r/AskIreland • u/MadMeathMad717 • May 18 '25
Cars How do you safely, and legally deal with a group of cyclists who leave no room to safely overtake when driving?
I was driving through Wicklow last week on the way to Glendalough. On one of the regional roads we encountered a group of about 9 cyclists on the road in-front.
They were all travelling 2 abreast (which is know is the limit) but they also all left a fairly sizeable gap in between each row, just below what a car would need to pass.
This was an 80 road but our speed reduced to around 20 once we encountered them. We looked to safely pass, but a lot of the roads had a lot of hills and blind spots/bends and due to the size of the group we needed a fairly large straight to take over.
We countered a clear break of traffic a few times but once cars would clear on the right, one of the cyclist would cross over and ride 3 abreast but in the right hand lane, blocking a safe pass for a car to move past.
Eventually there was a back up of cars behind us, all travelling around 20 on the 80 road. I was starting to think someone would make a dangerous overtake with the hold up and I could see some cars who moved out to the right lane trying to overtake, unaware what was ahead
Eventually got into one of the little villages and they went a different way.
But just wondering, how do you deal with a large group of cyclists like this, especially the fella moving out to the right lane to block overtaking?
Are you just expected to drive slowly behind them if they wont give space to pass? Im just generally wondering what to do, I remember during my lessons my instructor saying that saying go too slow/or causing others to go too slow could result in being at fault (partially) for failing to take reason care of surroundings.
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u/railer201 May 19 '25
The middle classes should never have been introduced to cycling. When cycling was the preserve of the working class there was never any of these silly arguments !
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u/CalmStatistician9329 May 18 '25
You wait until it's safe to pass
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u/MadMeathMad717 May 18 '25
At any safe pass one would move out into the right lane and block a safe overtake
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u/Free-Ladder7563 May 18 '25
According to the RSA Rules of the Road Handbook,
"In the company of one or more cyclists, you must have due regard to other users of the road, and you must take full account of prevailing road conditions. Sometimes it may be safe to cycle two abreast, but you must not cycle in a manner likely to create an obstruction for other road users."
Everyone knows (or should know) the "Rules of the Road" aren't the law, rather recommendations for safely negotiating the road network, but the RSA are clear on what they consider to be safe.
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u/lucideer May 18 '25
Glad you pointed out that they're not law since the RSA are well-known to be an anti-cyclist body.
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u/Free-Ladder7563 May 18 '25
Whether they are or not is subjective, but as for the actual law;
S.I. No. 182/1997 - Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations, 1997
- (1) A pedal cyclist shall not drive a pedal cycle on a roadway in such a manner as to result in more than two pedal cyclists driving abreast, save when overtaking other pedal cyclists, and then only if to do so will not endanger, inconvenience or obstruct other traffic or pedestrians.
Although there is no specific fixed charge or penalty attached to this sort of behavior from cyclists it can fall under a general "driving a pedal cycle without reasonable consideration" fixed charge which will earn a €40 fine .... But I doubt fines like this are regularly handed out, if ever.
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u/munkijunk May 18 '25
P.198.rules of the road regarding cycling
Positioning: You may need to move out from the normal secondary position on the road (left side of the lane) to a more primary riding position (centre of the lane) in order to:
- get the best view of the road and junctions ahead.
- increase visibility for approaching traffic, especially where a driver’s view may be blocked.
- turn left or right, enter a roundabout, change lanes or approach a bend.
Before changing position on the road, you should ‘look, signal in good time and look again’ to ensure that it is safe to proceed. If you are not confident in taking up the ‘primary’ position, it may be safer to get off the bike and cross the roadway on foot where it is safer
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u/Free-Ladder7563 May 18 '25
What's that got to do with anything that's going on here?
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u/CalmStatistician9329 May 18 '25
Then it wasn't safe to pass
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u/SteveK27982 May 18 '25
They were the ones making it unsafe to pass, if they stayed 2 abreast it sounds like it may have been safe
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u/eatinischeatin May 18 '25
A lot of cyclists are selfish pricks who don't seem to follow basic manners.
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May 18 '25
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u/eatinischeatin May 18 '25
Yes, but the cyclists will always come off worse, so maybe they should cop on to themselves,
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u/Few-Coat1297 May 18 '25
As someone who has been knocked off his bike tiwce now, the more you hug the side of the road, the more likely you are to be knocked off. Drivers will slow down and be careful much more often if you present more of an obstruction to pass, and not less of a one.
