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.
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.
The far north is a joy when the views are clear and the days are long.
Iconic view from far north train.River HelmsdaleLooking across the Moray FirthBeach near BroraLooking towards NiggAt Invergordan Boarding the sleeper- but no bike.View from the sleeper near TomartinEarly near AtherstoneBreakfast
The breakfast did leave me hungry.
Mist approaching Rugby It’s green near Buckby Arrival at Euston Waterloo
15 mins of delay at Waterloo due to incoming train being late, there was an obstacle on the line.
Long train
I had to get myself into the front five carriages as the train splits at Bournemouth.
More green landscape near HookPooleArrived at Wool
Barriers going down
Train arriving at Wool
I am about to start my minor backtrack.
Southampton Near OtterbourneChange at WinchesterReading stationReading Ibis
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.
Is it possible to get from Paris to Inverness in a day by train? Yes, and with only one change.
Paris to Inverness
It’s an early start but not overly early from the hotel. Onto the Gare Du Nord.
Loaded onto the Eurostar.Leaving Paris
Speeding across FranceTurbines in the distance.Sunny with some mist Some foggynessInto KentSt Pancras Lunch or second breakfast at Giraffe , Kings Cross LNER Train to Inverness Loaded in the rack
FlatGranthamStill flatNewcastle Berwick on TweedEdinburgh Near Linlithgow Sun going down near LarbetNear DunblaneNear AuchteraderPerth – the motor mileInverness
Arrived at Inverness just after 8 having left London at 12 and Paris at 9:10 French time. 90 minutes to change in London, but 12 hours to get from Paris to Inverness.
Didcot Premier Inn – Plus roomBathroom- shower better than standing in a bath.Leaving DidcotA view of the BT tower on the way across London St Pancras Premier Inn – a plus room.View from the room.Paddington to St Pancras
The cycle route was mainly on protected cycle lanes. Some are very new. This makes the ride far more pleasant. But stop start.
Then a cycle to the Great Nepalese Restaurant near Euston station.
Vegetable momos The Nepalese set menu for one.Great food at the Great Nepalese.Complimentary food is available in the Sleeper Lounge.About to board the sleeper.Breakfast in the Highlands It’s snowy- the River Findhotn.Approaching Inverness Arrived at Inverness Snow had crept into the train.Inverness station has a dusting of snow.
Unfortunately the Far North train does not connect well with the Sleeper. I have a two hour wait in Inverness. Not much open at this time so in a moment of inspiration it’s off for a breakfast at Premier Inn. Must get sponsorship.
River NessSecond breakfast.
The Premier Inn is slightly disorganised. The card reader is not working so I get a free breakfast. Due to a low number of staff it takes an age for it to be served. Can’t complain because I am not paying for it.
Snowy Far North train at Inverness.Heading away from Inverness Slight speckling of snow near Conon Bridge.Near Edderton Near Invershin
There’s proper snowy scenery
Then back to the coast.
Near Brora
Then up the Helmsdale Strath.
River Helmsdale Very white near Kinbrace.Between Halkirk and Thurso.River ThursoIt’s snowing in Thurso
Setting off on the afternoon train with a grey sky.It was already getting dark. A downside to traveling in November.InvernessThis is the standard cabin on the sleeper
The standard cabin has no ensuite, you don’t get breakfast and cannot use the sleeper lounge.
Arrival at Euston Paddington
Google maps appeared to put me on the wrong train so I potentially could have ended up in Taunton rather than Didcot. Ticket man pointed out the error and I was able to change at Reading.
Insight 