If course you can! The Highway Code even says in some circumstances it is better to do so, when in groups or riding with children. It’s easier to overtake a group of cyclists close together than strung out.
This is what the Highway Code says : “be considerate of the needs of other road users when riding in groups. You can ride two abreast and it can be safer to do so, particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders. Be aware of drivers behind you and allow them to overtake (for example, by moving into single file or stopping) when you feel it is safe to let them do so..” rule 66.
But, as the rule says, cyclists should also be mindful of the traffic and make it easy to overtake, when safe. We should all be kind and considerate to each other.
In the U.K. this is not true, as rule 61 of the Highway Code says.
Referring to cycle lanes and cycle tracks “While such facilities are provided for reasons of safety, cyclists may exercise their judgement and are not obliged to use them.”
The Highway Code defines what cycle lanes and cycle tracks are, they are different.
A cycle lane is marked on the road, with either a solid line or a broken line. Vehicles cannot drive in cycle lanes marked by solid lines or park in them. From my observations this is not observed. A cycle lane which is only half a meter wide are worse than useless. There’s not enough space between the bike and the vehicles, and does not comply with Highway Code rule 72. I recently saw useless cycle lanes of this nature in Guildford and Wallingford. This is the part of the road which collects debris.
Cycle tracks are routes physically separated from vehicles, so, they should be good. Unfortunately in the UK they are often poorly designed, with dangerous entry and exit points, obstructions, debris, poor surfaces and no right of way when crossing side roads.
Why would a cyclist not use cycle lanes and cycle tracks? For the reasons described above, the UK cycle infrastructure is often useless. The UK needs to look abroad to see how to make proper cycle infrastructure.
When cyclists are a topic on social media there are always those shouting their condemnation because all cyclists are law breakers, according to them. But does this stack up?
Anecdotally, on my commute to work I see no cyclists breaking the law but I see plenty of drivers breaking the law, either contravening the double white lines or speeding.
If you look online there are plenty of studies showing drivers break the law, in their respective countries, far more often than cyclists, so why is there this apparently unwarranted demonisation of cyclists? Probably because when cyclists break the law, usually by running a red light, they are visible.
Speeding drivers are less obvious and there appears to an acceptance among a large minority that this is ok, to an extent that many complain about speed cameras, “it’s a money earner”. It’s actually easy to avoid being caught by a speed camera, don’t speed.
Drivers of vehicles cause far more damage when they have a collision than a cyclist, they are far heavier and far faster. Non compliance with the law by drivers is far more consequential.
When I have cycled through London, I have wondered why cyclists jump lights 🚦, a bad idea as this could end in death. Cycling between Euston and Padding, I add 25% time wise to the journey waiting at traffic lights. However I am still faster than the motorised vehicles.
It appears that both cyclists and motorists have impatience in common.
Cyclists are an easy target. Mostly harmless, mostly law abiding, but a minority. This is what is known as prejudice.
Car drivers moaning about cyclists feel free to keep complaining if you have never contravened the law while driving, otherwise be quiet.
You are driving along and there’s a bike in front of you going at a slower speed. Impatience builds, you can‘t get past. Bl**dy cyclist🤬.
In reality you may have a perceived delay of a few tens of seconds. But as you speed on to the next queue of vehicles , where you lose minutes, the bike made no difference. And why can’t you overtake the bike? Because of the oncoming traffic. The problem is the excessive number cars not the bike.
But it’s worse! In 2024 the average UK driver lost 62 hours due to traffic congestion. That’s more than two and a half days. In London that’s 101 hours. That’s a lot of time spent staring at someone‘s rear bumper. Look for INREX 2024. This is due to excessive number of motorised vehicles.
Traffic also delays pedestrians, you can’t get across the road due to the traffic wizzing past. Cars also delay cyclists, sometimes it’s impossible to get out of junction due to the traffic. The congestion also gets in the way of emergency vehicles.
I have had cars overtake me while I was cycling, stopping just in front of me, to turn right, which they can’t due to the oncoming traffic. Its then tricky to get past the immobile blockage on the road. Waste of my time and very rude.
There is another cost of congestion. Pollution! Shortens the lives of the drivers and the non drivers.☠️
The way to reduce that wasted 62 hours or 101 hours in London is to get on your bike. Reduced delays for you riding the bike, reduced traffic because you are riding your bicycle instead of driving. Less congestion, reduced delays for those in the cars. Everyone is happy.
72 Road positioning. When riding on the roads, there are two basic road positions you should adopt, depending on the situation. 1) Ride in the centre of your lane, to make yourself as clearly visible as possible, in the following situations
on quiet roads or streets – if a faster vehicle comes up behind you, move to the left to enable them to overtake, if you can do so safely
in slower-moving traffic – when the traffic around you starts to flow more freely, move over to the left if you can do so safely so that faster vehicles behind you can overtake
at the approach to junctions or road narrowings where it would be unsafe for drivers to overtake you
2) When riding on busy roads, with vehicles moving faster than you, allow them to overtake where it is safe to do so whilst keeping at least 0.5 metres away, and further where it is safer, from the kerb edge. Remember that traffic on most dual carriageways moves quickly. Take extra care crossing slip roads.
