Why do cyclists “Hog the road”

Have a look at this video (1-minute, safe for work)

My reward for getting out of the way of the considerate driver of the Merc (the reason he took a while to pass as I moved accross was that he was giving plenty of room behind – thanks) was a near left-hook from the John Lewis lorry following him. The problem is, once you let one car through, everyone else thinks they can pile past, even when there is no room. This is why it’s often safer to “hog the lane”.


I’d rather annoy you than be killed to death by the arsehole behind. And if I’m annoying you, at least that means you’ve seen me.

The answer to any question about why cyclists do something which appears irritating or selfish, the answer is usually “because some drivers are arseholes”.

19 replies
  1. Luke
    Luke says:

    Yes, that's the problem with cycle training. If you do the stuff you're meant to- taking the lane etc- drivers go nuts, sometimes because of arseholic tendencies, sometimes because they are genuinely baffled by what you are doing.

  2. Malcolm Bracken
    Malcolm Bracken says:

    Most drivers genuinely think you're safer out of the way, in the potholes on the left.

    If we could educate drivers, so they understand that taking the lane isn't reckless or in the way for the sake of it, the hostility might drop.

  3. Anonymous
    Anonymous says:

    If only we could educate these cyclists that it is time they put away their 19th century toys and joined the 21st century.

  4. Malcolm Bracken
    Malcolm Bracken says:

    Ah. Anon. You ignorant pillock. Enjoy the traffic? You ARE the traffic.

    Bicycles are a feature of livable cities. You make a world around the car, you get milton keynes or Los Angeles. You put your 20th century anachronism away and get some fresh air.

    You might enjoy it.

  5. The Fyrdman
    The Fyrdman says:

    Glad your safe, there's not many of my fave bloggers left it seems. Now for me to be bit of a prick.

    Killed to death? As opposed to anything other type of killing?

  6. Anonymous
    Anonymous says:

    I cycle, drive and was even mad enough once to own a motorbike but I encounter similar situations about 2 or 3 times a week. Every week. Not usually lorry drivers but fat c***s in their 4x4s or middle aged women in small cars, neither of which tend to know how wide their vehicle is.

    Mr Jones is correct, the gutter is not the place to be – if they even think they can pass you in the face of oncoming traffic, they'll try. If you don't give them the option, they just get pi**ed off – which I don't mind a bit.

  7. Luke
    Luke says:

    Anon, Jackart completely off topic e c***/cunt dilemma.

    The New York Times apparently has a rule that they will not print actual swear words, nor anything that hints at a swear word, ie no c***s or f***s. So a review of Larkin's most famous poem solemnly quoted it as "They mess you up/ your mum and dad."

  8. Liberal Engineering
    Liberal Engineering says:

    I don't like to force cyclist's into the gutter, the state of the roads could easily pitch them off the bike and under the wheels.

    Alas, 13 years of Labour and not having to worry about consequences of ones actions means most of the car driving fucktools on the road don't see this as a 'Perceived Hazard' (its in the driving test now, when I did my test in '92 it was just called common sense?)

    There is plenty of room on the roads, just it seems bitches in 4×4's seem to think a few millimetres clearance is in fact about 12 inches, as their micro-dicked partners seem to keep telling them.

    But please cyclist's – Don't ignore red lights! Some of the above mentioned mouth breathing retards are under the impression that getting the little darlings to McD's is worth more than your life, I don't think its worth the risk for a few minutes


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