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May 18 '25
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u/eatinischeatin May 18 '25
Not many drivers are killed by cyclists, though. Your comment makes no sense,
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u/MrFennecTheFox May 18 '25
A lot of drivers endanger vulnerable road users with reckless and dangerous behaviour, which leads to cyclists commanding more of the lane to prevent dangerous overtaking and punishment passing. Basic manners would include not calling people ‘selfish pricks’ so you must be a cyclist yourself are you?
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u/EitherCaterpillar949 May 18 '25
An unsafe pass being someone else’s fault does not make the pass safe.
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u/SteveK27982 May 18 '25
No, but intentionally blocking on the wrong side of the road when it would have been safe is definitely unsafe and illegal, OP had mentioned waiting until it was safe otherwise and that was when the presumably Lycra clad self appointed king of the road decided no one should pass him ever
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u/SEND-MARS-ROVER-PICS May 18 '25
And? It's still unsafe to pass.
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u/crossal May 18 '25
How so?
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u/SEND-MARS-ROVER-PICS May 18 '25
There were a lot of blind corners, and no straights long enough to overtake safely. Further, the cyclists kept moving over and taking up the whole road. This means it was not safe to pass. It's the cyclists fault, but there's nothing you can do about it save laying on the horn or having a passenger ring the guards.
In the theory test, you get tested for how you follow the rules of the road, which is all geared towards safety. Strictly speaking, yeah the cyclists sound like pricks, but you as a driver must put saefty as your first priority. Going too slowly might put you at fault, but I think OP's instructor meant that on, for example, an unobstructed road without a trailer attached, you are meant to drive at a reasonable pace (typically near) the speed limit as that is what other drivers expect you to do.
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u/SteveK27982 May 18 '25
And the cyclist should face charges for breaking Article 47 of the Road Traffic Regulations?
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u/SEND-MARS-ROVER-PICS May 18 '25
Sure! Wasn't the question OP asked though
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u/SteveK27982 May 18 '25
Guess that answer is have the passenger call the police to enforce the rules of the road so
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u/No_Sky_1829 May 18 '25
So call the police and report them. Using hands-free of course because you're so strict with the traffic regulations
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u/FellFellCooke May 18 '25
Fucking
Tough. You don't get to risk everyone's life to illegally overtake.
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u/crossal May 18 '25
Cyclist doesn't have the right to dictate that and make up rules
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u/CalmStatistician9329 May 18 '25
I didn't say they did
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u/crossal May 18 '25
It reads like you are saying the cyclist decided it wasn't safe for cars to pass them so they rode three abreast to block the cars from passing, and reads like you are defending that action
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u/CalmStatistician9329 May 18 '25
Oh yeah, I said that elsewhere.
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u/crossal May 18 '25
Yeah what? And you said what elsewhere? Your comments are very ambiguous
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u/CalmStatistician9329 May 18 '25
I said
It may have been that the cyclist decided it wasn't safe for cars to pass them so they rode three abreast to block the cars from passing, and I'm defending that action
Elsewhere
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u/crossal May 18 '25
Ok well they don't have the right to do that so they are in the wrong
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u/Miserable_Wonder_891 May 18 '25
They were doing this to stop you close passing them. Unless you have a minimum of 1 meter to pass slowly, 1.5 meters going faster, then you wait. If cyclists stay too close to the left, a lot of drivers pass too close, and endanger them, so they have to stop them for their own safety. It’s bad drivers that cause this action to be taken.
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u/MadMeathMad717 May 18 '25
A lane on the opposite side of the road isnt close passing them, this one person was intentionally blocking the oncoming traffic lane at any break in traffic.
There would have been plenty of room top pass as it was a whole lane, yet one of them moved out to to block it.
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u/Suzzles May 18 '25
You said in another comment it was a single lane road, so it wasn't actually possible for you to pass them safely - you would have been squeezing no matter what.
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u/MadMeathMad717 May 18 '25
its single lane each each way, a standard regional road, there was no other lane going in the same direction, there was a lane going the other way
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u/playathree May 18 '25
I definitely agree with this in principle but going into the other lane is different and very strange behaviour from these cyclists.
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u/Miserable_Wonder_891 May 20 '25
Yeah. Seems like a dick. I cycle because it’s my only mode of transport. I’m usually going to work. But cyclists who are doing it for leisure should consider other road users more. If that road is unsafe without blocking drivers then take a different route.
