UKC

Ok. One here for the collective ukc jury.

Saturday am. Main artery into a large town, single lane in either direction, wide, well marked cycle lane in both directions, separated from the driving lane by a broken white line. 30 mph limit.

Three cyclists, one ahead in the cycle lane, two immediately behind, riding abreast and chatting, while one in the cycle lane the other in the car lane. Probably doing about 10 mph. Only way to safely overtake the three was to wait for a break in traffic from the other direction, which due to the time of day were few and far between.

I was not that bothered since it didn't really hold me up much, but I could see the driver behind me in my rearview, getting quite agitated. Got me thinking about the likely range if opinion, particularly relating to if you cycle much or not.

What's the verdict. Selfish, thoughtless cycling or angry impatient driving (or maybe both?).

In reply to Matt Rees:

Any idea what sort of state the cycle lane is in ? After 35 years of cycling, 25 of cycle commuting, often cycle lanes are full of debris, depending upon how diligent the LA is at cleaning them.

As for people having a chat whilst out for a ride ?

Really ?

In reply to lummox:

The cycle lane is in good nick.

In reply to Matt Rees:

Were they roadies? Think its been said before but they're all co*ks.

In reply to Matt Rees:


Both seems reasonable. Cyclist probably doesn't need to be holding up traffic since other cyclists can apparently navigate the cycle lane but probably isn't doing so deliberately either. Driver basically described as frustrated and impatient so I'm taking that at face value and I can empathise with that frustration.

jk (drive more than I cycle)

In reply to Matt Rees:

I vote both tbh

In reply to CurlyStevo:


sounds about right.

In reply to Matt Rees:


If you're not that bothered, then that's the end of it IMHO. The state of mind of the driver behind you is not your problem unless he puts you at risk. Stay cool, and don't lose your temper.

As for the cyclists, personally I would rather they rode two abreast as they are easier to see.

In reply to mp3ferret:


You got it wrong, that's only said by co*ks.

In reply to Matt Rees:

I often avoid cycle lanes in towns because they often don't get the same rights of way at side junctions ("cyclists dismount" anyone ?)

In reply to yesbutnobutyesbut:


Hmm, I think the current, militant, attitude of many roadies, that they can deliberately annoy other road users, when a more rational, moderate person would just move over and let the cars pass - makes them a co*k.

The 'I have every right to be here and fu*k all other road users' is just a bit sh*t.

I've been cycling for many years, recreationally, in competition and commuting - and have never wound up another road user to the point that they want to run me over - maybe that's because I'm not a co*k and don't think myself so self important.

Similarly, I've never, as a driver, acted like a co*k to cyclists.

Don;t get me wrong, I am very capable of being a co*k, but i generally prefer to be tolerant, treating people how I would like to be treat.

In reply to mp3ferret:

That doesn't make ALL road cyclists cocks anymore than some farmer with a crag on his field might say ALL climbers are cocks.

In reply to yesbutnobutyesbut:



Agreed, but saying that some roadies(or any group of people) are co*ks and some people aren't just sounds a bit too normal and middle of the road for UKC.

PS I'm a mountain biker myself - so I have an inbuilt/unjustifiable dislike of roadies - which is only normal - being as they are all co*ks

In reply to Matt Rees:
All of this should also be considered in the context of car drivers who drive vehicles that are three people wide when there's only one person in the car - and who then complain when they can't get past a single bike, let alone two. Motorcycles seldom have trouble getting past cyclists.

I couldn't help noticing (again) as I cycled to work this morning that large areas were blocked by cars that were not moving at all, including some that decided that the bike lane was the best place to wait. I lost count of the number of times elsewhere where I had to brake for cars that couldn't go any faster.

It is the norm that every morning and evening I have to wait for cars blocking my way. It is nevertheless my choice to use a vehicle that is held up by slower traffic and I have to accept it. I can't say that it troubles me that my average speed is only 15mph when it should be at least 18.

