Being passed by non ebike cyclists

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Z

Zanelad

Guru
Location
Aylesbury
Cycle at your own speed. I'm regularly passed by a guy of similar age to me as I ride my ebike to work. He rides a normal road bike. He always says hello, sometimes a little more, and then he's off and I'm left to watch him disappear. I doubt that either of us are bothered by our difference in speed. Having said that, on my first ride to work, a Sunday trial run a guy overtook me and pulled away steadily.. We came to a short but steep hill and I easily caught him up. He must have heard me as he looked behind and his double take was a joy to see. I considered overtaking him, but as I was turning off the road shortly it seemed a little rude.
 
MntnMan62

MntnMan62

Über Member
Location
Northern NJ
ebikeerwidnes said:
Hi all

This is a question about what to do to be polite and not annoying/smug under some circumstances

S0 - the reason - todya I was going along a long flat road - slightly curvy through a country village
As I am on my ebike I was doing about 17-18 mph - yup over the cutoff speed - but my speedo read a bit high so only just over - I reckon the motor had been off for a miles or - mostly due to my amazing fitness - or possibly the tail wind:rolleyes:
Anyway - a bloke on a mountain bike type bike passed my about half way along that stretch - passed easily, nice and wide and said hello as he passed
OK - well done mate - impressive for normal clothes and a non road bike type person
anyway - he pulled away slowly until he was 40-50 yards in front

now - my problem (you knew I would get to the point eventually)

after a bit I started to catch him - I'm still at about 17 mph - over cutoff speed but only just
then the road curved and there were more trees - hence less tail wind
so I am now catching him - then there was a traffix calming thingy so we both slow down - we accelerate but clearly we are now below the cutoff speed - and it is far easier for me to accelerate then him

I am now doing 12 mph and he is not pulling away



sooooooo

what would you do

I stayed behind and just kinda pootled along - then changed my planned route home so he was no longer in front of me
I could have gone back up to normal speed (no tail wind so maybe motor assisted ) and pass him back - but is that rude and stuff and gives the impression I am laughing at him
I could have stayed behind him and stayed on the same route - but he would probably be aware of me being there and might think I was laughing at him
Previously I have just stopped and gone into a random shop - just to give him some distance

there is a possibility I am over thinking this???


any opinions
Click to expand...

The only thing I would point out is that you are "assisted" and he is not. Therefore it is incumbent upon you to defer to him to some extent (although not entirely). Much like in boating, sailboats have the right of way over motorboats for the same reason. But if he's going slower than you even if he passed you earlier, you have every right to pass him later on. Anything beyond that is overthinking it.
 
OP
OP
E

ebikeerwidnes

Guru
Location
Z’ha’dum
I did feel sorry for a bloke I came across riding into Warrington last year sometime. I was on a cycle path alongside a dual carriageway - good surface, no hill and a good long stretch with no junctions
I got to a set of traffic lights and a bloke on a mountain bike rolled up alongside me breathing heavily and looked at me (overweight old bloke in jeans) then looked at my bike in relief
"Oh - It's an ebike - I've been killing myself trying to catch you - now I don't feel so bad!!!!
didn't have the heart to tell him I was over the cutoff the whole time - mind you - serves him right for using knobbly tyres on tarmac!!!!
 
C

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
I remember when in Tenerife, a few of us set off from the hotel resort. It had a couple of miles to climb before we began a descent and the terrain flattened. An old fella passed us on the climb at the start. He had an ebike with a big box on the back. The distance he gained on the climb, took us 9 miles to catch and pass him on the flatter terrain.

Im looking forward to my ebike, so I can ride at zone heart rate, set my cadence, but have a speed more akin to working really hard. I can also carry my shopping. I've got two batteries coming, so hope 100 miles is more than doable
 
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G

glasgowcyclist

Charming but somewhat feckless
Location
Scotland
Ming the Merciless said:
Bet I can take you on my lawn roller...
Click to expand...

Come on now, this isn’t a dating site.
 
Teamfixed

Teamfixed

Tim Lewis
I guess it's like being passed by somebody with an outboard when you are in a rowing boat.... It's going to happen... A completely totally utterly different thing.
No offense intended to ebikers btw.
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
MntnMan62 said:
The only thing I would point out is that you are "assisted" and he is not. Therefore it is incumbent upon you to defer to him to some extent (although not entirely). Much like in boating, sailboats have the right of way over motorboats for the same reason. But if he's going slower than you even if he passed you earlier, you have every right to pass him later on. Anything beyond that is overthinking it.
Click to expand...
Why is it incumbent of him to do anything?
 
S

Seevio

Guru
Location
South Glos
I reckon the only rule is if you're going to pass someone, make sure you can stay ahead of them for a reasonable time.

BTW when I read the line " todya I was going along a long flat road..." I fully expected the next line to be
"All of a sudden
There shined a shiny demon
In the middle of the road "
 
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