A matter of perspective

[il padrone]

What our drivers might often see on the roads, and get themselves all into a beef about; hot under the collar at "lycra louts riding 3-4 wide".




But have a good look at the bunch of riders - check out their shadows on the pavement. Seven riders, riding 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 And their spacing, all about 1 - 1.5m apart (the legal max spacing is 1.5m [edit] but only applies on roads that are not multi-lane). And as for "blocking the road", seven people travelling in one lane as opposed to the one person taking up a whole lane with their car.

It simply reflects the 'A-Team' mentality on Australia's roads

[gabrielle260]

You make a good point, il padrone!

[myforwik]

Riding 2 abreast is a rule for riders own safety, it has nothing to do with giving room for cars to pass and never has.

The big problem is that the common person believes the rule to be that riders cannot ride two abreast.

[il padrone]

Riding 2 abreast is a rule for riders own safety, it has nothing to do with giving room for cars to pass and never has.

The big problem is that the common person believes the rule to be that riders cannot ride two abreast.

Quite correct. The average motorist is severely mis-informed about many cycling rules, and are astounded when told that riders riding two-abreast may be overtaken by another rider ie. temporarily three-abreast. Additionally the two-abreast rule on a multi-lane road is 'per lane'. This stumps most drivers.

I have no knowledge about any original intent of the rule, but always presumed it was about reasonable lane-use - vis the 'two-abreast per lane' rule - Rule 151(2). I would be interested in how it works to ensure rider safety ???

[warthog1]

But have a good look at the bunch of riders - check out their shadows on the pavement. Seven riders, riding 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 And their spacing, all about 1 - 1.5m apart (the legal max spacing is 1.5m [edit] but only applies on roads that are not multi-lane). And as for "blocking the road", seven people travelling in one lane as opposed to the one person taking up a whole lane with their car.

It simply reflects the 'A-Team' mentality on Australia's roads

Great illustration of a very common complaint Pete.

[softy]

It is a good point,

i just started riding with a group, although great crowd, you do see the odd person wanting to ride out in the lane for a high percentage of the ride. This is extra worse when it is a single lane. Although someone shouts out "car back" you just can't move into line that quick and allow the riders in the que to make the space, before the drive is starting to think.......

It is a point that people don't know what group riding is, it is using the group to ride more efficent. Cycle the leader and draft the rider in front. Not a two, three, four abreast chat on a social event. Just my perspective.

[warthog1]

Well it can be a chat and a social event also depending on the speed of the ride. I have never come across a bunch that condones more than 2 abreast and all call "car back" if there is a patient driver waiting to pass IME.
Maybe I have been lucky where I live.

[il padrone]

Well it can be a chat and a social event also depending on the speed of the ride. I have never come across a bunch that condones more than 2 abreast and all call "car back" if there is a patient driver waiting to pass IME.
Maybe I have been lucky where I live.

+1

The way I would ride in a group on a light-moderate traffic road, or a road with good space even in heavier traffic.

[queequeg]

It is a good point,

i just started riding with a group, although great crowd, you do see the odd person wanting to ride out in the lane for a high percentage of the ride. This is extra worse when it is a single lane. Although someone shouts out "car back" you just can't move into line that quick and allow the riders in the que to make the space, before the drive is starting to think.......

It is a point that people don't know what group riding is, it is using the group to ride more efficent. Cycle the leader and draft the rider in front. Not a two, three, four abreast chat on a social event. Just my perspective.

The call "Car Back" does not require any action from the Bunch. It's not a signal to move out of the way. It is to let the riders know that a car is behind and to be aware of it.
When the car decides to overtake (hopefully when safe), the call up the line us "Passing".
If necessary on some busy narrow roads, a bunch will normally go single file. At least that is what we do, but it is only for short sections, otherwise we own the lane.

