Cycling UK Forum

I was on a cycling proficiency course and was amazed at how far out the instructor was telling me to ride.
I have cycled for many years and have never cycled out towards the middle of the lane. I always thought I was quite an aggressive rider by not cycling in the gutter. On busier roads he was telling me to keep in a bit more depending on the traffic. I felt I was deliberately antagonising motorists cycling in the middle of the lane. Dont get me wrong, I loved it when the road was empty but.....

Should we always ride in the niddle of the lane? Why should we cycle in the gutter?

Sorry for replying to my own post. I've just noticed the National Cycle Training Section and probably should have posted there.
By the way, I think these posting sections need to be updated. Some of them seem a bit outdated/irrelevant. Oh Christ that should have been a different post.

I tend to do it but only when needed, not quite sure how you decide when it is needed, except by a combination of experience and aggravation.
By aggravation, I mean that I have moved over to the left to allow motors easier passage and they then "reward me" by some stupid close pases, so I move back out and make them have to share the risk of trying to pass at a bad time.

Those of us who drive and motorcycle are used to feeling that we have a right to be on the road and are used to being in the position of taking the lane. I dont feel obliged to get all timid and second class just because I am on a cycle, though I do feel obliged to keep to the left when crawling up hills at 3-5mph.

I am pretty resolute in taking the lane when going through the gaps between pedestrian refuges and other pinch points, that starts some way before reaching them.

Normally I cycle about 2-3ft out from the kerb - a good guide is to cycle in the tracks made by the nearside wheels of motor vehicles which are usually pretty visible on the road unless its been newly resurfaced. I only take the lane by riding in the middle when I need to control the traffic behind and prevent it overtaking. This will typically being when I am coming up to a pinch point, riding past parked cars or when preparing to turn right. I would agree riding in the middle of the road all the time is antagonistic but that is not what should be being taught. Riding in the centre of the road is known as the primary position and 2-3ft out as secondary. Riding in secondary is very effective. Drivers see you because you are where they are looking for other vehicles, they have to overtake you properly, there is room to your left so you can make a close pass less close and the road surface is generally much better.

my left wheel is normally in the left hand tyre track.

I'll pull further right thanthat as appropriate (road surface, other vehicles, pinch points, blind corners etc.)

There isn't enough room to overtake a cyclist without using another traffic lane, so use all of it!
Often that other lane will be "oncoming", so wait until it's clear.

I normally cycle (as others have said above) in the inside 'track' left by the wheels of motor vehicles. However, In busy places, such as in town, I find that more often than not, I take the lane (ride right in the middle). I always do so for junctions, pinch points, road narrowings, pedestrian crossings, and some other places where I expect conflict. I also use a middle position sometimes on single track lanes to slow traffic before it passes me (in either direction), if there isn't room for it to do so at speed.

I have sometimes, ridden a bit outside of middle (motorcycle position), if I think it appropriate for visibility; on a bend, or sometimes in queuing traffic (usually in a turn lane).

When I am comfortable doing so, I also occasionally move to the edge, if there is a shoulder, rather than a kerb, and I think I can safely let a car past, or as meic says, I am crawling up a hill.

None of this is intended to antagonise anyone, but to preserve my safety. The theory behind it is sound, and well-covered in John Franklin's book, Cyclecraft

See if your local library has it, or ask them to order it, if you don't want to buy a copy for yourself.

My riding position on a recumbent is different from an upright. I'll adopt primary position far more readily on the recumbent, particularly with cars waiting at a side junction. The bent is lower and if I can't see a drivers face I move to a position where I can.

It has to be said that road position is something that even quite experienced cyclists can have issues with, probably because they've spent a life time being told to stay as far from the cars as possible*, and because it does take a fair amount of confidence to start claiming the lane when necessary. For instance, I was on a club ride recently, full of riders who'd been riding many years and who thought of themselves as 'keen cyclists'...the amount of time that they spent in the door zone when passing lines of parked cars was amazing. Likewise, when going through narrower sections they tended to cringe away to the edge of the road, thus encouraging cars to try to squeeze by leaving hardly any room for wavering or emergencies.

