Cyclists riding two or three abreast down country lanes.

[Roseforarose]

AIBU that it's a bit of a hazard. We've just come back from a journey and there was a bike rally or something. We were trailing behind for ages from the ones who refused to get in single file. Surely for everyone's safety they should be in single file? What do you all think?

NurNoch I've cycled a bit in Germany (Munich and Berlin mostly), and what you've got there is streets ahead of the UK. Not as good as the Netherlands, but better than here.

babybat ok I'llstop commenting due to my eexperience of cycle pathsbeing a bit anachronistic in the context of the thread.

Except to say we do have these lovely cycle paths which are smoothly tarmac ed and wwe'llmmaintained and not cluttered or littered and still a certain type of cyclist - mainly the club kind - refuses to use them on principle, and at leadt one group I've been in a group conversation on the subject with are adamant that the principle is that they have the right to go fast and not be held up... and that trumps anyone who iisn't wearing lycra ' s dislike of being held up (which, as I said up thread, is at least a double standard, and on certain stretches of steep banked narrow winding, hilly country road more dangerous than the available cycle path to all parties but especially the cyclist themselves).

The majority of congestion and hold ups to motorists are caused by other motorists.

The ironic thing is that if more people cycled there'd be less traffic on the roads and the people still driving would get to their destination a lot quicker.

But why does a motorists dislike of not been held up trump a cyclists dislike of not been held up? Why do you think the motorist is more important?

I don't think cyclists think they're more important than motorists but they have the option to do something to lessen the chance of been held up - go on the road. If the motorist had an option of doing something to lessen their chance of been held up then they would take it.

It's not the cyclists fault that there's no option. Well I suppose there is, motorways. So if you don't want to be held up by cyclists go on a motorway. Oh what's that? It'll be a longer route and you don't want to do it? Doh!

I do get irritated on certain roads with certain cyclists- there's a road near me that has steep hills and is only 6'6" wide and some cyclists ride 3 abreast down it- in fact the other day I was going up a steep part in first gear behind them and kept having to dip my clutch in order not to go too close.

Other cyclists go single file with gaps between them on that section and it makes it so much easier. I do feel like when taking a road by car I should be able to travel faster than below 5mph.

I'm not anti cyclist and don;t mind them using this road at all but, can't we all use it nicely?! I'll stay back and won't go too close to them, leave plenty of room and slow down when passing and they can move over so I can get past?

VivaLeBeaver the slalom cycle path you posted up thread really makes me laugh - how could anyone think that was a good idea? Where was it taken?

The road route has one narrow part where the less evolved drivers sometimes have difficulty waiting a few minutes behind cyclists, but I am afraid that is their problem.

Arrogance - there it is in black and white.

It irritates me when cyclists behave badly or dangerously - because it reflects on all of us.

But what UK motorists perceive as inappropriate or inconsiderate riding (eg groups cycling two or three abreast) would actually be considered perfectly normal in many more cycling friendly european countries. It's certainly normal here in France, especially on Wednesdays and Sundays, to come across clubs out for a ride, and most motorists seem to consider this perfectly normal.

Re cycle paths, if cyclists aren't using them, it's generally because they are not fit for purpose. Contrary to popular opinion, most cyclists don't have a death wish!

Mythical I'm not sure why it's arrogant to suggest that if drivers cannot pass a slower road user safely, they need to wait until they can.

Dh and I really enjoyed cycling in Brittany. Nice non-potholed roads and courteous, considerate drivers. That included having to cycle across a barrage between St Malo and Dinard with fast moving traffic - no alternate route. Cars did have to slow down even though we went as fast as we could, but there wasn't a hint of impatience.

The snide language used demonstrates arrogance.

I get stuck behind the same guy to and from work everyday, going at a snails pace up the hills on a busy B road. He choses the road over the new cycle path. Ok I can let that go - It would add a few minutes to his journey, but he also doesn't wear a helmet and has his headphones in. Completely oblivious. It seems like just a matter of time before he gets hit.

Wearing earphones on a busy road is stupid, but his is the only life he is putting at risk, which is more than can be said for impatient drivers, who endanger other road users (not just cyclists) as well as themselves.

