Compliant re people commuting on New Kings Road

statts

I commute each day on the Lower Richmond Road and New Kings Road. I have noticed recently that far more people cannot be bothered to wait for slow moving traffic and cycle down the middle of the road. The problem is when people are cycling on the nearside of the road you can find yourself getting squeezed by cars avoiding fellow cyclists. I could handle the odd occasion when traffice has come to a standstill and the road is blocked but a lot of people now seem to use the middle of the road as the norm.

If anyone reads this forum who uses this route and consistantly cycles in the middle of the road can you stop or you will sooner or later end up getting another cyclist seriously hurt ?

BentMikey

The nearside is not the place to be filtering really, the middle of the road is usually the best and safest place for overtaking. Undertaking can lead to the undertakers.

You're also wrong to be blaming the cyclists who are overtaking for that problem. It's not their fault that a driver moves over to the left, is it?

statts

I wasnt necessarily referring to undertaking as such. I just mean i can be cycling along at 10 - 15 mph with cars moving beside me at the same speed when suddenly a car will move over to the nearside to allow a cyclist to overtake through the midddle. The car driver no doubt does not expect to see a bike by his window so he naturally drifts a bit to the inside where he forgets that a cylist is already there.

DavidTQ

Its the drivers fault not the cyclist, motor bikes also have the same problem, The high way code says the following about being overtaken "Being overtaken. If a driver is trying to overtake you, maintain a steady course and speed" Its down to the overtaker to assure they have sufficient space to overtake safely, car drivers should NOT be changeing their course in reaction to being overtaken.

Its like the person who gives way to the left at a round about, a nice thought but incorrect road use, but its not the fault of the person coming from the left. Unfortunately for cyclists that "nice thought" can result in a near death experience

BentMikey

Another point would be that I would never want to ride next to a vehicle at any speed. If you're moving at the same speed as the traffic, then sit in the middle of the lane in primary position. Whatever else, I would definitely not want to stay in the blind spot of a larger and heavier vehicle next to me for any length of time.

Gussio

I commute along the same stretch of road and understand the OPs issue. I am completely sympathetic and also get frustrated by bikes squeezing past on the outside, encouraging drivers' to move towards the kerb.

BentMikey - your points are good ones, but with specific reference to the road in question and the typical traffic conditions, cyclists pushing along the outside of cars are in the wrong (IMHO) and causing problems for others.

Terrible crash on the King's Road this morning - there was half a black cab and another car with the roof squashed down to almost floor level. They must have been travelling at an incredible pace. Please closed off the road n both directions and were out with the measuring wheels etc.. Looked more like something you expect after a motorway collision. haven't been able to find anything on the web - does anyone have news on the drivers?

BentMikey

I'm sorry, but I don't agree, and I've also ridden King's Road. You can't blame the overtaking cyclists for the faults of the drivers. There are many ways to mitigate the risks to yourself, a few I've detailed above.

Eat My Dust

Well TBH it really annoys me when I'm overtaking cars on the outside and they pull out to overtake people who are riding in the gutter. It's niether cyclists fault, it's the drivers fault for not being completely aware of their surroundings.

Gussio

Eat My Dust wrote:

Well TBH it really annoys me when I'm overtaking cars on the outside and they pull out to overtake people who are riding in the gutter. It's niether cyclists fault, it's the drivers fault for not being completely aware of their surroundings.

Fair point - cars have three mirrors. It is a shame that all drivers don't use them. That said, cyclists also have an obligation to understand that drivers have "blind spots" and that it is up to the cyclist to avoid lingering in them (offside or nearside). Learning to anticipate other roadusers next move also helps - erratic driving by anyone on the road (cars, bikes, horses etc) is to nobody's advantage.

bracestower

I ride along this stretch of road every day and will ride on the right to overtake. The road narrows quite a bit and is also a bus route, so I find riding on the left to be often quite hazardous.

As cyclists, we take up less room than motorcyclists doing exactly the same. To be honest, I feel quite irritated that you should feel we're somehow cycling selfishly, when all advice points to avoiding cycling in the gutter.

Gussio

Wouldn't have to cycle in the gutter if the cars weren't so far over

Clever Pun

My missus works around there... quite a few people get injured/killed being on the inside of bigger vehicles...

el_presidente

I may be cycling in the gutter, but I am looking at the stars

PrettyBoyTim

To be honest, you shouldn't really be moving alongside a car unless you're actually attempting to overtake it or you're in a seperate lane. Likewise, a car shouldn't really be driving alongside you unless the driver is attempting to overtake you. If you're going at the same speed as the traffic you're probably best off sticking to the middle of the lane allowing enough stopping room betweeen you and the car in front. If you then find that the traffic starts moving faster than you wish to/ are able to, move over to the left once it is safe to do so (and it is safe for you to be overtaken) to let the travellers behind you pass by.

Just as us cyclists like other traffic to take account of the issues affecting cyclists (leaving enough room for us to avoid potholes etc...), we have to take account of the issues affecting motorists, like the fact that their perception is limited in certain directions, and that they are much less likely to hear the approach of other vehicles (especially quiet ones like bicycles). Cars, like bikes should be given space to make adjustments in their position to avoid obstacles ahead - if you're in a position where a relatively small movement of a car in its lane will put you in danger, you're probably in the wrong position.

Remember that the rules of the road have largely been formulated under the assumption that at most times there will only be one vehicle in a lane at one time, except when one vehicle is overtaking another. If you're in position where you're sharing a lane with another vehicle, then you're confounding that assumption.