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Why are cyclists still using main roads?

If you have any advice for a frustrated driver then I should be grateful to hear it. Whilst heading out and driving along a local urban stretch of A-road today I caught up with a group of at least 20 cyclists, never less than three abreast. I followed them for half a mile until the next major junction, when, thankfully, they proceeded in a different direction from mine. Had they not done so, it would have been at least another mile before I would have had any hope of safely passing them. I have no idea how the law stands on this, except that I know I have to give cyclists a wide berth on the carriageway. Surely the days of using roads to pursue leisurely tootles are long gone. Or am I just too old to be behind the wheel?

Asked on 30 March 2013 by JB, Chepstow

Answered by Honest John
We have dealt with this before, contrasting the attitude of French cyclists with those in Britain. In France, the far more experienced cyclists invariably get out of the way and do everything they can reasonably do to co-operate with car, truck and bus drivers, partially out of courtesy and partially out of self-preservation. In the UK, in direct contrast, cyclists seem to adopt a 'holier than thou' attitude towards car drivers (and, more dangerously, towards truck and bus drivers), which does them no favours and can get them injured.
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