Mark1978 wrote:If there's another cyclist approaching in the opposite direction you wait and overtake after they've passed. If the pedestrians are walking on the right, i.e. towards the cyclist this creates problems for both as both are approaching each other and so both parties will likely have to stop to wait for the cyclist in the opposite direction.
Why can a cyclist in the walkers-on-left situation slow and wait to overtake, but the one in the walkers-on-right situation can't? That doesn't seem realistic.
Walking on the right on country roads, is so that you can see cars approaching you and step out of the way in good time, [...].
OK, that's at least twice that fallacy has been posted now and so I ask both Mark1978 and Postboxer: should we also tug our forelock or bow to the passing car when stepping out of its way? Why only when walking and not when riding?
If you step off the road when cars approach, you'll make poor progress and before long sprain your ankle in rabbit holes or molehills, be in a hedge or fall into a drain. Basically, the road is the only fairly-sure safe area. HC rule 206 says "Drive carefully and slowly when ... approaching pedestrians on narrow rural roads without a footway or footpath. Always slow down and be prepared to stop if necessary, giving them plenty of room as you drive past." HC rule 2 for pedestrians without footways does not tell them to step off the road, nor should they.
Drivers and riders should give way to walkers, even on roads.