Rules or best practise on overtaking

so - had an issue today which i thought I would ask for opinions.

Cycling in a country lane. The lane is just wide enough for one vehicle and sometimes it has sharp bends.

I usually stay quite to the left on this lane unlike a normal road when I would assume a more left-to-middle position to avoid being pushed to kerb when other cars overtake me.

Today a jogger is coming towards me at quite a pace. Her position is her far right and therefore exactly my position. There is also a bend ahead of me.

I slow down to an almosy stop because I am wary of the bend but more so know that joggers veer and change direction when running. I did not want to give the jogger the impression of bein erratic and her not being sure what I was doing and certainly thought of the consequence of moving into 'overtake' mode whilst she was still running towards me at same pace and then veering into my new path.

I stayed in same position having slowed to an almost stop position but she still came towards me deliberately. At this point even if I had come to a complete stop she would still have ran closer to me. Basically this is what she did. She ran as close as she could to me and shputed something

Shouted something. She assumed I was in her way and should have moved for her.

She did not slow down

I did not want to overtake in case she veered towards me whilst jogging fast towards me

I also could not be sure of a car coming towards me if I did overtake

I kept my position and almost came to complete stop.

IF she had been walking or jogging the same way as me I would have been more likely to overtake but still wary of oncoming traffic in lane (the cars really speed on this country lane)

So my question - what are rules ref Highway Code and what should I have done!?

I think she would have been expecting you to move towards the centre of the road so that she could keep tight in to her right hand side.

If there is any doubt, you should stop.

Walkers and joggers like to run/walk on the wrong side of the road so that they face oncoming traffic rather than having it come up behind them on their side.

So, you should move towards the centre of the road and let her pass you on your left hand side.

BUT,

As you say, there was a dangerous bend behind her.

Stopping seems the only safe option.

Walkers and joggers like to run/walk on the wrong side of the road so that they face oncoming traffic rather than having it come up behind them on their side.

So, you should move towards the centre of the road and let her pass you on your left hand side.

BUT,

As you say, there was a dangerous bend behind her.

Stopping seems the only safe option.

Walkers and joggers are recommended in the highway code to face oncoming traffic, so she was in the correct place and could see you coming

Firstly I'd probably call it a "pass" not an "overtake" as it is opposite directions. Others may differ.

I'd say stopping is fine, but if you are keeping moving then you would expect to be more in the centre of the road. Personally on a quiet single track I always try and cycle in primary so I will be seen, and vehicles can't try to squeeze past unless I deliberately allow them to do so. Safety wise, I see it as being like a mile long pinchpoint.

I'd normally try and be in contact with the walker/jogger from some distance ("Mornin' !") to get eye contact. If said jogger is insulated by headphones that can be difficult. I usually have a Hornit on but that would be a little aggressive imo unless there is a risk of some sort.

On a bend I would be in a position for the best site line which still leaves me room to move left if necessary. I hope . That was the advice given to me, and to keep speed low enough to stop within the existing view, when looking at advanced driving, and I think it holds for a bike. I might hoot (Hornit) before a blind corner because it is as loud as a car horn.

Highway Code para 1.2 for pedestrians:

"If there is no pavement, keep to the right-hand side of the road so that you can see oncoming traffic. You should take extra care and

• be prepared to walk in single file, especially on narrow roads or in poor light
  
• keep close to the side of the road.
  

It may be safer to cross the road well before a sharp right-hand bend so that oncoming traffic has a better chance of seeing you. Cross back after the bend."

https://www.gov.uk/rules-pedestrians-1-to-35

Ferdinand

Edited June 27, 201510 yr by Ferdinand