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AIBU?

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Original poster

Sunday cyclists

121 replies

ihatefuckingfrozen · 07/08/2016 14:34

I'm probably going to be flamed for this but here goes.

Out driving today and come across the usual Sunday cyclists, fine I just drive around them. They've every right to use the road and I've no issue with that.

However my bugbear is the ones in large groups who think it's ok to cycle 3 or 4 or even 5 in a row whilst having a chat when there are numerous cars behind them - these are on country roads too so not exactly easy or safe to overtake them.

I was waiting behind a group like this for over 5 minutes and there was a build up of cars behind me and the guy in front. There was no safe way to go around them as it's quite a windy country road so guy in front gives them a gentle beep to see if they can move over, he was met with a torrent of abuse! They cycled even slower to piss him off even more!

Aibu to think they are twats and should be thinking of other road users too? Especially the ones that pay road tax?!

OP posts:
CoolioAndTheGang · 07/08/2016 15:20

Our local cycling group have been told to do this (cycling in cluster groups on narrow roads) for their own safety, so drivers don't try to overtake them in dangerous places, where there isn't sufficient space to do so, hence forcing the cyclists into the ditch. Some drivers think their desire to get to their destination faster, trumps the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. I understand it is annoying but most do it for safety reasons, rather than to annoy other road users

ThisPanCan · 07/08/2016 15:22

Roads are a public utility. We can all drive, ride bikes, ride horses, skip etc on them. The cost comes out of the general tax take.
just to make it nice and clear.

No-one has paid road tax since 1936.

ButtMuncher · 07/08/2016 15:25

The road tax argument is stupid so I'm going to ignore that one.

I'm a road cyclist - I wouldn't ride abreast with anybody on a road such as the one you describe, unless it was quiet, in which case we train our ears/wear helmets that allow to hear for vehicles - a simple dart in to form single file is not hard and is really what you should do when riding on roads, irrespective of size or volume of traffic. Especially if you're holding up traffic - if it's the odd car, fair enough, but if it's causing a hold up, it's cycling etiquette to nip in to free up the congestion.

However, I often don't ride with clubs and WhoTheFuckisSimon has a point.

There was no need for the cyclists to be rude though - that is unreasonable and I'd perfectly understand a car driver honking at me if I was holding up traffic.

sealmane · 07/08/2016 15:30

I cycle and I drive. Sometimes I come across Sunday cyclists and just think how wonderful for them being out and cycling in a bit of nature etc. I would always let a cyclist enjoy their cycle in front of me even if I had to wait a bit. I can't really understand the angry driver mentality, but as a car driver you see it everywhere really, directed at other drivers too, indeed anyone who dares to get in their way.

  1. Cyclists ARE meant to cycle nearer the middle of the road. Hugging the pavement/sideline is dangerous as you can't be so easily seen.
  1. Cars and cylists have equal LEGAL right to the road. So a car has NO automatic right to takeover a cyclist. If a bad-tempered, impatient driver with no manners (your husband!) started beeping me, as a cyclist I'd probably go slower too!
CunningMissusFox · 07/08/2016 15:32

As a cyclist, I'm not sure that what you describe as a "gentle beep" by the car in front would have seemed anything other than impatient and aggressive to the cyclists in front of him/her.

Where possible I would try to acknowledge drivers who have waited to pass safely but please bear in mind that waving thanks would require a hand taken off the handlebars and sometimes that's not a risk I'm prepared to take when cycling close to the edge of a road where there are often holes, while cars are overtaking.

canyou · 07/08/2016 15:32

Ans as a driver if I feel unable to over take a cyclist or a hundred and I know there is traffic behind me getting impatient I pull in as soon as is safe in a gateway etc to allow the cars pass me at least and avoid an idiot try to over take me as well as those on the bikes.

TortoiseVTurtle · 07/08/2016 15:33

It's absolutely not this club in the image but this is pretty much how it is on a Sunday, at least three clubs and lots of individuals.

I think it's human to get a bit tetchy about it, especially when it's for a good few miles.

As I said earlier though- there was some dreadful driving in cars too.

Sunday cyclists
TortoiseVTurtle · 07/08/2016 15:34

Is there anything in the Highway Code about holding traffic up? The tractors all pull over after about a mile but I get that it's probably not so easy in a cycling group.

ThisPanCan · 07/08/2016 15:42

Have a look at the HC? Makes an interesting read if you need to ask.

Original poster
ihatefuckingfrozen · 07/08/2016 15:44

Ok sorry ignore the road tax comment, that was silly and ignorant on my part.

As I said at the start of my OP I have no problem with cyclists. I think it's great that they're out enjoying the countryside and fresh air and to be honest if I had the time and energy I would like to try it myself!