As others have said, I am happy to let cars over take if they can do so safely, but if they are going to put me in danger then I'm going to move out and put them off over taking until it's safe.....simples. Nothing at all to do with antagonising drivers, and everything to do with self preservation.


*thinking about it, I've found it much easier to persuade people totally new to cycling to get into the right position than I have when working with those who are 'returners'.

First: thank you, Vorpal, for pointing me in the right direction.

I've had a few incidents when drivers tried, or indeed, did overtake me, causing me to brake heard to avoid an incident. On one occasion, he was basically right next to me, and I hit the brakes, calling out, 'Seriously?' so he realised that's impossible to squeeze past me or through that tight bit. He let me go first, then. I often feel that drivers don't know the dimensions of their cars. Interestingly, when they have to pass another car, they think their car's much bigger, but when driving past a cyclist, they seem their car's far smaller.
I have no problems claiming the lane if it means I'm safe. What I have problems with is drivers behind me beeping their horn in order to 'remind me' to cycle in the gutter. In that case I shrug and grin to myself. In other cases, when they don't beep, I'll give them a hand sign as a thank you for their patience.

While driving up this hill last week I found myself behind a cyclist. I hung back in order not to be alongside the cyclist at the island.
I then got hooted and flashed at by the car behind

It's also that drivers really have no idea how wide a bicycle is and have no concept of what a safe passing distance is: "I didn't hit him; so what's the problem".

Myself like most above will ride in the left wheel track. However if for whatever reason there is not enough space for you, a safety gap, and an overtaking car then take the lane; it's the only safe way. It can seem counter intuitive as if the road is narrow the instinct is to keep even further to the left but this is inviting trouble.

It's also amazing how many cyclists, never mind motorists think that bicycles have a second class position on the road and need to be subservient to cars.

Mark1978 wrote:It's also that drivers really have no idea how wide a bicycle is and have no concept of what a safe passing distance is: "I didn't hit him; so what's the problem".

Myself like most above will ride in the left wheel track. However if for whatever reason there is not enough space for you, a safety gap, and an overtaking car then take the lane; it's the only safe way. It can seem counter intuitive as if the road is narrow the instinct is to keep even further to the left but this is inviting trouble.

It's also amazing how many cyclists, never mind motorists think that bicycles have a second class position on the road and need to be subservient to cars.

I see them go across junctions, but veer so far to the left (to defer to motor vehicles?) that when they come out the other side of the junction, they are in the side road. Barking.

When asked "Whereabouts in the carriageway do you ride your bike?"

I reply "on the grippiest part".


i.e. If there's an oil slick in the primary line, I ain't gonna ride through it just because some instruction manual says 'take the lane'.

When teaching children to ride, we explain the need to ride between 60cm -100cm away from kerb & to 'take the lane'.
Riding close to the kerb invites following motorists to push past regardless of approaching traffic.
If the road is narrow or you are approaching a pinch point,then always move out nearer the centre of the lane to inhibit overtaking. Following motorists are then made to wait behind until it is safe to overtake.
Obviously, you will still get the odd idiot who has to push past,but at least you have a margin to play with.
We realise that it is a big 'leap of faith' for children who have probably ridden on the pavement, to being out on the road tangling with a variety of traffic.Equally cyclists are 'traffic'!
Whenever a motorist has hung back & waited to over-take, I always acknowledge it with a wave of thanks when they pass.
In recent times, I have noticed a general improvement in driver overtaking,particularly by bus drivers,who have obviously received some guidance.

John Holiday wrote:In recent times, I have noticed a general improvement in driver overtaking,particularly by bus drivers,who have obviously received some guidance.

I suspect that the increasing number of buses carrying cameras is having an effect.