[falconfly]

Shadow wise, pretty wide for 2 abreast. Besides the motorists that are not aware of the rules governing riding 2 abreast, there still issues with cyclists who think they own the lane and these are the ones who give the rest a bad name. On a quiet road single lane road with little opportunity to pass our Group tends to thin out into single file quickly and retake our 2 breast position quickly as well once the vehicle passes. Why hold up faster moving vehicles and why waste time being aware of a vehicle that is behind.

I do however think that more motorists are now learning to overtake without disrupting the momentum of cycling groups unlike in the past where some will tag for awhile. I guess as our cycling numbers grow, both sides will realise what needs to be done.

[warthog1]

[g-boaf]

Shadow wise, pretty wide for 2 abreast. Besides the motorists that are not aware of the rules governing riding 2 abreast, there still issues with cyclists who think they own the lane and these are the ones who give the rest a bad name. On a quiet road single lane road with little opportunity to pass our Group tends to thin out into single file quickly and retake our 2 breast position quickly as well once the vehicle passes. Why hold up faster moving vehicles and why waste time being aware of a vehicle that is behind.

I do however think that more motorists are now learning to overtake without disrupting the momentum of cycling groups unlike in the past where some will tag for awhile. I guess as our cycling numbers grow, both sides will realise what needs to be done.

Your group is how many? Small groups that is easy. Larger groups not so easy to do quickly. The car can pass safely when it is appropriate to do so.

The group photographed are doing nothing wrong. What's with the British Cycling kit?

[Cycleops70]

I've seen that picture before & thought the same thing. Wondering how many calls of "they were 3 & 4 abreast!" Were just convenient confirmation bias to bolster an argument.

[il padrone]

Shadow wise, pretty wide for 2 abreast. Besides the motorists that are not aware of the rules governing riding 2 abreast, there still issues with cyclists who think they own the lane and these are the ones who give the rest a bad name.

Going by the shadows they are mostly about 1m between each rider, one pair might be about 1.5m. But they are within a lane, so this rule does not apply. I give them some leeway too as they are riding up to a traffic light that has just gone amber. As for cyclists "owning the lane"..... well, they certainly do, legally, on a multi-lane road. Other motor vehicle drivers should expect to change lanes to pass.

Driver has a complete other lane to utilise.

On a quiet road single lane road with little opportunity to pass our Group tends to thin out into single file quickly and retake our 2 breast position quickly as well once the vehicle passes. Why hold up faster moving vehicles and why waste time being aware of a vehicle that is behind.

I do however think that more motorists are now learning to overtake without disrupting the momentum of cycling groups unlike in the past where some will tag for awhile. I guess as our cycling numbers grow, both sides will realise what needs to be done.

Quiet single-lane road protocols do depend very much on traffic about, sight-distances to curves or crests, and the speed of the approaching vehicle likely to want to overtake. With crest or curves, and a bit of traffic, I would move to single; with a speeding vehicle coming up behind and a crest, I would stay wide to force them to make the most appropriate safe decision - usually to slow down and wait. Trucks in particular respond better to this than to a single-file group on the left fog-line. If there is good visibility and a car has slowed, I would move left or go single.

There are many factors to consider.

[Mulger bill]

Rolling towards a red like that, methinks spreading wide in the lane is a good move, increased visual presence to anyone coming up behind.

[BianchiCam]

Try explaining that to the knuckle draggers Mulger Bill!

[g-boaf]

Shadow wise, pretty wide for 2 abreast. Besides the motorists that are not aware of the rules governing riding 2 abreast, there still issues with cyclists who think they own the lane and these are the ones who give the rest a bad name. On a quiet road single lane road with little opportunity to pass our Group tends to thin out into single file quickly and retake our 2 breast position quickly as well once the vehicle passes. Why hold up faster moving vehicles and why waste time being aware of a vehicle that is behind.

I do however think that more motorists are now learning to overtake without disrupting the momentum of cycling groups unlike in the past where some will tag for awhile. I guess as our cycling numbers grow, both sides will realise what needs to be done.

If these riders are who I think they are (and I have a good idea of who they are), then we certainly aren't in a position to be offering critiques of their riding.