To always wait for a very big gap to overtake cyclists

[ladymabel]

My question - how do mumsnetters overtake cyclists? I’m a new driver. There’s loads of cyclists where I live on both the urban and country roads. They give me the heebie jeebies.

People ahead of me overtake them with ease without crossing the centre line but I just can’t do that. I have to wait for a big gap ahead and go into the other lane to overtake.
I only drive a small car! Is this something I should continue to do or do I majorly need to assess my spatial awareness.
I know you shouldn’t pass them on blind bends but even on a slight bend I won’t overtake as it just doesn’t feel safe to me.
I actually feel cyclists should ride in the middle of the road so everyone would treat them like passing cars.
Tips and hints welcome

This country is crap for looking after cyclists. Hardly any cycle lanes, potholes everywhere. My children cycle on the path, no way would I let them go on the road!!!

Nice and wide and in a haze of unburnt super unleaded

However on my new, country road, commute one or two angrily try to waft me past while I'm crawling behind them.

I've seen a couple of comments like this and there was a much longer thread a while back. Talk about projecting your own pissed-off attitude onto others...

Every cyclist I know (including me) is doing this precisely to try and be friendly and helpful and acknowledge that they know you've been patient and to assist you getting past by using their more advanced position on the road by way of minor thanks.

When I've been driving I've had it done to me and when I've passed by, invariably got a cheery wave or hand up to say thanks etc. There's nothing to indicate I cycle on my car, so it's not like they recognise "one of their own" (given people assume we are some kind of Borg entity).

Greyhorse if you think driving your big lorry past a cyclist is stressful, imagine how it feels for the cyclist

Also, don't accelerate to get past, just drive slowly.

Last summer we were out on the motorbike and we had three almost collisions in one day due to cars overtaking and there being cyclists there.

The worst, we were behind a car and there was 4 cyclists riding two a piece in front. Obviously we can see being slightly higher on the bike.

So dp didn't overtake the car as we didn't know when the car was going to overtake. So held back.

The car behind was impatient so over took us (to me common sense says if you have a motorbike- sports style- who isn't over taking and holding back it's for a reason). He went past us, then the car, went to pull in and realised there was four cyclists.

He swerved back to the other side of the road, slowing down, as a car then came in the opposite direction. He obviously panicked. He then swerved back to our side.

I hand on heart believe it's only because dp has almost 30 years experience riding on the roads and that he drives a lorry for a living so on the roads daily, that he anticipated the move, and swang the bike basically over to the gutter, as this car ended up where we were.

So that was 4 cyclists or two motorcyclists he almost took out for
What? Getting somewhere 20 seconds faster?

Sorry and he almost had a head on with another car.

Another cyclist who appreciates a wide berth. There are all kinds of obstacles which are ok for motorists but not cyclists such as potholes, drains etc which we do sometimes have to swerve to avoid. A motorist coming to close just adds to the stress.

As a cyclist I find going through residential areas the worst. I find cars don’t give you any space when you are cycling past parked cars. The other day I was cycling past parked cars on my side of the road and out of nowhere a car came up behind me (was definitely not doing 20) at the same time another car came the opposite direction. The car behind proceeded to squeeze past me as the oncoming car proceeded to try and come through too! I had dd on the back so had to stop and let them pass. I find cars give you much more space on the main roads.

You are doing the right thing. That is exactly how everyone is taught to overtake a cyclist if they lean to drive in any Western European country. Problem is most drivers forget this as soon as they ‘get some experience’ hence why so many cyclists die.

You are overtaking cyclists correctly OP.

One thing I would say is keep an eye on the other carriageway. I am absolutely sick and tired of almost being rammed off the road by drivers coming towards me swerving round a cyclist on their side of the road and into the path of my car. If there is someone coming the other way you have to wait! Giving room to a cyclist on your side of the road doesn't mean making me slam on my brakes. There seems to be an epidemic of it at the moment.

I came back into town today and there was a que of about 50 cars, 50% of them had four empty seats... a seat beside them and a sofa in the back and yet people think it’s selfish riding two abreast oh the irony - it’s done for safety and recommend

You are doing the right thing I think. On Friday I saw Jeremy Vine on a bike with two helmet cameras, presumably because some people don't give adequate space.

I understand the idea that has been floated that if a car collides with a cyclist, the burden of proof should be on the car driver that he or she did not cause the crash. Though given the laws on car use are biased in favour of car drivers, cannot see this happening.

I think that's the law in the Netherlands, Saints - I agree it would be great if it could be introduced here, but I can't see it happening.

You should overtake cyclists and horses as if they were a car and give enough space.

Someone shared a thought provoking way of putting it, if you think squeezing through at less than 1.5 metres is ok, I take it you'd be more than willing to stand track side of the yellow line when a high speed train goes past.

Sadly, some drivers think the poor actions of a minority of cyclists justifies dickish behaviour (often with some kind of self-rights garbage and over inflated sense of their own driving ability).

And better still, you get some idiots who complain about cyclists riding in a bunch as pairs rather than in a long thin line. A bunch in pairs is ONE safe overtake. Drivers who complain about this do so because what they want to do is squeeze themselves between cyclists and the middle line and put other people's safety in danger because they are a driver and what they have in their life is too damn important than waiting for a safe overtake.