So it’s ride at least 0.5 m from the kerb but in some circumstances in the middle of the lane. In particular when the road is narrow, so it is unsafe for the vehicle to overtake the cyclist.
It’s green next to the railway linesInteresting location for a coffee.Debenhams demolition in the distance The worst cycle infrastructure on Epsom Road in Guildford.
The cycle lanes marked out in Guildford are beyond useless. No segregation, suggesting a totally inappropriate position for the cyclists to take on the road. I would cycle at least at the line. I actually cycled in the mostly in the middle of the lane to take the decision away from the drivers, so they did not attempt to overtake at the frequent traffic islands. Of course I was hooted at, but ironically I was going faster than the motorised vehicles. Guildford suffers from pollution,
Clandon
There are plenty of stations in the commuter belt.
Delays
Someone had pulled a communication alarm on a train causing all the trains to be delayed.
Heading into Guildford.
Two days later headed back to Oxfordshire. Dodged the rail replacement buses by travelling from Farnborough.
Farnborough Change at Basingstoke Church spire Mortimer Approaching Reading from the south Boats at GoringBoats on the Thames at GoringThames near Cholsey.Bromptons Didcot – another change CholseyThe Thames at Wallingford – The Boat House.
Heading off in the sun.BromptonsBlue skies and a few clouds heading south.River Helmsdale Helmsdale Beach near Helmsdale Dornoch Firth
Changed from the far north line to the sleeper at Inverness.
Speeding away from Inverness.
Near KingussieBreakfast going through Birmingham
Not sure this breakfast looks appetising. It tasted ok. A few issues on the train. The lock on the cabin was not fully functioning, no pull out table in cabin, coffee machine in buffet car not working. There are some maintenance issues it appears.
AstonCanal in Birmingham Euston
Arrival in Euston is 20 minutes late due to work in the line. I had been forewarned by text.
Cycled over to Paddington.HS2 worksOxfordshire
Then headed back east
Boats on the Thames approaching ReadingReading station
I witnessed an old couple falling over on the escalator just after getting on. while they were heading up. I was heading down. A woman at the top shouted for someone to hit the emergency stop. A hapless woman holding a dog appeared transfixed and unable to hit the button. After what appeared to be an age someone finally hit the button. Chaos. No staff about.
The map taken from the Interrail app shows just how far the journey was, but misses the far north line and the detour to Oxfordshire.
From the Interrail app: 5784 km distance
15 trains on the Interrail ticket, 20 in total.
Seven countries.
Weather
Sunny almost throughout, but a big variation in temperature. Highest ,around 14 centigrade in Augsburg, lowest -10 in Bucharest.
Food
The food was good, but had to get creative in the meat centric countries. I had my first experience of a Lebanese restaurant in Bucharest, the very good Coin-Vert Libanez.
I had to fight through the snow and ice to get to it. A week later I had my second Lebanese restaurant experience in Paris.
Plenty of good food on this trip.
Hotels
I stayed in three Premier Inn plus rooms, three varieties of Ibis: budget, styles and no moniker, a Radisdon Individuals Schiller Park in Linz and Ramada by Wyndham in Bucharest.
Best bed:Premier Inn plus
Best shower: Premier Inn plus
Best view: Ramada by Wyndham
Best location: Hotel Schiller Park- in central location near the railway station.
Best breakfast: Ramada by Wyndham
Best rooms: Premier Inn plus
Most expensive: Premier Inn St Pancras
Best check out times: Ibis / check out by noon.
I like the simplicity of the Ibis Budget.
Locations
Both Augsburg and Linz were amazing places to visit. Smaller and not as busy as Vienna but interesting buildings and history. Bucharest lacked the beautiful buildings but the lake was beautiful.
Travelling by train emphasised the change in landscape and buildings. Farmhouses are tiny and ramshackled in Romanian but huge and well maintained in Austria and Germany.
People
As well as meeting the natives of each country that I visited I was surprised to meet people from so many other countries. I had conversations with Qataris, Russians, Albanians, Norwegians, New Zealanders, Moldovans, Canadians, Taiwanese and probably more. Talking to Austrians in German with their local accents was a joy, including a woman in her 90s from Vienna,
Cycling
Cycling was awful in Bucharest, but faster than cars. Driving in Bucharest also looks awful. Paris cycle way provision is good in Paris, but blocked by vehicles on the Sunday. Vienna was busy, Augsburg pleasant. I heard a tram hitting a car in Vienna and saw the massive crumpled side of the car, the tram just drove off. The closest I came to an accident was Inverness, where a car was being driven at 60 mph in a 30 zone, as I was turning right. The bike gave a good way to cross cities between stations and to get to hotels. It was also a great luggage trolley.
Yesterday there had been issues with the far north line, with rail replacement buses provided, but today the train seems to be running.
Due to the early start Premier Inn provided a pack breakfast.
Yuck! The worst bread ☹️.Inverness station – the Kings Cross Train.River BeaulyNigg in the distance At LairgBetween Golspie and BroraRiver HelmsdaleFlow CountryCauseymire turbines in distanceRiver Thurso
Insight 