Is this the norm for a club run?

MrChuck

You should overtake as you would a car, which to me means not in the same lane. So I wouldn't think it makes too much difference if they're 2 abreast or not. Maybe they were actually trying to dissuade you from passing, which we all know is necessary sometimes.

robrauy

Looks pretty normal...

Regularly seem to get attitude from drivers when riding two abreast. They often sit behind you too close seething then overtake angrily beeping and shaking their heads as they go.

If a car has been waiting patiently for a while to overtake though, it seems only polite to single out to allow them to do so safely..

nolf

I have to say in car drivers defence I was treated with absolute kid gloves by all drivers I met today.

I had to ride in the midle of the road (snow was too deep at the edges) and they all politely let me move over when it was safe, rather than force me out the way.

All seemed rather friendly as well.

DaveyL

They are a bit all over the place, but that section of road is bloody rubbish - maybe riding to avoid the many bumps and potholes. It's the bottom of a gentle downhill out of Congresbury in the direction of Langford, right? And the turn-off takes you towards Churchill.

dboden

The rider on the left in dayglo looks like a junior rider to me, maybe they are protecting him a bit, what with a car right up their arse, and a corner coming up????

oldwelshman

Certainly not a chaingang which the op should have noticed with so many postings.
Maybe there was a crosswind and they were shelterring

Mark Alexander

If that's a chaingang I'm a TdF winner!

Considering that the image is not quite Magnum or AP quality. I think that there are 4 riders riding 2 abreast. On the face of it they look a mess frankly but I agree that they're off the wheel to keep spray in check. I agree about the one in yellow is probably a junior.

It's not the dictionary definition of 2 abreast group riding but given the conditions and that there's possibly a junior there, I don't see anything really wrong there.

redvee

DaveyL wrote:

They are a bit all over the place, but that section of road is bloody rubbish - maybe riding to avoid the many bumps and potholes. It's the bottom of a gentle downhill out of Congresbury in the direction of Langford, right? And the turn-off takes you towards Churchill.

Not sure about getting to Churchill but goes past the Golf Club.

Kléber

I agree, a bit sloppy but it's nothing too serious. You'd hope the riders would tighten up the formation a bit when they heard a car behind.

But if this was a milk float, a steam roller or a couple of horse riders then few would get uppity. As a driver, you were probably delayed by 10 seconds.

andrewgturnbull

Hi there.

I'm sorry, but what the f**k are you complaining about?

That looks like a perfectly normal way for four (i think there's four) rider to ride if the wind is coming from the left.

What's the problem - do you think they were taking up too much road space? It's much safer to use the whole lane and force motorists to overtake correctly using the oncoming lane, rather than just squeeze past - which is what would happen if the riders were hugging the kerb.

The op needs to get out more - on his club run!

Cheers, Andy

bahzob

God help us (literally) if the consensus view is that the picture above is typical and acceptable.

This group show the road sense of a bemused hedgehog. Cyclists have an obligation to ride safely and that includes making overtaking as straight forward and easy as possible for vehicles. Pretty basic rule of thumb is "am I closer to the centre white line than the kerb?, if yes then there's a problem, sort it."

If the group above is not capable of riding closely 2 abreast they should be in single file.

Just a reminder folks: The reason that there are thousands of miles of roads with lovely (well once in a while at least) smooth tarmac to ride on is because of cars and other vehicles, not bikes.

The attitude that cyclists have every right to ride on these roads in as haphazard and dangerous way as possible without due regard to other users is not acceptable.

Its also short sighted and selfish wrt not just other road users but other cyclists. I dont want to be forced to ride in cycle lanes but given the picture above I'd have a hard time explaining why not next time a revision of the highway code comes along.

chrisw12

I'm with you Bahzob.

Couldn't have put it much better.

Edwin

I'm with Andy on this one. You can't start lecturing people on the basis of one grainy photograph. There may have been a pothole you can't see, or another hazard further up the road that caused them to swing wide, or they may just be cycling back from the pub (joke!).
it's pointless speculating, and since when was this a road safety forum?

Anonymous

bahzob wrote:

God help us (literally) if the consensus view is that the picture above is typical and acceptable.

This group show the road sense of a bemused hedgehog. Cyclists have an obligation to ride safely and that includes making overtaking as straight forward and easy as possible for vehicles. Pretty basic rule of thumb is "am I closer to the centre white line than the kerb?, if yes then there's a problem, sort it."

If the group above is not capable of riding closely 2 abreast they should be in single file.

