Uncle_Bob

Can you please explain why? What is the need to cycle 2 abreast and hold up a lane of traffic exactly? Surely single file is better for aerodynamics?

I suppose you could do it over here but you might want to google Ford F350 first.

Yorkieabroad

The first line of that link states
"Rule 66 states you should never cycle more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads."

So as soon as there is traffic around, they should be slipping in to single file. That's how we ride.....lots of quiet country lanes out west of us, and we can ride 2 abreast for miles, then when a car appears behind, we slip into single till it passes, then double up again once clear. On the busier roads closer in, we often have wide shoulders that can allow 2 abreast, but mainly they are single. Otherwise, on the busier roads with no shoulder, we definitely ride single. I wouldn't dream of riding double round here when it's busy, no matter how many diagrams show it's a shorter overtaking route for cars....it would just cause too much aggro! The only time I do assert my "right" to use the whole lane is on left turns on multi lane roads.


Off topic a bit....they seem to call differently in the UK to here.....to me "car up" would be a car coming towards us from the front, and a car approaching from behind would be "car back".

Uncle_Bob

Even though i am a cyclist I left his attitude and country behind long ago.

Yorkieabroad

Who?

Uncle_Bob

OP

loubiblu

I ride in the accepted and common way to the area I'm riding in. The Cheshire Lanes are part of the NCN and attract thousands of cyclists every week. Cars are few and the vast majority that we do see are respectful and used to passing groups riding in pairs. Courtesy and common sense should always prevail and yes we would drop to single file on narrow roads.

If I'm riding alone, I ride to be seen, not to get in anybody's way.

My attitude is that I want to ride to the rules of the roads. I've never ridden in the US, I'll be seeking out a local club and riding in a manner that they advocate.

dunroving

Including wearing a helmet at all times, I hope? That's an interesting difference I see between British and US cyclists.

loubiblu

I do and I insist all my children do too. My 11 yr old challenged me once that none of his friends have to wear a helmet. I got my ER Dr sister to tell him about the first time she had to tell a parent that their 12 yr old wasn't coming home to them. She used 'head like a soft boiled egg that's been cracked with a spoon'.

Is helmet wearing law in the US or is it state by state?

loubiblu

It tends to be just 'car' - the call will come up the line if the car is approaching from behind and down the line if it's coming towards you.

dunroving

I don't think it is law for adults anywhere in the US, but my experience is that clubs usually have a rule that if you are not wearing a helmet you can't ride with them. We would occasionally have someone try to ride with us sans helmet and without exception they were given the cold shoulder.

Every club I rode with the call would be "car up" or "car back". Other common calls would be "HOLE!!!!" and "Gravel!" (if it came up of a sudden; otherwise hand signals were used).

Yorkieabroad

I never rode much in the UK, and never in a group, so I have nothing to compare to, but UK friends that have joined us here have all said that there is much more verbal communication here than they are used to from their groups in the UK.

Most of my large group riding here is on a training series very large group from an oil company (rides range from c.300-over 1000 riders) and all have to go through the same on-bike safety course every 2 years where verbal communication and road discipline is heavily stressed. Their ride season is just 3.5 months, focused at getting the riders through the MS150 in April- that ride is generally around 13000 riders, and the contrast between road discipline/safety of riders that have done the training series and those that haven't becomes very apparent.

Yorkieabroad

I don't think it is law in Texas, but it is Law in our house, and it is also a rigid rule with all of the group rides I've been on. No earbuds is another general rule, although some rides are stricter than others on that one.

Bob

I'd be happy to see lights.....they seem to be a rare breed down my way...and when you do see someone use lights, they seem to be cycling on the wrong side of the road

Bob

State by state.

Many do require those under 18 to wear one though, but it is never enforced.

Then again, you don't need a helmet to ride a motorbike in many states...and you don't even need to wear a seatbelt in a car in NH if you're an adult :/

Yorkieabroad

My kids ride to school, and with the mornings staying dark later, they just put their lights back on their bikes last night.

Going to be interesting next year when eldest goes to highschool....it's a bit further away, and the ride includes about 2 miles on a very busy (at that time) 2-lane each way road. Given that it's dark, and the drivers are either commuters with one hand on their breakfast, one eye on their shaving/makeup and minds still in bed, or HS students who think driving to school is akin to training for the gumball rally, or worse, a real life GTA-V game, there is no way he is going to be riding next year. Of course he has different ideas........let's see how this one plays out....