Overtaken by a speeding bike !!!

VTech
VTech Posts: 4,736
edited March 2013 in Road general
Today I was driving back from Peterborough to Stratford and around 20km out there is a really long road with a mega fall which I was driving down at around 40mph, I was in traffic so was kind of capped at that speed when a cyclist who was all suited and booted in cycling kit undertook me at a serious lightening speed. He was going like the clappers and went past as if I were just crawling in traffic.
At first I was impressed by just how quick he was, my son was laughing at his speed but 5 mins later I could t help think about what would have happened of any car or truck turned in and knocked him off the bike !
Impressed and petrified.
Living MY dream.
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Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I would have waved if I knew it was you VTech :P
  • VTech
    VTech Posts: 4,736
    Carbonator wrote:
    I would have waved if I knew it was you VTech :P

    Your kidding right ? :)
    Living MY dream.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I'm just watching 'pointless' (it's their biggest jackpot) but I'll upload from the Garmin afterwards ;-)
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Er, ok, I was kidding :oops:
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    It wasn't me either as I was watching Paris to Nice on TV whilst the best bike is on holiday at the LBS.

    Can be quite a scare, but people often forget the speed at which cycles & motor bikes slow & speed up compared to cars & once up to speed if your in traffic is quite easy to just fly past. Not sure exactly where you were, but I know some of the roads you could have been on & the rider probably thought it was safer coming up the inside than the outside for the overtake.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • Raffles
    Raffles Posts: 1,137
    when it comes to pointless and women get sports questions aint it just hilarious :lol::lol:

    silly bloke beggars chose hollywood movies...................duh !!, boxing should have been the one they dived at.
    2012 Cannondale CAAD 8 105
  • VTech
    VTech Posts: 4,736
    I think it was the A605 Oundle, just outside peterborough on the way to Kettering.
    Living MY dream.
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    Yep used to live not that far from Oundle for a while & some good rolling hills. I'd never condone an undertake but some of the drivers on that road treat it like a race course
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • Lycra-Byka
    Lycra-Byka Posts: 292
    It's so hard to use the brakes whilst going downhill when you don't have to! I know it's dangerous and it's my worst cycling safety flaw. It's my risk to take and my only real fear is injuring a someone else. Imagine hitting a child at 50mph on your bike!?! Not proud but I do it.

    Although I wouldn't undertake traffic full stop. Unless its stationary and I wouldn't do that at any speed either as the chance of someone stepping out is so much higher.
  • snoopsmydogg
    snoopsmydogg Posts: 1,110
    Lycra-Byka wrote:
    Imagine hitting a child at 50mph on your bike!?! Not proud but I do it.

    You hit children at 50mph on your bike. :shock:
  • goonz
    goonz Posts: 3,106
    Wish i could cycle that fast, max i have clocked on strava is 38mph but not sure if i have ever gone faster that hasn't been recorded.

    I always seem to get a head wind regardless of the direction I'm going!
    Scott Speedster S20 Roadie for Speed
    Specialized Hardrock MTB for Lumps
    Specialized Langster SS for Ease
    Cinelli Mash Bolt Fixed for Pain
    n+1 is well and truly on track
    Strava http://app.strava.com/athletes/1608875
  • Lycra-Byka
    Lycra-Byka Posts: 292
    snoopsmydogg wrote:
    Lycra-Byka wrote:
    Imagine hitting a child at 50mph on your bike!?! Not proud but I do it.

    You hit children at 50mph on your bike. :shock:



    I'm not proud but I do keep a tally
  • southdownswolf
    southdownswolf Posts: 1,525
    I hope they had their hands off the handlebar, going "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee......." as they went past :D
    http://www.stuartmole.co.uk/
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    southdownswolf wrote:
    I hope they had their hands off the handlebar, going "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee......." as they went past :D

    Yeah feet over the bars too!

    The only way I'd even vaguely consider passing motor vehicles at that speed is on the outside. There's just nowhere to go on the inside.
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • peat
    peat Posts: 1,242
    he sounds like a derkhead.
  • col007
    col007 Posts: 4
    Cant be fined for speeding on a bike, but you can be find for pedaling furiously!
    Undertaking at that speed is a little daft.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Undertaking is poor form. How far from the curb were you to allow him to come inside?
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • VTech
    VTech Posts: 4,736
    Not sure, 2ft maybe ?
    Living MY dream.
  • gubber12345
    gubber12345 Posts: 493
    theres places for mad men like him who pass at that speed on the "inside" and inside it he should be....its called the "MAD HOUSE" :)
    Lapierre Aircode 300
    Merida
  • gubber12345
    gubber12345 Posts: 493
    gubber12345 wrote:
    theres places for mad men like him who pass at that speed on the "inside" and inside it he should be....its called the "MAD HOUSE" :)
    fair play to him tho i couldnt get my bike to do 50 if i threw it over a cliff :lol::lol::lol: :P
    Lapierre Aircode 300
    Merida
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    VTech wrote:
    Not sure, 2ft maybe ?

