Highway Code Overtake Photo

I'm sure most cyclists have seen this, it certainly gets quoted a lot for obvious reasons. But how much room is actually being given in that photo? Well I thought I'd measure it (approximately). The width of the Audi shown is around 1733mm. I've tried place the measuring line at the wheel arches. I've had to guestimate as the Audi is not square on in the photo. The second line is measured approximately from the wing mirror to the cyclists elbow.

The measuring line on the Audi is 7.8 cm, the spacing line is 5.8 cm. 1733 x (5.8/7.8) gives around 1300 mm. Which is 4.3 ft

Here's the link to the Highway Code, 159-203

"give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car (seeRules 211 to 213 and 214 to 215)."

Which to my mind is as clear as mud, since I don't believe there are any explicit guidelines for how much distance you should give to overtake a motorised vehicle.

Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul

Most people will have heard of Douglas Adams and his acclaimed Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy [sic], however, you may not b familiar with the Dirk Gently series. If you haven't read them they are well worth a read.

When a passenger check-in desk at Terminal Two, Heathrow Airport, shot up through the roof engulfed in a ball of orange flame the usual people tried to claim responsibility. First the IRA, then the PLO and the Gas Board. Even British Nuclear Fuels rushed out a statement to the effect that the situation was completely under control, that it was a one in a million chance, that there was hardly any radioactive leakage at all and that the site of the explosion would make a nice location for a day out with the kids and a picnic, before finally having to admit that it wasn’t actually anything to do with them at all. No rational cause could be found for the explosion – it was simply designated an act of God. But, think Dirk Gently, which God? And why? What God would be hanging around Terminal Two of Heathrow Airport trying to catch the 15:37 to Oslo? Funnier than Psycho... more chilling than Jeeves Takes Charge... shorter than War and Peace... the new Dirk Gently novel, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul






Opening paragraph: It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the expression "as pretty as an airport".

and here's what the cheeky git had to say about cyclists:

'He stepped out on to the street, where a passing eagle swooped out of the sky at him, nearly forcing him into the path of a cyclist, who cursed and swore at him from a moral high ground that cyclists alone seem able to inhabit.' — Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.

Cycling on the Pavement

In most cases, cyclists should NOT cycle on the pavement. However, some cyclists do not always feel safe on some of our busier inner city roads and junctions. And children in particular may feel safer using the pavement.

The law was changed in 1999 to allow cyclists to be fined for riding on the pavement. However, the law was intended to target only cyclists using the pavement in an aggressive manner.

http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/cycling-and-the-law/


Here's what the then Home Secretary, Paul Boateng said issued in a letter to the Chief police officers.

“The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so. Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement, acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required.”


This message seems to have been forgotten in case: http://road.cc/content/news/61316-zero-tolerance-pavement-cyclists-cardiff

Cycling in the Peak District last weekend :) Amazing, it had actually stopped raining for long enough to finally get back on the wheels.

Here's us going up hill towards Burbage and Stanage edge, taking a scalp on the way

Descending down Higgar Tor at around 40 mph.

Us Ambling slowly up the 15 % hill from Hathersage back to the top of Stanage and getting a coffee at the top :)

 
Yeah, got my bike picture on the Times Timblr #ilovemybike page.

Also got a mention in The Times Cycling Horror Stories. The University/Broomhill roundabout in Sheffield is a nightmare at commuting times for cycling. I'm usually forced to use the pavement, which I hate doing.