Meanwhile on the Roads...

CramCycle · 02-06-2026 01:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518612#Comment_124518612

Again, Reg 9 means you stay on the left of the road way, i.e. left of the middle so you are not driving head on into opposing traffic. It in no way implies you stay as far left as possible. If a person cannot overtake you safely when you are riding in primary position, it is most likely, with come exceptions, they cannot overtake you safely at all. The same goes for riding two abreast, if they can't overtake a cyclists side by side safely, they cannot overtake a single cyclist safely either

Seth Brundle · 02-06-2026 02:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518612#Comment_124518612

It does not state what you claimed it did as you are confusing "roadway" with "lane"

hans aus dtschl · 02-06-2026 02:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518453#Comment_124518453

In fact, even if on my own, I'd make sure to stay as far left as I could to allow someone overtake legally, as that's what the law says.

That's going to get you into a heap of trouble, when a motorist with poor spatial awareness (I'm being charitable) decides to squeeze between you and oncoming traffic. When you move left, people will absolutely 100% close pass you. But worse still, you'll have no room left for evasive action. So in general, no good deed goes unpunished. Primary or secondary position only, do not stay "as far left as you can".

magicbastarder · 02-06-2026 02:07PM

for someone who only learned of this particular rule very recently, they seem pretty welded to it.

hans aus dtschl · 02-06-2026 02:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518641#Comment_124518641

I think you're reading it wrongly, it means if I'm behind you in traffic, you must move out of the way and let me pass.

I just found out it actually applies to cars too though, and I'll be politely knocking on slow-moving car drivers windows this evening asking them to get out of my way. I am 100% certain of my interpretation of this law.

Scrabbel · 02-06-2026 02:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518641#Comment_124518641

So you're completely ignoring the words from "in such a manner…." onwards. It sounds like you think that a cyclist out in the middle of the left carriageway has no obligation to make any effort to allow a motorbike, a car or even a faster cyclist to overtake safely. That's what gets us cyclists a bad name.

By the way, while I only became conscious of the legal obligation recently I always thought it was common courtesy anyway to make some effort to let people overtake safely.

hans aus dtschl · 02-06-2026 02:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518695#Comment_124518695

It doesn't say "in a manner…" it says "in such a manner…". I think you might perhaps just have to accept that your reading comprehension skills are failing you at times.

A question for you though, do motorbikes and cars need to get out of my way, on my commute home? I'd like to quote you to them if possible, you seem authoritive on the subject.

magicbastarder · 02-06-2026 02:17PM

you keep conflating 'allowing a driver to overtake safely' with 'allowing a driver to overtake'.

as has been stated repeatedly, a general rule of thumb is that if a driver cannot overtake safely with you in primary position, they won't be able to overtake safely at all.

i will reasonably regularly take the primary position to prevent an overtake. because i know if i take the secondary position, the driver will squeeze through at the earliest opportunity.

also FWIW, i regularly cycle on roads too narrow for two cars to pass without one driver pulling in. common sense prevails here.

Scrabbel · 02-06-2026 02:18PM

If there's only room to squeeze between me and oncoming traffic then the car driver has no opportunity to overtake safely and so I wouldn't have to facilitate them and wouldn't move. I've only discussed (and the law in Reg 9 is only talking about) allowing people to overtake safely.

magicbastarder · 02-06-2026 02:19PM

also noted recently, after someone called out Seth Brundle for overtaking over a solid white line in one of his videos (he was passing stationary cars IIRC).

out for a spin on the bike the next day, i reached the conclusion that after speeding, that's probably the law most commonly broken on rural roads. on one single stretch of road 1.5km long i was passed by at least a dozen motorists, all overtaking over a solid white line.

Scrabbel · 02-06-2026 02:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518701#Comment_124518701

Thanks, I've added in "such".
If a car can't progress and a cyclist is trying to make progress safely on their right hand side (or left indeed) then absolutely the car should try to make space for that as much as possible in a safe manner. Law, good sense, common courtesy.

CramCycle · 02-06-2026 02:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518717#Comment_124518717

This is not the impression you have given so far, you implied that if any faster moving vehicle comes up behind you, you are legally required to go single file and move as far left as possible.

First of all, there is no obligation to move as far left as possible, you are misreading Reg 9.

Second, even the ROTR and other similar documents from our neighbours in the UK show that primary position is preferred, and secondary only when the road is clear, sightlines are good, and it is safe to do so.

Thirdly, you mentioned cycling with groups 3 abreast which is not only illegal, it is dangerous, so forgive me if I don't follow your legal advice.

CramCycle · 02-06-2026 02:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518688#Comment_124518688

Good to know the next time I am in Dublin, I'll start wildly gesticulating at the traffic on the N11 to move as far left as possible in rush hour.

Macy0161 · 02-06-2026 02:30PM

As ever, I wonder what the feck these inconvenienced drivers do if they come up behind a tractor!

Paddigol · 02-06-2026 02:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518695#Comment_124518695

You're entering complete strawman territory now though. As succinctly demonstrated by Hans in the post before yours.

