No wonder motorists hate cyclists.This morning i took a bus ride to Otley,i had a little bit of shopping to do,and i needed to get back home early.So on Otley Road,the bus gets behind five cyclists.Not going fast and talking to each other.They are lined up two across two across behind and one single.But the trouble is the second pair,the outside rider is so far out it looks like three across.Now cars are between us,and they have trouble getting past,lots of traffic coming the otherway.Now the guy in the second pair on the outside looks over his shoulder looks at the driver,and then continues with his conversation with his mates,in my opinion he was out of order,it would not have harmed him or his mates to go single file,and let the bus pass.Nil points to a group of cycling dickheads.
No wonder..
- Thread starter postman
- Start date
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snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
You do wonder about all these cars, how many occupants? Was their journey really necessary? Could they have taken a bus? Or were they just out to endanger cyclists and delay other road users?
numbnuts
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
When I bought my trike I made a rule for myself “if there is three or more cars behind me who can't over take easily I will pull over ASAP” I get lots of thank you for doing this.
Dayvo
just passin' through
- Location
- 59° 50′ 5.55″ N, 10° 47′ 41.89″ E
Slick
Guru
I had a similar experience a few weeks back when I came across the local riders. I was shocked by the bullying tactics drivers were using to try and intimidate them one blasting a particularly loud horn so much one of the girls took a wobble and turned in at the next layby.
It wasn't particularly difficult to overtake them despite being 2 abreast, but you do need to plan your overtaking a bit better.
It wasn't particularly difficult to overtake them despite being 2 abreast, but you do need to plan your overtaking a bit better.
gavroche
Getting old but not past it
- Location
- North Wales
Completely irrelevant to the OP's thread.You do wonder about all these cars, how many occupants? Was their journey really necessary? Could they have taken a bus? Or were they just out to endanger cyclists and delay other road users?
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
I don't think so, if you had read the OP you would have realised there were two factors causing the delay in progress of the bus, cyclists in front and oncoming traffic preventing overtaking.
Why should anyone "hate" the cyclists whilst calmly accepting the presence of the oncoming drivers?
gavroche
Getting old but not past it
- Location
- North Wales
Sorry but originally, it is the cyclists riding two a breast and not moving to a file that is causing the obstruction. Traffic coming the other way is not to blame. The OP also said that one rider is so far out that it is like 3 across. Surely, that is wrong.
smutchin
Cat 6 Racer
- Location
- The Red Enclave
I found myself following a couple of cyclists this morning in the car for the best part of a mile. They were riding single file but it wasn't a wide road and I didn't think there was room to pass them safely, so I just waited behind them until I was sure I had room and there was nothing coming the other way. In the event, they turned off before I had a chance to overtake them.
I got to my destination in plenty of time. Society didn't crumble. The world kept on turning.
I got to my destination in plenty of time. Society didn't crumble. The world kept on turning.
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
Who gives a toss! Some motorists had another minute or so put on their journey...big deal! I think it's dangerous for cyclists to side with motorists and say stuff like "No wonder they hate us" blah blah. If some normally sensible cyclists think it's ok for motorists to hate us then it makes you worry how much some dickhead motorists hate us!
Hate us yes,but please do not go out looking for revenge,just because someone on a bike has upset you. Some motorists upset me,but i don't go looking for "revenge" with other motorists. This is how people get injured or even killed.
Hate us yes,but please do not go out looking for revenge,just because someone on a bike has upset you. Some motorists upset me,but i don't go looking for "revenge" with other motorists. This is how people get injured or even killed.
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What if as happened to me last week the third rider is the wrong side of the white line, as a very patient driver I just waited the 1/2 mile before I turned off.
- Location
- Glasgow
Well, imo, if it's impossible to overtake safely, a driver should not overtake.
Single file on a busy road with oncoming traffic will only result in close passes, in my experience.
Any cycling course I've been on teaches us to take primary or double up to be visible and to minimize the time it takes a car to overtake.
To pull in to let cars pass is a common courtesy that should not be at expense of our safety.
Personally, I am conscious that I am slow, so I avoid busy roads: but it should not be like that!
Even slow riders should be allowed to ride a busy road.
Because the current thinking is "motor vehicles must not be impeded", cyclist squash themselves to the kerb, get abused if they take the lane, are intimidated into unsuitable shared paths.
This, imo, is wrong and must change if cycling is to become a mainstream mode of transport.
Single file on a busy road with oncoming traffic will only result in close passes, in my experience.
Any cycling course I've been on teaches us to take primary or double up to be visible and to minimize the time it takes a car to overtake.
To pull in to let cars pass is a common courtesy that should not be at expense of our safety.
Personally, I am conscious that I am slow, so I avoid busy roads: but it should not be like that!
Even slow riders should be allowed to ride a busy road.
Because the current thinking is "motor vehicles must not be impeded", cyclist squash themselves to the kerb, get abused if they take the lane, are intimidated into unsuitable shared paths.
This, imo, is wrong and must change if cycling is to become a mainstream mode of transport.
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
Two abreast is permissible, the five cyclists moving into single file would not necessarily have helped the situation, as there was oncoming traffic preventing a safe overtake. You are right to say that oncoming traffic is not to blame , but by preventing overtaking, it was a cause of delay to the bus.
Pedestrians , cyclists and motor vehicle drivers just have to learn to share the road with patience, and without hatred for other users
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