So I was out riding @ 17.00

Mattbot2

Obviously it's pitch black, and both mine and my mates bike lights go within 5 mins of eachother.

So we saw this guy biking toward us as he had lights. So we were kind of yelling so that he knew we were here. Obviously from this distance we'd no idea of his age or anything, we could just see the light. So it looks like he's on the right of the path (from his point of view) and you know how you're meant to go on the left.

So we pull over to the right too. Then when he had to go round us. He stopped and has a go at us. For being on the right. Argh. Why can't people be kind? I mean, I can see where he's coming from, but we had explained that our batteries had died.

End rant.

mcbazza

Well, if you are off the bikes and pushing, then the "Highway code" says that you should walk towards on-coming traffic - i.e. on the right.

Just because you would still be pushing bikes, doesn't make you cyclists. Makes you pedestrians pushing bikes.

Of course, this all assumes you were pushing. If you were still riding your bikes then you were breaking 2 laws:-
1. Riding at night without lights.
2. Riding on the wrong side of the road/cyclepath/etc.

Mattbot2

mcbazza wrote:

Well, if you are off the bikes and pushing, then the "Highway code" says that you should walk towards on-coming traffic - i.e. on the right.

Just because you would still be pushing bikes, doesn't make you cyclists. Makes you pedestrians pushing bikes.

Of course, this all assumes you were pushing. If you were still riding your bikes then you were breaking 2 laws:-
1. Riding at night without lights.
2. Riding on the wrong side of the road/cyclepath/etc.

We were riding. But we didn't really want to start walking.

2 x 15 year olds out in the pitch black pushing their bikes is asking to be mugged.

As said, our lights went within 5 mins of eachother and we did indeed turn back to go home.

Riding on the wrong side because we thought he was on the wrong side. Just to avoid collision.

mcbazza

I take your point.
But, if he had hit you, or had fallen off as a result, the law would have been a little more black & white in his favour.

I realise that I go a little overboard on carrying spares, but, I always have a set of 'Knog's in my Camelback for just this type of incident.