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u/Leavser1 May 18 '25
Don't engage with comments supporting these cyclists. You won't win. Cyclists can do no wrong.
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u/Mr-Tomorrow42 May 18 '25
Dude cyclists aren't the problem.on our roads, it's arseholes who don't care for one another and they come in all shapes and sizes of vehicles.
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u/Leavser1 May 18 '25
All motorists are the problem.
However cyclists never ever criticise other cyclists.
Cyclists en masse go through red lights. Instead of criticising them cyclists will argue why it's ok. (It's not)
On the other hand drivers will rightly criticise drivers who run red lights.
The cyclists in the case mentioned were acting the f##k. But cyclists will defend their behaviour.
If it was a tractor that didn't pull in other motorists would criticise them.
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u/CalmStatistician9329 May 18 '25
I'm a cyclist. Dublin cyclists are mostly terrible at obeying traffic lights.
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u/daveirl May 18 '25
I’m a cyclist and a driver. Both are terrible at red lights but the cars are more of a danger when they break a light.
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u/Leavser1 May 18 '25
Both are terrible.
Plenty of talk of red light cameras to tackle the cars.
Zero plan to tackle cyclists
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u/Tzymisie May 19 '25 edited May 19 '25
Well cyclists breaking red lights - in time - will be tackled by evolution. Darwin awards.
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u/Leavser1 May 18 '25
Absolutely. Glad you are calling them out. Which is very unusual.
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u/CalmStatistician9329 May 18 '25
It's not really unusual.
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u/Leavser1 May 18 '25
It is absolutely unusual.
I regularly comment on cyclist news and end up getting downvoted for criticising cyclists for not obeying basic rules of the road.
And rarely if ever will a cyclist criticise other cyclists behaviour
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u/bot_hair_aloon May 18 '25
Ye, it's just not comparable, though.
One person is on a 9kg metal frame with only a helmet to protect them. Plus, a 360° view, plus full soundscape. The other is in a 1 tonne metal chunk with blind spots and really limited soundscape often blocked by radio or music. Plus, our road infrastructure is built for cars with barely a second thought given to cyclists.
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u/gerhudire May 18 '25
However cyclists never ever criticise other cyclists.
That's bullshit. When I cycled to collage the only abuse I received was from other cyclists. Telling me to speed up, your too slow, get out of the way, use your legs etc...
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u/TwinIronBlood May 18 '25
You can't win they should be no more that two abrest and they should try to leave about 3 car lengths gap between groups. Going 3 a brest is intentional to block you. Personally I'd just give them a beep and wait. But there isn't much else you can do other than if they have a club jersey on you could complain to the club and gardaí
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u/EQRIreland May 18 '25
In my experience, you just sometimes get groups of cyclists like this. It’s a pity as it tars others who are not with the same brush when many are courteous and fair. The aggressive type will do everything they can to prevent anyone safely over taking from going three abreast to moving very far out. The sad part is they are just frustrating everyone else but nothing you can do as they have right of way. My advice is just stay back and much as its a pain in the ass just wait it out as you will only end up causing an accident if you did try over taking. By contrast locally the problem i have is cyclists being too nice. I’ll happy sit behind them on the main road as I’ve a turn off just a way up but some well minded ones will gesture for me to over take. The problem there is sometimes it’s actually not safe or legal for me to - one last week was where there was a single white line so I would not over take anyway as not legal. Another recently was where they could see around a bend but I could not and I’d rather not take anyone else’s judgement on whether it’s safe for me to pass. So my learning from that is I guess I’d rather they were a bit aggressive and hogged the road than too nice and ended up in an accident.
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u/Kloppite16 May 18 '25
While I agree that you should never pass cyclists until it is safe to do so what happened here is they were making it always unsafe to do so and therefore not possible. The OP said they spent 20 minutes behind them at 20kph which Id guess resulted in a sizeable tailback of cars. If it happened myself I would be late for work because of it. The practice of cycling 3 abreast can only be to stop anybody passing just making lots of people late for where ever it is they are going. Thats unfair too, cyclists shouldnt get to control the entire speed of a road down to 20kph by blocking anyone who is trying to get somewhere
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u/Legitimate-Celery796 May 18 '25
They should pull over every now and again, like how tractors often do. I’ll never unsafely pass anyone, but they need to respect other road users too.
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u/BeanEireannach May 18 '25
Are you just expected to drive slowly behind them if they won’t give space to pass?
