Eight mile tailback?

[ANTONISH]

There has been reference in the press recently about a group of cyclists holding up traffic and not allowing cars to pass for a distance of eight miles.
Some columnists are using the weasel words "reports of"

Does anyone have any knowledge of the veracity of this alleged incident ?

[Jdsk]

Please could you give a couple of references (and preferably links) to what you've read: that will make it much easier to find out out what this is about.

Thanks

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

Do you think that it's this from the Express?
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/15580 ... code-rules

I recommend ignoring it.

Jonathan

[ANTONISH]

Do you think that it's this from the Express?
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/15580 ... code-rules

I recommend ignoring it.

Jonathan

Yes that's it but has been used as a reference in the Standard ( I also seem to recall the DM refencing it but I can't find it).
The problem with these allegations is that it will be taken up by those who want to believe it and will become a well known "fact"

[axel_knutt]

I find it extremely stressful trailing a procession of cars behind me, even for a few hundred yards, I don't do it if I don't have to.

[thirdcrank]

I think it's called hyperbole

[ChrisButch]

I find it extremely stressful trailing a procession of cars behind me, even for a few hundred yards, I don't do it if I don't have to.

Quite so. Just as stressful is happening to be the 'lead driver' in such a procession, sensing the building tension behind you and anticipating somebody doing something stupid at any moment. On several occasions I've been in that situation and opted out by taking the first opportunity to turn off the route. Not a rare occurrence on, for instance, the Exe Valley road north of Tiverton, where the sightlines consequent on the radius of the bends, and the width of the road, make a safe overtake virtually impossible for many miles, whether of a single rider or a group. There's no formulaic 'right answer' for the best way for either cyclist or driver to behave in such a situation: you just have to tell yourself 'what can I do now to defuse this'.

[Jdsk]

There's no formulaic 'right answer' for the best way for either cyclist or driver to behave in such a situation: you just have to tell yourself 'what can I do now to defuse this'.

That sounds a like useful principle.

HC Rule 66 for cyclists includes:

Be aware of drivers behind you and allow them to overtake (for example, by moving into single file or stopping) when you feel it is safe to let them do so

Jonathan

[mattheus]

Cyclists could learn from drivers, especially the ones that know this rule:

169
Do not hold up a long queue of traffic, especially if you are driving a large or slow-moving vehicle. Check your mirrors frequently, and if necessary, pull in where it is safe and let traffic pass.

[thirdcrank]

Some years ago, I had a discussion about this on here with an experienced caravaner. He referred to a "Rule of three" and was surprised I hadn't heard of it. That "rule" was that if the driver of a slower-moving vehicle eg a towing a caravan, passed three suitable places to allowing following traffic to overtake and failed to pull over they risked being nicked for inconsiderate driving. The fact that I'd never heard of it suggests to me it was fairly local, perhaps only in the West Country.

[DaveReading]

Do you think that it's this from the Express?
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/15580 ... code-rules

I recommend ignoring it.

Jonathan

Yes that's it but has been used as a reference in the Standard ( I also seem to recall the DM refencing it but I can't find it).
The problem with these allegations is that it will be taken up by those who want to believe it and will become a well known "fact"

It may just be a coincidence, but the author of that quote took down his Twitter page shortly after the Express article was published.

https://mobile.twitter.com/stevebulleyUK

[simonhill]

I read this too, probably as a google news feed to the Daily Mail. As said, it was reported as something coming from Steve Bulley, the vice president of the Dorchester Chamber of Business. Since then it has done the rounds.

Interesting his twitter is down, but maybe a few emails asking for evidence, etc. or to the organisation he represents. Edit: Ive foiund th eDM article, with a screenshot of the twitter https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... -Code.html

I see from his linkedin page that: " DRIVEN - Lexus RC 300h F-Sport - By Steve Bulley" of which he is very proud https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/driven-l ... ticle_view

Another funny thing in the D Express article is "The new rules have also drawn the ire of Nick Freeman, a road safety lawyer " - road safety my *rse!

[ChrisP100]

Another funny thing in the D Express article is "The new rules have also drawn the ire of Nick Freeman, a road safety lawyer " - road safety my *rse!

Nick Freeman is to road safety what Captain Birdseye is to conservation of fish stocks in the North Sea.

[De Sisti]

I challenged this claim on one of the Honest John forums.

The OP did not provide a link to any sources that could validate the claim. It was later pointed out (in the thread) that the story had been taken completely out of context to satisfy the journalistic bias of a certain newspaper.

The OP, when challenged on the story, did not appear to fully substantiate or validate it, but continued in his opprobrium of cyclists.

If the item was true, it seems strange that no national radio or tv station made hay with it.

[flat tyre]

If he was driving in the alleged tailback, how would he know that it was a) 8 miles long and b) caused by cyclists?