Pig ignorant.

RiderUk

Shame you lot can’t all meet up and go out for a group ride to see how you all get on.
Your difference of opinions on group riding and how to deal with cars can dynamically be put to the test.

tootsie323

leodis75 wrote:

Have you been on a group ride of 12+ riders and every time a car approaches from behind go into single file? Don't be daft, its not only dangerous but how do you manage that with every car? The highway code states cyclists can ride two abreast, if the car cannot pass due to space then I would have thought they would have to wait to pass, you don't see as many drivers moaning about been stuck behind a tractor for miles as you do moaning about cyclists.

To me it is just arrogance to do this and shows no respect for other road users.

Get over yourself, your argument falls flat on its ass when I say drivers should show respect to slower road users and wait until its safe to overtake.

I believe the issue of this thread is about cyclicts blocking vehicles by riding more than two abreast.

iPete

Mikey23 wrote:

My limited experience of being in these groups, being behind these groups and having my ear bent by friends and family about these groups is that they are not being 'pig ignorant' at all. The less experienced group in my club have this reputation because they are less experienced and because they are in too large a group to self regulate or be effectively marshalled. The faster more experienced ones hang out in smaller gangs, know what they are doing and don't present a hazard to themselves or to other road users.

I have brought this up with my own club but there is little that can be done as people want to ride together in groups but few are willing to take responsibility to lead or assist in the group so they tend to be sent out in a gaggle of 20 to 30 with fairly limited control. So perhaps the answer for the complainers is to get down to their local club and offer their services which means of course that they can pass on all their skills to those that clearly need them...

Nail head.

Kerguelen

So everyone else is allowed to point out these things but I'm not?

Good to see BR keeping those double standards.

cougie

There was a LOT of cyclists out yesterday - or certainly in my area. I think a bit of sun after a few weeks of crappy weather made everyone get out on their bikes.

Pross

I'm surprised no-one has asked this but are we sure the driver was even in a rush and bothered about being held up? I'm sure if she had been she wouldn't have let a large group of cyclists out in front of her in the first place. Looks like a case of someone getting outraged on behalf of others.

That said, there has definitely been an decrease in the standard of group riding that I've seen in recent years. I think there are groups of inexperienced riders with no-one to lead them and teach them good etiquette forming together and doing what they think they have seen others do. If you are riding in a group it needs to be kept compact, riding wheel to wheel and shoulder to shoulder.

flasher

leodis75 wrote:

The highway code states cyclists can ride two abreast, if the car cannot pass due to space then I would have thought they would have to wait to pass, you don't see as many drivers moaning about been stuck behind a tractor for miles as you do moaning about cyclists.

What it really says:

The Highway code wrote:

Never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends.

slowbike

Mikey23 wrote:

My limited experience of being in these groups, being behind these groups and having my ear bent by friends and family about these groups is that they are not being 'pig ignorant' at all. The less experienced group in my club have this reputation because they are less experienced and because they are in too large a group to self regulate or be effectively marshalled.
<snip>
I have brought this up with my own club but there is little that can be done as people want to ride together in groups but few are willing to take responsibility to lead or assist in the group so they tend to be sent out in a gaggle of 20 to 30 with fairly limited control. So perhaps the answer for the complainers is to get down to their local club and offer their services which means of course that they can pass on all their skills to those that clearly need them...

If the group of (less experienced) riders are having an adverse affect on the reputation of the club then surely the club should do something about it.
Easy one would be to have a rule that no more than 12 riders shall form a single group.

If you've got enough riders in the more experienced groups then it should be down to them to teach the less experienced ones - joining them on rides and showing them how it should be done - and more importantly, how the club expects it to be done.

Shrugging of shoulders and shirking of responsibility is just not on.

As for "pig ignorant" cyclists - there is usually no reason to be discourteous to other road users - so waves of thanks and making it at least look like you're giving them room to pass (where suitable) is required - riding along as though you rule the road may not wind up all the drivers, but it will wind up some and they'll tar us all with the same brush.

Pross

Flasher wrote:

leodis75 wrote:

The highway code states cyclists can ride two abreast, if the car cannot pass due to space then I would have thought they would have to wait to pass, you don't see as many drivers moaning about been stuck behind a tractor for miles as you do moaning about cyclists.

What it really says:

The Highway code wrote:

Never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends.

Actually, if you want the full picture you should have started with 'should' which is Highway Code speak for 'advisory' rather than 'mandatory'.

flasher

Indeed, the give away is that it's called the Highway code and not the Highway law.

supermurph09

Was this a Strava segment?

