Opinions, car vs bike..

[keithmac]

Hello all, to start off I'm a keen cyclists and have 30 years or more of cycling under my belt.

When riding I always try to be considerate to other road users, and when driving I always give cyclists plenty of space especially when overtaking!.

I was in the car with the family yesterday to drop my caravan off at storage site, part of my journey was down some ××× Edit SINGLE CARRIAGEWAY ××× roads.

I came across a group of cyclists out for a leasurely ride, they were 3-4 abreast and took the entire lane right up to the center road markings. Being a cyclist myself I held back and waited for the possibility they would maybe pull in one or two abreast so I could *safely* overtake.

Well a mile later at 10mph there was no sign of them giving any road at all for me to take, with the van on the back I wasn't happy with just the oncoming lane as it still woukd have been tight to get past them.

I just can't really understand why they blocked the lane completey, surely it's in their best interests to let the car though as well as mine?.

I would like to hear other people's genuine opinions on this, for me it was a poor show for cyclists on this occasion?.

 

[Dogtrousers]

 

[gavroche]

What have you done? I had a thread similar to yours a few weeks back. The wolves on the forum came out and tore me to pieces for suggesting that the cyclists should go single file to let the car through. Be prepared and good luck.

 

[coffeejo]

Why mention single lane roads when they had nothing to do with the situation you describe?

 

[S-Express]

part of my journey was down some single lane country roads.

they were 3-4 abreast and took the entire lane right up to the center road markings

Either it was a single lane road, or it wasn't?

 

[Globalti]

Ooh, watch the slaughter begin. Cyclists have the right to impede and block drivers no matter how ill-mannered they may be, don't you know?

 

[keithmac]

It was single xxx Edit CARRIAGEWAY xxx.

 

[DaveReading]

I came across a group of cyclists out for a leasurely ride, they were 3-4 abreast and took the entire lane right up to the center road markings. Being a cyclist myself I held back and waited for the possibility they would maybe pull in one or two abreast so I could *safely* overtake.

I don't understand.

If you were managing to keep to your side of the line towing your caravan then surely there must have been the same amount of space on the other side of the line to allow you to pull out and overtake safely?

 

[S-Express]

It was single lane.

So it wouldn't have had centre markings then.

 

[jefmcg]

It was single lane.

Google map link so we can understand?

 

[raleighnut]

Clarkson would have a field day, Caravanist held up by cyclers or some such twaddle.

 

[Dogtrousers]

So, on a single lane road cyclists were riding four abreast? Really? Are you sure you aren't exaggerating slightly for effect?

I don't doubt that sometimes some cyclists can be unhelpful. Never seen it myself, but I don't doubt it. Also there may be times when cyclists riding in pairs don't single out when a motorist may want. But that's quite another story and we had a similar tedious thread on the subject very recently.

 

[keithmac]

There were at least two cyclist who had their bar ends in line with the centre road markings, the caravan is 2.2m wide.

It would have been very close to the cyclists on the outside of the pack..

 

[Globalti]

Sigh. 'ere we go again.

The OP says: "part of my journey was down some single lane country roads". Some of it would also have been on roads that were wide enough to have a centre marking. The cyclists hindered the OP, insisting on their right to hinder him for a mile or more. This is the reason why I don't ride with my local road club; they go out in large groups, which are difficult for motorists to pass on our local lanes. In itself this is not a problem because anybody driving on narrow country lanes can expect to be hindered for a variety of reasons but when a motorist dares to take issue, a small number of the cyclists in my local club are aggressive and abusive towards them. I don't want to be associated with this kind of behaviour; I treat cyclists with courtesy when driving and I treat motorists with courtesy when cycling.

 

[I like Skol]

I'll see your and raise you