Bad driving.

[pete]

Cycling back from eh cinema this evening with Mrs pete when someone in a maroon car cut us up. Sat behind us and hooted his horn then squeezed past deliberately close. Close enough for me to think I was coming off and touch his car with my hand.

Mrs Pete phoned the cops.

Cops phoned back "Were you riding 2 abreast"
"Yes" (Two lane, one way road - each lane is too narrow to allow a car to pass a cyclist in).
"Well you aren't supposed to."
"Yes you are," says Mrs Pete "Highway code says you can. And it stops folk squeezing past when there isn't room."
"Well when I was a kid," says the cop, "I was always taught to ride single file."

Is that how police learn the law? From what their parents' taught them?
They should get some sort of school for them...

We were told they would only follow itup if we made a formal complaint, how come? I've been (ahem) spoken to by traffic over untrue allegations in the past...

[mwmackenzie]

You wanna watch STV now mate lol

Road rage Britain, Caught on Camera....

Interesting views of both the cyclist and the motorist......

[Dominic]

To contrast my recent experience of the police was much better; I was knocked off my bike by a guy overtaking me,(nothing major - slow speed thing). The guy started to drive off, so I yelled at him - he stopped and started giving me abuse. Had he got out and apologised and checked the guy he had just driven into was okay, I would have left it at that. A moment later the driver going in the oposit direction returned to see if I was okay - and offered to be a witness for me. Turns out, he was an off duty cop. The police are now charging the guy who hit me with driving with out due care and attention.

[tut]

bloody cyclists........

tut

[Fluoxetine]

[Ferg]

Not a comment on your incident, but its actually something I wasn't aware of. I didn't know two abreast was now part of the highway code. Good to know as otherwise I would be concerned that cyclists riding two abreast preventing someon passing were being intentionally obtuse. I would still venture that to do it continuously knowing that to not do it would allow other road users to pass (safely) would be considered inconsiderate. It's like the slow moving caravan pulling over, he doesn't have to but it's considerate.

[mxvx]

I don't know about your incident but some cyclists seem to have death wish in Abz shire

[David]

The highway code has changed over the years. It used to be more 'black and white' but now there are shades of grey in there. I guess the intention is to let road users think a little more, and reduce self-righteous behavior.

[Claws]

bloody cyclists........

tut

Yeah, stick to the pavements!

[Corranga]

Not a comment on your incident, but its actually something I wasn't aware of. I didn't know two abreast was now part of the highway code. Good to know as otherwise I would be concerned that cyclists riding two abreast preventing someon passing were being intentionally obtuse. I would still venture that to do it continuously knowing that to not do it would allow other road users to pass (safely) would be considered inconsiderate. It's like the slow moving caravan pulling over, he doesn't have to but it's considerate.

I passed my test in 1999 and always remember the Highway code saying two abreast max was ok, though I'm pretty sure it advises a common sense approach - not on narrow roads, around tight corners etc..
Personally, I never liked cycling side by side as car drivers seem to be somewhat aggrieved by it. This response by the police is pathetic, given how vulnerable cyclists are on the road.
The Highway code also states that drivers should give a cyclist as much room as they'd give a car when overtaking which is another thing that I rarely see, though it doesn't bother me so much, as long as they leave enough room.

Be careful out there!

Chris

[pete]

Well we told the cops we wanted to pursue it, they made an appointment to come and take a statement and then cancelled. Then cancelled the second appointment so we gave up as the moment had passed.

Ho hum.

[j2 lot]

We were told they would only follow itup if we made a formal complaint, how come? I've been (ahem) spoken to by traffic over untrue allegations in the past...

I cant believe no one picked up on what could potentially be an interesting tale?

[tut]

I cant believe no one picked up on what could potentially be an interesting tale?

whooops, thought you meant this one:

saying two a breast max was ok, though I'm pretty sure it advises not around tight corners.

tut

[pete]

We were told they would only follow itup if we made a formal complaint, how come? I've been (ahem) spoken to by traffic over untrue allegations in the past...

I cant believe no one picked up on what could potentially be an interesting tale?

Good point.
A year and a half ago, en route to Spa driving through Northumbria I over took a line of traffic which was dawdling behind a slow moving lorry. I've been done on that road for speeding in the past so I was accelerating to the speed limit (really) then over taking a few cars at a time. Literally no-one else was overtaking, the line was moving at maybe 25-35mph in a 60.

As I pulled back into the line a car tried to close the gap, effectively attempting to force me into oncoming traffic. Then he flashed his lights, hooted his horn blah blah blah.
I waved my thanks.

About 20 miles later as I pulled into the next big town a cop car was sitting by the side of the road waiting for me... We discussed what I had done and he agreed it wasn't dangerous driving (which was the allegation). He said there had been a further allegation that i had given the guy the finger, I replied shocked "that I may have waved!". He said I should stop waving like that.
He disagreed with my suggestion we should form a posse, hunt the other driver down and carry out summary justice by the road side.

Rather annoyingly as I was having my chat the other car caught up and waved. Actually not that annoyingly TBH, partly because it was a small price to pay for a story and partly because no-one can carry off smug in a Quashquai.