When should cyclists ride two abreast?

QUOTE:
"Some YouTube users feel the video advocates riding in single file rather than two abreast, but presenter Matt Stephens simply quotes the Highway Code, which says: "Never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends."

Expanding on this, Stephens adds: "Ensure you're aware of traffic building up behind. If it does, single out in a safe place and let it pass."

In contrast, Chris Boardman quotes the same passage of the Highway Code to justify riding side-by-side in a recent public safety video produced to tackle common misconceptions about riding two abreast.

"Rule 169 of the Highway Code says slow moving vehicles should not hold up a long queue of traffic and often it's quicker and safer for a motorist to overtake a shorter group of side-by-side riders," he points out."

http://road.cc/content/news/169397-w...de-two-abreast

On Wed, 21 Oct 2015 01:26:37 -0700 (PDT)
Alycidon wrote:

QUOTE:
"Some YouTube users feel the video advocates riding in single file
rather than two abreast, but presenter Matt Stephens simply quotes
the Highway Code, which says: "Never ride more than two abreast, and
ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round
bends."

Expanding on this, Stephens adds: "Ensure you're aware of traffic
building up behind. If it does, single out in a safe place and let it
pass."

In contrast, Chris Boardman quotes the same passage of the Highway
Code to justify riding side-by-side in a recent public safety video
produced to tackle common misconceptions about riding two abreast.

"Rule 169 of the Highway Code says slow moving vehicles should not
hold up a long queue of traffic and often it's quicker and safer for
a motorist to overtake a shorter group of side-by-side riders," he
points out."

http://road.cc/content/news/169397-w...de-two-abreast

Indeed - if a bunch can comfortably ride elbow-to-elbow and wheels
overlapping as is common with experienced club cyclists, then you can
get a three by three bunch into less space than a single white van. Not
legal, but possibly easier to overtake and therefore safer than if
they were strung out in single or double file.

On 21/10/2015 16:15, Rob Morley wrote:
On Wed, 21 Oct 2015 01:26:37 -0700 (PDT)
Alycidon wrote:

QUOTE:
"Some YouTube users feel the video advocates riding in single file
rather than two abreast, but presenter Matt Stephens simply quotes
the Highway Code, which says: "Never ride more than two abreast, and
ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round
bends."

Expanding on this, Stephens adds: "Ensure you're aware of traffic
building up behind. If it does, single out in a safe place and let it
pass."

In contrast, Chris Boardman quotes the same passage of the Highway
Code to justify riding side-by-side in a recent public safety video
produced to tackle common misconceptions about riding two abreast.

"Rule 169 of the Highway Code says slow moving vehicles should not
hold up a long queue of traffic and often it's quicker and safer for
a motorist to overtake a shorter group of side-by-side riders," he
points out."

http://road.cc/content/news/169397-w...de-two-abreast

Indeed - if a bunch can comfortably ride elbow-to-elbow and wheels
overlapping as is common with experienced club cyclists, then you can
get a three by three bunch into less space than a single white van. Not
legal, but possibly easier to overtake and therefore safer than if
they were strung out in single or double file.


until the overpacked group wobble, brake, swerve or crash. the road is
not the place to practice racing

Never.

Road scum should know there place.

On 21/10/2015 16:42, David Lang wrote:
Never.

Road scum should know there place.

Their.

On Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:15:32 +0100, Rob Morley
wrote:

Indeed - if a bunch can comfortably ride elbow-to-elbow and wheels
overlapping as is common with experienced club cyclists, then you can
get a three by three bunch into less space than a single white van. Not
legal, but possibly easier to overtake and therefore safer than if
they were strung out in single or double file.

A colleague came across this "safe" way of riding on the old A41 last
year, a group of a dozen MAMILs on "club training" in all the gear
bowling along nose to tail in a tight bunch with a lengthy queue of
traffic behind them and a constant stream coming the other way. Then
one at the front of the bunch fell off. In a second the road was full
of bodies. Fortunately for them he stopped and so did everyone else,
including the HGV coming the other way, but it was close - two
pushbikes went under the HGV but no riders. Needless to say all the
HGV driver got was a tirade of abuse for squashing the bikes.

On Wednesday, 21 October 2015 16:15:36 UTC+1, Rob Morley wrote:
On Wed, 21 Oct 2015 01:26:37 -0700 (PDT)
Alycidon wrote:

QUOTE:
"Some YouTube users feel the video advocates riding in single file
rather than two abreast, but presenter Matt Stephens simply quotes
the Highway Code, which says: "Never ride more than two abreast, and
ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round
bends."

Expanding on this, Stephens adds: "Ensure you're aware of traffic
building up behind. If it does, single out in a safe place and let it
pass."

In contrast, Chris Boardman quotes the same passage of the Highway
Code to justify riding side-by-side in a recent public safety video
produced to tackle common misconceptions about riding two abreast.

"Rule 169 of the Highway Code says slow moving vehicles should not
hold up a long queue of traffic and often it's quicker and safer for
a motorist to overtake a shorter group of side-by-side riders," he
points out."

http://road.cc/content/news/169397-w...de-two-abreast

Indeed - if a bunch can comfortably ride elbow-to-elbow and wheels
overlapping as is common with experienced club cyclists, then you can
get a three by three bunch into less space than a single white van. Not
legal, but possibly easier to overtake and therefore safer than if
they were strung out in single or double file.

When we had a club event of about 200 riders, the guy organising it sent us out in groups of ten at three minute invervals. We never had any problems.

On 21/10/2015 17:52, Peter Parry wrote:
On Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:15:32 +0100, Rob Morley
wrote:

Indeed - if a bunch can comfortably ride elbow-to-elbow and wheels
overlapping as is common with experienced club cyclists, then you can
get a three by three bunch into less space than a single white van. Not
legal, but possibly easier to overtake and therefore safer than if
they were strung out in single or double file.

A colleague came across this "safe" way of riding on the old A41 last
year, a group of a dozen MAMILs on "club training" in all the gear
bowling along nose to tail in a tight bunch with a lengthy queue of
traffic behind them and a constant stream coming the other way. Then
one at the front of the bunch fell off. In a second the road was full
of bodies. Fortunately for them he stopped and so did everyone else,
including the HGV coming the other way, but it was close - two
pushbikes went under the HGV but no riders. Needless to say all the
HGV driver got was a tirade of abuse for squashing the bikes.


Martin Leonard was one of a group of cyclists riding close together,
earlier this year, they crashed and he died, no other vehicles involved
at all. There have been others too.

On Wednesday, October 21, 2015 at 4:42:28 PM UTC+1, David Lang wrote:

Road scum should know there place.

Road scum should know they're placed behind non-motorised forms of transport in order of priority on the road.

(I've finished yore post for you).

On Wed, 21 Oct 2015 12:48:16 -0700, Tom Crispin wrote:

On Wednesday, October 21, 2015 at 4:42:28 PM UTC+1, David Lang wrote:

Road scum should know there place.

Road scum should know they're placed behind non-motorised forms of
transport in order of priority on the road.

(I've finished yore post for you).

Oh those times of you're.