As a car driver who has recently converted to road cycling, something has dawned on me. When overtaking, I've realised I quite often don't leave enough room for the cyclist, particularly if they are on a road bike. I hadn't realised the roads are in such a poor condition and road cyclists have to dodge so many potholes. Road bikes can cost anything from £500 to £5000, the wheels on them are easily susceptible to damage, particularly when travelling at speed. When riding fast, particularly down a hill, potholes come up on you really quickly and the only way to avoid damaging your bike is to swerve past them. This can mean that you may need up to one metre width from the kerb to move around in. Therefore, any car overtaking you is a potential hazard, particularly if they don't leave enough room for any unexpected swerving. So, my piece of learning is to give road cyclists at least 2m clearance when overtaking them. I thank you.
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