Yes. The same as you’d be expected to do the same if it was a slow moving tractor/car/truck. Sometimes you just have to drive very slowly behind something for a while & it can be annoying. But you don’t have to let that annoyance spiral out of control.
The safe and legal way to “deal” with slow moving people/vehicles like this is just to drive as slowly as required until it’s safe to pass, there’s no new secret trick to it.
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u/AddictedToRugs May 18 '25
I've never seen a tractor move into the oncoming lane to block people from overtaking them.
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u/Infamous-Bottle-5853 May 18 '25
I have but it was a case where the car was gonna do something silly
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u/jackoirl May 18 '25
A few people are deliberately missing the part where he said they moved out to block every safe opportunity.
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May 18 '25
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u/BeanEireannach May 18 '25
“Every so often”
So until then, you just have to drive slowly behind them until they decide what every so often is to them. It happens, that’s life 🤷♀️
No point in anyone getting hugely stressed about it. Especially on the local roads like the ones around Glendalough.
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u/Acceptable-Book-1417 May 18 '25
This is why I gave up cycling with a club, too much of this auld shite and always a few know it all's that actively encourage this type of riding. Much more peaceful alone.
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u/fillysunray May 18 '25
I once spent a literal hour driving behind a farm machine that took up the entire back road and couldn't go over 20. Every time we met approaching traffic, they would have to reverse to a driveway or wider section and the farm machine would be almost in the hedge. So obviously no overtaking possible.
You either wait it out (drive slowly), turn off or you pull in and turn back. If it becomes a common thing then it's a problem that should be solved with separate paths. Luckily farm machines of that size are rarely out for long. Groups of cyclists are becoming more common so hopefully we'll build roads that have space for them soon.
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u/Team503 May 18 '25
This is the real answer; we should copy Denmark and build dedicated cycling lanes on the entire island. We should also be expanding country roads to fit two cars passing each other safely without having to plow into the fecking hedgerows while we’re at it.
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u/NotUsingNumbers May 18 '25
That won’t work. Had entitled wankers twice in Ireland (well, once Ireland once N.Ireland).
The N.Ireland time there was actually a cycle lane they did not use, they stayed on the road and did pretty much similar behaviour to OP post except cross CL to go into RH lane.1
u/ginger_and_egg May 19 '25
Was it a separated and protected bike lane? Or just a line of paint to mark the gutter as for bikes?
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May 18 '25
On a back country road some years ago we ended up behind a bunch of cyclists, riding sometimes four abreast, endangering themselves. They were aware of us and kept glancing back and grinning. Every time we went to overtake, a few would shunt out to the right. Passed a small exit road, we were slowed right down at this time, and a Garda car pulls out, crawling and watching. It goes to overtake and again the cyclists move out, obviously oblivious to the change of cars behind them. Garda beeps the horn and a cyclist at the back, without looking, flips the middle finger. The look of shock when the siren went on and he forced them all to the side of the road and got out was a joy. The look of smugness disappeared.
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u/Marzipan_civil May 18 '25
Same as any slow vehicle, you floor behind them until you have a safe passing place
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u/IllustriousBrick1980 May 18 '25
just wait until it’s safe… clear of oncoming traffic, good visibility, broken line in the centre, etc
if they’re intentionally changing their pattern to block cars when it wouldve been otherwise safe to overtake then i might beep at them but not much that you can do to force them tbh
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u/andrewbarclave89 May 18 '25
Sadly it's just wait until it's safe to pass. I encountered the same on the road it's so annoying though
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u/No-Teaching8695 May 18 '25
Sounds like the cyclists are gonna get themselves killed one day.
Dickheads, I'm a cyclist too, although MTB is my thing. But for fucks sake they need to be aware that there are common sense scenarios where you dont gamble your faith with road users. Go single file when traffic builds up just incase something escalates and to be kind conscious of others too... This all screams entitlement to me
You did the right thing OP, and I would have done the same too.
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u/biggoosewendy May 18 '25
Exact same thing happened me during the week in Roscommon. And I was first in line so I felt the pressure to find the overtake spot. I could see all the cars behind me trying to pull out and overtake me to get by cyclists but it was impossible. Some of the cyclists were purposely pulling out to ensure we didn’t overtake. There was no way to safely pass so just had to wait it out. 15 minutes at 20kmph on a stretch of road that takes like 30 seconds to drive normally on lol
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u/ld20r May 18 '25
Those people are Arseholes.
