when riding two abrest

Frank the tank

On an ordinary road I.E. not a country lane or the like do motorists feel it necessary to either honk their horns in an agressive manner or hurl abuse out of the passenger side window. Do they not read the highway code?

frisbee

Of course they do! A lot of them have it bookmarked on their smartphone and reference it while they are driving.

Monkeypump

It might be permitted by the highway code, but a little consideration for other road users goes a long way. It's not just motorists who should show it!

Do you NEED to ride two abreast?

DeVlaeminck

You don't "need" to go out on a bike at all, it's just one of those things like riding 2 abreast that doesn't really inconvenience other people to any noticeable extent and makes life more pleasant.

rick_chasey

Is quite a useful way to make sure cars pass you as they should, rather than squeezing through between the cyclist and oncoming traffic.... which presumably is why they're irritated, because otherwise they'd be through, right?

If there's a clear road ahead, they'll just pass like you're a car and not inconvenience them.

Frank the tank

Monkeypump wrote:

It might be permitted by the highway code, but a little consideration for other road users goes a long way. It's not just motorists who should show it!

Do you NEED to ride two abreast?

Generally I do ride in single file on the roads I'm on about, however, on the occasions I do ride two abrest I and my fellow riders should not have to put up with such antics.When driving I've never felt the urge to abuse any other road user even if they've performed the most idiotic of manouvuers, it serves no purpose what-so-ever. Not that riding two abrest is idiotic on the standard road.

Yellow Peril

I ride with a friend and where appropriate we ride two abreast. I always ride on the outside as I'm happy to "engage" with motorists

RideOnTime

Who's the second breast?

chris_bass

It depends what you mean by an ordinary road, there are plenty round here where it is perfectly safe to pass one cyclist even when cars are coming the other way but not 2, well not safely anyway

rick_chasey

Chris Bass wrote:

It depends what you mean by an ordinary road, there are plenty round here where it is perfectly safe to pass one cyclist even when cars are coming the other way but not 2, well not safely anyway

Width of one cyclist isn't all that big is it?

kingofthetailwind

Rick Chasey wrote:

Is quite a useful way to make sure cars pass you as they should, rather than squeezing through between the cyclist and oncoming traffic.... which presumably is why they're irritated, because otherwise they'd be through, right?

If there's a clear road ahead, they'll just pass like you're a car and not inconvenience them.

This, and this

mrushton

When Homer Simpson was asked if he was 'riding 2 abreast' when he was out with Marge, his reply was 'I wish'

markhewitt1978

Frank the tank wrote:

On an ordinary road I.E. not a country lane or the like do motorists feel it necessary to either honk their horns in an agressive manner or hurl abuse out of the passenger side window. Do they not read the highway code?

It's because most of them do believe riding two abreast is illegal. Even on dual carriageways where there is plenty of space to pass they still feel the need to honk or brake test you when in a group

andcp

mrushton wrote:

When Homer Simpson was asked if he was 'riding 2 abreast' when he was out with Marge, his reply was 'I wish'

Wasn't it Ned who said "I saw you cycling two abreast" to which Homer replied "I wish, I was cycling to a lake"