Cyclists have as much right to use the road as motorists do

I once beeped, rolled down the passenger window, drove real slow next to them and let my sister give them a lecture about cycling manners and the Highway Code

Car users are at least paying for their right to be there [road tax], whereas cyclists are, technically, freeloading.

Doesn't road tax go towards the maintenance of motorways mainly (which cyclists cannot use) and of roads which have been damaged (pot holes created) by cars not cyclists?

Do cyclists pay road tax in the UK ?

No one pays road tax in the UK; it was abolished in 1937. Road maintenance comes out of general taxation; we all pay for the upkeep of the roads.

When I see a pothole I slow down, do a life saver check and if safe I then swerve out to avoid it. Sometimes I have no choice but to slowly go through the pot hole or if it's too big stop and wait.

Seeing the size of some of the bike army on their way into town of a morning I'm not too sure, they'd be kicking out serious amounts of CO2 and methane...




But anyway, thread is largely pointless. Anyone who thinks/believes they don't have a right to be there is just an idiot. It's not a point to be debated, but a point of law.

That lack of space wouldn't be solved by putting a cycle lane in though. They only work on roads which are wide enough to have them at either side plus [at least] two lanes of traffic in between. And the cost of widening the roads is massively prohibitive.


Say a road is 6metres wide. That's big enough for two lanes of traffic to operate safely. By putting in a bicycle lane you're actually reducing the amount of space on the road available for motorists. A 1metre lane on either side leaves just 4 metres in between for other cars. The cars would still have to queue up behind you to wait for a gap to pass. No benefit gained from it.

Cycle lanes are not the answer.

Nope, cycle paths are for cyclists and pedestrians That's covered by various laws too.

So you told them how it is perfectly legal to cycle two-abreast? (See Rules for cyclists, section 66).

The thread isn't pointless because it points out that cyclists do have as much right to the road as cars. It may be a point of law but many people don't see it that way.

Cycle lanes can be beside pavements too.

Much safer to hold a wider position the entirety of the time you're cycling. If you're swerving it'll be a surprise to whoever's following you and put you in unnecessary danger. Do NOT feel guilty about 'holding others up' - like you say, cyclists have as much right as any other road user, so hold your position a metre-ish from the kerb and DO NOT allow yourself to be bullied by drivers.

I'm sure someone is reading this and salivating at the thought of negging me, but I say this from the POV of a cyclist and driver. Safety is much more important than journey times. I am happy to sit behind a cyclist holding a position away from the kerb and equally I don't mind doing the same myself. It'll cost a few seconds for the following vehicle, but rather that than a corpse.

It's not your fault if they're stupid.

Everybody knows that bikes belong on the road. It's a pretty much universal fact. Doesn't matter whether people don't see it that way - they're wrong. Simple as that.



The original post I was quoting was referring to country lanes, the vast majority of which don't have pavements running alongside them.

Agree to an extent.

Car users are at least paying for their right to be there [road tax], whereas cyclists are, technically, freeloading.

And I say this as a cyclist.

Oh they definitely weren't riding two abreast if they managed to take up an entire side of the roads. Country roads are massive.

Nice attempt at trying to make me look stupid, but alas, it did not work.

I'm sorry but I disagree it is much safer and more convenient for me and other road users if I stick to the left. As I have explained if there is someone behind me then I will not swerve out in front of them so the fact of me doing so being a surprise isn't an issue.

Weird, I've cycled local club runs for years and never seen anyone cycle more than two-abreast; club cyclists are some of the most law-abiding. However I have seen a lot of motorists, like yourself, who use the horn/shout to intimidate cyclists.

it's more convenient but not necessarily safer. if a pothole or piece of glass or the like appears unexpectedly in the cycle lane (de facto or otherwise) it will be you paying the price. avoiding that area pays many dividends.

I have cycled in such a way a lot and have had no problems at all, whereas hugging the kerb seems to attract a lot of people wanting to push past, not to mention the added risk of debris (much more prevalent right next to the kerb than a metre from it)

Well the ones near me are not law abiding and certainly ride more than two side by side. They're really arrogant. And I'm sorry but weaving around both roads and taking up one side is good reason for me to beep and tell them off. It's reckless behaviour like that which can cause accidents and as driver of the bigger vehicle, I would get the blame because some cyclists think the Highway Code does not apply to them and they have no respect or awareness of other road users. If they are intimidated by a pair of teenage girls telling them off then they should really think about why rather than see it as aggression.