In reply to mp3ferret:





So you're fat and slow

In reply to Matt Rees:


(In the absence of political leadership on building urban cycle infrastructure) I think an educational programme about dealing with this sort of thing would be a good idea, something like the adverts to look out for motorbikes.

In an urban area what causes the hold up and makes journeys slow? Answer: traffic lights and other cars, not people on bikes. Overtake the 2 abreast cyclists and the reality is you'll be stopping in a few hundred metres behind a car at a set of lights.

Sadly human nature doesn't allow us to rationalise stuff like this very well and we can't bear just pootling along at 15 mph to the next stop instead of 35 mph and stopping for longer. Socially the cyclists in this instance are seen as selfish, even if the impact of their actions is negligible.

I just turn the mirrors to an angle where I can't see anything when I'm in similar situations, impatient driving is all too frequent round here.

In reply to mp3ferret:



They're just people, doing what people do, responding to an environment in the way people do.

If you go looking for the group you have selected behaving in a certain way then you will find it.

In reply to Matt Rees: It can sometimes be frustrating, and I speak as someone who cycles regularly to work, and mystifying. I cycle for that journey on a very good quality cyclepath entirely separated and parallel to a road with a fairly high speed limit. The cycle path is good enough quality for the local pro's to use it, but still the occasional cyclist feels the need to cycle on the main road, and I really don't understand the thought process that gets them there and keeps them there. The road is windy, busy and not great for passing, and none of the possible problems with the cycle path (debris , obstacles, turnings, 3m wide etc. ) exist. I really don't get it.

Bear in mind that a cyclist would actively have to turn onto the road, choosing to ignore the cyclepath. The cyclist still has a right of way to the road, but are not making anyones lifes easier, including their own

In reply to wbo:

Is this in the UK ??

In reply to yesbutnobutyesbut:


Maybe a little

In reply to wbo:
Possibly they don't know the area and have met too many awful cycle paths in the past to trust this one?

I'm not saying it's a good decision, but given that you normally have a fairly short space of time to judge whether the increased safety of being separated from traffic justifies the potential for being stuck on some Cycle Facility Of The Month contender, I wouldn't guarantee that I'd always make the right call.

Edit: or they might just be numpties.

In reply to mp3ferret:

Thank you both for making me laugh.

Of course it's triathletes I don't like with their terrible bike handling, zero maintenance skills and Ironman tattoos.

Cheers

Toby

In reply to lummox:


Unlikely, seems very rare in the UK. Sections on the A55 fit the bill, others bits are less good. You would be mental to cycle on a lot off the A55. A lot of busy A roads, I would love to use such a facility.

In reply to Toby_W:

How do you know someone's done an Ironman?



























They're telling you about it.

In reply to The New NickB:

That's why I asked. Seems very unlikely in the U.K.

Did you used horn?
I mean most of the time I don't care that behind me. If I am in your way it's up to you to let me know and I will give you way if it's possible.

In reply to Matt Rees:

not enough information here, if it wasn't for the 2 cyclists, was the road ahead of you clear? or would you have ended up overtaking them only to slow down and join the traffic jam ahead? and then possibly have the 2 cyclists pass you by? If it was me on the outer bike, and there was a queue of cars behind with clear road upfront then I would have pulled behind my mate, let the traffic behind clear up and then rejoin my mate and continue my chat. Repeat every once in a while. But, when I was part of a cycling club and we went out in groups, once on rural roads we did go 2 abreast, the dilemma was that single file would mean a long line of cyclists and past experience informed us that sometimes overtaking cars would be forced into the dangerous action of pulling into the middle of the group due to oncoming cars. So often safer to ride 2 abreast and then cars can overtake quickly when clear.

In reply to lummox - no it's in Norway and it's a really nice path, with very few junctions for several kilometers. I use it, Alexander Kristoff uses it, everyone uses it except the occasional middle paced mamil and I really don't get it as its a conscious choice not to. And the queues get long, and quickly grow