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#Post#: 36101--------------------------------------------------
Passing a cyclist.
DIR By: facade
Date: September 8, 2024, 11:07 am
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If the cyclist is in a separate marked lane, does the rule about
close passing somehow no longer apply?
e.g.
1) The cyclist is travelling towards you on the other
carriageway, but is very close to the white line as he is about
to turn right. Are you required to move towards the kerb to give
him 1.5m+?
2) The cyclist is riding close to the centre line (his handlebar
end is almost on the white line), you move completely into the
other lane to overtake, must you be at least 1.5m to the right
of the centre line?
3) The cyclist is wholly within a marked cycle lane at the left
of the carriageway (only separated by a painted line). Must you
leave 1.5m+?
4) The cyclist is within a cycle lane separated from the road by
a narrow raised kerb. Must you leave 1.5m+?
I would suggest that not keeping 1.5m+ away is dangerous. In
case 4) you are unlikely to hit him because of the kerb, but
what if he clips that kerb and falls off?
There was a graphic shared by some Police Forces on Twitter a
few years ago that states that "If one moves into the opposing
lane (to overtake) then the position of the rider (within his
lane) is irrelevant". (Complete with typo on the version I link
below)
HTML https://x.com/SurreyRoadCops/status/1035083543016366080
It also had a graphic explaining that 12 bikes in single file
become 8 in double file and are 3 times as quick to overtake- I
suspect the graphic was quietly retired rather than being
corrected.
#Post#: 36105--------------------------------------------------
Re: Passing a cyclist.
DIR By: tonys
Date: September 8, 2024, 11:50 am
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Why do you think it wouldn't apply?
#Post#: 36106--------------------------------------------------
Re: Passing a cyclist.
DIR By: 666
Date: September 8, 2024, 11:54 am
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--- Quote from: tonys link ---
>
> Why do you think it wouldn't apply?
>
--- End Quote ---
Obviously the white line endows the cyclist with superpowers.
#Post#: 36108--------------------------------------------------
Re: Passing a cyclist.
DIR By: Southpaw82
Date: September 8, 2024, 12:06 pm
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There is no rule that one has to give a cyclist 1.5m room. It’s
a handy guide to avoid careless driving. So, in each scenario,
you just have to avoid driving carelessly, regardless of how
close or not you get to the cyclist.
#Post#: 36127--------------------------------------------------
Re: Passing a cyclist.
DIR By: facade
Date: September 8, 2024, 3:25 pm
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--- Quote from: tonys link ---
>
> Why do you think it wouldn't apply?
>
--- End Quote ---
I think it does apply, as it would obviously be dangerous
driving if the cyclist wobbled, or you sneezed, and you hit him,
so it must be at least careless to be that close even if you
don't.
Why I asked the question was I see plenty of close passes (and
experience them as an occasional cyclist) in situations 1,3 & 4,
and my attention was drawn to that graphic, supposedly posted by
the Police, which effectively says that once you are in another
lane, the position of the cyclist in his lane is irrelevant-
situation 2.
There is also the current guidance "give a cyclist as much space
as you would a car"- when travelling in traffic lanes in a town
cars are often far closer than 1.5m.
Image searching that graphic, it was very popular in 2018/2019
then disappeared. I suspect a well meaning someone unofficially
produced it (hence the typos and obvious errors) and it was
withdrawn once it came to the attention of the Higher Ups as
anything officially posted by a Police source should be 100%
accurate and unambiguous (one hopes..).
#Post#: 36131--------------------------------------------------
Re: Passing a cyclist.
DIR By: andy_foster
Date: September 8, 2024, 4:22 pm
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--- Quote from: facade link ---
>
> my attention was drawn to that graphic, supposedly posted by
the Police, which effectively says that once you are in another
lane, the position of the cyclist in his lane is irrelevant-
situation 2.
--- End Quote ---
Except that's not what the bollox from the police says. It
refers to "the opposing lane", not "any other mickey mouse lane
regardless of how narrow, just as long as it has the magic
broken white lines to protect the lycra lout". I'm sure that
there's a technical term for somebody who tries to make a point
by deliberately misquoting something and then trying to treat
the misquoted version as gospel. Other than the various
appropriate four letter variations.
To rationalise the bollox from the police, if the car driver and
the cyclist have a lane each and the cyclist decides that he is
going to straddle the white line for no reason other than to
make it difficult for the car driver to pass while still giving
him the 1.5m which he considers his absolute birthright, the
driver would be doing society a favour if he allows the cyclist
to prove Darwin right, that's no longer the driver's problem.
posted by a Police source should be 100% accurate and
unambiguous (one hopes..).
[/quote]
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