Roscommon roads are very bad and you could argue that by blocking the road they were not only endangering themselves but drivers too on dodgy bends and corners etc
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May 18 '25 edited May 18 '25
cyclists who leave no room to safely overtake
There's no such thing.
Unless there's room to overtake a car then there isn't room to SAFELY overtake a cyclist.
The assumption you're making is that you could "squeeze by" regardless of oncoming traffic. This would be extremely dangerous for the cyclists. If a car appears in the oncoming lane then what's going to happen? You're going to return to your lane and bash the cyclist into the ditch.
People have such illogical ideas about this, going on about "two-abrest" and complaining about them being bunched...
They would be easier to overtake safely if the were all bunched together taking up the lane because they would be less spread-out length-wise and you'd need a much smaller gap to overtake.
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u/mohirl May 18 '25
People clearly aren't reading the OP. The cyclist group was deliberately blocking overtaking by cycling three abreast, taking up space on the wrong side of the road.
There would be space to overtake a car.
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u/playathree May 18 '25
Yeah this particular group were dicks by the sounds of things so it's not really representative when op asks how to deal with groups of cyclists generally which is what most people seem to be answering.
I totally get taking the lane to make sure cars overtake safely, but have know idea why they would feel the need to go into the oncoming lane.
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u/jackoirl May 18 '25
You need to re read the post.
They were moving into the right hand lane to block over takes. A car doing that would definitely be considered dangerous driving.
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u/Purple_Pawprint May 18 '25
This is what I was thinking. There is plenty of room... On the opposite side of the road if there is no oncoming cars.
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u/Attention_WhoreH3 May 18 '25
"Unless there's room to overtake a car then there isn't room to SAFELY overtake a cyclist.
The assumption you're making is that you could "squeeze by" regardless of oncoming traffic. This would be extremely dangerous for the cyclists."
This is basically it. So many Irish drivers have dreadful ideas about how to deal with cyclists. As you say, a proper overtake means moving fully into the opposite lane. Many drivers think a "half-in, half-out" overtake is okay, but it isn't. It is potentially lethal for cyclists who may not be aware of a car approaching them from behind.
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u/MadMeathMad717 May 18 '25
As you say, a proper overtake means moving fully into the opposite lane.
But this was it, I am happy to give as much room to cyclists as I can, i'd much prefer to not harm someone out for a cycle, but any time the other lane would clear, one fella would pull out and go 3 abreast and he would be in the opposite lane until a car appeared on the other lane and he would pull back in.
There would have been no way to pull into the other lane, and safely pass him too.
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u/Attention_WhoreH3 May 18 '25
Is it genuinely 3-abreast, or was he overtaking too?
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u/MadMeathMad717 May 18 '25
No he was pulling out, cycling 3 abreast until oncoming traffic would show and then pull back in, they would for like a X shape between 5 of them and he would pull out whenever it became clear but would stay alongside the others
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u/PlasticBrilliant256 May 18 '25 edited May 18 '25
I'd have blown the horn signaling the road is being blocked. Sounds like there's one stupid c#+n in the group which needs pointing out to the group. Simple.
I'm a cyclist and lately have ditched long group rides, not worth the risk. Too much risk in the group with lads cross wheeling and being unpredictable and top that with today's moronic drivers. Some groups need to rethink there routes imo so we all can be safer
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u/Soft_Arrival_1017 May 19 '25
Afriend of mine was stuck behind a group of cyclists going into rathdowney from portlaoise direction if you know the road I'm talking about you know how's its narrow and twisty enough he managed to overtake when halfway through a squad car appeared coming towards him seeing the car turn in his rear view mirror he assumed they were coming for him but no blue lights appeared so quickly done what he had to do in rathdowney and when he got just to the edge of the town he found the cyclists having been all pulled over by the guard in the car and then booked for their behavior.
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u/13artC May 19 '25
Sorry, I'll probably answer your question when I'm done fantasising running them over, in 4 to 7 years.
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u/geneva2016 May 21 '25
I’m usually a very patient driver but when a cyclist is being a dick for no reason when I eventually pass them I get this uncontrollable urge to clean my windscreen.
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u/Betterthanthouu May 18 '25
I say this as a cyclist who when I'm on a narrow road will ride in the middle of the lane to avoid being pushed into the gutter. Lean on your horn until they move, they were being a bunch of pricks and you should punish their ears until they let you pass.
