Changes to the Highway Code.

[culzean]

I can see some rear end shunts as vehicles have to brake sharply when a pedestrian or cyclist decides to use their new power.

I think this is being over-thought. If I’m turning into a junction then I’m looking for hazards at the turn, and I’m  indicating and braking anyway so anyone behind has ample warning. Nothing new there. And if I’m the following vehicle, then I try to drive as if I’m expecting the vehicle ahead to stop suddenly anyway. So nothing new there either. If others don’t drive like that, well, that’s their problem.

[Quote from deleted post removed by Admin]

Better to avoid creating a situation in the first place then be deemed in the right in the collision.

I've seen two collisions and been involved in one myself where the chain of events was kicked-off by someone up front choosing to stop to let someone out (not the same as reacting to someone pulling out - that's different). In one instance I was one of the stationary cars that got hit from behind. In one of the collisions I witnessed, an overtaking biker - hidden from view by the car that had stopped - was struck by the emerging vehicle and knocked off his motorbike and tossed up in the air and along the road.

I pretty much stay in lane on my motorbike in traffic because many bikers are killed or injured doing insane speeds between other moving vehicles ( called lane-splitting in some countries and illegal ).  If the traffic is stopped I will cautiously filter at no more than 10mph,  it ain't worth ending up in A&E to saver a couple of minutes.  Better to be a bit late in this life than early into the next...... 

Overtaking on the inside in Aussie, if not entirely legal was tolerated and we had a grandstand view ( much too close ) of a pretty bad smash,  at front of queue at traffic lights on two lane road with turning lane for traffic turning right - stationary traffic, lights on green for our direction, but the traffic stopped across lights with a gap to let cars across, and a RH turning car from other direction came across in front of us, car going straight ahead to our LH side traveling past inside us at about 30mph,  big crunch just in front of our nearside wing,  coolant and steam everywhere and airbags popping - luckily it was right outside a fire station and I ran across to wake them up....

[JimSh]

Guardian's take on the Mail's take on new rules on priorities.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jan/24/common-myths-about-what-uk-highway-code-changes-will-mean

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/30/two-in-three-uk-drivers-unaware-of-planned-highway-code-changes

Edit Added second link

[Kremmen]

Just been watching a news item regarding the changes and the item showed images suggesting that the highway code encourages cyclists to cycle in the centre of the carriageway they are in.

We will now get the obnoxious ones who will reduce traffic to about 10mph, with often no chance to overtake, because they can.

[ColinB]

There’s been lots of mis-reporting and wild (ie wrong) speculation about these changes and what they mean. It’s worth going back to the source and reading the official line:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-highway-code-8-changes-you-need-to-know-from-29-january-2022

[Kremmen]

will = (when nearer to the kerb is more courteous IMO, not as below)



It's early days so let's see how this pans out, dashcam at the ready

[ColinB]

Are you implying that the cyclist in your picture is being discourteous? To me, it looks like he's being sensible. He seems to be doing what the new HC suggests: "riding in the centre of their lane on quiet roads, in slower-moving traffic and at the approach to junctions or road narrowings" (noting that the diversion sign ahead of him constitutes a "road narrowing", he doesn't want to get trapped against it by an overtaking vehicle). No problem there, just hang back and pass when it's safe.

[Kremmen]

I just think with maybe an engine sound behind he should move closer to the kerb.

[ColinB]

I just think with maybe an engine sound behind he should move closer to the kerb.

And get trapped in front of the diversion sign? He's doing what any road user should do, ie looking ahead for hazards and planning to mitigate them.

[shufty]

I just think with maybe an engine sound behind he should move closer to the kerb.

...Nah he'll have some 'buds in listening to his choonz, won't even know you're there

[Lord Voltermore]

I just think with maybe an engine sound behind he should move closer to the kerb.

The cyclist is approaching an obstruction (the diversion sign)  Perfectly reasonable to position for it in good time.  He shouldnt have to scuttle along in the gutter until the last moment,and possibly have to come to a stop, for the convenience of overtakers.  Reality may have been different but from this photo I wouldnt overtake here anyway , even if it appeared the cyclist was going to remain in the gutter.   Too many potential hazards.

[nowster]

I just think with maybe an engine sound behind he should move closer to the kerb.

That could be considered harassment by some. The cyclist in your photo is in exactly the right position given the road ahead, and it would be most unwise to pass them given the hazards ahead: oncoming car passing parked cars, diversion sign causing an obstruction in the road, multiple side roads.

You should in any case allow enough space for the bike to fall over sideways when passing them. That's about the width of a car.

This is all without any changes to the Highway Code.

[Kremmen]

In my defence m'lud, after a previous post I tried to find an image of the new code showing a cyclist centre carriageway as in my top image.

To help show the potential problem as I saw it I searched for a dashcam image showing a cyclist mid carriageway. What I failed to notice during posting was the roadworks ahead.

What I was trying to convey was a situation I can see happening a lot from now on with cyclists occupying centre carriageway regardless.

Bad example, my fault.

[nowster]

What I was trying to convey was a situation I can see happening a lot from now on with cyclists occupying centre carriageway regardless.

I personally have no problems with a cyclist taking a more prominent positioning, like a motorcyclist, in situations where they would otherwise be vulnerable by hugging the gutter. On a flat road a fit cyclist can often keep up with other traffic.

The new rules also make explicit that cyclists should never undertake horses being ridden.

And I'm in favour of making it explicit that pedestrians already crossing a side road junction have right of way (in addition to the new H2 requirements). If I hadn't been closely watching a minivan driver yesterday, I would have been run over. He hadn't looked once into the side road I was crossing before turning into it with me already halfway across the junction (running) at that point. I stopped, stared and waved. (No rude gestures.) 2000kg of metal beats 70kg of flesh and bone for kinetic energy. The laws of physics trump the laws of the land.

[nowster]

The actual wording of the new rule for cyclists is more sensible than most reports have made it out to be:

Rule 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.

[Kremmen]

That'a good mention re busy roads.

There are a few weekends in the summer where there is some sort of a cycle rally along the A22 somewhere south of the East Grinstead area. I forget the exact stretch but it has a lot of single carriageway.

Every year there was a significant tailback of traffic as heavy goods and coaches got stuck behind cyclists 3 abreast with no regard for what was behind.

I seemed to always drive down to Eastbourne on one of the rally days.