Just a reminder folks: The reason that there are thousands of miles of roads with lovely (well once in a while at least) smooth tarmac to ride on is because of cars and other vehicles, not bikes.

The attitude that cyclists have every right to ride on these roads in as haphazard and dangerous way as possible without due regard to other users is not acceptable.

Its also short sighted and selfish wrt not just other road users but other cyclists. I dont want to be forced to ride in cycle lanes but given the picture above I'd have a hard time explaining why not next time a revision of the highway code comes along.

And you can deduce all this from one crap photo?

Good job you aren't on Jury Service!!

chrisw12

I can see where this is going to go

Fat testers with no life thinks it's unacceptable and all group riding should be banned.

Roadies think it's acceptable but are not happy because they are not in perfect two by two echelon form

Triathletes think it's great and totally acceptable.

bahzob

2 photos actually, The original group doing it wrong and the pros showing how it should be done.

Anonymous

bahzob wrote:

2 photos actually, The original group doing it wrong and the pros showing how it should be done.

t4rmac

Doesn't the OP say they took the right turn opposite the yellow sign? So maybe they decided to dominate that left hand bend so they could turn right, without all having to come to a halt opposite the junction whilst the vehicle behind squeezed past.

200 yds at 20mph is about 20 seconds. If you're cutting your journey that fine, you should have left earlier...

andrewgturnbull

bahzob wrote:

God help us (literally) if the consensus view is that the picture above is typical and acceptable.

This group show the road sense of a bemused hedgehog. Cyclists have an obligation to ride safely and that includes making overtaking as straight forward and easy as possible for vehicles. Pretty basic rule of thumb is "am I closer to the centre white line than the kerb?, if yes then there's a problem, sort it."

If the group above is not capable of riding closely 2 abreast they should be in single file.

Just a reminder folks: The reason that there are thousands of miles of roads with lovely (well once in a while at least) smooth tarmac to ride on is because of cars and other vehicles, not bikes.

The attitude that cyclists have every right to ride on these roads in as haphazard and dangerous way as possible without due regard to other users is not acceptable.

Its also short sighted and selfish wrt not just other road users but other cyclists. I dont want to be forced to ride in cycle lanes but given the picture above I'd have a hard time explaining why not next time a revision of the highway code comes along.

I'm sorry bahzob, but I'm pretty certain about this bit, so I'll repeat myself: If you want motorists to overtake you safely then they need to cross the white line and use the oncoming lane. If your group uses less than half of the lane (as you suggest) then you are inviting cars to attempt to squeeze past when there is oncoming traffic.

Cheers, Andy

andy_wrx

Absolutely, Andrew G.

Should cyclists be riding single-file in the gutter to make it easy for motorists to pass them ?

Or should motorists be passing cyclists where it's safe to pass, and giving them sufficient room ?

Of the two, I know what I believe, both as a cyclist and as a driver...

nickwill

andy_wrx wrote:

Absolutely, Andrew G.

Should cyclists be riding single-file in the gutter to make it easy for motorists to pass them ?

Or should motorists be passing cyclists where it's safe to pass, and giving them sufficient room ?

Of the two, I know what I believe, both as a cyclist and as a driver...

Spot on!!
On Sunday mornings our group regularly get asked " Don't you know you have to ride in single file?". This usually comes from some fat plonker who is trying to overtake in an inappropriate place. There is a need for a public information campaign to explain the rights of cyclists and the safe way to pass them on the road. A lot of car drivers expect us to ride in the gutter, and have no concept of our need to give ourselves room to manoeuvre round potholes and other hazards. As far as I can see the photographs in the original post show a group of cyclists riding in a safe and acceptable way.

MrChuck

Cyclists have an obligation to ride safely and that includes making overtaking as straight forward and easy as possible for vehicles.

Does it? Drivers have an obligation to overtake cyclists safely and as they would another vehicle, but all too often don't- making it necessary for cyclists to ride as far out from the kerb as they need to to stop any of the self-proclaimed Kings of the Road doing something stupid.

TommyEss

+1

I even remember on one club run I had to pull out in front of an MPV who was going to try and squeeze between our group and an oncoming family group including 2 young kids at a pinch point.