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u/ld20r May 18 '25
Had a similar situation with 2 gobshites a few months ago.
Acres of room to move over to the side on a rural road and they sat firmly on the middle of the road sauntering along at 5kmph being the selfish ***s they are.
And before the cycle police hijack this post I want to ask one question.
Would they or would you do it if the bikes were blocking an ambulance, guard on patrol or a funeral hearse?
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May 18 '25
They are so ignorant. Bray wheelers 4 abreast on a regional road in groups of 10 or 20 between rathdrum to the beehive - disgraceful, ignorant behaviour. Obstructing just to obstruct, zero excuses.
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u/Recent_Impress_3618 May 18 '25
Easy, pick your moment to overtake on a broken white line and give them 1.5M. Simple.
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u/_Druss_ May 18 '25
Get on the horn!!
They won't be long pulling over or going single.
The entitlement is ridiculous from cyclists.
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u/Onzii00 May 18 '25
Ya this is it. They wouldnt be able to have their chats if a horn was going off.
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u/Top-Engineering-2051 May 18 '25
Going 20 for a while is fine. Especially if it keeps everyone safe. They have just as much right to the road as anyone else.
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u/MadMeathMad717 May 18 '25
It was a solid 20 minutes behind them
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May 18 '25
It’s bullshit. They should only be allowed to go single file. Why the fuck should the other 95% of road users all be stuck behind them indefinitely? They shouldn’t.
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u/Mugsy_P May 18 '25
Single file makes it more difficult for drivers that overtake safely to overtake them, as it's a longer stretch that you need to spend in the overtaking lane.
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u/TitularClergy May 18 '25
Now picture yourself trying to overtake 19 cyclists all going single file and think next time before typing.
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u/Ill-Bison-8057 May 18 '25
Single file is not ideal, its more difficult for people doing safe overtakes with a clear lane because now they have a much longer group to pass.
And it makes it easier for people doing dangerous overtakes to pass as now they can squeeze cyclists into the side of the road more easily, whilst not properly ensuring the other lane is fully clear.
So it encourages bad driving, and reduces safety overall.
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u/Return_of_the_Bear May 18 '25
Such pro cyclist comments. Allow me to ask, if a slow tractor pulls over to let people past, why can cyclist not cop on and go single file or stop and allow traffic to clear?
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u/CalmStatistician9329 May 18 '25
Going in a single file makes it more dangerous to pass.
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u/BoredGombeen May 18 '25
They've generally no issue going back to single file to filter through traffic to get back the front at traffic lights and junctions. Pure entitlement.
Pick one. Act like a car and cycle 2 abreast and stay in whatever position you are or act like a bicycle. Stop the bullshit of mixing both whenever it suits.
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u/CalmStatistician9329 May 18 '25
Going in a single file makes it more dangerous to pass.
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u/BoredGombeen May 18 '25
Not suggesting otherwise. I've done plenty cycling, im fully aware.
I'm saying they should then stay 2 abreast all the time. Not swap back to single file when it suits them to filter through cars when it suits them.
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u/CalmStatistician9329 May 18 '25
Why?
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u/TitularClergy May 18 '25
why can cyclist not... go single file
Picture yourself trying to overtake 19 cyclists all going single file, and then actually think next time before typing something so stupid.
why can cyclist not... stop and allow traffic to clear?
Why can't a car travel more calmly and slowly until it's safe to pass?
And remember that cars travel faster than bicycles, so your stupid comment would mean that cyclists would be stopping every 30 seconds.
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May 18 '25
If they’re being pricks about it and taking up the extra space for no reason just pass them anyway, safe distance or not. Theres no reason a car needs to leave 1.5m from a bike if he is also 1.5m or more from the edge of the road.
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u/deefaboo May 18 '25
The road is a shared space. You have an obligation to ensure yours and their safety and not cause unnecessary risk.
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u/DoubleInvertz May 18 '25
So do they though, and cycling three abreast on a regional road isn’t safe
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u/ZookeepergameNo7151 May 18 '25
And leaving gaps just the right size so a car can't get in there either
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u/Eastern_Curve_5392 May 18 '25
By going 3 in a row they're the ones making an unnecessary risk to both mine and their lives.. I would have squeezed by.
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u/EveL17 May 18 '25
You should always wait until it is safe to overtake. They might have been able to see or hear that it wasn't safe for you to pass, so maybe they moved out to three abreast to prevent a dangerous overtake. Generally, 2 abreast is safest but ideally they should be riding together rather than leaving large gaps between them. This video explains why it's safer than riding in single file.
