How far from the kerb

abductee

Does anyone know what the latest official road safety advice is about how far to cycle from the kerb? If I ride too close to the kerb I get pinched aginst it and invite cars to squeeze past when they don't have room. If I ride too central in the road it annoys drivers. Whats the official line?
I can't see it here http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_069837

ride_whenever

ride where's safest without being a c0ck about it

PARIS75

the official line is probably some cloud cuckoo land distance that involves you holding up 3000 motorists on their way to work

mine is about 24 inches....just wide of the drains

Its probably highly dangerous me being so close to the kerb but hey ho 8) they have to give me 6 feet when overtaking so im pretty well in my comfort zone on this matter

chronyx

About 2 feet I think. Whatever feels right really. Prefer to let car drivers past easily, give those who leave lots of room and smile and a nod/wave

BentMikey

I don't think you can say where to ride in the road unless you're giving a specific situation. One approximation is the left hand wheel track, but that isn't always appropriate. Another is around 1m from the kerb, but that might drop to as little as 60cm, or much more when going past parked cars. Other times you will want to take the entire lane, such as when going through pinch points. It's about maintaining your own safety with consideration for others. That means sometimes you'll have to take the lane and hold someone up, and other times you'll be making it easy for people to pass you.

If you're not sure, get some National Standards cycle training. It's often free or subsidised from your local council, at least in London.

Bear77

You could get John Franklin's Cyclecraft, I think thats as official as it gets! Its not a straightforward answer though, its something complicated like usually 1 metre but never less than 1/2 metre and or 1 metre left of the 'dynamic traffic lane' ... etc and on and on and on for a whole book. Cycle training is good tho, I commuted in London for years before I did it and had read cyclecraft first, still learnt a lot.

Aguila

The highway code says a minimum of 50cm I think

simon_e

ride_whenever wrote:

ride where's safest without being a c0ck about it

Agreed.

Impatient drivers seem to cope well enough behind anything bigger than their vehicle, they like to intimidate vulnerable road uses. Don't let them. If that 20 seconds behind you is so precious you could suggest they leave the house half a minute earlier.

I usually ride a minimum of 2 feet from the kerb, carriageway edge marking line or verge - far out enough to avoid drains, glass, gravel and litter. On doubletrack I position myself in the left hand car wheeltracks (the cleanest part of the road) and I usually find myself between the S and L of SLOW markings painted on the road. Any further left and it's an invitation for every tw*t to squeeze past.

Anyone who wants to argue about it can check the what the Highway Code says (here) or be invited to ride with you to see what it's like.

beverick

There are no specific rules regarding your riding position other than rule 160 in the Highway code which states that once (a road user) is moving you should keep to the left, unless road signs or markings indicate otherwise. The exceptions are when you want to overtake, turn right or pass parked vehicles or pedestrians in the road.

'The left' is generally accepted by the DSA as being 1-1.25m from the kerb fo motor vehicles. It is, however, an offence to obstruct other (faster) road users so the average cyclst is generally well advised to keep further to the left where it is safe to do so.

John Franklin suggests that the 'primary position' which is roughly in the near-side wheel track for four wheel vehicles under normal conditions. This is reasonable as far as it goes but it ignores the rest of the road.

Generally accepted 'good practice' goven to all other road users (and despite JF's advice equally applicable to cyclists) is that, providing you comply with legally placed signs, road markings and general road traffic law, you should always aim to ride in a position:
- where you can progress at a speed safe for yourself and road-users around you (ie if you can't get into the position you want SLOW DOWN);
- that gives you maximum visibility of the environment around you; and
- where you are at your most visible to other road-users.

(You could also argue that your position shouid signal your intentions to other road users where relevant.)

Bob

jedster

2-3 feet as others have said. I try to aim for 3 feet but will go down to 2 feet provided it is safe/there is a good reason. Safe might mean nothing too nasty to crash into beyond the kerb, no peds to worry about stepping out. Good reason meaning that it makes a difference to the ability for cars to pass me.

Obviously I ride bang in the middle of the lane when I feel I need to (approaching pinch points, blind bends, etc)

Clever Pun

I would say at least an arms length or you might recreate this


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQH7eEk4ppc

R_T_A

I think I read a post on here recently with the useful (but non-scientific) "if you indicate left and hit a pedestrian, you're too close".

Clever Pun

R_T_A wrote:

I think I read a post on here recently with the useful (but non-scientific) "if you indicate left and hit a pedestrian, you're too close".

did you read it in my post above?

MonkeyMonster

Blimey CP you were a lot hairier when younger...

R_T_A

Clever Pun wrote:

R_T_A wrote:

I think I read a post on here recently with the useful (but non-scientific) "if you indicate left and hit a pedestrian, you're too close".

did you read it in my post above?

That's a pretty good representation, although where's the Hi Viz?

simon_e

beverick wrote:

It is, however, an offence to obstruct other (faster) road users so the average cyclst is generally well advised to keep further to the left where it is safe to do so.

In other words, out of the way of the traffic. If that's the case then I disagree. On most roads I use 'further to the left' is in the gutter, where all the cr@p is and permitting those dodgy close-shave overtaking moves. Being too far to the left doesn't help your visibility to oncoming or following traffic nor to anyone in side turnings, including driveways. CTC advice "you should not be less than 1 metre from the kerb and should be further out if it is not safe for a vehicle to pass at that point". More here.

I can't see how cycling in Primary or Secondary position appropriately could possibly be considered obstructing traffic. Cyclists are traffic.

John Franklin suggests that the 'primary position' which is roughly in the near-side wheel track for four wheel vehicles under normal conditions.

Primary is 'taking the lane', i.e. placing oneself in the middle of it, not the nearside wheeltrack.

Road positioning article.
Some notes on vehicular cycling: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicular_cycling

abductee

Thanks for all the replies. Certainly some food for thought. The CTC advice of at least a metre seems like more road than I am currently using. If I can find some free training I will probably give it a go.

Nick6891

i tend to leave a drains gap, although more recently ive started been abit further from kerb as i find it means cars will only pass when its safe to do so and if they try and squeeze past you have plenty of room to move into to get out of the way, where as if you stay too close to kerb they still try to squeeze past and you have nowhere to get out of the way