Bozman

It isn't law, but with this huge increase of cyclists using the roads and the bolshie attitude carried by some of them it may end up being one, I know that it won't but you only have to look at Surrey to see how the anti cycling feeling is gaining momentum.
The majority of folk on here might not mind sitting behind a group of cyclists but there are an awful lot of folk out there that don't like it, the like it or lump it attitude could end up opening a can of worms and we could all end up copping the fallout.

bernithebiker

It may be interesting to see this from a French perspective.

The average age of my Sunday group is about 50, but they are all very strong riders, and have been riding all their lives.

The group can be up to 30 riders but more often 20.

There is definitely a 'feeling' that these cyclists have earned their right to be on the road in a group on a Sunday morning. I suspect because it has been going on for donkey's years, and that France (and Brittany) has a strong cycling heritage.

If a car is being held up, it's kind of tough sh*t on the car really, that's the attitude here. Kind of treated as If we were a horse or tractor.

Having said that, the 'big boss' will quickly shout anyone out of position back into place so that the peloton is as tight as possible.

But when the 2 guys at the front pull off and move back, the group will for a short time be 4 wide.

In 2 years now, I have never known the group stop to let cars pass, and I have only ever seen one very minor accident.

dabber

berniethe biker, I don't know what the traffic is like in your part of France (Brittany I believe) but in my part, the Lot (46), traffic is so light that I can sometimes ride 10/15 miles without being overtaken by any cars. A very different scenario to where I ride in the UK - mainly Surrey/Hampshire.

bernithebiker

Dabber wrote:

berniethe biker, I don't know what the traffic is like in your part of France (Brittany I believe) but in my part, the Lot (46), traffic is so light that I can sometimes ride 10/15 miles without being overtaken by any cars. A very different scenario to where I ride in the UK - mainly Surrey/Hampshire.

That's true, traffic is light, but isn't it everywhere early on Sunday mornings?

(I know Surrey is bad for traffic, I used to live in Richmond), and I thought Surrey's road's were particularly bad for cycling; narrow, poor surfaces, poor visibility, etc. so I realise that doesn't help the car vs. bike problem.

kajjal

leodis75 wrote:

Have you been on a group ride of 12+ riders and every time a car approaches from behind go into single file? Don't be daft, its not only dangerous but how do you manage that with every car? The highway code states cyclists can ride two abreast, if the car cannot pass due to space then I would have thought they would have to wait to pass, you don't see as many drivers moaning about been stuck behind a tractor for miles as you do moaning about cyclists.

To me it is just arrogance to do this and shows no respect for other road users.

Get over yourself, your argument falls flat on its ass when I say drivers should show respect to slower road users and wait until its safe to overtake.

Round by us the tractors pull into laybys frequently to let the traffic past. If a tractor can get out of the way then a bike can. If you want to take risks actively blocking other road vehicles that is you choice and also your responsiblity. I find it hard to understand how you expect to get respect from other road users when you are not giving them any.

slowbike

bernithebiker wrote:

Dabber wrote:

berniethe biker, I don't know what the traffic is like in your part of France (Brittany I believe) but in my part, the Lot (46), traffic is so light that I can sometimes ride 10/15 miles without being overtaken by any cars. A very different scenario to where I ride in the UK - mainly Surrey/Hampshire.

That's true, traffic is light, but isn't it everywhere early on Sunday mornings?

No - it's not ... traffic might be lighter than at other times, but it's not "light"

binsted

Kajjal wrote:

leodis75 wrote:

Have you been on a group ride of 12+ riders and every time a car approaches from behind go into single file? Don't be daft, its not only dangerous but how do you manage that with every car? The highway code states cyclists can ride two abreast, if the car cannot pass due to space then I would have thought they would have to wait to pass, you don't see as many drivers moaning about been stuck behind a tractor for miles as you do moaning about cyclists.

To me it is just arrogance to do this and shows no respect for other road users.

Get over yourself, your argument falls flat on its ass when I say drivers should show respect to slower road users and wait until its safe to overtake.

Round by us the tractors pull into laybys frequently to let the traffic past. If a tractor can get out of the way then a bike can. If you want to take risks actively blocking other road vehicles that is you choice and also your responsiblity. I find it hard to understand how you expect to get respect from other road users when you are not giving them any.

Re tractors: the theory is OK but certainly on Hampshire lanes passing places seem to have been ignored in the road maintenance schedule. A lot of passing places this time of year are covered in mud, potholes and water so what appears as the polite option for the tractor can be a difficult decision on the bike.

Perhaps a bit more tolerance on both sides wouldn't go amiss.

Schoie81

Last week I was driving home in the semi-dark along a relatively narrow country road (national speed limit area). I was in a line of three cars and as we approached a cross-road a cyclist was coming towards the road we were on from the road on our right. Rather than stopping and waiting until we'd passed, the cyclist decided to pull out (he was turning right so travelling the same way as myself and the other two cars) anyway and cycle on the wrong side of the road. I could see the red light on the bike and thought at first he was riding with a red light on the front but as we passed I realised he was on the wrong side of the road. Ahead of us, a car came over the brow of the hill towards us and had to brake hard so as not to hit the cyclist, who then dived across the road onto the right side once the three of us had passed.

