> and cyclists still insist in riding, often two abreast, down Priory Lane and completely ignore it.
We've done why many cyclists choose to ignore the cycle lane, so, cyclists ride two abreast for many reasons:-
It's often done as a defensive measure as it helps prevent the majority of stupid and dangerous close overtaking by cars. Two cyclists riding side by side is no wider than a car so it should still be possible to overtake them if absolutely required. Much like the angry man in the video is seemingly incapable of simply overtaking a single cyclist rather than requiring him to be completely out of his way. Riding two abreast is often not the cause of the rage, it's the mere presence of the cyclist which actually winds them up, being two abreast is a convenient excuse to blame it on rather than admitting this.
The fast lot (whether they are wearing lycra or not) are often travelling close to the speed limit, or keeping up with the vehicles in front anyway, so overtaking them is relatively pointless, but most drivers only see what is directly in front of them rather than the 'bigger picture'. Rarely a day goes by when I'm cycling and I don't have a car aggressively overtake only to have to stop or slow dramatically twenty yards further on.
It's not illegal to ride two abreast. The Highway Code says "never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends." I will 'single out' most of the time the HWC says to, but there are times where I remain two abreast and it's generally for a good reason (slow moving or stopped traffic up ahead so no point allowing an overtake), my own safety (preventing dangerous overtakes), etc. Also note that this is a "You should" rather than a "You MUST" and so there is no specific law to require cyclists not to ride two abreast.
Sure there are plenty of idiots and inconsiderate people on bikes, but then idiots and inconsiderate people use all forms of transport. If cycling were to increase ten fold it would still only be causing a small fraction of the number of injuries, deaths and destruction that drivers of motor vehicles do (through general poor driving, negligence, drink driving, texting whilst driving, etc).
With large groups of cyclists it's easier for cars to overtake a single block of riders that take up the space of 2 or 3 cars than it would to overtake them if they singled out into a line that is 6 or 7 car lengths long. The latter often invites poor overtaking which isn't completed in time causing conflict when the car pulls in early (if they put themselves in a position where they have to hit something they'll generally avoid the 1 tonne of metal coming directly at them and nudge the soft squishy cyclist off the road).
For those people who say "none of the above would apply if the cyclists used the cycle lane on Priory Lane" then you've not understood what has been said in the rest of this thread. Cyclists have as much right to use the road than motor vehicles. And drivers can avoid Priory Lane by using the A305 and A307 to get to Richmond/Ham/etc, or the A3/A308 to get to Kingston. The reason they don't is because going through the park is going to be easier/faster, much the same reason why cyclists use the roads rather than poorly designed/placed/implemented cycle paths.
Anyway, I doubt I'm going to change the opinion of many on here, so I'll leave you with the thought that if you're the kind of person that's infuriated by the number of cyclists on the road then I'm afraid your life is only going to get ever more infuriating. Each year more and more people are getting on their bikes, often switching from overcrowded public transport or cars because it's often faster, more predictable, healthier and (except in cases like the above) less hassle.
Personally I'd welcome a return of Operation Safeway (where the police manned prominent junctions and actually enforced the existing traffic laws). It certainly made the roads a nicer place whilst it was in operation and made all road users (cyclists and drivers) think twice about breaking the law (jumping red lights, speeding, using 'phones whilst driving, watching TV/videos on laptops/tablets whilst driving, etc). It's also as if there people were more tolerant when they knew that fewer people were offending. |
| Topic | Date Posted | Posted By |
| Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 01/06/15 19:27:00 | Lucille Grant |
| Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 01/06/15 20:04:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 01/06/15 20:07:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 01/06/15 20:10:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 01/06/15 20:26:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 01/06/15 21:19:00 | Richard Carter |
| Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 01/06/15 22:03:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 01/06/15 23:33:00 | Bunny Payne |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 02/06/15 00:38:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 02/06/15 13:20:00 | Bunny Payne |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 02/06/15 13:26:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 02/06/15 13:43:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 02/06/15 20:50:00 | Bunny Payne |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 05/06/15 02:01:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 05/06/15 12:11:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 02/06/15 09:42:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 02/06/15 07:03:00 | Lucille Grant |
| Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 02/06/15 08:44:00 | Clive Vickers |
| Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 02/06/15 10:18:00 | Adam Tripp |
| Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 02/06/15 11:51:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 02/06/15 10:20:00 | Stephen Walker |
| Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 02/06/15 11:05:00 | David Parker |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 02/06/15 11:32:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 02/06/15 14:32:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 02/06/15 11:00:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 02/06/15 14:38:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 02/06/15 19:25:00 | Bunny Payne |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 05/06/15 11:45:00 | Alastair Brown |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 07/06/15 13:13:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane/ Jason Wells, owner of Brew | 07/06/15 18:57:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane - Brew; vote with your feet | 02/06/15 11:45:00 | Tim Lorimer |
| Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane - Brew; vote with your feet | 02/06/15 11:52:00 | Dave Roberts |
| Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane - Brew; vote with your feet | 02/06/15 14:32:00 | John Cameron |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane - Brew; vote with your feet | 02/06/15 14:36:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane - Brew; vote with your feet | 02/06/15 14:55:00 | Simon Knight |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane - Brew; vote with your feet | 02/06/15 15:02:00 | Dave Robertson |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane - Brew; vote with your feet | 02/06/15 15:05:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Leave Brew alone | 02/06/15 15:11:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Leave Brew alone | 02/06/15 15:51:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Leave Brew alone | 02/06/15 16:38:00 | Simon Knight |
| Re:Re:Re:Leave Brew alone | 02/06/15 16:40:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Leave Brew alone | 02/06/15 16:43:00 | Simon Knight |
| Re:Leave Brew alone | 02/06/15 19:29:00 | Bunny Payne |
| Re:Re:Leave Brew alone | 02/06/15 20:48:00 | Ian Everley |
| Re:Re:Re:Leave Brew alone | 02/06/15 23:04:00 | Mairi Anne Bowen |
| Consideration for others, and colossal fails | 02/06/15 23:22:00 | Stephen Walker |
| Re:Consideration for others, and colossal fails | 02/06/15 23:51:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Consideration for others, and colossal fails | 03/06/15 08:53:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Consideration for others, and colossal fails | 03/06/15 09:12:00 | Stephen Walker |
| Re:Re:Re:Consideration for others, and colossal fails | 03/06/15 12:23:00 | Jonathan Callaway |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Consideration for others, and colossal fails | 03/06/15 12:50:00 | Stephen Walker |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Consideration for others, and colossal fails | 03/06/15 12:51:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| So who are the real victims now? | 04/06/15 12:52:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:So who are the real victims now? | 04/06/15 13:57:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 04/06/15 14:07:00 | Dave Roberts |
| the real victims? come off it Chantal, you reap what you sow | 04/06/15 20:05:00 | Clive Vickers |
| Re: the real victims? come off it Chantal, you reap what you sow | 04/06/15 20:59:00 | Sue Hammond |
| Re:Re: the real victims? come off it Chantal, you reap what you sow | 05/06/15 00:13:00 | Richard Carter |
| Re:Re:Re: the real victims? come off it Chantal, you reap what you sow | 05/06/15 02:02:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:Re:Re:Re: the real victims? come off it Chantal, you reap what you sow | 05/06/15 07:43:00 | Richard Carter |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re: the real victims? come off it Chantal, you reap what you sow | 05/06/15 16:37:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:So who are the real victims now? | 04/06/15 21:16:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 04/06/15 21:35:00 | Stephen Walker |
| Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 04/06/15 22:43:00 | Mark Smith |
| Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 02:03:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 11:56:00 | Richard Carter |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 12:43:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 16:45:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 07/06/15 08:54:00 | Andy Pike |
| Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 12:34:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 14:08:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 14:25:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 14:54:00 | Stephen Walker |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 15:04:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 17:10:00 | Alastair Brown |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 18:00:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 05/06/15 21:45:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:So who are the real victims now? | 06/06/15 10:06:00 | Andy Pike |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane - Brew; vote with your feet | 10/06/15 01:40:00 | John Hoskins |
| Up market 'white van man' ?! | 06/06/15 14:32:00 | John Hawkes |
| Re:Up market 'white van man' ?! | 06/06/15 19:45:00 | Bunny Payne |
| Re:Re:Up market 'white van man' ?! | 06/06/15 21:56:00 | Stephen Walker |
| Re:Re:Up market 'white van man' ?! | 07/06/15 00:07:00 | John Hawkes |
| Re:Re:Re:Up market 'white van man' ?! | 07/06/15 11:00:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 07/06/15 11:35:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 07/06/15 12:46:00 | Alastair Brown |
| Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 07/06/15 12:57:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 07/06/15 13:15:00 | Bunny Payne |
| Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 07/06/15 14:25:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 07/06/15 14:48:00 | Andy Pike |
| Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 08/06/15 10:30:00 | Stephen Walker |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 07:43:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 09:43:00 | Lucille Grant |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 09:49:00 | Lucille Grant |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 12:43:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 13:59:00 | Caroline Whitehead |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 14:55:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 16:10:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 16:58:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 14:36:00 | Stephen Walker |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 15:30:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 15:47:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 16:11:00 | Stephen Walker |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 16:33:00 | Matt Palmer |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 16:49:00 | Lucille Grant |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 17:34:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 08/06/15 08:59:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 07:51:00 | Chantal Blake-Milton |
| Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 10:25:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 11:41:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 21:44:00 | William Smith |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 09/06/15 22:39:00 | David Ainsworth |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 10/06/15 08:17:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Cycling on busy roads is Russian Roulette | 10/06/15 09:24:00 | Richard Carter |
| Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 10/06/15 10:17:00 | Alexander MacLeod |
| Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 10/06/15 10:29:00 | Richard Carter |
| Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 10/06/15 10:49:00 | Stephen Walker |
| Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 10/06/15 10:56:00 | Alex Greenbank |
| Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 10/06/15 16:23:00 | Adam Gray |
| Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 12/06/15 13:59:00 | Alexander MacLeod |
| Re:Re:Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 14/06/15 01:47:00 | John Hoskins |
| Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 14/06/15 22:45:00 | Timothy Horgan |
| Re:Re:Priory Lane Cycle Lane | 15/06/15 18:17:00 | Bunny Payne |