Close passing

[Deleted member 25121]

I think ebiker needs to go to Specsavers if he thinks that is occupying the whole lane......

I ignored his pedantic post, if he was so concerned about 50 cm here and there then he should also include a safe distance to avoid the possible potholes and debris at the side of the road.

 

[Artstu]

the cyclist is basically occupying the complete lane and consequently needs to show some respect for other road users.

I ignored your pedantic post, if you're so concerned about 50 cm here and there then you should also include a safe distance to avoid the possible potholes and debris at the side of the road, how much would you add 50.000cm?
Where have I EVER suggested that cyclists "hug the gutter"????
You seem to have missed my point entirely, never mind

It isn't me who is obsessing about 50 cm. I think it is important to at least get the details of what you are trying to say correct, hence my correction on your maths. I've already given you an extra 70 cm but you still want to squeeze another 50 cm from us all.

Tell me do you actually ride a bicycle on the road?

 

[Deleted member 25121]

In the situation shown in the photo above, where nothing is coming in the opposite direction, why wouldn't you give the cyclist as much clearance as possible?

Drivers should always give as much clearance as possible.

Let me repeat once again, in the photo above the cyclist is basically occupying the complete lane and consequently needs to show some respect for other road users. Cycling with the intent to "Own the road space" is massively stupid and can only lead to animosity and collisions (note that I use the work "collisions", not "accidents").

If a queue of cars is building up behind then a considerate cyclist would either use the footpath (if clear of pedestrians of course) or simply pull over and stop.

Have you ever been caught up in a queue behind a slow moving tractor on a busy road with no opportunities to overtake? A considerate tractor driver pulls over when convenient, an inconsiderate tractor driver doesn't pull over and causes lots of frustration and possible dangerous overtaking. For tractor read bicycle.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

It isn't me who is obsessing about 50 cms. I think it is important to at least get the details of what you are trying to say correct, hence my correction on your maths. I've already given you an extra 70 cms but you still want to squeeze another 50 cms from us all.

Tell me do you actually ride a bicycle on the road?

There you go again being pedantic, who cares about the odd 20cm????

I ride a bicycle on the road, I ride an ebike on the road and I drive a variety of cars on the road.

Tell me, do you actually drive a car on the road?

 

[Artstu]

The photo demonstrates my point exactly, the cyclist is basically occupying the complete lane and consequently needs to show some respect for other road users. Cycling with the intent to "Own the road space" is massively stupid and can only lead to animosity and collisions (note that I use the work "collisions", not "accidents").

if he was so concerned about 50 cm here and there then he should also include a safe distance to avoid the possible potholes and debris at the side of the road.

So you don't think the cyclist in the photo who needs to show respect for other road users is actually riding a safe distance to avoid the possible potholes and debris at the side of the road?

I've nothing more to add.

 

[Artstu]

There you go again being pedantic, who cares about the odd 20cm????

I ride a bicycle on the road, I ride an ebike on the road and I drive a variety of cars on the road.

Tell me, do you actually drive a car on the road?

Last one, look back carefully at your posts, you've missed my point completely, you'll see 20 cm is from your misunderstanding, I'm wasting my time with you.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

So you don't think the cyclist in the photo who needs to show respect for other road users is actually riding a safe distance to avoid the possible potholes and debris at the side of the road?

I've nothing more to add.

What? He's riding a safe distance from the edge of the road, I never said he wasn't.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

Last one, look back carefully at your posts, you've missed my point completely, you'll see 20 cms is from your misunderstanding, I'm wasting my time with you.

You've don it AGAIN, NOBODY CARES ABOUT 20 CM HERE OR THERE.
What's wrong with you, are you having a bad Monday?

(And since you're being pedantic I'll do likewise and point out that "20 cms" should be "20cm")

 

[Deleted member 25121]

So you don't think the cyclist in the photo who needs to show respect for other road users is actually riding a safe distance to avoid the possible potholes and debris at the side of the road?

I've nothing more to add.

And then you went on to post again.......

 

[Artstu]

(And since you're being pedantic I'll do likewise and point out that "20 cms" should be "20cm")

Thanks, now corrected.

 

[Amoto65]

The Rospa advice is ride a 1/3 into the carriageway which the illustration is showing ( in fact the photo looks slightly less than that) how is that confrontational ? looks like common sense.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

The Rospa advice is ride a 1/3 into the carriageway which the illustration is showing ( in fact the photo looks slightly less than that) how is that confrontational ? looks like common sense.

Who is saying that it's confrontational??

Have you ever been caught up in a queue behind a slow moving tractor on a busy road with no opportunities to overtake? A considerate tractor driver pulls over when convenient, an inconsiderate tractor driver doesn't pull over and causes lots of frustration and possible dangerous overtaking. For tractor read bicycle.

