Saturdays

[robing]

I cycle every day of the week and I am finding that Saturdays are the busiest days on the roads and often the worst, most impatient drivers.
I guess there are lots of people going out shopping etc.
Weekdays outside rush hours and school run it's not too bad and Sundays usually the quietest.
Just wonder what other people's experience is?

[ncutler]

My father used to complain about the lack of skill and behaviour of "weekend amateur motorists"

[foxyrider]

Not sure that i'd agree about Sunday being quieter, they just tend to all be squeezed into the 'shopping' slot! The traffic is different at the weekends, fewer hgv's, more parent taxi's, today for example, my ride has been blighted but lots of donkey boxes that i don't see on weekdays. Sunday drivers are certainly a thing, beware any place where food is served, especially garden centres, again, traffic you don't see in such profusion the rest of the week.

Its not just motorised tin boxes of course, bike traffic changes too, Saturdays seem to have become the day for competitive riders to be out, i see lots of club 'chain gangs' on Saturdays. Sundays the bike traffic tends more to weekend warriors and the slower, more genteel riders as well as families.

[Nearholmer]

Certainly on the rural roads hereabouts the weekends are far busier in the middle of the day. During the week the traffic on rural roads is very light except at school and work commuting times, mostly delivery vans and agricultural vehicles. A time to really watch out for dodgy driving is mid/late Sunday afternoons, when I’d swear people are driving home a bit woozy after big pub lunches.

I don’t go on club road rides, but our club often has a ride in each of A, B and C categories both Saturday and Sunday, plus there’s usually a “gravel” ride (mostly bridleways) on Saturday morning, and the woods are terming with MTB riders. Very different from weekdays, when I might only see a couple of other singletons in the course of a three or four hour mixed road/bridleway ride.

[TrevA]

Early Sunday, before the shops open, are definitely quieter. But later on the roads do start to get busy. I regularly ride on Wednesday mornings as well as Saturday mornings, and the main roads are far busier on Wednesdays. I’ve not noticed much difference once I get out into the country lanes.

[Vantage]

I find Sundays the worst as everyone drives up to the moors for a Sunday drive to the countryside cafes and restaurants. Saturday's aren't too bad as most of them are in the towns shopping etc. Between the rush hours during weekdays are my favourite cycling times.
The moors used to be quiet but now every plonker in a cage uses them as rat runs. And now the cars are as wide as the entire lane. Meh.
When I'm PM I'm gonna ban cars, vans and trucks from certain roads.

[peetee]

Saturdays aren’t great, for sure. I think a lot of drivers begrudge going out to do errands, shopping or visits when they would rather be at home putting their feet up in front of the footy.
By far the worst day I experienced was Father’s Day. I did a club ride that morning and it seemed every vehicle we encountered was driven by a crazed loony. I would guess that it was dads feeling miffed that they were visiting other dads rather than having the day to themselves.

[robing]

I agree with all the points raised. Early Sunday mornings are definitely quieter but it does get very busy around lunchtime onwards - food places, garden centres etc. I think on Saturdays in particular there are more impatient drivers out on errands. Cars are just too damn wide these days and cause so many bottle necks.

I went out on the morning of HMQ funeral, the roads were blissfully quiet.

[Mick F]

My father used to complain about the lack of skill and behaviour of "weekend amateur motorists"

It's not just your father!

We complain almost every weekend.
We call them "weekend drivers".
The difference from during the week, is marked.

[mumbojumbo]

Saturdays are a traditional hot spot ,but the secret is to swap direction and cycle against the flow.

[peetee]

Saturdays are a traditional hot spot ,but the secret is to swap direction and cycle against the flow.

Sorry, you’re saying ride on the right-hand side of the road?
Good luck with that!

[mumbojumbo]

If people are heading to London ,perhaps to attend a garden party ,then it makes sense to leave the capital.No need to ride on the right side of the road, as suggested by another.