To remind drivers to give space

[BelleMarionette]

According the the highway code , drivers should allow at least 1.5m, or 5 ft, when overtaking a cyclist. Cyclists are also not obliged to cycle in the gutter by the road: in fact cycle skills teaches a more central position for visibility and safety.

I am cycling to and from work as it's the right thing to do environmentally. Public transport is pretty limited unfortunately. Around half of drivers pass too close, often within a foot and at speed. I have noticed that it is often German car drivers.. I also had a driver intimidate be by coming up close behind me and sounding the horn because I wasn't in the gutter. In this occasion it was approaching a junction with no safe space to overtake.

I have also had a car reverse into me when I was still in a queue of traffic. It sounds simple, but drivers need to look in their rear view mirror when reversing.

To anticipate common moans people have about cyclists: I have third party insurance, I have done cycle skills training, and have a driving license so am aware of the rules of the road, and I stop at red lights.

Sorry but you really don’t understand rural life. There are three buses a week from my village to the nearest town, none at the weekend. You have to have a car, even if you are Jane the bloody shop assistant.

There are as many inconsiderate and badly behaved cyclists as there are drivers.

The reality is we need proper separated cycle lanes the way there are in some European countries

Tosh. I have a friend on a six figure income in central London - no car and the world’s poshest bike. By contrast I have a car, and while I’m not slumming it I’m definitely not six figures!

Agree. Rich blokes seem to love their fancy bikes. The kids of one of the directors in my previous company used to do modelling for a company that made those fold up bikes and they were like £4k.

Refraining from going off on a foul-mouthed rant at the mere sight of lycra isn't exactly much of an ask. I was a cyclist, then I was a motorist, now I am a cyclist again. Experience like that helped motorist me empathise with cyclists I encountered.

And it's definitely true that being caught behind a cyclist when driving has never made me late to anything. I never claimed to be perfect, I've been late for all sorts of other reasons, but if a couple of minutes at 15mph is going to mean a missed appointment then it's your fault for cutting it so fine.

Red lights? Well there was the odd occasion at 1am on a deserted road where I'd waited for a while and the sensors just wouldn't pick me up. I certainly don't routinely jump them like I see happening when walking around London when I visit.

Angry thoughts? There's a time and a place. Whilst in charge of a two-tonne lump of metal is neither the time, nor the place. If you find yourself getting wound up then you should find a safe place to pull over until you've calmed down. Maybe go for a walk. If I get abused at work then I am expected to step away from safety critical duties until I've taken a moment to calm down - if I can't carry on with those duties at all then I'm relieved by a colleague. But then I work in an industry which has developed an incredibly strong safety culture over the last couple of decades.

So someone who can't afford a car will need to cycle to work as the bus service isn't a practical option. And they've got just as much right to use the roads as a person who can afford a car.

I think this is just a subset of the aggression you see everywhere on the roads. Hardly anyone has any patience or courtesy, and any minor perceived infraction or error is punished by blind anger.

The plural of anecdote is not "data". The average motorist is wealthier than the average non-motorist.

Of course they have every right, never said otherwise.

But you’re wrong that someone where I live will cycle if they can’t afford a car though. It’d be a couple of hours round trip on a bike to the town and we’re in the Dales. Commuter cycling simply doesn’t happen. Only cyclists we have are MAMILS from Leeds down for a day trip.

Well now you’re moving the goalposts. The average motorist is probably wealthier than the average non-motorist. But I would be very surprised if they were wealthier than the average cyclist.

Where you live that person will either be forced to leave, or will become isolated. Doesn't change the fact that the average motorist is wealthier than the average non-motorist and that despite this they don't have any more rights to the road - which was the point made by the first post to bring it up.

Please don't doubt that some motorists do think that they own the road - the "I pay road tax" brigade.

Well i see plenty of not-wealthy cyclists out and about. Most bikes around aren't £4k carbon fibre racing models.

Again, I do not believe that motorists have more rights to the road than other users. Some motorists do think this and they are wrong.

Again, a motorist is probably wealthier than a non-motorist. But a cyclist is not the same as a non-motorist, most will have a car parked on their drive somewhere.

And yes, people here who don’t drive find life very inconvenient and almost unliveable. I only passed my driving test in March, aged 35, so I am very familiar with this reality.

Then you probably don’t live in central London or the Yorkshire Dales, the two places I have lived in the last ten years. We’re all different.

Whenitsmyturntobepm - I lived in Central London for years, getting around on a £50 bike

Aside from Richmond park maybe you don't see much expensive carbon round London. Not as a daily driver. I ride in London most days

What amazes me is that you cycle on the road! Where I live, all the cyclists are on the pavement, they completely ignore the cycle lanes when available.

This is what bugs me. They're allowed to undertake right next to you (giving no space) when waiting at lights so you have to find space to overtake AGAIN when they could have waited behind.

When I cycle, I never under/overtake at lights as I think it takes the mick.

I live in central London and my bike cost me £100 on Gumtree. We don’t own a car as we can’t afford one.

Startfresh, you mean you don't leave enough space for cyclists to filter to the front of the traffic?, perhaps that's why they're 'scraping through'. Drive better.

I'm in the middle of my lane. If I was too far right, I would be hit by a passing motorbike, too far left and I'd be hit by a cyclist. I remain in the middle. The lanes aren't super wide. It just bugs me to finally get past a cyclist, to have them pass me as a light is about to turn green and be stuck behind again.

I am, however, one of those drivers who WILL wait until it is safe to leave a large distance when overtaking and will hold up traffic behind me until safe to do so. I never pass a cyclist at an unsafe distance nor at a junction/roundabout.

Just saw the "drive better" wow. Condescending much. No, when I'm on a busy street and there having to queue in traffic next to cars parked all along the side of the road, and other cars coming the opposite direction, would you rather I sit halfway across the other lane for cyclists to pass between me and parked cars??

Think about the different size lanes before you criticise.

Just got home having cycled back from work, and I was side swiped by a car who was overtaking. The driver didn't stop either until forced.

Honestly, I'm not sure I will cycle again now. It's really shooken me up.

I'm not able to afford a car for my commute though, and rode a £40 Preloved bike for years until it broke and now have a hired bike. Cycling is a relatively affordable way of commuting, though sadly not safe.

Please drivers, give space when overtaking. I'm surprised so many here think it's ok not to.