this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2024
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okmatewanker
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In the UK, you're not meant to get within 6ft of a bike when you're overtaking it (although it's pretty common for drivers to get muddled and think that rule's talking about inches). That means it's not safe to overtake if there are oncoming vehicles in the opposite lane or solid white lines in the middle of the road. Another bike a metre or so from the first one doesn't change that if you've got to cross into the opposite lane anyway, and it's better if they're two abrest as you don't need to be in the opposite lane for as long.
There are plenty of idiot cyclists who endanger themselves, but there are also plenty of drivers who accuse people of being idiot cyclists when they're following The Highway Code to the letter.
When I'm cycling on dual carriageways, it's interesting to realise that some drivers overtake me by moving to straddle the line between lanes ('fine'), some drivers move into the other lane ('great'), and some don't move at all, demonstrating that even when there's a whole other lane to use, they're happy to skim past me. And by 'interesting', I mean 'often terrifying'.
I cycle. I can't fathom the risk some cyclists will take. Cycling on a dual carriageway? Absolutely no chance. Cycling on a busy A-road? No way.
Having the right to be there doesn't mean it's any less risky when you have great big lorries hurtling by at > 50mph.
Graveyards are full of people who had the right of way.
I'm not some arrogant cyclist, insisting on my right to be somewhere - I use what is often the only road that takes me where I want to go. Personally, I find windy b-roads a bit scary too, and there's a downhill I have to take that's got a 'cycle lane' painted on, with cars parked on the left of me (so if anyone opens their door, I'm dead), cars in a narrower-than-usual lane to the right of me, and a diversion onto the pavement at the bottom, with a bus stop for the unwary to crash into. So basically every segment of a cycle journey is terrifying one way or another, and I just have to not think about it too much or I'd never go anywhere.
North America is full of those dual carriage motorways, with no alternate roads in many areas. No one enjoys riding on them, they just don't have another choice.
It's also a North American past-time to blame the guy trying to get to work or school when some inattentive driver mows him down.
Same problem in Canada. On some narrower roads the cyclist has to take up more road to force the drivers to wait until there is no incoming traffic in the other lane before overtaking. Otherwise some of them will try to squeeze through with zero consideration for the cyclist's safety.
I've learned that in motorcycle riding lessons. You have to constantly defend your safety bubble. If you let drivers see a gap that looks big enough they will try to squeeze through it and will push you off the road.
Yep, it's the same here in the UK. Years ago, when I did my bike test, the examiner would test the gaps I was leaving, so if I indicated to turn right, he would attempt to gently push his way into the gap on my right to make sure that I wasn't leaving room for someone to try to squeeze past.
Obviously he did it in a safe way to make sure that I would be safe on the road on my own :)
That's right, as a cyclist I have to watch out for myself and the person trying to pass me, to make sure they don't try a dangerous move when oncoming traffic is approaching (I have an ebike so drivers are a little less pissed at me on the uphills). On backroads I give hand signals, pump my left palm downward to tell them to wait a sec if I see traffic ahead or blind curves, then when clear, I wave forward in a similar motion as to summoning a dog, and I move to the side to tell them to pass.
Just the other day, a driver passed a group of cyclists while on a quiet road. He honked the entire way past while driving down the wrong side of the road and failed to notice the oncoming cars while the bikes and other cars were trying to get his attention. Luckily, the other cars slammed on their brakes and horns and nobody was hurt or killed.
...The road was about four blocks long and isn't even a major road because it runs into a city park. He didn't make it past the cyclists because the road was so short, and there were other cars coming the other way.
What
They pass 6in away from you instead of 6ft
The imperial probably surprised them