F’ing cyclists!!

[NitramA]

To preface this, I’m now a very much slower rider than I used to be. I tend to stick to speed limits and allow sufficient space to stop or take evasive action as and when necessary.
I’ve hurt myself enough times to know it hurts.




So…Just back from a gentle ride in country. As part of my circuit I go down some narrow roads. They’re sufficient for two cars to pass if you’re careful. Today, however I came round a blind corner and found a group of 5 or so cyclists filling the entire road. One of them was so far over onto my side of the road she was in the gutter! As I said I travel at a speed that I can take action and stopped OK. They looked shocked when I unleashed a few choice words.


Later on the same road two herberts decided it was Ok for them to fill the entire road by cycling two abreast and just weren’t moving even slightly out the way.
On a bike I’m just about as “vulnerable “ as them so why do I have to jump in the hedge to miss them and why don’t they accept as least some of the responsibility for their own safety?
Rant over but it boils my blood!

[Grahamm]

Highway Code Rule 212 and 213:

Rule 212

Give motorcyclists, cyclists, horse riders, horse drawn vehicles and pedestrians walking in the road (for example, where there is no pavement), at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (see Rules 162 to 167). Drivers should take extra care and give more space when overtaking motorcyclists, cyclists, horse riders, horse drawn vehicles and pedestrians in bad weather (including high winds) and at night. If the rider looks over their shoulder it could mean that they intend to pull out, turn right or change direction. Give them time and space to do so.

Rule 213

On narrow sections of road, on quiet roads or streets, at road junctions and in slower-moving traffic, cyclists may sometimes ride in the centre of the lane, rather than towards the side of the road. It can be safer for groups of cyclists to ride two abreast in these situations. Allow them to do so for their own safety, to ensure they can see and be seen. Cyclists are also advised to ride at least a door’s width or 1 metre from parked cars for their own safety.

On narrow sections of road, horse riders may ride in the centre of the lane. Allow them to do so for their own safety to ensure they can see and be seen.

Motorcyclists, cyclists, horse riders and horse drawn vehicles may suddenly need to avoid uneven road surfaces and obstacles such as drain covers or oily, wet or icy patches on the road. Give them plenty of room and pay particular attention to any sudden change of direction they may have to make.

There is also Rule 169

Rule 169

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.

* * * * *

If the road didn't have a centre dividing line (which is sounds like it didn't) then there is no "your side" and "their side" and all road users should position for their own safety and be able to stop in the distance that they can see is clear.

I agree that the second pair you mention should have been polite enough to give you space to pass, but courtesy goes both ways.

[NitramA]

I did give them room and I did stop in time and safely.
At no time did I contravene the Highway Code.


I always ride a motorcycle defensively. As I said previously, I know pain hurts.



You can quote the Highway Code all you want , but my initial point still remains.
At what point should cyclists accept they have a duty of care to themselves and act in such a way that they take a degree of responsibility for their own actions.
Why not just cycle out into the road and expect people to miss you?
Then they can be wonderfully self righteous knowing they were in the right laying in a mortuary when someone less careful than me comes round a corner.

[Grahamm]

Dude, I ride a motorcycle, I drive a car and I've been cycling for most of my life.

I have met *all* sorts of irresponsible road users, be they on legs or two, four or a lot more wheels and most certainly many of them don't take responsibility for their own actions, using the road as if they expect everyone else to get out of their way.

But how many times do you notice (and rant about) the ones who behave sensibly?

You rode sensibly, you took the appropriate actions, so, good for you, just think "I'm glad I'm not as stupid as them" and move on.

[Gnasher]

:agree well said that man  :thumbup

[NitramA]

Indeed, good point well made. I’ve taken my tablets and have calmed down.
If only everyone was as perfect as me ????

[b1k3rdude]

Yep, the majority of cyclists continue to show a complete give a shit attitude to all other road users.

[b1k3rdude]

Highway Code Rules

Remind me which rule that says a cylist can occupie the primary position (center of the lane) but if there is traffic behind them, they MUST move over to the secondary position (left hand side).

In London they are terrible for not doing this, yet councils, the police and the royal parks do f**k all to enforce it, even after ther have been repeated reports... This is one of the handfull of reasons I dont want to commute or ride into central London for any reason anymore.

[Grahamm]

Remind me which rule that says a cylist can ocupie the primary possition (center of the lane) but if there is traffice behind them, they MUST move over to the secondary position (left hand side).

Please, cite us the rule that says "they MUST move over".

[b1k3rdude]

Fella I wasn't having a pop, I was asking a question. And the answer to my question is rule 72 in the highway code -

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-...s-59-to-82

I have personally observed a significant proportion of cyclists don't follow this rule, at all. And almost ALL of them only follow rules 69/71 if it suits them.

[Grahamm]

To quote from the introductory section "Wording of the Highway Code":

Many of the rules in the Code are legal requirements, and if you disobey these rules you are committing a criminal offence. You may be fined, given penalty points on your licence or be disqualified from driving. In the most serious cases you may be sent to prison. Such rules are identified by the use of the words ‘MUST/MUST NOT’. In addition, the rule includes an abbreviated reference to the legislation which creates the offence.

(My emphasis)

Neither Rule 72, nor Rule 169 say "MUST" and both leave it up to the cyclist's view as to whether they should, depending on whether it is safe.

