Eh up
I'd encourage everyone on the road to chill out, and think about the possible consequences of their actions in relation to the perceived benefits of their actions.
For example, if someone on a bike is holding you up, you might be tempted to squeeze past them. How long are you prepared to sit behind them, to wait until it's safe to pass? 30 seconds? That feels like quite a lot of time when you're driving a car, doing 12mph in 2nd gear (you'll cover 180 yards, near enough). How about a minute? Feels like an age, doesn't it (that's a fifth of a mile). But what are you going to do with that thirty seconds or a minute when you get to your destination, that's so important that you feel you can justify risking someone else's life over? They might wobble (you might even induce a wobble). They might hit a pothole. Then they're dead. Some poor kids don't have a dad any more. You'll have to stop and deal with the situation. It won't be pleasant. That 30 second delay will be a tiny, tiny fraction of the delay as you wait for the ambulance, and the police, and give a statement, and.... But, if they don't wobble or hit a pothole - which they won't, most of the time - you get there 30 seconds earlier. Hope it was worth it.
Here's a picture from the highway code:
Personally, I think that's very badly worded. I used to driver 7.5 tonners, and the space I would leave parked cars might be as close as an inch. The intention is: "Imagine the bike is a car. What would your road position be if you were overtaking it? That's where you need to be." Like in the picture.
Handy tip, if you're a stickler for rules. Rule 129 of the highway code about solid white lines and overtaking bikes: "You may cross the line if necessary, provided the road is clear, to pass a stationary vehicle, or overtake a pedal cycle, horse or road maintenance vehicle, if they are travelling at 10 mph (16 km/h) or less." Generally, if a bike is going up a hill and the cyclist isn't wearing lycra, you can probably assume they're doing 10mph or less.
We all want to get where we're going safely: without dying, enduring life-changing injuries, getting wound up, dealing with the guilt/shock/hassle/delay of being involved in a preventable accident. So please. Chill the f'k out.
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