Cyclists should be aware of any traffic building up behind them and act accordingly, either pull onto the pavement if its clear or simply pull over to let the traffic past. I can't see how that's at all confrontational.

 

[Amoto65]

Your comparison is at best misguided, a tractor is the same ( if not wider) than a car and occupies the whole road, a bicycle does not occupy the whole road as illustrated on the photo, yet for some strange reason you seem to think it does, as a professional driver I have never been delayed by a solitary cyclist anywhere the same amount as I have been by tractors.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

Your comparison is at best misguided, a tractor is the same ( if not wider) than a car and occupies the whole road, a bicycle does not occupy the whole road as illustrated on the photo, yet for some strange reason you seem to think it does, as a professional driver I have never been delayed by a solitary cyclist anywhere the same amount as I have been by tractors.

What?? The photo clearly shows that the car is (correctly) passing the cyclist on the other carriageway. As it would need to do when passing a tractor.

It sounds as though you're not allowing the 1.5m passing distance between cyclists and the nearside of you vehicle (if so then shame on you), or you're intimidating cyclists into cycling in the gutter or you're only driving on very wide roads.

 

[vfr400]

Let me repeat once again, in the photo above the cyclist is basically occupying the complete lane and consequently needs to show some respect for other road users. Cycling with the intent to "Own the road space" is massively stupid and can only lead to animosity and collisions (note that I use the work "collisions", not "accidents").

It's impossible to say without knowing what the oncoming traffic situation is.

If I'm riding along a road with no traffic coming the other way, I often ride about 3 ft from the curb, but when I hear someone coming from behind and see someone coming the other way and the road is wide enough, I move closer to the curb so that nobody gets impeded; however, if the road is narrow and it would be dodgy for the car to pass me at speed with a car coming in the opposite direction, I move further out and give the driver plenty of time to adjust his speed so as not to arrive at the point when all three of us are together, though, often, many aren't thinking enough to realise that if they just slow down a bit, they can pass after the oncoming car has passed without losing much time. Instead, they end up braking at the last moment and have to slow down to my speed and wait until its clear, which is annoying and worrying for all three people.

Many of these situations can be solved with just a little bit of thinking ahead. If I see a cyclist that I need to pass and a vehicle coming the other way, I make a plan to avoid passing the cyclist at the same time as the oncoming vehicle, either by speeding up a bit or slowing down, but it seems to me that most drivers don't seem to be able to understand the advantage of that. It's the same with passing parked cars or overtaking on the motorway.

I guess we have to remember that 50% of people are below average intelligence.

 

[Amoto65]

Ebiker99 there is something clearly wrong with you jumping to these conclusions, obviously your village is missing its idiot ( no more to be said)

 

[Deleted member 25121]

Ebiker99 there is something clearly wrong with you jumping to these conclusions, obviously your village is missing its idiot ( no more to be said)

So that's your considered response is it. Say no more.

 

[Deleted member 25121]

It's impossible to say without knowing what the oncoming traffic situation is.

If I'm riding along a road with no traffic coming the other way, I often ride about 3 ft from the curb, but when I hear someone coming from behind and see someone coming the other way and the road is wide enough, I move closer to the curb so that nobody gets impeded; however, if the road is narrow and it would be dodgy for the car to pass me at speed with a car coming in the opposite direction, I move further out and give the driver plenty of time to adjust his speed so as not to arrive at the point when all three of us are together, though, often, many aren't thinking enough to realise that if they just slow down a bit, they can pass after the oncoming car has passed without losing much time. Instead, they end up braking at the last moment and have to slow down to my speed and wait until its clear, which is annoying and worrying for all three people.

Many of these situations can be solved with just a little bit of thinking ahead. If I see a cyclist that I need to pass and a vehicle coming the other way, I make a plan to avoid passing the cyclist at the same time as the oncoming vehicle, either by speeding up a bit or slowing down, but it seems to me that most drivers don't seem to be able to understand the advantage of that. It's the same with passing parked cars or overtaking on the motorway.

I guess we have to remember that 50% of people are below average intelligence.

I totally agree with everything you say there, it's all down to being considerate to other road users (irrespective or your and their vehicle type), thinking ahead and acting accordingly.
Nobody should be using the road with an attitude that they "own" it as was suggested early on in this thread. I see this attitude with motorists sticking to the middle or outside lanes on motorways and likewise cyclists cycling 2 or 3 abreast or cycling individually and not making it easy for other road users to pass.

 

[Jimo]

It really is about time this conversation stopped, its getting very nasty !

Jim

 

[wheeliepete]

It really is about time this conversation stopped

It gets like that on hear sometimes Jim, if you hadn't noticed. AFAIK, there haven't been any fatalities so far, only bruised egos.