Commuter racing...

[Maz]

Had a sort of race thing with a courier-type the other day. Very difficult keeping up with him...e.g. he rode on the ped crossing (green for him/peds) while I was waiting on the red.
Caught up and overtook him on the straights. Then traffic build up near a RAB. I get into primary, he squeezes between cars and kerb onto the RAB and he's away and I lose him again. Overtake him on the straights again...

It's not fair, I tell you. There needs to be some 'rules' for this kind of race.

 

[Tynan]

yes, bit like pool rules in pubs, all different, or used to be when I played pool in pubs, squeezing through traffic has be allowed surely, other than lights and pavement, every man for himself I'd have though

I don't race but I do like to pass people

 

[Tetedelacourse]

there are; the law.

 

[gazzaputt]

The commuter race. Isn't a finer thing.

Of course rules apply. No RLJ, pavements or weaving.

 

[ChrisLS]

...the last mile of my commute is up hill...I hate it...but I always get involved in a race...I don't want to, but I can't help myself...

 

[fossyant]

Just think how smug you feel that you keep catching the bugger despite all his 'cheating'...

I have a nasty drag on my last couple of miles and it's funny how many folk you just pass like they were standing still....feel sorry for them (not !) - no cheating then....

 

[4F]

I always say to myself "today I will not be bothered" however if I see someone ahead of me or hear someone behind then my legs turn into Lance Armstrong mode and I am off.

 

[Twenty Inch]

I won the Bagel Race even though I followed the HC. The main oppo jumped every red light and nearly t-boned me at one junction. However I had recce'd the course earlier that day and passed him as he was looking for the right junction.

Oh, the smug vindication as they hung the bagels around my neck....

 

[Tynan]

at least half the commuters I see rlj so how you can ban it for commuter racing is beyond me

don't like hills but I do take them on and it is nice to reel everyone in, still working on getting back to normal speed at the top though, still suffering from some leg lag at the mo

 

[Cab]

There was a bloke trying to race me this morning. He only had a short trip to make, came on to the road behind me, stopped at a red light further on still behind me.

I approached a narrow section (priority over oncoming traffic) in primary, he undertook me there, then looked back. I stayed where I was, going at a speed that I thought was as fast as I safely could in the traffic. Caught up with a bus, he was stuck behind it because he was in a stupid road position, I went around the outside, the bus indicated to pull out just as I was past it, so the other cyclist was stuffed.

I headed off down a narrow one way street, got stuck behind a car, couldn't go anywhere, the other cyclist caught up and tried to dart past him on the left pavement three or four times but couldn't get past. The car turned left (as it had to do), I went straight on round it on to a short stretch of road I really could accelerate on, left the other cyclist behind.

That road ends in a T-junction, sort of, theres an obvious straight on but the main road gets priority. I stopped for it, the other guy caught up again just as I was heading off, I got stuck behind a slow taxi, the other cyclist mounted the pavement where he got stuck (theres a wide gutter, a historical feature called 'hobsons conduit just there), so the pedestrians he soon encountered blocked his way and he had no way back on to the road.

Racing... Its for other people. I'll keep going at my own pace, which is sharpish but not hassled, thank you very much. If you really must race me then do so by the rules of the road or, eventually, I may be forced to give you a good kicking.

 

[Jacomus-rides-Gen]

rlj and pavement riding automatically disqualify a rider in a commuter race.

 

[Tynan]

the bloke stopping at the lights would say that wouldn't he

bet the bloke jumping them don't, he's just kicked your arse with his street smart skills

 

[ChrisW]

One bike is a commuter, two is a race...

 

[ChrisW]

So good i said it twice!

 

[ChrisW]

Oops, three times...

And so on ad nauseam.