Been away. To those asking if I have ever cyled on the cycle path - I always cycle on it. I am a bit slow, (unfit) and wouldn't force everyone to go at my pace so I use the cycle path. It isn't speedy but I make allowances for kids/ slower people.

I am a driver and a cyclist. I cycle to work regularly through Hammersmith and Fulham - very trafficky, cars, vans, busses. The vans can be bad and the large lorries are terrifying but mostly everyone respects others.

To deny that there are some militant cyclists who behave badly is as silly as denying that there are car drivers who do the same.

Last summer I had my wing mirror ripped off by a cylcist undertaking me as I was stationary in traffic. I yelled after him - he made a rude gesture - it cost me quite a bit to repair.

My "militancy" is limited to knocking on the windows of cars usually taxis who have stopped in the cycle apron/the cyclists advance stop box and remind them that it's there for a reason (usually get abuse for that), while we wait for the traffic lights to change.

Although I have twice lifted up the windscreen wipers of cars that have parked across and blocked the entrance to cycle paths (no damage, just inconvenience).

his is the only life he is putting at risk

This is not the case. By wearing headphones his life may, in general, be the most at risk but irresponsible road use by anyone endangers the lives of all the users.

Say he swerves to avoid a pothole, doesn't look carefully enough and doesn't hear another vehicle coming behind him. Causes said vehicle to swerve in turn and cause an accident.

DH and I cycled to work for years before we lived where we do now and would never, ever have contemplated listening to music while we did. The use of a helmet is a separate and vexed issue but blocking out one of your senses while cycling endangers everyone around you, not just yourself.

Cycle paths in the road are where al the drains, debris and pot holes are. Those on the pavement are not usually suitable to road bikes. Every cyclist could be in a car instead and that would be a lot slower for every one

This cycle path is fit for purpose - certain cyclists don't use it because they style themselves road cyclists and assert their right to ride on the road on principle and because their might be a slower cyclist on the path they'd have to slow down for. It's not commuters who do this but invariably the lycra clad club type.

*there not their

Putting your own life at risk unnecessarily by riding dangerously is still massively selfish - causing a fatal accident can wreck several lives even if you are the only one killed. Bitlike playing on train tracks or skipping through a track crossing after the barrier is down being bloody dangerous and likely to get you killed and destroy the train driver whose train runs you down...

This cycle path is fit for purpose - certain cyclists don't use it because they style themselves road cyclists and assert their right to ride on the road on principle and because there might be a slower cyclist on the path they'd have to slow down for.

And yet they think it's perfectly fine to slow down car drivers.

NurNoch difficult to tell from one picture though - bits of our long distance cycle path look OK for road bikes, but it's definitely not (even if you set aside the fact that it joins two towns by a route that is over twice as long as the normal road route - it is designed for leisure cycling not commuting). It may also be unsuitable at certain times of day - I try to avoid our local cycle paths in the mid to late afternoon, when there are lots of teenagers hanging out and old people out for their afternoon stroll, because it's less safe for me and my bike would create a hazard to other users.

It's not really the point anyway. Cyclists have a right to use the road (with exceptions, of course, like motorways), on exactly the same basis that other road users have the right to be there.

I completely agree about antisocial behaviour - but generally in these threads cyclists are held to a far higher standard than drivers. As a cyclist I find drivers in general astonishingly casual about speeding for eg - I had a conversation in the work canteen a couple of weeks ago in which it became clear that I was the only person out of 8 around the table (educated, responsible people in other respects) who had never been done for speeding!

People don't 'style' themselves road cyclists - they are riding a different kind of bike, designed to travel at high speed and requiring a relatively smooth surface.

People wear lycra and join clubs because lycra is practical and it is enjoyable to train with other people and compete in events, not because they want to wind people up. Bright colours also make cyclists more visible.

So if that is the cycle path, where do the pedestrians walk? It looks very like a shared pavement to me.

It is a shared path merrymouse (or was last time I cycled it). It is also not IMHO a good surface for road bikes in many parts at all and is frankly awful and dangerous at the roundabouts and junctions as per usual for cycle paths in this country.