give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a

[User]

 

[longers]

I was thinking about this the other day, I know which one I'd prefer but if they are aware of the rule at all I think they opt for the narrower option.

 

[Noodley]

This isn't clear enough...

So?

 

[marinyork]

It seems clear enough to me meaning the former. The problem is behaviour and trying to equate apples with oranges. If you do the same pass at speed you could nudge the cyclist of the bike or road with the draft without even touching them. If you did it to a horse you might get a kick.

 

[Yorkshireman]

This isn't clear enough. It needs to stipulate whether they mean the same space between the bike and car as you would between a car and your car, or pretend that they bike has a car-sized lump attached to the right of it.

You've not been peeping in uk.rec.cycling (Newsgroups) recently have you?

 

[marinyork]

The pic alongside the statement in the HC would suggest that it means the latter.

Not necessarily, it says at least. They could be representing an ideal scenario by the picture. In anycase I'm focused on the wording. I think the wording is all right, whether the rule should be the latter is a totally different debate. I agree it should be the latter, but should be worded something along the lines of physical distance e.g.

give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders an absolute minimum of two feet of clearance when overtaking unless it is unavoidable(see Rules 211-215). You should not overtake cyclists at pinch points such as traffic islands.

or When overtaking motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders in a standard width road you should overtake by using another lane of the road etc etc.

 

[Yorkshireman]

No decision ... as yet. Lots of views/opinions/arguments/discussions etc

 

[Davidc]

Needs education and a change of attitude.

If I'm in a car and can't give a cylist or horse most of a lane width I just slow down until I can - but I'm a cyclist and also wary of horses (they're big!)

I've often been hooted and gestured at for doing this - on one occasion (last year) the brain dead moron behind me managed to frighten the horse with his colonel bogey horn so it threw the rider off (not badly hurt fortunately). The moron overtook, just missed the rider, just missed the horse, and sped off up the road without finding out how the thrown rider was. (Car number noted by another horse rider and passed to the police, but I don't know if they acted).

It's not just cyclists who suffer as a result of stupid motorised drivers, it's pedestrians, horse riders, and anyone else not in a motor vehicle. In the UK the car culture rules.

 

[Noodley]

So I'd rather drivers thought that they were being told to give me 2 feet of space than 6 inches.

So why are you not raising it on a car drivers forum?

 

[buggi]

i believe it means the latter because i seem to remember seeing a public info advert when i was younger (before i even had a bike... around the same time as the "don't dazzle, dip your headlights" advert). but you are right, it is not clearly worded enough. They should stipulate an actual distance that should be between the car and the bike.

 

[bonj2]

bloody hell could you have made a longer thread title if you tried

 

[domd1979]

Maybe there's a case for a recommended minimum distance. I always pass pedestrians, cyclists and horses far wider than I would a car.

This isn't clear enough. It needs to stipulate whether they mean the same space between the bike and car as you would between a car and your car, or pretend that they bike has a car-sized lump attached to the right of it.

 

[John the Monkey]

Having seen the room most of the buggers give other cars (not much), I'd agree that a change is needed.

 

[HLaB]

This isn't clear enough. It needs to stipulate whether they mean the same space between the bike and car as you would between a car and your car, or pretend that they bike has a car-sized lump attached to the right of it.

I don't think its clear enough either, some folk do give as much room as passing a small car. They pass the small car by about 2 inches and assume that its OK to do this to a bike

 

[Dan B]

No. What did they decide?

"uk.rec.cycling" and "decide" are basically incompatible concepts. Too many trolls and too many people only there to argue the toss