one of my mates out if it all goes pear shaped.

Some of the newer beamers German cars in sussex clearly have a new in-dash radar device that allows them to 'see' around blind bends when overtaking slower road users. The drivers would not be trusting to luck surely?

 

[rich p]

FWIW, I ride that road once a week at least and have done for the last number of years. There is no way you could ride 6, or even 4, abreast unless you had a death wish . It twists and turns, is barely physically wide enough for 3 across, has a variable road surface and a number of crests. If we ride 2 abreast on it, I have to move into single file for oncoming cars, let alone tractors and vans.

The fact that the OPs friend is clearly exaggerrating for effect, makes me doubt the veracity of the story.

 

[dellzeqq]

FWIW, I ride that road once a week at least and have done for the last number of years. There is no way you could ride 6, or even 4, abreast unless you had a death wish . It twists and turns, is barely physically wide enough for 3 across, has a variable road surface and a number of crests. If we ride 2 abreast on it, I have to move into single file for oncoming cars, let alone tractors and vans.

The fact that the OPs friend is clearly exaggerrating for effect, makes me doubt the veracity of the story.

exactly. There are bits of it I wouldn't ride two abreast, because whatever calming effect you have on cars coming from behind you, you take a chance on something coming round a blind bend in the opposite direction. Approaching a blind bend I reckon you single out and take the primary.

It is a lovely road, though.....if only it went somewhere!

 

[HLaB]

Some of the newer beamers German cars in sussex clearly have a new in-dash radar device that allows them to 'see' around blind bends when overtaking slower road users. The drivers would not be trusting to luck surely?

They've got them in Clackmannan too (just over the border from Fife) but they are faulty. Me and the rest of Dunfermline Cycling Club was riding down the twisty Dollar Road (easily 25mph+ and had been for some time) a few weeks back when somebody had a momentary brain lapse and went for the overtake on the wrong side of the road, she stopped her car 6 inches from a car coming up the hill. She was very lucky that the oncoming car was alert and going reasonably. Give her due she learnt from her stupid (potentially fatal ! and as you say it'd probably be the one's in lycra to come off worse) mistake and overtook very cautiously further down the road.

 

[rich p]

exactly. There are bits of it I wouldn't ride two abreast, because whatever calming effect you have on cars coming from behind you, you take a chance on something coming round a blind bend in the opposite direction. Approaching a blind bend I reckon you single out and take the primary.

It is a lovely road, though.....if only it went somewhere!

It does! It goes to Upper Beeding, Bramber over the roundabout and down the equally quiet Coombes Road past Lancing College and through to Shoreham - a beautiful road.

 

[JonnyBlade]

I find it quite odd within this discussion that many, rather than condone or support the supposed action, have decided that indeed it never happened

We can only make an informed presumption supported by the evidence given. How are we to know if it is fact or not. I still maintain that we have to share the road with other forms of transport and if we block that road, whether by 2,3,4,5 or 6 bikes, we are going to get some grief.

 

[Red Light]

Some of the newer beamers German cars in sussex clearly have a new in-dash radar device that allows them to 'see' around blind bends when overtaking slower road users. The drivers would not be trusting to luck surely?

Has anyone else noticed that Audis seem to have become the new BMWs as far as driving standards are concerned?

 

[Mad at urage]

Was talking with a lady who I used to work with today, she is a regular cyclist, rides to school with her children & out most weekends on their bikes.
She told me about an incident on Sunday morning, she was driving near Fulking and came up behind a group of cyclists, they were at that point 6 a breast accross the road, filing the left hand lane, the road was quite narrow & bendy and she didn't feel it safe to overtake, after about 1/4 of a mile, 2 of the group dropped back, but the other 4 just spread out to occupy the space, she said that after another 1/4 mile she got so cross she beeped her horn several times, which obvioulsy annoyed the group as they slowed down.
She wasn't in any hurry to get to her destination, but felt this was really bad form on the riders part, she eventauly managed to pass them on a straight part, but was given much abuse, rude lanaguage & gestures by the cyclist as she did, she had her 2 children 9 & 5 in the car with her.
It's behaviour likes this that gives cyclist a bad name...Why do some riders insist of behaving in this manner?

Similar thing happened to me last w/e, driving through Shropshire, a group of riders were in front of me on a narrow road and I didn't feel it safe to overtake. At the time I was in a hurry to get to an appointment.

So I dropped back and waited until it was safe to pass*; this took about two miles. I simply decided to concentrate on driving safely rather than getting frustrated, but I was about 5 minutes late for the meeting and must have been behind them for maybe 8 - 10 minutes. That's just tough I'm afraid and comes of having to share this world with others.

Personally I don't see why people have a problem with waiting. It did irritate the driver behind me, who after about five minutes decided to overtake me and squeeze in behind the group - and then sat there unable to overtake .

Re " 6 a breast accross the road, filing the left hand lane, the road was quite narrow & bendy and she didn't feel it safe to overtake, after about 1/4 of a mile, 2 of the group dropped back, but the other 4 just spread out to occupy the space"
This is how drivers often misreport the cyclists they see - had it done to me ("You were in the midddle of the road" when I was in the middle of the lane). Were these cyclists "6 abreast across the road" or "6 abreast across the lane" - I suspect the latter. As for "6 abreast" itself I find this unlikely as there appear to have been only six riders ("2 of the group dropped back, but the other 4 just spread out to occupy the space"), so I suspect that they were riding in echelon (so that each was positioned successively to the left or right of the one in front) which often appears to following vehicles to be riding side by side. IMO that explains their riding like that.

 

[Jezston]

Has anyone else noticed that Audis seem to have become the new BMWs as far as driving standards are concerned?

I keep hearing this, but I still see the biggest examples of extreme deliberate driver douchery from BMW drivers.


(also my mum drives an Audi)

 

[theclaud]

I keep hearing this, but I still see the biggest examples of extreme deliberate driver douchery from BMW drivers.

Nah. These guys have got nothing on drivers of Mini Coopers and VW Beetles. ****wits.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Nah. These guys have got nothing on drivers of Mini Coopers and VW Beetles. ****wits.

New or old? New "Mini Coopers" of course are BMWs.

 

[theclaud]

New or old? New "Mini Coopers" of course are BMWs.

New ones mostly. And yes, but you knew what I meant...

 

[snailracer]

I was cycling to work the other day and came across a long line of slow-moving cars that refused to pull over and get out of my way - even after I rang my bell at them! Now that's inconsiderate.

 

[lukesdad]

Blimey I almost forgot ! Friday night , enemy stormtroopers approaching from the East. We ll group in the hills and attack at dawn.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I've decided that because I wasn't there and didn't see the incident, I really don't know enough to comment on it. Judging from the nine pages of replies, an awful lot of you must have been watching from the roadside.