To think this cyclist should have pulled over?

[MsMarvel]

I'll say first that indont know the specific rules of what a cyclist should do, im not a cyclist and im haooy to be told that actually cyclist was in the right...Im not posting this to start a bunfight!

Was driving to work this morning, along a windy country road that is pretty busy, lots of traffic both ways, hgvs etc.

Get stuck in a queue of traffic going about 5 miles an hour and look ahead to see that about 3 cars in front of me, aorry is stuck behind a cyclist.

At this point im thinking fair enough, windy road, cars cant safely overtake, doing the safe thing and sitting behind cyclist until safe opportunity arises, but knowing the road that could take miles.

See a sign for a parking bay and think that the cyclist can easily pull over without even stopping and letting the (now 10) cars pass him. He cycles right past, staying very confidently in the middle of the road lane. In the end cars started overtaking him on dangerous spots, which isnt acceptable no matter how frustrated you are, but AIBU to think that the cyclists could have moved over slightly to avoid the dangerous isituation occuring?

If it was a slow car or lorry with a queue of 10 people behind him there would be no discussion over whether they should have pulled over, but not sure if the rules are different for cyclists...

[Ifailed]

I was riding my bike yesterday, and was constantly held up by slow moving motor vehicles - should they all have pulled over and let me pass?

[VioletBam]

I cycle a lot and I always let motor vehicles pass me. Always.

I'm not enraging people as I meander along!

[WhoTheFuckIsSimon]

And in cities not only do cars not pull over to let me past a sizeable proportion get an inch from the kerb on purpose to try and stop me coming past. Why? Not near junctions so they're not about to turn left. Just being arseholes. God forbid a bike gets past.

[ShotsFired]

I was out cycling yesterday. On a straight, clear section of road I counted a sample of 10 cars passing me:

8 of the times there was nothing coming the other way, yet these cars passed me so close I could literally have touched each of them. The 'wind-wobble' I got off them was tangible.

1 car passed close AND then cut me up because he'd misjudged the car that was coming the other way. Luckily I had seen it for him and was already braking hard (I had been going full pelt) - i.e. changing my course of action to avoid a collision, because of his decision to make a unnecessary, dangerous manoeuvre.

1 car passed me safely. By that I mean by overtaking me with the same courtesy they would another car, well over into the opposite lane.

That sample doesn't exactly put drivers in a good light, does it? 90% of them driving in a manner that could easily cause significant injury to me, and all completely unnecessarily too. I like to think [hopeful] it is pure ignorance, not malice, that they didn't move over properly.

[AndNowItsSeven]

Random absolutely not it's perfectly safe and in excellent condition , it's just pure laziness. It's alongside a dual carriageway with a proper road serfice it's not some uneven track!

[purplevase4]

AndNowItsSeven - I know a few roads like this too. Roads with good quality cycle paths (I know because I've either cycled or run along them). Yet some people will still not use them despite the road having a 60mph limit. Crazy.

But on the other side of the coin:

Shotsfired - Sorry to hear this but it sadly does not surprise me. I have had drivers trying to overtake me (in my car) AND the cyclist(s) in front of me because I wouldn't overtake when they deemed it safe (and I didn't) or hoot their horn at me. Lots of drivers seem to think that the car drivers coming the other way should slow down/move over so they can overtake a bike, though that also applies to overtaking cars as well. I have heard that if there is a line of cars and the first car gives the bike lots of clearance, the car behind will too. I don't know if that's true. I go right over on the other side of the road and then check in my rear view mirror and usually I don't think the car behind me has given as much clearance but of course I can only look for a split second.

[purplevase4]

It isn't up to a bike rider to make one driver's driving experience less bothersome by making their own more bothersome

Not sure I agree with this. I try generally not to inconvenience other people if it's not totally disproportionate. Pulling into a layby for 15 seconds to allow some cars to get past who've been behind you for a minute or more is not disproportionate.

[5moreminutes]

AndNowIts we have a stretch of road like that too - very long stretch of country road, national speed limit, two lanes but only just and visibility not great for overtaking along most of it - tarmac cycle path well separated from the road, on the other side of a small drainage channel and sometimes the other side of a hedge - really good surface. The racing bike Lycra wearing hobby/ sport cyclists mostly refuse to use it, according to the dad of one of the DC's friends (who is often seen on that stretch not on the cycle path) this is because you get families on cycle rides on it sometimes, or the odd older person on a shopping style bike or someone cycling with a dog, and the very occasional hard core jogger, in-line skater or walker (the road goes about 12 miles without going through a village so very few walkers) and the cyclists should not have to slow down or be held up by slower cyclists or joggers...

This seems a little ironic as the queue of traffic builds up behind cyclists or groups of cyclists...

[ShotsFired]

Purple I do genuinely think it's a lot to do with simply not understanding or knowing what effect such a close pass has on a cyclist.

If people had to ride bikes as part of learning to drive (aka be a road user), and were subjected to people buzzing them they way they do, I think they would be a lot more understanding and safer. I saw a clip of some bus drivers beng sat on stationary bikes while buses whizzed past them and you could see the astonished reactions.

(That isn't including the twats who do it for fun or to cause harm, of course. They are bullies who need stopping before their sense of entitlement kills someone.)

[WankersHacksandThieves]

This seems a little ironic as the queue of traffic builds up behind cyclists or groups of cyclists...

Yup, I've had experience of cyclists saying the same thing - they want to go faster than they would feel safe on a cycle path in case they came across someone going slow as they came round a corner... I tried to make this face unsuccessfully. It wasn't someone I felt comfortable falling out with so for lots of reasons I didn't challenge. Same person complains that there are walkers on the hill track he wants to mountain bike down.

[GlindatheFairy]

I had a cyclist rant at me for not overtaking! In my judgement I didn't consider it safe as I couldn't see far enough down the lane and white vans can fly round the bend on that round, and the road wasn't wide enough to give him enough clearance. I did overtake when it was safe and I know it's annoying to have a car waiting behind you. But better that that being knocked off or involved in a collision!

Of course in general car drivers are more likely to be cause greater danger but some cyclists can be very entitled and aggressive. Mostly men (cough)

[BeingATwatItsABingThing]

For anyone asking about cars moving over for slower vehicles, I pulled right over into the mini hard shoulder yesterday to let a motorbike go passed me safely. He was waiting patiently and visibly behind me but clearly wanted to go faster as did I but a giant ass lorry was most definitely not moving so I did the decent thing and he thanked me for it.

If a cyclist was suddenly able to go faster than me, I would be reluctant to but would still let them passed because I know I'll end up over taking them (likely for the second time) again pretty quickly and if it's on a road where overtaking a bike is that difficult, it would be infuriating to have to do it again. Still no excuse for dangerous overtaking though.

[Eviecat83]

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[WantToRunAgain]

Cyclists are SUPPPOSED to ride 2 abreast in a pelaton!

Google it.

10 cyclists riding in a line are far harder to over take than 5 pairs.

The hatred towards cyclists on MN and other social media is truly disturbing and one of the reasons cycling is such a test of nerves nowadays. Very sad.