How to behave on a Cycling UK Stevenage ride

How to behave on a Cycling UK Stevenage ride.

Remember to be nice to all other road users - we want everyone to feel safe and welcome on our rides. We adhere to the Cycling UK safeguarding policies see https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/legal-guide/safeguarding

If you have any issues or concerns of any kind, please talk to us. Tina Walker or Shara Watt is here to help resolve any issues no matter how small.

Before the ride

Please do not ask the ride leader to share a GPX file of their route. This has caused issues in the past if the leader decides to detour from their originally planned route. Ride leaders may decide to share GPX files at their own discretion.

On the ride

Please be aware of where other riders are in relation to you, especially those behind you. It is your responsibility to ensure that riders behind you know which way the ride is going, this may require you to wait at a corner to make sure the next rider knows where to go. 

All riders are responsible for their own safety on our rides. We would like riders to indicate to others when they can see danger, for example, Car left, Car right, at a junction, but please do not indicate that the road is safe, each rider needs to make their own decision on what they are happy and safe to do.

When approaching a junction, the ride should single out to allow all riders to have good visibility of the conditions and to be able to see any hand-signals. If you are on the right of the leader, you will be blocking their view and not be able to see a left-turn signal)

Do Not wave a vehicle past the group, road users need to make their own decisions about when it is safe to overtake. 

Signalling

Leaders should indicate with hand signals to indicate what they will be doing at the next junction in good time. This will enable all riders to indicate which way they are going and will help both other riders in the group and any traffic that is either behind the group or coming towards the group from the front. All riders should signal what they are intending to do and should not cycle in a way that puts other riders in danger.

Steeper hills

On some steeper hills where riders may want to go at a faster pace, please ride in single file to allow others to overtake.

Track and Trail sections

Always leave at least a bike length gap to the rider in front, this is for safety and to help other users of the space to feel safe. 

Calls heard on the ride 

Note some of these are new calls that we would like all our riders to use, replacing other older terms.

Car front or Car ahead

The lead rider may use the phrase “Car front” or “Car ahead” when they see a vehicle approaching the group, this call will be heard on narrower roads. 

Action: On country lanes the group should single out to give more space for the vehicle to pass.

Car back or Car behind

The rider at the back of the group may use the phrase “Car back” or “Car behind” when they become aware of a car behind them. 

Action: The group should enable the vehicle to overtake when it is safe and practicable to do so. This may involve the group splitting into smaller groups, pairs or single riders that are easier for the car to overtake. Or the whole ride pausing to allow the car to go past.

Extract from rule 66 of the Highway Code

• be considerate of the needs of other road users when riding in groups. You can ride two abreast and it can be safer to do so, particularly in larger groups or when accompanying children or less experienced riders. Be aware of drivers behind you and allow them to overtake (for example, by moving into single file or stopping) when you feel it is safe to let them do so.

Slowing/Stopping

Any rider may call Slowing or Stopping to indicate that they are slowing down to help riders behind them. The lead rider depending on road conditions and especially when approaching junctions.

Hole

A rider may call out “Hole” to indicate poor road surface. The rider may add the words left or right and/or a hand signal pointing to the problem.

Obstacles

When there is a pedestrian or other obstacle in the road in the road on the left the rider will indicate this with a call indicating the issue. The rider may also put their left hand behind their back. Riders behind should then slow down and move out to their right if it is safe to do so.

Horses – Cycling UK/BHS Leaflet - cycling_uk_bhs_leaflet.pdf

When a group comes across a horse or horses there will be a call of “Horse” from the lead rider. The first action taken on hearing this is that all cyclists in the group will slow down. The leader of the group will then call to the horse rider(s) to alert them to the groups’ presence. There should be negotiation about when it is safe for the group to pass the horse(s). As each member of the group passes the horse(s) they should thank the horse rider, this helps the horse to understand the cyclist is a human.

Extract from The Highway Code – Rules H1 and H2

Rule H1

It is important that ALL road users are aware of The Highway Code, are considerate to other road users and understand their responsibility for the safety of others.

Everyone suffers when road collisions occur, whether they are physically injured or not. But those in charge of vehicles that can cause the greatest harm in the event of a collision bear the greatest responsibility to take care and reduce the danger they pose to others. This principle applies most strongly to drivers of large goods and passenger vehicles, vans/minibuses, cars/taxis and motorcycles.

Cyclists, horse riders and drivers of horse drawn vehicles likewise have a responsibility to reduce danger to pedestrians.

None of this detracts from the responsibility of ALL road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, to have regard for their own and other road users’ safety.

Always remember that the people you encounter may have impaired sight, hearing or mobility and that this may not be obvious.

Rule H2 - Rule for drivers, motorcyclists, horse drawn vehicles, horse riders and cyclists.

At a junction you should give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross a road into which or from which you are turning.

You MUST give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing, and to pedestrians and cyclists on a parallel crossing (see Rule 195).

Pedestrians have priority when on a zebra crossing, on a parallel crossing or at light-controlled crossings when they have a green signal.

You should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross a zebra crossing, and to pedestrians and cyclists waiting to cross a parallel crossing.

Horse riders should also give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing, and to pedestrians and cyclists on a parallel crossing.

Cyclists should give way to pedestrians on shared use cycle tracks and to horse riders on bridleways.

Only pedestrians may use the pavement. Pedestrians include wheelchair and mobility scooter users.

Pedestrians may use any part of the road and use cycle tracks as well as the pavement, unless there are signs prohibiting pedestrians.