As others have said above, my thought was, its no wonder drivers have a low opinion of cyclists when some of them do things like that. Could so very easily have ended up flying over the top of the car coming the opposite way, especially as it was quite dark. And all to save stopping and waiting for 10seconds at the most. Is it worth the risk?

leodis75

Kajjal wrote:

leodis75 wrote:

Have you been on a group ride of 12+ riders and every time a car approaches from behind go into single file? Don't be daft, its not only dangerous but how do you manage that with every car? The highway code states cyclists can ride two abreast, if the car cannot pass due to space then I would have thought they would have to wait to pass, you don't see as many drivers moaning about been stuck behind a tractor for miles as you do moaning about cyclists.

To me it is just arrogance to do this and shows no respect for other road users.

Get over yourself, your argument falls flat on its ass when I say drivers should show respect to slower road users and wait until its safe to overtake.

Round by us the tractors pull into laybys frequently to let the traffic past. If a tractor can get out of the way then a bike can. If you want to take risks actively blocking other road vehicles that is you choice and also your responsiblity. I find it hard to understand how you expect to get respect from other road users when you are not giving them any.

So you want a group ride to pull over every time a car is stuck behind them? You obviously do not ride in groups.

Cygnus

Kajjal wrote:

leodis75 wrote:

Have you been on a group ride of 12+ riders and every time a car approaches from behind go into single file? Don't be daft, its not only dangerous but how do you manage that with every car? The highway code states cyclists can ride two abreast, if the car cannot pass due to space then I would have thought they would have to wait to pass, you don't see as many drivers moaning about been stuck behind a tractor for miles as you do moaning about cyclists.

To me it is just arrogance to do this and shows no respect for other road users.

Get over yourself, your argument falls flat on its ass when I say drivers should show respect to slower road users and wait until its safe to overtake.

Round by us the tractors pull into laybys frequently to let the traffic past. If a tractor can get out of the way then a bike can. If you want to take risks actively blocking other road vehicles that is you choice and also your responsiblity. I find it hard to understand how you expect to get respect from other road users when you are not giving them any.

There won't be enough room in a passing place if it's a large group.

Gpfanuk

I passed two Police officers mounted on horse back two abreast on Friday morning. They just carried on oblivious to the mile or so of crawling traffic behind them so it's not a problem that's unique to cyclists I'm afraid. :roll:

mfin

Gpfanuk wrote:

I passed two Police officers mounted on horse back two abreast on Friday morning. They just carried on oblivious to the mile or so of crawling traffic behind them so it's not a problem that's unique to cyclists I'm afraid. :roll:

See thread title ( )

Colinthecop

And i'd imagine cyclist shit less in the road....?

Colinthecop

Shoot....?

I never typed that. I'm being censored....!!!!! :roll:

charlie_potatoes

Colinthecop wrote:

Shoot....?

I never typed that. I'm being censored....!!!!! :roll:

Yeah but we got your drift Colin

BillyMansell

Colinthecop wrote:

Shoot....?

I never typed that. I'm being censored....!!!!! :roll:

Surely being a cop you're used to statements being altered?

Colinthecop

Yeah, but its usually me doing the altering....!!!!


8)

gubber12345

giant man wrote:

No, the OP is correct. They were pig ignorant. I would have thought the same.

me too,thoughtless c*nts in my opinion.i've come across this before on the roads with a few cyclists who weren't even in the wheel of each other but sitting out on the white line,not easy getting past in a HGV.

shockedsoshocked

iPete wrote:

Mikey23 wrote:

My limited experience of being in these groups, being behind these groups and having my ear bent by friends and family about these groups is that they are not being 'pig ignorant' at all. The less experienced group in my club have this reputation because they are less experienced and because they are in too large a group to self regulate or be effectively marshalled. The faster more experienced ones hang out in smaller gangs, know what they are doing and don't present a hazard to themselves or to other road users.

I have brought this up with my own club but there is little that can be done as people want to ride together in groups but few are willing to take responsibility to lead or assist in the group so they tend to be sent out in a gaggle of 20 to 30 with fairly limited control. So perhaps the answer for the complainers is to get down to their local club and offer their services which means of course that they can pass on all their skills to those that clearly need them...

Nail head.

In racing and training rides with groups there has beee people who tend to ignore any friendly advice on how to ride in a group and generally conduct themselves whilst on a bike and are sometimes quite aggressive about being told what to do, especially new riders (entitled "how dare you tell me what to do?" attitude perhaps), so it's not quite as easy as that. I think as in everything you'll get some people who'll listen and some who won't.