Oh and, PS, FYI, as a cyclists/ biker/ driver myself, yes, it does piss me off when riders jump red lights etc and I've shouted at them for doing it, but there again, on my road, there's a part where another road crosses it with Give Way lines on each side which, as Rule 172 says: "The approach to a junction may have a ‘Give Way’ sign or a triangle marked on the road. You MUST give way to traffic on the main road when emerging from a junction with broken white lines across the road."

I have seen people stop three feet beyond the Give Way line and on at least one occasion, drive *straight through* the junction without stopping. Had I been about ten yards further up the road on my bicycle, they would have flattened me.

So, again, let's remind ourselves that *ALL* road users have examples of bad/ dangerous/ illegal behaviour, instead of slagging off just one.

[bigfootpete]

I try to avoid riding early Sunday morning because that's when most cyclists are out.
In general the roads are quieter late afternoon on the weekends.

[BBROWN1664]

During the week i helped provide support for BigMacs charity cycle ride around the new forest. There were 11 cyclists and 3 motorbikes including mine. I positioned myself behind the lead group of cyclists and further towards the middle of the road actively preventing cars/vans/etc trying to get past where it was not safe to do so and moving out the way, waving things past when it was safe to do so.
99% of traffic was fine with this, these were generally 40mph roads with the cyclists doing 20mph on the flat. Only one vehicle caused a problem which was an impatient w@nker in a campervan who passed within 6 inches of my handlebars and then cut in very close to the lead tandem cyclist on a right hand bend. Needless to say i did go past and explained the error of his ways. Shame i didnt have the go-pro on my bike on that lap or he would have been reported too.

[NitramA]

It’s funny how this has descended into they did this so I did that sort of thing.
It’s missing my point which is why do cyclist not help themselves by actively prioritising their own safety?
It seems to be due to the fact that they assume they are a protected group.
I can do 60mph in country lanes, but I don’t because I know that I’ll have an accident, so riding two abreast or in a convoy and blocking a narrow road they know they’ll attract the road rager and therefore can happily feel justified that they’re in the right and can “report them”
Why not think about other road users and stop playing the victim.
Have you ever tried to be a pedestrian when there’s cyclists about? It’s funny how quickly they become the aggressors.
I know there are good and bad of everyone but seems to be more bad than good, especially if their wearing Sky kit.

[fazersharp]

I am sure that most also drive but when some of them get on a bike they become selfish gits. I also ride a push bike and I get out of the way if I see that I am causing a blockage.There are a few that deliberately go out of their way to put themselves in dangerous positions so they can film it and post it on line. I have seen some on cycling forums where its clear to me exactly what they are doing, there are also some on u tube doing it all the time.Now the laws have changed the chip on some of their shoulders has got even bigger. The worse ones are the people in faux tour de France kit. I repeat that I too am a cyclist at times.

[Grahamm]

And again we get back to the point that it's only the minority of idiots who you actually notice, be they on two, four or however many wheels.

I'm sure many bikers can relate tales of drivers deliberately attempting to obstruct them when filtering etc, drivers can tell you about bikers hooning it past on double white lines, cyclists will talk about people who pass them and then turn across their path etc etc etc...

Everyone should take responsibility for their own safety, but everyone should also use the road in a way that doesn't make life hard for others.

[fazersharp]

And again we get back to the point that it's only the minority of idiots who you actually notice, be they on two, four or however many wheels.

I'm sure many bikers can relate tales of drivers deliberately attempting to obstruct them when filtering etc, drivers can tell you about bikers hooning it past on double white lines, cyclists will talk about people who pass them and then turn across their path etc etc etc...

Everyone should take responsibility for their own safety, but everyone should also use the road in a way that doesn't make life hard for others.

Of course you are right - but Grahamm - you do have a knack for killing a conversation  mokin

[Grahamm]

Of course you are right - but Grahamm - you do have a knack for killing a conversation  mokin

Ah shaddap!

[b1k3rdude]

Neither Rule 72, nor Rule 169 say "MUST" and both leave it up to the cyclist's view as to whether they should, depending on whether it is safe.

Fair correct 'must' isn't in the rules 72 and 169, however -

- if a faster vehicle comes up behind you, MOVE to the left to enable them to overtake, if you can do so safely.
- when the traffic around you starts to flow more freely, MOVE over to the left if you can do so safely so that faster vehicles behind you can overtake.
- with vehicles moving faster than you, ALLOW them to overtake where it is safe to do so.
- DO NOT hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are a slow-moving vehicle. if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.'

There is no ambiguity, cyclists dont get to sit in the middle of the road for as long as they 'feel like'.

And the reason a lot of people (me included) have zero patience for cyclists, is because for a group that only accounts for 1.7% of all road users they have managed detrimentally & irrevocably changed the road environment to benefit them. Yet when it comes to following simple rules, a significant majority don't and then they wonder why there is so much anger and distrust towards them.

[Grahamm]

There is no ambiguity, cyclists dont get to sit in the middle of the road for as long as they 'feel like'.

Those are *recommendataions* not *requirements* and they are entitled to use the road in a way that maximises their safety.

Oh, and cyclists were using the roads before cars or motorcycles.

[quote pid="978422" dateline="1720081520"]
And the reason a lot of people (me included) have zero patience for cyclists, is because for a group that only accounts for 1.7% of all road users
[/quote]

Motorcycles make up 3.3% of all road users, not even twice the number of cyclists.

If some arrogant driver started spouting off about a "significant majority" of bikers not "folllowing simple rules", what would you say?