Cyril Haearn wrote:You went through between them? I hate that, feels really dangerous
How on earth can it be dangerous when you’ve got both of their attention they are looking at you and have parted for you? Do you stop and ask them to please stand to one side? No I thought not.
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life
Bmblbzzz wrote:It doesn't have to be singletrack. A few days ago I was riding my fully laden tourer (last day of a camping trip) up a steep hill on a country lane. The lane was fairly narrow but wide enough for two cars to pass. Ahead of me was a couple walking with backpacks and hiking gear (I think the Cotswold Way coincides with this lane for stretch so they might have been doing that). Because it was a quiet country road with decent visibility, they were walking side by side, chatting, and also veering a bit (perhaps the gradient was a bit much for them!). Effectively they were taking up the whole road, especially when you consider the 'dynamic envelope' of their poles and packs. And they hadn't seen me (head same direction) or heard me (over their conversation) so I called out 'Excuse me' and they looked round, saw me, parted for a second to let me through ..
You went through between them? I hate that, feels really dangerous
I know what you mean, but in this case it was perfectly safe. When passing walkers on a narrow path, such as a tow path, I always let the walkers choose which side they prefer then adjust to suit them. (Usually, they seem to choose the water side on a tow path, which is contrary to CRT advice but I reckon it's better to adjust to them rather than regulations that they are probably not aware of.) On a road there are, of course, rules everyone's aware of -- but in this case, they had chosen to part in the middle rather than both move to one side. The gap between them was quite wide, as it was a wide enough lane, just the way they had been walking made it impossible to pass safely unless one or other moved.
robing wrote:One thing I find a bit annoying on the European cycleways is that all the locals cycle two abreast and take up the whole path, and go quite slowly.
They mostly single out if you ring on approach, in my experience, correctly interpreting a ring as simply "I am here". Often I don't mind drafting a while (8m back) though, as long as it's not tooooo slow
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
robing wrote:One thing I find a bit annoying on the European cycleways is that all the locals cycle two abreast and take up the whole path, and go quite slowly.
Perhaps they're just out for a bimble* and have not intention of riding fast. You should learn to calm down and observe paitence when out cycling.
robing wrote:One thing I find a bit annoying on the European cycleways is that all the locals cycle two abreast and take up the whole path, and go quite slowly.
Perhaps they're just out for a bimble* and have not intention of riding fast. You should learn to calm down and observe paitence when out cycling.
(*bimble: walk or travel at a leisurely pace)
Fair enough but I don't need to calm down. Just can get a bit tiresome when you encounter lots of these cyclists when you are passing on a fully loaded tourer with panniers. And they don't always drop back to single file and just pull over slightly not leaving much room.
Cyril Haearn wrote:You went through between them? I hate that, feels really dangerous
How on earth can it be dangerous when you’ve got both of their attention they are looking at you and have parted for you? Do you stop and ask them to please stand to one side? No I thought not.
Often people have my attention, look at me, but start to move over before I am past I move to one side, ring my bell so they can locate me, in the hope they both move to the same side Makes sense to keep as far away from strangers/PoFs/PoBs as possible
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120 Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
robing wrote:One thing I find a bit annoying on the European cycleways is that all the locals cycle two abreast and take up the whole path, and go quite slowly.
Perhaps they're just out for a bimble* and have not intention of riding fast. You should learn to calm down and observe paitence when out cycling.
(*bimble: walk or travel at a leisurely pace)
'Bummel' you mean perhaps, a German word meaning to potter or tootle along Have you read 'Three Men on the Bummel' by Jerome K Jerome?
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120 Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
robing wrote:One thing I find a bit annoying on the European cycleways is that all the locals cycle two abreast and take up the whole path, and go quite slowly.
Perhaps they're just out for a bimble* and have not intention of riding fast. You should learn to calm down and observe paitence when out cycling.
(*bimble: walk or travel at a leisurely pace)
'Bummel' you mean perhaps, a German word meaning to potter or tootle along Have you read 'Three Men on the Bummel' by Jerome K Jerome?
No, it's definitely bimble. Also, pootle or mardle.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Cyril Haearn wrote:You went through between them? I hate that, feels really dangerous
How on earth can it be dangerous when you’ve got both of their attention they are looking at you and have parted for you? Do you stop and ask them to please stand to one side? No I thought not.
Often people have my attention, look at me, but start to move over before I am past I move to one side, ring my bell so they can locate me, in the hope they both move to the same side Makes sense to keep as far away from strangers/PoFs/PoBs as possible
Cyril Haearn wrote:You went through between them? I hate that, feels really dangerous
How on earth can it be dangerous when you’ve got both of their attention they are looking at you and have parted for you? Do you stop and ask them to please stand to one side? No I thought not.
++1
“Quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot.”
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
Cyril Haearn wrote:You went through between them? I hate that, feels really dangerous
Isn't it the law (at least in the UK) that, when something travelling faster approaches a group of pedestrians on a narrow road, at least one of the group must move out of the way to the opposite side of the road as the others?
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
Cyril Haearn wrote:You went through between them? I hate that, feels really dangerous
Isn't it the law (at least in the UK) that, when something travelling faster approaches a group of pedestrians on a narrow road, at least one of the group must move out of the way to the opposite side of the road as the others?
That was my point. I have no problem with people bimbling, pootling or whatever you want to call it, just don't take up the whole cycle path.