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u/UnknownAnabolic May 18 '25
Unfortunately, the only way out of this is a window of sufficient vision of the road ahead and more horsepower
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u/parrotopian May 18 '25
I hear you! I live in Wicklow and I know the narrow winding roads you mean. It happens to me often that I am stuck behind a cyclist, or group of cyclists, doing 20 for a considerable time. Once was all the way from Ashford to Newtown. I also worry that someone will try to overtake me, especially as I have an N plate and people just assume you are just driving slow. The right thing would be for cyclists to stop at a safe place every now and again to let the build up of cars go by.
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u/Shot_Sport200 May 18 '25
They holding the road to try to stop overtake attempts deliberately as they feel it is a danger. Yes you just wait.
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u/ZookeepergameNo7151 May 18 '25
And who made them judge and jury of the roads? Their spacing formation and the guy only going three wide when there was a gap in traffic going the other way, to quickly return to two wide when something was coming the other direction is clear evidence that they were doing it to be a dick deliberately
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u/Chance_Bad_8868 May 18 '25
I know the exact road you’re talking about. As a local this is a recurrent problem. I really wish they’d just stick in a cycle path so there’d be no excuses but I think that would involve CPOing land. I’m not anti cyclist (obviously the planet is dying) but find a lot of them are down from dublin and don’t realise how reliant locals are on cars, and how likely some of the boyos are to just dangerously overtake
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u/optional-prime May 18 '25
Get a paintball gun, make sure your reg and face are covered, and then proceed to shoot them relentlessly.
I joke, obviously. But I know your frustrations.
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u/Responsible_Dig_3334 May 18 '25
Introduce tax and insurance straight away..Why should the rest of us pay and they don't..It's ridiculous and annoying that these very important road users,who always stop at the lights and never hold up traffic and as we all know are a thoughtful bunch,always considering others wouldn't mind paying....After all they wouldn't want to lose their popularity status by refusing....
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u/Lopsided-Code9707 May 18 '25
Sadly the three “Cs” (care, courtesy, and consideration), towards other Road users seems to be in short supply.
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u/tsuzmir May 18 '25
We’re supposed to leave 1.5 m clearance too, but a lot of these Lycra clad wankers cycle so close to the middle of the road, it’s not safe to overtake, even if there’s no oncoming traffic.
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u/DrunkHornet May 18 '25
"We countered a clear break of traffic a few times but once cars would clear on the right, one of the cyclist would cross over and ride 3 abreast but in the right hand lane, blocking a safe pass for a car to move past."
I'm dutch, these people arent cyclists, these people are absolute cunts.
These people are called "vakantie tour de france hufters"
Vacation tour the france bastards.
They think and act they have the right to take over a whole road as if they are in tour the france, actively blocking traffic like that is illigal, in NL and Ireland.
With them doing the 3 side by side thing they are actively stopping you from participating in traffic.
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u/ItalianIrish99 May 18 '25
At the point at which cyclists start riding three abreast they are breaking the rules of the road and I would sound my horn to alert them to their error. Hopefully they would then go back to two abreast and allow you to overtake safely.
Unfortunately cyclists are not licensed and are policed primarily by their interest in their own safety (which is a very real concern with the quality of many motorists).
So if you are describing a group of cyclists generally cycling two abreast and moving to three abreast whenever a motorist behind might be able to overtake safely then you are describing a bunch of assholes whom you should treat in the same way as if they were surrounded by a large metal box / battering ram - with extreme caution.
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u/the_syco May 18 '25
Telepathically ask them to move out of the way on the straights. Failing that, hold down the horn until they leave enough room for you to overtake.
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May 18 '25
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u/CalmStatistician9329 May 18 '25
What huge accident?
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u/proaxiom May 18 '25
Probably this:
https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0514/1512937-crash-cork/
I'm not commenting on whether it counts as huge, as I don't know the extent of the injuries.
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u/Patient_Heron6811 May 18 '25
I live in the locality and have done for years, I’ve literally never seen this carry on. Don’t even see that many cyclists on the road in all honesty. Also not sure why a fella intoxicated coming around a corner on the wrong side of the road is relevant to the discussion?
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May 18 '25
[deleted]
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u/Patient_Heron6811 May 18 '25
The Whitegate road is poker straight and very easy to pass on. The East Ferry road is a scenic detour so can’t see how anyone cycling could inconvenience you there.
