Group of cyclists not letting cars past- is this legal?

[Serenity674]

Interested in whether this was legal. Was driving to my parents this morning, they live remotely so it was a single track country road, although not narrow, with wide verges on either side.

i came up behind a group of circa 20 cyclists, probably doing about 15-20mph and ended up stuck behind them for about 10 mins. Round the bends was fine and they actually went faster than I would have gone in my car but there were several very long straight stretches of road where I could have got up to 30-40 mph (it’s a NSL road) but they wouldn’t move to let me past, just rode 2 or 3 abreast taking up the whole road. They definitely knew I was there as the ones at the back kept looking behind at me.

i know the law says cyclists can ride 2 abreast and it’s actually safer as it means cars overtake them properly but surely this doesn’t apply regardless of the road? Were they just doing the safe thing or should they have let me past?

I am a horse rider so i am always on the side of passing more vulnerable road users safely but this just seemed like a bit of a dick move- or were they actually doing this for a reason I’m unaware of? If I was riding my horse on a road like this I would ride 2 abreast until the car slows down then move into single file to let them past.

Do you see any grannies cycling to bingo? How many parents do you see cycling with their kids?

Contrast with countries which have better driving standards. You'll certainly see plenty of pensioners and parents cycling there.

Plenty of families cycling around me, also plenty of pensioners. Some drivers suck - I have a similar amount of rage against those that take our country roads too fast and aren’t willing to pull in. But proportionally about the same as cyclists suck. As a driver I can recognise that some drivers suck. Why can’t many cyclists admit that some cyclists suck and ruin it for everyone else?

I don't see many cyclists nearly kill me on my way to work. Car drivers on the other hand...

It's a low bar but getting to work alive is my first concern and no cyclist has yet posed such a threat.

My wife cycles occasionally, she’ will only go out with me, she is terrified of riding alone due to drivers she’s encountered.

I’ll ride with her, I’d say I’m more dominant in the road when she’s around. Genuinely you won’t get passed me until I think it’s safe to overtake.

Call me a “knob” I don’t care, my wife feels safer

That's so sad. Where do you live?
I cycle on my own all the time and don't think I've experienced more twatty behaviour because I'm a woman and I have never had a verbal encounter.

Because those cyclists who do indeed suck, aren't likeky to kill or maim, unlike drivers who suck - so no they aren't 'ruining it for everyone', just some.

Midlands, we have country roads. Majority of drivers are lovely. Just one bloke (sadly it’s usually men boys) who shouted at her and forced her to the side to pass. I can guarantee she wouldn’t have had the same experience if I was there.

There is plenty of verbal abuse for female cyclists round where i live

There is a very winding single track road near me that is popular with cyclists. The fun starts when you come round a corner and see a pack of MAMILs cycling towards you four abreast. Rather than going single file so that you can pass them, they stay four abreast and force you to reverse back to the last passing place, hoping that another car doesn't come round the bend fast behind you.

How can cyclists force you to reverse? Stand your ground, and make them move over to their lane.

I can't picture this.
So, the car meets the cyclists. Both have to stop. Is there a stand off where no one is moving until the car reverses? What happens if you roll down the window and ask the bikes if they can move to the side so you can pass? They just stand their 4 abreast?

When I come across this situation, the car slows right down, or stops, and the bikes (who don't have to stop) go in single file past the car slowly. Cyclists with cleats are keen not to stop (and unclip).

The road I'm thinking of doesn't really have proper passing places, but field entrances or driveways.

Single track road and "four abreast" - add that one to the list of things that never happened

I'm kind of mixed on this. For one, why is it always groups of men and never groups of women (as I've only come across men anecdotally). On the other hand, some drivers are dicks (as are some cyclists). I also think when you're driving a car you need be be so much more aware that you could kill someone. You need to be alert. My stepdad has been knocked off his bike so many times when riding alone and the car driver has just driven off. You would like to think they would take extra care given he's clearly lost a limb but nope, they just drive past.

It isn't always men. I'm an instructor who takes womens groups out. There's a few womens only clubs locally. Awful about your stepdad.

I honestly think sometimes people see what they want to see.

I was out in a group of 7 once, so 3x pairs and then me at the back. A 4x4 overtook us just before a junction we were approaching (unsafe), he braked in front of us and jumped out - screaming at us for riding 3 abreast!

We were in no way 3 abreast which I repeatedly told him and he wasn't having any of it. Screaming and ranting that we were riding unsafely.

The only person who had been unsafe was him, if a car had turned into our road at the x roads just ahead he would either have had a head on with them or more likely swerved and smashed into us.

So cyclists pay no Road tax or need any insurance cover YET using the same tarmac as cars! If I was rushing my child to hospital and had a cyclist going 20 mph and over took him but got in an accident who’s at fault? Which insurance cover is affected?

No one pays road tax. Compared to motor vehicles, bicycles put no wear on the roads. If you overtook another road user in a way that caused an accident, you would be at fault.

No living person under the age of 105 has ever paid road tax in their life.

As for the question of fault in a collision, it's usually on the person overtaking to ensure that is safe to do so. The only times that the person being overtaken might be at fault would be if they made any sudden changes of speed/direction.

If your child needed to be rushed to hospital, would an ambulance not be better

Please enlighten us all: when was road tax last 'a thing'! And how do you know who pays insurance? There's an unsettling number of drivers caught without either licences or insurance.. Educate yourself

Yes, legal and very common where I am. They are allowed to ride on the entire width of the road, and you need to follow. Whether there are points they could have let you past or not legally doesn’t matter. They can ride however they want.

The same old tripe. Gets boring after a while, just do us all a favour hand your license in and start using the bus.

agree- amazing how many drivers aren't aware of the law, or what 'their taxes' go toward

They ride as the law dictates. Educate yourself. There are aggressive bike riders and aggressive car drivers. Guess who comes off worse in a traffic accident

Its very clear in the road code that the dicks on a bike should be moving aside to let cars pass.

The Highway Code advises cyclists to be aware of vehicles behind them and allow them to overtake when safe to do so, for example, by moving into single file or stopping. Cyclists are encouraged to maintain a steady course and speed, slowing down if necessary to let a vehicle pass. However, they are not obligated to immediately pull over to let traffic pass, especially if doing so would create a dangerous situation.

Elaboration:
Rule 66:
The Highway Code states that cyclists should be aware of drivers behind them and allow them to overtake.

Rule 169:
This rule advises that cyclists shouldn't hold up a long queue of traffic, but it doesn't mandate immediate pulling over to allow traffic to pass.

Overtaking Considerations:
Cyclists should maintain a steady course and speed, slowing down if necessary to allow vehicles to pass.

Safe Practices:
Cyclists are encouraged to move to the left side of the lane to allow faster-moving traffic to overtake, or to stop and allow traffic to pass if it's safe to do so.

Hierarchy of Road Users:
While cyclists have priority at junctions, crossings, and roundabouts, drivers can still overtake, but must do so safely, leaving a gap of at least 1.5 metres.