    Wow, that is silly. I've undertaken when someone as been in the middle of the road and there's an unused bike lane on the inside, but aside from that there really isn't any excuse.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • Ssscrudddy
    Ssscrudddy Posts: 8
    col007 wrote:
    Cant be fined for speeding on a bike, but you can be find for pedaling furiously!
    Undertaking at that speed is a little daft.

    Yes you can, this is just wrong. Rules of the road, including speed limits apply to everyone. I was once pulled for doing 40 in a 30 zone on a pushbike, down a big hill.
    A few years ago some guy in training for the olympics was pulled for doing 70mph in a 40 zone on his bike. He lost his car licence & got a big fine.

    I think what you mean is, you cant be banned from riding your bike.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Ssscrudddy wrote:
    col007 wrote:
    Cant be fined for speeding on a bike, but you can be find for pedaling furiously!
    Undertaking at that speed is a little daft.

    Yes you can, this is just wrong. Rules of the road, including speed limits apply to everyone. I was once pulled for doing 40 in a 30 zone on a pushbike, down a big hill.
    A few years ago some guy in training for the olympics was pulled for doing 70mph in a 40 zone on his bike. He lost his car licence & got a big fine.

    I think what you mean is, you cant be banned from riding your bike.

    Highway code:
    Speed limits
    124

    You MUST NOT exceed the maximum speed limits for the road and for your vehicle (see the table below). The presence of street lights generally means that there is a 30 mph (48 km/h) speed limit unless otherwise specified.
    And in the table below there is no entry for cyclists or any form of non-motorised transport. Although I wonder if Courier cyclists could be riding "Goods Vehicles" as they're delivering stuff ...

    So - General speed limits do not apply to cyclists - but I doubt that would stop plod from charging an errant cyclist with something ... :)
  • Ssscrudddy
    Ssscrudddy Posts: 8
    Sorry but you are wrong. The Highway code is just a guide. The speed limit does apply to bicycles as well.
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    Ssscrudddy wrote:
    col007 wrote:
    Cant be fined for speeding on a bike, but you can be find for pedaling furiously!
    Undertaking at that speed is a little daft.

    Yes you can, this is just wrong. Rules of the road, including speed limits apply to everyone. I was once pulled for doing 40 in a 30 zone on a pushbike, down a big hill.
    A few years ago some guy in training for the olympics was pulled for doing 70mph in a 40 zone on his bike. He lost his car licence & got a big fine.

    I think what you mean is, you cant be banned from riding your bike.

    Were you actually penalised or just stopped by the rozzers?
    - - - - - - - - - -
    On Strava.{/url}
  • cookeeemonster
    cookeeemonster Posts: 1,991
    Ssscrudddy wrote:
    Sorry but you are wrong. The Highway code is just a guide. The speed limit does apply to bicycles as well.

    I'm pretty sure you're wrong - I've read a few articles on this (no i dont have links :) ), google it if you dont believe me

    But yeah, if you're considered to be riding dangerously then the police will find something to charge you with (cycling furiously is the infamous one of course, not sure if any police would have heard about it though)
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Ssscrudddy wrote:
    Sorry but you are wrong. The Highway code is just a guide. The speed limit does apply to bicycles as well.

    Can you link to the legislation that states that please.
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    Ssscrudddy wrote:
    Sorry but you are wrong. The Highway code is just a guide. The speed limit does apply to bicycles as well.

    I'll be as polite as I can, but tend to disagree with you. The Highway code is a guide to safety with some portions also covering your legal obligations. As others have said the sections relating to speed do not include cycles.

    The Road Traffic Act would be your first point of call you need to look under;
    Part I Principal Road Safety Provisions
    Cycling offences and cycle racing (points 28 - 32)
    http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/contents

    No mention in the above law of speed limits applying - you could argue that under the definition of dangerous riding you could be pulled over, but if charged you would only be able to be charged with that offence not that of speeding.

    The only mention of speed is under point 31 Regulation of cycle racing on public ways. Which relates to race or time trial of speed but you can look that one up yourself. But it does not impose a speed limit.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Interesting that you're not allowed to race or have a trial of speed unless authorised ...

    So, is Strava illegal if the segment is on a public way in the UK? After all, it is a trial of speed ....
  • VTech
    VTech Posts: 4,736
    I wouldn't rely on law to ever help you no matter what is written.
    A few years ago in Wales suing the welsh rally, many of the drivers were caught speeding on closed roads during the rally stage. When asked to quash the tickets the police wouldn't and so the drivers refused to race the following year coding welsh government over 70 million in lost revenue.
    Living MY dream.

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