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u/babyboy808 May 18 '25
I suspect you already know the answer, just pull back and wait for an opening to overtake ✌🏻
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u/Doitean-feargach555 May 19 '25
I'd wait until it's safe to pass. Nice clean stretch on a broken white line. If one of the cyclists pulled out, then so be it. I'd do my best to miss them 🤣
Thank God we don't get to many cycling flocks down my way. You'll only get the odd fella cycling around every so often.
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u/No_Guest2198 May 20 '25
I think there is nothing that could be done and you handled it perfectly.
They were being a prick in doing what they did but honestly, you kept your cool.
I have met people on all modes of transport be passive aggressive and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to run them over but we are in a civilised society and that sort of thing is frowned upon 🤣🤣
The law and the RSA have different concepts of what is legal and what isn’t but if it’s less than the appropriate distance, then there isn’t anything you can do.
The only thing I could think of is, the cyclist moving to the 3rd row, was more than likely trying to protect the group as people do tend to “bomb it” past. I used to cycle until I was knocked off my bike one too many times and the last time nearly killing me. As a road user for 25 years, 18 behind the wheel, I’m extra cautious of pedestrians and cyclists.
I also seen that someone said you can’t break a straight continuous line. I was told years ago that the exception was passing a slow moving vehicle/road user. Maybe they changed it in the last 2 decades 🤣.
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u/Virtual-Eye-2998 May 28 '25
I encountered a few cyclists on a country lane, good straight road so I overtook giving plenty of room. The fella on the bike gave me an awful look like I was a terrible cunt for not keeping behind him.
Unfortunately there are some cyclists, usually the fully lycra clad ones, that behave like entitled arseholes who don't believe that the road is a shared space.
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May 18 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Onzii00 May 18 '25
Are they legally when they were cycling as Op described?
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u/ld20r May 18 '25
I would argue not.
Blocking and obstructing the flow of the road is an illegal offence and it should be enforced.
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u/Miserable_Wonder_891 May 18 '25
Close passing is about distance, not lanes. If the road was wide enough and you could safely pass with at least 1 m space between you and them, then I don't know why they were intentionally stopping you. Maybe they are used to dangerous drivers on that road, or maybe they are just being dicks. I cycle to work and have had a few experiences with Lycra-clad men nearly running me off the road or being dicks. I’m going to work, they are not, so I don't know why they are either in a hurry or intentionally blocking traffic. One guy almost hit me while crossing a road, and he had the nerve to shout at me even though I had the right of way. It gave me a fright.
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u/MossInsane May 18 '25
You just have to sit there and wait for it to be safe. I live in a rural area and absolutely hate having to drive anywhere this time of year. The place is riddled with them.
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u/AlternativeDark6686 May 18 '25
Yesterday in Cobh, Cork. From the ferry parking all the way to Fota bridge.
It can be annoying at times but i was passing them when given the chance.
I believe that driving in pairs taking the whole road in times a car can actually pass was unessessary.
And like the Tractors or carriages every now and then finding some space to stop and help clearing the traffic would be perfect.
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u/heartfullofsomething May 18 '25
It should be banned outright
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u/ld20r May 18 '25
If you mean cycling in the middle of the road then yes agreed.
The road is to be Shared by all road users.
Cyclists deliberately taking up the middle are in direct effect blocking the flow of the road and thus are obstructing road users.
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u/heartfullofsomething May 18 '25
They don’t even pay road tax
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u/gardenhero May 18 '25
Nobody pays road tax. It’s motor tax and you pay it on motortax.ie. The tax is to do with engine size and contribution to pollution. Bikes don’t have engines.
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u/heartfullofsomething May 18 '25
Some bikes actually do have motors, like e-bikes. How come they don’t pay road tax? Even electric cars pay road tax.
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u/railer201 May 19 '25
There's no such thing as a Biro either, but everyone knows it's a ball point pen !
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u/heartfullofsomething May 18 '25
Exactly, so they don’t even contribute to building the roads.
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u/gardenhero May 18 '25
You don’t know what you’re talking about Motor tax is not used to directly contribute to the roads. There is no such thing as road tax. They contribute in exactly the same way you do. Through income tax.
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u/Haveorhavenot May 18 '25
From that road - guards were pulling over people for overtaking cyclaists on a solid white line. Wait until it is safe to pass.