Two Abreast

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Two Abreast

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
But me and my mate seldom cycled two abrest, and when we did we would quickly get into single file when a car came up behind.

OK so the cyclist were not at fault here but its a law which I think needs some common sense in the way that some cyclist hog the road just so they can carry on with dribble about nothing.
Call me old fasioned and it might be a post code thing as I dont see much of it round here.
Plus I never have enough breath to say more than a few words when on my bike :)
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
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Mark1978
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Re: Two Abreast

Post by Mark1978 »

When I'm cycling with one other, we usually single up on busy roads, however if it's 4 or more we'd stay two abreast.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Two Abreast

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Well I was on an off road cycle path the other day about 4 metres wide !
Came up behind a couple on road bikes, dribbling away (must be love) I ding my bell and as I approch closer I ding it more untill I am dinging constantly, the one rider realises that I am there and as I pass on far right my gap closes as the rider in middle / right drifts over towards me at same moment I pass :x

I suppose its as they are actually walking along the path, which is exactly what walkers tend to do, lets hog the whole 4 metres :?
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Audax67
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Re: Two Abreast

Post by Audax67 »

What p's me off these days is the number of folk on cycle paths with earphones blasting into their shell-likes, deaf to the world. In the old days if you came up behind someone and made them jump you'd get an irate "haven't you got a bell?" but now you can wear your thumb down to the bone and they'll never hear you.

This mostly applies to pedestrians, but I've seen a fair number of casual cyclists wearing the things too. Idiots.
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AlanD
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Re: Two Abreast

Post by AlanD »

I had a '2-abreast' situation last Sunday.
It was about midday and Mrs D & I were driving off to Luton, for to catch a plane to a week of warmer weather.
It was somewhere shortly before Ivinghoe, that for some considerable distance we were behind a pair on very flash looking road bikes who were going two abreast and excessively using the primary position as they ambled along at a speed that even I could beat. I'm convinced that they were deliberately blocking.

Just in case those two are on this forum....
I understand that as a motorist (on this occasion) I had no more right to the road than you. Perhaps you had had a previous encounter that turned out badly, so were now being protective.
However....
That driver behind who was holding back, not intimidating or pressuring you, is also a keen cyclist who knows just when it is necessary to hold position on the road. And that very same driver, whilst showing sympathy for your plight as you rode slowly deep in conversation; was also having his ear bent by one who tends to 'flap' at the least provocation, in this case, the need to "get a move on or we'll miss our flight"
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Two Abreast

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
I think two abreast needs careful thought, I am inclined too think that this will get the motorists goat up more, even if you think its safer.

I hardly ever saw two abreast cycling and I will admit it did not appear on my audaxes either. South Devon.
But I did experience it once in car when the racers came to town (before race) and cycled through red lights and then hogged the whole width of our half of main road, I finally got past and I did I think (25 years ago) blare my horn in discust.
Then later the two cyclist caught me in the traffic and thumped my car :?

Must be a post code thing..............
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Two Abreast

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Out today and I am cycling on a what was a bridle path (8 " thick mud single track lane) now a cycle route surfaced with smooth tarmac.
Saw a bunch of cyclist with sleeved yellow dayglow jackets (not newbies but half serious lot) two abrest about 50 metres away on a dead straight section.
Sun out so visability is good, I think they will see me soon for sure, me not speeding, as I get closer they seem oblivious to me being there and I am far left within say 0.75 - 0.9 a metre of left edge of a 2.5 M wide single track surface, trees either side.

Probably within say 10 Mts and still two abrest filling the whole lane :?
I have now slowed to there 12 mph pace and at the last second the rider directly in front of me pulls over slightly but not enough to inconvenience his chat buddies.
There are about ten to twelve cyclist all two abrest and at least 8 were in a pretty tight pack, not racers more modern lesure cyclist with half decent gear and bikes to match. Age 20 to 45 say saw at least one female.
The next rider also moves over slightly and then the last in the pack just carries on cycling and on seeing me SCREAMS before dodging me.

Do I have to sound my bell for other cyclist that are coming towards me :?:
Do I pull over :?:
What am I meant to do here.
Remember I am on the left scratching my arm in the foliage.
I nearly turned around and confronted them as to what they were doing, not even looking up or forward at all, there was at least 20 seconds from when I spyed them till meeting them, I was originally in centre of lane but moved full left after about five seconds.

Not a look a nod or even a muter from any of them with exception of the Last female rider who screamed on seeing me, I could easily of stopped and dived into hedge to avoid a collision at last moment.

SO If YOU were in a bunch of at least 8 riders going north between the A 38 and Bovey Tracy on a cycle route with staggered gates either end in the wood behind heathfield IND Estate today at about 10.45 AM two abrest
wearing dayglo yellow jackets on newly surfaced lane and one of your female parties screamed then
GET THE **** OFF MY PLANET !.........

Edited for grammar :)
Last edited by NATURAL ANKLING on 1 Jul 2014, 7:27pm, edited 1 time in total.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
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mjr
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Re: Two Abreast

Post by mjr »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Do I have to sound my bell for other cyclist that are coming towards me :?:
Do I pull over :?:
What am I meant to do here.

Ring your bell if they haven't seen you - I don't understand why you wouldn't. If that doesn't work, stop (in full lane - I wouldn't pull over), shout and brace for impact if they still don't change course. Basically yes, it sounds like they were being inconsiderate.

Back to the OP - kwackers, JOOI how did they pull in front of you if you'd already stopped? Had you stopped short or did they jump the line?

ArMoRothair - I agree about London being top for silly overtakes/undertakes at red lights. At least us on the blue hire bikes can change down while stopped though ;-) as long as we've not discovered a bike with a duff gear changer.
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kwackers
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Re: Two Abreast

Post by kwackers »

mjr wrote:Back to the OP - kwackers, JOOI how did they pull in front of you if you'd already stopped? Had you stopped short or did they jump the line

They jumped the line. It's a left turn with it's own lane set back from the junction by a couple of bike lengths.
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