Scrabbel · 02-06-2026 02:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518753#Comment_124518753

i implied no such thing. If you go back and read what I said, it's always and only where the other vehicle (car/motorbike/e-bike/ faster ordinary bike) can overtake safely.

Paddigol · 02-06-2026 02:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518759#Comment_124518759

Like most bullies, they pipe the f**k down when something bigger appears in front of them.

TerrieBootson · 02-06-2026 02:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518488#Comment_124518488

Sources for what? I replied to what you quoted

mattser · 02-06-2026 02:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518759#Comment_124518759

From my experience tractor drivers have manners, and will let faster moving traffic pass at the first available opportunity. If only I could say the same for cycling groups.

khamilton · 02-06-2026 02:47PM

The original legislation:

'Save where otherwise required by these Regulations, a vehicle shall be driven on the left hand side of the roadway in such a manner so as to allow, without danger or inconvenience to traffic or pedestrians, approaching traffic to pass on the right and overtaking traffic to overtake on the right.'

Emphasis mine.

What is a roadway? As defined by the Roads Act, 1993:

'“roadway” means that portion of a road which is provided primarily for the use of vehicles;'

What is the the original legislation scrabbel is referring to actually about?

Vehicles in Ireland drive on the left, and on roads with no lane markings, they should drive as far as possible to the left of the roadway so that the roadway can fit approaching traffic and overtaking vehicles when it is safe to do so. That's why the section is titled '9 Drive on Left'.

That's it. That's all it says. And yet we've had … 40?+ posts because someone read a piece of legislation for the very first time and had a eureka moment.

JMcL · 02-06-2026 02:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518671#Comment_124518671

This. By taking primary you give yourself an escape route to the left when some ignorant dick driving an expensive German car decides to squeeze between you and the oncoming van regardless despite there being no space as happened me last week.

magicbastarder · 02-06-2026 03:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518811#Comment_124518811

what do you want them to do? string out into single file? if that's your preferred solution, instead of overtaking a group of 2 x 4 cyclists, say 15m long, you'll now have to overtake a group of 1 x 8 cyclists, now 30m long.

but if you're safely able to overtake that 1 x 8 group, what was preventing you from overtaking the 2 x 4 group?

magicbastarder · 02-06-2026 03:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518817#Comment_124518817

And yet we've had … 40?+ posts because someone read a piece of legislation for the very first time and had a eureka moment.

beats having to concentrate on work.

hans aus dtschl · 02-06-2026 03:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518811#Comment_124518811

lol I wish I lived in your part of the world! I've been in more tractor-induced rolling roadblocks than I care to remember. Contractors hauling at 60kmh on the motorways is a VERY common occurrence these days also, as the contractors try to hive traffic away from hauliers. I'd be >95% confident you'll get rolling roadblocks on N25 and N40 this evening between 1700 and 1800. Some do pull half-way in to the hard shoulder in fairness, doing a kind of scalextric line-down-the-middle-of-the-vehicle move. I don't remember the last time I was stuck behind a cycling group though.

I'm sure there's also some associated jokes to be had around recent portaloos stationed on the M7, but my meagre brainpower doesn't stretch that far, obviously.

hans aus dtschl · 02-06-2026 03:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518891#Comment_124518891

This. Don't be such a buzzkill khamilton, it's the Tuesday after the bank holiday ffs, we're clinging on to any controversy we can.

CramCycle · 02-06-2026 03:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518938#Comment_124518938

its like the old Friday afternoon boards of 15 years ago, those were the days

khamilton · 02-06-2026 03:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518938#Comment_124518938

Add a crying eyes emoji at the end of the comment if it helps :D

secman · 02-06-2026 03:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124515574#Comment_124515574

We received an update from Arklow GS, they said a Garda would call into the manager of Tesco Arklow and request they talk to the drivers about road safety. Nothing else could be done as we didn't get a reg plate No.

Scrabbel · 02-06-2026 03:49PM

i've never found it particularly difficult to make an effort to allow faster road-users to pass by when there is a safe opprtunity to overtake. That's all the law requires you to do. It's a bit surpising how controversial this seems to be.

CramCycle · 02-06-2026 04:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124518768#Comment_124518768

This is what you said:

One thing I became aware of only recently is that when I'm on my bike the road traffic regulations include me as a "driver" of a "vehicle". And that means that just like any car, I'm legally obliged to stay as left as possible when somebody wants to overtake me legally (so dotted line, under speed limit etc). Strictly speaking that means that when cycling as the outer of 2 abreast I have to go single file when a motorbike car or other bike wants to overake legally. I generally do this anyway as a common courtesy but wasn't aware that it was mandatory until the overtake has happened. I certainly didn't realise I was subject to everything applicable to the "driver" of a "vehicle".

So you very clearly said "as left as possible". That isn't in the legislation and isn't particularly safe in many situations.

You then said strictly speaking you have to go single file, again, nonsense. You can if you want but there is no legal obligation too.

There are many situations where staying two abreast makes overtaking quicker and safer, there are many situations where pulling in close to the edge of the roadway increases risk for the cyclist (rougher ground, less room to maneuvre, increased likelihood of an overtake even if not appropriate).

Even the ROTR don't recommend what you are saying.

Meanwhile on the Roads...

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