Also, ironically, provides a great reminder of why groups of cyclists have to take up the entire road for their own safety.
Bicycles are entitled to the entire road. That’s the law in my municipality anyway. Only learned that when I finally got my drivers license
This is generally the case here in the US too. The only exception I can think of is when a road has a minimum speed, which might disqualify cycling, but my e-scooter goes 30mph, so I can take it mostly anywhere but the freeway legally.
Doesn’t matter though. Even though my scooter doesn’t go slow enough to massively inconvenience drivers, I’ve still encountered enough of them who hate me just for being on the road in the first place. I pretend I’m in a car and observe all traffic laws so as not to give them an excuse.
I’d probably have pulled onto the side myself because I generally don’t like having a potentially murderous driver on my ass, but to each their own in this case.
Baffling to expect to be driving 60 on a road that looks like that though
I don’t identify as a cyclist cause I mostly cycle to get somewhere or touring around on holiday, not to go fast in my lycra suit. that said, I’m on a bicycle several times per week, and in the case where there isn’t enough space for me and a car I generally make way for them when I can.
for one thing it doesn’t cost me anything and I am genuinely the only thing stopping them from being on their way. It’s also just annoying for both parties involved, it’s not nice having a car in your back all the time.
so I get her frustration. it is weird for them not to just make way when the road widens a bit
I agree with you in general – if you are a slower vehicle and you start to accumulate a “tail” of faster ones trying to pass, it is common courtesy (and sometimes legally required) to pull over when safe to do so to let other vehicles past.
I noticed in this clip, the car only had to wait about 1:35 (after starting to record) for the cyclists to find a wide spot and switch to single file to let them pass safely. Less waiting would be better, but waiting 1-2 minutes to pass doesn’t strike me as unreasonable or unusual on a 1 lane road.
One time i was driving and stuck behind a cement mixer going 30 mph on a 45 for 10-15 minutes before the road widened, and that did feel unreasonable. But the cement mixer also didn’t really have a choice – there were no pullouts on that road either. The only way it could have let others pass would be to come to a complete stop in a turn lane or driveway or something and then try to start again.
I don’t think that ditch the car pointed out was sufficient for the cyclists to pull out into, except in emergency situations.
Most roads where this is to be expected have either paved pullouts or something.
yeah I was going off the driver mentioning there were other opportunities before the video starts. if that were not the case they’re just whining
TBH, as a person often on an e-scooter, if I’m on a road that is one-lane or residential and there’s just one car, I always yield too.
I don’t do it to be nice or accommodating. I do it because I have run into enough motorists who buzz me because they’re pissed off that I’m on the road or not they’re not paying adequate attention, and it’s the best way to ensure my own safety. (This is despite my scooter having a speed of 30mph and being plenty fast enough to not hinder cars in a meaningful way.)
Those of us on two wheels shouldn’t have to assume the worst when on the road with cars, but we do, because there are enough motherfuckers willing to kill us (at least here in the United States) to get to the next red light two seconds faster.
