Making it legal to cycle side by side..

northernneil

having been beeped AGAIN on a hugely wide road causing the motorist to have to move her hands slightly ....

I am my riding partner thought wouldn't it be great to make it legal to ride 2 abreast ?

Horses do it all the time, and the width of 2 cyclists is roughly the same as 1 horse - and motorists don't beep horses for being the in the road, in fact they go much SLOWER than cyclists.

In this day and age where higher powers are trying to force us out of cars and promote cycling I cant see a downside ..... except making cycling more pleasurable, and I wouldn't have to 'indicate my feelings using my hands' so much.

Stewie Griffin

It is legal to cycle side by side.

Edit; highway code rule 66 not more than 2 abreast.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTr ... /DG_069837

Biffz0id

Stewie Griffin wrote:

It is legal to cycle side by side.

Jez mon

Stewie Griffin wrote:

It is legal to cycle side by side.

rf6

I lifted this from direct.gov.uk in the highway code bit, "•never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends"

So I guess it depends on the road.

The real issue is the underlying attitude to cyclists - don't pay road tax blah blah.

Pokerface

northernneil wrote:

...and motorists don't beep horses for being the in the road, in fact they go much SLOWER than cyclists.

That's because, in general, cyclists don't rear up and put their feet through your windshield when frightened.

If we did, we'd probably get a bit more respect.

Frank the tank

I get sick of telling non-cyclists it isn't against the rules of the road to ride two abreast.

As for road tax I just smuggly say zero carbon emitions=zero road tax. As a car owner I pay road tax anywa, just as I pay a tv license whether I watch BBC or not.

spen666

Frank the tank wrote:

I get sick of telling non-cyclists it isn't against the rules of the road to ride two abreast.

As for road tax I just smuggly say zero carbon emitions=zero road tax. As a car owner I pay road tax anywa, just as I pay a tv license whether I watch BBC or not.

frank, why and how are you paying a tax that was abolished in the mid 1930s?

Pokerface

Pedant alert.

Stewie Griffin

Pokerface wrote:

Pedant alert.

Who Spen? Naaaaaah surely not :roll:

northernneil

hehehehehe

genuinely i didnt know it was fine ...... get so much abuse for nothing !

batch78

Don't we all!

bexley5200

horses are ok i have a problem with dogs not on a lead you never know what direction there going next

markyboy2005

spen666 wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

I get sick of telling non-cyclists it isn't against the rules of the road to ride two abreast.

As for road tax I just smuggly say zero carbon emitions=zero road tax. As a car owner I pay road tax anywa, just as I pay a tv license whether I watch BBC or not.

frank, why and how are you paying a tax that was abolished in the mid 1930s?

Come on Frank, answer the question.... have you something to hide...eh, eh....you want the truth, you can't handle the truth...etc etc.

:roll:

tlw1

northernneil wrote:

hehehehehe

genuinely i didnt know it was fine ...... get so much abuse for nothing !

Like being married

Frank the tank

markyboy2005 wrote:

spen666 wrote:

Frank the tank wrote:

I get sick of telling non-cyclists it isn't against the rules of the road to ride two abreast.

As for road tax I just smuggly say zero carbon emitions=zero road tax. As a car owner I pay road tax anywa, just as I pay a tv license whether I watch BBC or not.

frank, why and how are you paying a tax that was abolished in the mid 1930s?

Come on Frank, answer the question.... have you something to hide...eh, eh....you want the truth, you can't handle the truth...etc etc.

:roll:

'Cos I'm a soft touch.

ellieb

Actually I don't think the 'road tax' thing Is pedantic. Churchilll abolished it specifically so that car drivers would not get a false sense of entitlement above other road users. Calling it 'road tax' is one of the main reasons why drivers think they own the road and act accordingly.

upperoilcan

I have never felt the need to ride side by side with anyone,even if a few of us go out we always tend to stick to single file,as it just seems easier for everybody using the road...

Never had any bother from other road user's.

Tonymufc

upperoilcan wrote:

I have never felt the need to ride side by side with anyone,even if a few of us go out we always tend to stick to single file,as it just seems easier for everybody using the road...

Never had any bother from other road user's.

You're in the minority then my friend.

MrChuck

ellieb wrote:

Actually I don't think the 'road tax' thing Is pedantic. Churchilll abolished it specifically so that car drivers would not get a false sense of entitlement above other road users. Calling it 'road tax' is one off the main reasons why drivers think they own the road and act accordingly.

+1

Rolling of eyes and saying "whatever" is why it persists. Every car ad that mentions it just reinforces it. I think lazy use of language helps to make things 'true' up to a point.

bearfraser

How about a law banning those fecking extending dog leads,freind broke his hip recently going for a fall over one of these

upperoilcan

Tonymufc wrote:

upperoilcan wrote:

I have never felt the need to ride side by side with anyone,even if a few of us go out we always tend to stick to single file,as it just seems easier for everybody using the road...

Never had any bother from other road user's.

You're in the minority then my friend.

Maybe because i dont give anyone the reason to start being assholes ?

bigjim

Maybe because i dont give anyone the reason to start being assholes ?

You think they need a reason? Bless.

markos1963

upperoilcan wrote:

I have never felt the need to ride side by side with anyone,even if a few of us go out we always tend to stick to single file,as it just seems easier for everybody using the road...

Never had any bother from other road user's.

Is that 'cos you're always siting on your mates wheels taking a breather?

upperoilcan

bigjim wrote:

Maybe because i dont give anyone the reason to start being assholes ?

You think they need a reason? Bless.

Or maybe we are a bit more civilised around here ?

But im only guessing.......

upperoilcan

markos1963 wrote:

Is that 'cos you're always siting on your mates wheels taking a breather? [/quote]

Busted.......

Anonymous

Sorry, this has nothing to do with road tax, but riding two or more abreast is just rude and makes life more awkward for others.

Of course if you want to have a chat with your mate whilst cycling fine, but at least have the good grace to go single file so others can pass when needed.

MrChuck

RichardSwt wrote:

Sorry, this has nothing to do with road tax, but riding two or more abreast is just rude and makes life more awkward for others.

Of course if you want to have a chat with your mate whilst cycling fine, but at least have the good grace to go single file so others can pass when needed.

If 'making life more awkward' means having to wait 20 seconds to pass when it's safe rather than squeezing through a too-small gap then tough.

You're right in that people shouldn't really do it all the time but there are definitely times when it's called for.

dilemna

Riding to a breast. If only . Of course it's legal :roll: .

If riding in a group it is sometimes better riding to a breast as vehicles trying to pass don't then have a huge long line of cyclists to pass. But if riding as a pair constantly change around.

Divided we stand together we fall.

Monty Dog

On a lot of the country roads around here, whether you ride single file or two- abreast makes no difference because an over-taking vehicle still would need to cross the white line. A small group of riders, say 6 or 8 riding in a 'pack' is also easier to negotiate that a strung-out line of riders. The present legislation is fine, what is needed is improved communication / education of drivers.

bigjim

Or maybe we are a bit more civilised around here ?

LOL