Am I being unreasonable?

[TylerD]

My drive home from work takes me over several miles of rural single track road with passing places. Today I got stuck behind a lycra clad "pro" who ignored several passing places including a couple large laybys (unfortunately on his side of the road)and kept me behind him for a couple of miles . It was mostly down hill and he was doing about 25-30 mph so there was no way I was going to try to overtake, the road really is narrow. He knew I was there and I was , stupidly as it turned out, expecting him to show a bit of courtesy and slow down at one of the passing places to let me get past.I'm a bit embarassed to say that I gave him a blast on my horn as I eventually passed him. To me this is the sort of behaviour (his not mine!) that gives cyclists a bad name and we all get tarred with the same brush. I'd be interested to know what anyone else, as a cyclist , would have done in that situation . I know that I would have let me past, if you see what I mean

 

[mike killay]

There are bold bikers
And there are old bikers.
How many old, bold bikers?

 

[HarryB]

You should have been on your bike as it was a beautiful day. Overtaking would have been easier and you could have really told him what you thought as you overtook him!

 

[flecc]

I think you did the right thing Tyler, there is no excuse for lack of courtesy on the roads by any road user and your reminder of your presence was appropriate in the circumstances.

 

[Genesis750]

it sounds like you were very restrained. Some might have been tempted to drive 6" off his rear wheel - unfortunately he (she?) will eventually become a statistic when someone does squeze past. Nought you can do but glare. Can he get done for driving without due care & consideration?

 

[rog_london]

I think that's a difficult one. Would you say that the 'passing places' and laybys would have been long enough for you to pass him without him needing to brake? He may also have been concerned that you might not have passed him 'cleanly' and he'd have been cut up by you. Either way, from his viewpoint, I have some sympathy. Passing a cyclist on a road which you say is not basically wide enough would be fine for you, but might have put him at some risk, at least in his mind. Also laybys tend to have accumulated stones and other junk and a roadie's tyres are vulnerable to say the least.

Rog.

 

[JuicyBike]

Without understanding why he didn't pull over it is impossible to say whether or not the cyclist was being reasonable. In the case of an old driver, a learner driver or an ambulance say, the reasons for not allowing you past would have been clear, and you'd probably, reasonably, feel less hard done by.
Perhaps he was late for work. Or perhaps was just being selfish. Who knows? If you'd been on a bike, you could have asked...

 

[z0mb13e]

Playing devils advocate, it sounds like he didn't have to pull in to let you past. If he was in front of you on a narrow lane then he had the right of way. The passing places where, I would assume, for on coming traffic to pass each other. The onus is on you (wishing to pass) to perform an over taking move safely.

However I wasn't there so can only imagine the circumstances. If I was cycling along a narrow country lane at 25-30mph with cars behind me, I would not feel obliged to slow down to let them past unless a reasonable opportunity presented itself (and at 25/30mph I would think that would need to be more than a passing place). If I was travelling slowly that would be another matter. On single track roads you should expect to get stuck behind all sorts of slow moving traffic.

 

[eTim]

Playing devils advocate, it sounds like he didn't have to pull in to let you past. If he was in front of you on a narrow lane then he had the right of way. The passing places where, I would assume, for on coming traffic to pass each other. The onus is on you (wishing to pass) to perform an over taking move safely.

However I wasn't there so can only imagine the circumstances. If I was cycling along a narrow country lane at 25-30mph with cars behind me, I would not feel obliged to slow down to let them past unless a reasonable opportunity presented itself (and at 25/30mph I would think that would need to be more than a passing place). If I was travelling slowly that would be another matter. On single track roads you should expect to get stuck behind all sorts of slow moving traffic.

I would agree with this and also add that there have been a few times when I have let a vehicle past me on a narrow country lane, only to get stuck behind that vehicle as THEY pull in ahead to a passing place to let another vehicle pass when I could have just carried on cycling, now that is annoying and frustrating for a cyclist and I don't purposely let vehicles pass me if................ I'm making reasonable progress at 25-30mph, I would be happy to be 'stuck' behind a cyclist at that speed, for the sake of making me slower by a few seconds overall, what would be the point of trying to get past at that speed.

If he was crawling at below 10mph and being discurteous, it would be a different matter, same goes for any road user.

 

[flecc]

Living where much of my leisure cycling is on narrow lanes, I always let and help motor traffic past me. As a result I do often get stopped when they in turn meet opposing traffic, but I'm happy to stop in those circumstances since it's hardly the driver's fault. It's just a consequence of our busy and inadequate road system which we are all victims of.

We shouldn't compete for road space, we should share it. The latter attitude is safer too.

 

[Straylight]

Well, doing that kind of speed, it sounds like the cyclist was 'in the zone' and giving themselves a workout, on saying that I often let faster vehicles past me at the earliest opportunity, as I'd rather have them in front of me where I can see them than following close behind.

The only place I make a nuisance of myself is up a reasonably long narrow hill (yes, there are some in EA ), where there is no place to safely pass, and I've had several impatient drivers making what I consider unsafe passing manoeuvres at speed. These days I plonk myself right in the middle of the single track road, until it widens at the top, and deny the opportunity.