The guy went ballistic at me and was honking on his horn, then when we'd got past the kids, I moved in again, and his missus very bravely gave me what for with the window up - like I was the inconsiderate one! :shock:

inominata

hi r u aware that all age group triathlons from sprint to ironman are non drafting and ther for why wud it benefit them to practice drafting, to often are triathletes blamed for tarnishing roadies reputation, only because they r the minority, i have passed plenty of overweight roadies dressed in there astana team gear looking like overstuffed sausages, riding 5k bikes side by side (probably talking about the next bit of bling they're gunna by for their bike) taking up a whole lane and paying no attention to the road, and do these people ever get the blame.....no, they sit on forums talking about how magnificent there shitty sportive was then clean there bikes with baby wipes to be got out next leap year, me thinks to many people are on forums complaining bout people riding there bikes....let me follow u with a camera on every ride i guarantee we alll do things we shouldnt every now n then but who cares just get out n ride.....

amaferanga

inominata wrote:

hi r u aware that all age group triathlons from sprint to ironman are non drafting and ther for why wud it benefit them to practice drafting, to often are triathletes blamed for tarnishing roadies reputation, only because they r the minority, i have passed plenty of overweight roadies dressed in there astana team gear looking like overstuffed sausages, riding 5k bikes side by side (probably talking about the next bit of bling they're gunna by for their bike) taking up a whole lane and paying no attention to the road, and do these people ever get the blame.....no, they sit on forums talking about how magnificent there shitty sportive was then clean there bikes with baby wipes to be got out next leap year, me thinks to many people are on forums complaining bout people riding there bikes....let me follow u with a camera on every ride i guarantee we alll do things we shouldnt every now n then but who cares just get out n ride.....

Ha ha

A triathlete with an inferiority complex

Anonymous

inominata wrote:

hi r u aware that all age group triathlons from sprint to ironman are non drafting and ther for why wud it benefit them to practice drafting, to often are triathletes blamed for tarnishing roadies reputation, only because they r the minority, i have passed plenty of overweight roadies dressed in there astana team gear looking like overstuffed sausages, riding 5k bikes side by side (probably talking about the next bit of bling they're gunna by for their bike) taking up a whole lane and paying no attention to the road, and do these people ever get the blame.....no, they sit on forums talking about how magnificent there shitty sportive was then clean there bikes with baby wipes to be got out next leap year, me thinks to many people are on forums complaining bout people riding there bikes....let me follow u with a camera on every ride i guarantee we alll do things we shouldnt every now n then but who cares just get out n ride.....

+1

Pokerface

inominata wrote:

hi r u aware that all age group triathlons from sprint to ironman are non drafting and ther for why wud it benefit them to practice drafting, to often are triathletes blamed for tarnishing roadies reputation, only because they r the minority, i have passed plenty of overweight roadies dressed in there astana team gear looking like overstuffed sausages, riding 5k bikes side by side (probably talking about the next bit of bling they're gunna by for their bike) taking up a whole lane and paying no attention to the road, and do these people ever get the blame.....no, they sit on forums talking about how magnificent there shitty sportive was then clean there bikes with baby wipes to be got out next leap year, me thinks to many people are on forums complaining bout people riding there bikes....let me follow u with a camera on every ride i guarantee we alll do things we shouldnt every now n then but who cares just get out n ride.....

I wasn't aware that I looked like a stuffed sausage! :shock: :shock:



(Photo taken while riding the one and only sportive I did last year.)

I'm off to crack open a pack of baby wipes to clean my bike now.

lfcquin

Nickwill wrote:

On Sunday mornings our group regularly get asked " Don't you know you have to ride in single file?".

:shock: I wanna ride where you live. We get the same grief off motorists in the North West, but they tend to be less polite about it.

bahzob

The last revision of the Highway Code gave serious consideration to saying that cyclists should use cycle paths if available. We know this is plain daft but looking at the original picture I would find it hard to say no to the question "if a cycle path was available should these cyclists be on it for their and other road users safety?"

How would those writing in support of these riders answer that question?

I've had my fair share of abuse from motorists as well. However I'm honest enough to acknowledge that while most is unwarranted some was justified either by my own behaviour or that of other riders in my group (riding pretty much as OP).

I am also honest enough to admit that we cyclists are in an especially privileged position as not only do we get to use the roads free of charge we are also allowed to race on them in a manner and using equipment where safety is compromised in the pursuit of speed. I think the H&S nannies must either be unaware of this or be secret testers/roadies themselves.

I love doing this and do not want it to be jeopardised by the actions of an ignorant or selfish few. Because if this just degenerates into an "us" vs "them" then we (being just a small minority) will lose.

redddraggon

bahzob wrote:

I am also honest enough to admit that we cyclists are in an especially privileged position as not only do we get to use the roads free of charge

WTF?

You don't pay taxes then?