I just don't think all of them have safety in mind and today proved that. It wasn't 2 in a row it was 3 and 4 and they were taking up the whole side of the road which didn't allow any cars to attempt to pass, had they been in single file or even in 2 we would have been able to pass but they didn't and this caused a massive traffic backup which in turn caused a dangerous road situation.

OP posts:
TortoiseVTurtle · 07/08/2016 15:46

Thanks Pan, I was aware of rule 169 but wondered if I had missed something.

Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass

Of course, I would never defend all car drivers, it is nice to see it from all sides.

Otherwise you end up being one of those blindsided fools who think that their group can do no wrong.

UnexpectedBaggage · 07/08/2016 15:47

Clause 169 of the UK Highway Code reads:

"Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass."

this applies to cyclists as well as tractors etc. Selfish cunts.

EmpressTomatoKetchup · 07/08/2016 15:51

It's safer to cycle two or more in a line on narrow roads to stop cars from trying to overtake you.

Many of today's roads were built before cars were even invented. They are just not wide enough.

CheeseCakeSunflowers · 07/08/2016 15:51

BikeRunSki you might want to ask your cycling club to review their rules. Highway code rule 66 states "never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends". I live in a rural area with narrow roads, Mon-Fri there are some cyclists going to work, kids on bikes etc, no problem at all. Weekends the lycra mob turn up in packs, they cause loads of delays, forgetting people still need to do their jobs, get on with their lives etc. They are often very aggresive verbally and in the way they cycle and go far too fast for the conditions. There have been a couple of accidents on my road recently where one has hit a pot hole requiring an ambulance and nearby a fatality on a downhill very narrow bend where they were riding 2 abreast and the one in the centre hit an on coming vehicle. Please cyclists ride safely for your own sakes and everyone elses.

TortoiseVTurtle · 07/08/2016 15:55

On our country roads, it would be possible to overtake but the spacing of the groups means that you can't cut back in safely. So there might be twenty plus cyclists but cycling three abreast in groups over a long stretch. It's not safe to overtake because you can't pull back in and give them enough room.

ThisPanCan · 07/08/2016 15:57

Selfish cunts.
Nice. Says it all about yourself, doesn't it?

InsufficientlyCaffeinated · 07/08/2016 16:12

Why do you, one person in a car, feel you have more right to that space than multiple cyclists? I'm sick of drivers complaining that I, one person on a bike am taking up too much space while they're in a vehicle many times themselves

UnexpectedBaggage · 07/08/2016 16:14

It says I live in the country and Have done all my life and I'm fed up with townies and their bikes breaking the highway code and stopping us getting on with our lives.

There are plenty of places they could pull in but they choose not to, They'd rather hold up the local traffic for miles while they drive in packs up the middle of the road.

They even get in the way of on-coming traffic and hurl abuse at drivers driving properly in the other direction.

It's time a few of them got fined for their selfishness. The local farmers get threatened with action for not allowing traffic to pass and they have a proper reason to be on the roads.

namechangenumber45 · 07/08/2016 16:23

OP - with you on this. I drive across Snake Pass regularly at weekends and the sheer number of weekend riders is unbelievable. It is dangerous for both cyclists and motorists. Especially when a lot of the riders don't seem particularly fit and wobble into the road.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 07/08/2016 16:38

I love cycling, but we have a club round here that is a menace to other road users. We've had trouble with them when driving with them taking aggressive stances in a large group at junctions and once I was approaching a busy roundabout on my bike with dh, obeying rules of the road when I heard a loud 'coming through'. I got completely swamped by cyclists, was forced off the road onto a central reservation bit. It was flipping dangerous.

There are other clubs here that cycle with much more courtesy. It's just this one club.

Tellypathic · 07/08/2016 16:50

YANBU.
The Highway Code states that cyclists should "never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends" (rule 66).

milliemolliemou · 07/08/2016 16:53

It is a problem with some competions - and I come from a two racing bike family. Round here like most rural areas you have a preponderance of narrow two lane A and B roads and then rural roads which are truly only one lane (though bizarrely technically 60mph). There are very few passing places on the latter, and bad sightlines for overtaking on the A+B roads + wild animals. So a time trial of 100-600 cyclists can block traffic for some time. It's not a ten minute wait, it's half an hour over 15 miles.

dementedma · 07/08/2016 17:04

I wish bicycles still had bells! On the towpath or any walks around here, the first you know of them is either when they whizz pass you, missing my inches or they shout "bike" or "coming through" with no indication which side they re passing on. But the time you have glanced over your shoulder to know which way to step aside, they are on top of you. Bastard silent things.

Sugarlightly · 07/08/2016 17:42

"We ride two abreast because the Highway Code says we should". No, you ride two abreast so you can chat with your mate easier, even my cyclist DP will admit that

IveAlreadyPaid · 07/08/2016 18:04

So is it easier to overtake 4 cyclists strung out single file, or 4 cyclists in a tight 2x2 group?

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