 

[mike killay]

My point is that I don't think that what the cyclist did was advisable. There are lunatic drivers out there and on a narrow country road, I would prefer to have them in front of me.

 

[Mussels]

It's impossible to say without seeing it, legally the cyclist did nothing wrong as the overtaker is responsible for doing it safely and at 25mph the cycle is not classed as a slow vehicle. That said it is very annoying when I come across club rides down unsuitable country lanes where they make it very hard for car drivers to pass, then I expect they get moody about dodgy overtakes.

 

[Straylight]

The other night, after dark, on my way home I heard the most terrifying sound - a motorbike at high revs, possibly a mile or so behind me. I've never pedalled so hard to get to the turn off into my village, thankfully made it before the bike. My fear stems from a time in London, when a bike passed me at high speed, and because of the sheer volume of engine noise I had no judgement as to where it was, or even if it had seen me. I literally thought I was about to die as it seemed to skim past with what felt like a couple of inches to spare.

Sorry to wander OT...

 

[mike killay]

The other night, after dark, on my way home I heard the most terrifying sound - a motorbike at high revs, possibly a mile or so behind me. I've never pedalled so hard to get to the turn off into my village, thankfully made it before the bike. My fear stems from a time in London, when a bike passed me at high speed, and because of the sheer volume of engine noise I had no judgement as to where it was, or even if it had seen me. I literally thought I was about to die as it seemed to skim past with what felt like a couple of inches to spare.
Sorry to wander OT...

Reminds me of:-
The traveller on the lonely road,
Looks once, and turns no more his head.
For close behind he doth know,
A frightful fiend doth tread!

 

[vhfman]

I believe if both you and the cyclist were travelling at 25-30 mph you were making reasonable progress, especially driving on a narrow country lane. What kind of speed do you regard as being safe on narrow lanes? Not knowing your actual circumstance I can only speculate; but you obviously felt enough of a grievance in having to follow the cyclist with increasing displeasure to use the horn and then to follow up with a thread on the forum. May be you need to chill out.

I was cycling along some narrow country lanes yesterday; fortunately I did not encounter any traffic other than cyclists and walkers. As you can see from this picture I took yesterday, this lane is not wide and has steep grassy banks and high walls on either side. It certainly is not wide enough for a car to overtake a cyclist or pass an oncoming vehicle. The only passing places are the occasional gateway which are not much more than a cars length.

Today, I happen to drive the car down the same lane which is quite steep as well as being narrow, and came face to face with a car coming up the hill. The driver seemed reluctant to reverse to find a place to pass, so I was forced to reverse back up the hill a few hundred yards to find a spot to allow him to get by. Having done that the driver made no gesture of thanks and continued to drive one handed with his other arm resting on top of the open window. When I continued my journey down the hill I came back to where we first met and found a spot where he could have reversed off the road within yards! To use your analogy, is that drivers' attitude to other road users (well to me) giving all drivers a bad name and tarred with the same brush?

Chris

 

[kitchenman]

Today, I happen to drive the car down the same lane which is quite steep as well as being narrow, and came face to face with a car coming up the hill. The driver seemed reluctant to reverse to find a place to pass, so I was forced to reverse back up the hill a few hundred yards to find a spot to allow him to get by.
Chris

That reminds me of a funny story. When I was a student I was lodging with a Lecturer and his family who lived on a hill with a long drive way with a field on the side. I was driving up the hill with some fellow students and the lecturer was coming down the hill. He had that look on his face. I was intimidated and started to reverse down the hill, lost control and ended up in the field! ... fortunately my ford cortina mark I which I had just bought for £75 survived the experience. Now I am older and wider I reverse down hill for no man.

 

[bode]

I have just returned from a holiday (driving) in the Highlands. There were miles of single-track roads with passing spaces, but also frequent signs exhorting drivers to pull over to let those in more of a hurry to get by (which we were happy to do, being in leisure mode). Maybe if that sort of thing were more widespread it would help to foster a more considerate attitude?

 

[HarryB]

I have just returned from a holiday (driving) in the Highlands. There were miles of single-track roads with passing spaces, but also frequent signs exhorting drivers to pull over to let those in more of a hurry to get by (which we were happy to do, being in leisure mode). Maybe if that sort of thing were more widespread it would help to foster a more considerate attitude?

Yes it sounds like the cyclist was in a hurry doing those sorts of speeds.

 

[TylerD]

It was the perceived lack of courtesy on the part of the cyclist which annoyed me. I often have to wait until a herd of cows or maybe some sheep sheep are moved along this road(which is open moorland with 100% all round visibility) but that doesn't bother me atall -its a rural road and the farmer is just doing his job. My interpretation of the cyclist's behaviour was that he was being selfish and arrogant but it's not a bad idea to stop from time to time and ask yourself if maybe there's another way of looking at a situation.hence my initial post. (After due consideration though I still think he's a pratt !)