I tend towards si's explanation here: perhaps the instructor was trying to get across the point that cyclists are taught to ride assertively. Having said that, I'm at a bit of a loss to identify any recent change in the law which might be remotely connected. There has been a lot of policing by press release, of course, and when the fixed penalty system was extended to include careless and inconsiderate driving, there were at least two official launches of the changes and close overtaking of a cyclist was widely quoted as one of the things that might be covered. As if
. As an aside, lane hogging on the motorway has received similar press release treatment and a few weeks ago, what was believed to be the first conviction for it was recorded at Leeds Magistrates' Court and triumphantly tweeted etc
In the absence of much enforcement most of this is academic.
Incidentally, the absence of a specific offence of riding two-abreast does not mean that it is invariably OK. Check what the Highway Code says on the subject. That's only advice, of course, but check what the forward says about the force of the advice. With suitable evidence, eg kosher camera footage, it might amount to cycling without reasonable consideration. Cries of "Telford!" I've checked what John Franklin has to say (current edition of
Cyclecraft ) and I'd summarise the relevant bit as saying that sometimes it's appropriate to single out.
As I said, pretty much academic.
