UKH

Should charity bike rides, specifically Lands End to John O groats be discouraged?
I don't want to reply to the other cyclist death thread in Scotland as it would be callous.
But, what on earth are people thinking of cycling the A roads of Scotland ?
I regularly see large groups of cyclists on the A82 at Rannoch causing chaos and queues putting both themselves and other road users at risk of head on collisions with others. What on earth are they thinking of? In most places it's pretty narrow.

In reply to Dave the Rave:

What's wrong with cycling on the A roads of Scotland? I mean some are more pleasant than others, but cyclists have as much right to be there as cars - in fact in most of the north of the country, there isn't much alternative to A roads. There's obviously an etiquette to cycling in large groups that involves spreading out enough to allow drivers to overtake bikes one or two at a time, rather than bunching up into a big obstruction. I know not everyone does that, but the principle of cyclists on A roads isn't a bad one.

In reply to Dave the Rave:
The only people putting others at risk of head on collisions are those drivers doing dangerous overtakes. Slow the f*ck down before you kill someone.

In reply to Orgsm:


My driving is spot on, but I fear for cyclists on those roads. Some drivers are in a rush, and by cycling those roads you are in danger as a cyclist?

In reply to Dave the Rave:

I thought this was a thread about shagging Mrs Num Num.

In reply to Yanis Nayu:


No. That is the Bag Packing thread?

In reply to Dave the Rave:

Then ban those drivers, as those drivers are a danger to everyone.

In reply to Dave the Rave:


If thats what made you think about it then surely you should be wanting to ban campervans instead.
Since the cyclist was killed in a head on when someone decided to overtake two vehicles.

In reply to Orgsm:


True, they are. But as a cyclist, why put yourself in danger on roads that drivers will overtake slow moving traffic on?

In reply to malky_c:

I wouldn't begin to contemplate cycling the A82.

Why pretend it would be a pleasant experience.especially going round Loch Lomond

I would be shitting myself.

In reply to Dave the Rave:


There are walkers doing this as well. ( some high profile ones over the years) Walkers ( charity or otherwise) are pretty slow.

In reply to Dave the Rave:


If your mission in life is to discourage people from doing things, then assuming your energies are not infinite, I can think of plenty of other things that are more deserving of your attentions.

In reply to Dave the Rave:

I think you would like this article http://www.thinkscotland.org/thinkpolitics/articles.html?read_full=11951

In reply to andymac:

I used to cycle between Ballachulish and Fort William occasionally as a teenager (20 years ago admittedly but still busy). These days I sometimes use the A82 between Inverness and Drum. Agreed it's not the best cycling, but it makes up a small part of a good loop. Sometimes the places you want to go don't have a great choice of roads.

In reply to Andy Morley:


Do you consider it a good idea for lots of cyclists to be on dangerous roads in Scotland, in the course of charity. I'm concerned for their safety and not in being held up by them.

In reply to Dave the Rave:

Are you being serious?

In reply to Dave the Rave:


Nobody should be on dangerous roads except insofar as all road use carries a risk. Your idea of risk seems to be out of line with the mainstream. You have a bee in your bonnet it seems.

In reply to Dave the Rave:


You could easily turn that round...

Do you consider it a good idea for impatient motorists to drive recklessly, and make roads dangerous for other road users?

In reply to Dave the Rave:

Surely the issue isn't charity rides or club rides or whatever ? the issue is road users bahaving innapropriately (drivers driving like wankers and cyclists behaving like wankers).

In reply to Clinger:



I read the OP to be more about common sense than rights? Impatient motorists are a curse and a threat to cyclists, but de facto they exist, so if you chose to cycle on roads where the risk from them is greater than average there is no point in being right and dead.

Sadly as a result of cuts in police budgets the policing of our roads is getting more and more infrequent. We all see dangerous overtaking occurring all the time, but how often do we see motorists being pulled over for anything? Pro active prevention is much better than retro active prosecution following a fatality, but who is going to pay for the manpower required to do it?

In reply to Trangia:


The "no point being right and dead" thing is a valid point when we're talking about, say, asserting your right of way at a junction regardless of the van that looks suspiciously like it isn't going to give way. When it's more about it being irresponsible to try to do more-or-less any long-distance ride North of the Central Belt because YOU WILL DEFINITELY DIE, I think we maybe need to get a sense of perspective.

In reply to Trangia:
Thanks Trangia, I do understand that the OP isn't about rights, however I think the issue of rights is pertinent here.

Rights that aren't exercised are diminished. If everyone stopped cycling on the A82, then traffic conditions would adjust to that being the norm. As a result it would become even harder to cycle there than it is now, and the option of using the road potentially lost.

Cyclists need to be aware of the motorist's needs and not cycle in big wide groups, and motorists need to be aware of cyclists needs and have a little patience. The problem won't be solved by letting one side's bad behaviour win through.

In reply to Dave the Rave:


Couldn't agree more.

In reply to Clinger:



You could and I would answer no. I've seen loads of inconsiderate drivers and very few inconsiderate cyclists on the A82. So, other than out of necessity to travel, or, ignorance/negligence on the organisers part, i struggle to see why cyclists would use that road.

In reply to Dave the Rave:


Er the same reason many others use the road. It goes to Fort William, and it goes direct.

In reply to Orgsm:


Er see above.

In reply to Dave the Rave:


So you can see but choose to wear a blind fold.

In reply to Dave the Rave:


Because it's nicer than the A9 and not much worse than the A83/A85/A828 etc?