Cycling etiquette question....

[Racing roadkill]

That's taking Silly Commuter Racing a little too seriously!

Yeah but a douche bag pass is a douche bag pass, and it’s always better to see numbers

 

[Venod]

It is crucial to make it look like you're not even trying - the knack comes in being able to keep riding above their pace without blowing up 30 yards down the road.

I have told this story before, but it was one of my finest cycling moments so I will keep telling it.

We had been on Holme Moss watching a race (Wincanton Wheels ?} early 1980's, when they had passed we set off home along with a lot of others via Woodhead Pass towards Penistone, coming to the top of Woodhead just where the minor road turns off to Dunford Bridge, the traffic was going very slow because of all the cyclists, I grabbed on to a vertical bar at the back of a lorry and got a pull, as he accelerated to pass a group of cyclist I let go and flew past at an unbelievable pace for the incline, of course I had to carry this on down to the Flouch Inn, I like to think in a cyclist cafe somewhere there are some old timers still discussing the time when a bloke flew past going up Woodhead.
,

 

[glasgowcyclist]

So no one shoves the other cyclists into a hedge anymore?

The OP doesn't need any help with that.

 

[Sharky]

The coolest pass goes to a lady, who caught a bloke and offered him a liquorice allsort, then dropped him.

 

[Mo1959]

The coolest pass goes to a lady, who caught a bloke and offered him a liquorice allsort, then dropped him.

Was that Beryl Burton? I’m sure I remember reading that.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Was that Beryl Burton? I’m sure I remember reading that.

I would regard it as a badge of honour if she had done that with me. Fantastic cyclist.

 

[MrBeanz]

If I catch someone and pass, I alert them, then say hello as I roll by.

If someone passes me, I say hello and let them roll on by.

I can't figure out for the life of me why, when I catch some guy, he wants to prove he's much faster than that 13 MPH he had been carrying the last 2 miles.

 

[rugby bloke]

On the occasional times I catch and pass another cyclist I give them plenty of room and exchange a "Good Morning" / ""Good Afternoon" as appropriate. I don't like sitting behind another rider so would rather overtake and have to press on a bit quicker than I might have chosen for a couple of miles.
When over taking and being overtaken these quick exchanges of pleasantries can sometimes develop into a nice chat until our ways divert.

 

[Dogtrousers]

There isn't really such a thing as "cycling ettiquette", only good road sense, safety awareness and courtesy.

Cyclists aren't a homogeneous group who follow a set of rules (actually there are some rules - http://www.velominati.com/ - but they are tongue in cheek, and if you find yourself taking them seriously - the joke's on you).

So what do I personally look for in a good overtake?

• Give me plenty of space
• Take into account the road surface, don't do anything that would force me into crappy potholes at the margin of the road. Bear in mind I might have seen road surface hazards ahead that you haven't.
• Optionally give me a warning beforehand, maybe if there is not a huge amount of space or if the road surface is crappy. If there's loads of space, not necessary provided you use the space.
• Give me plenty of space
• If necessary say hello (eg if you suffer from a mental disorder that compels you to say hello to complete strangers) Don't be offended if I don't respond.
• Never, ever, ever undertake anyone. Ever. If you're in a big group then you may have to single out to get past on my right (in the UK). I choose the best line for me. I'm not moving over for you. Get over it.
• Give me plenty of space.
• Sometimes when a big group goes by the last rider tells me that they are all past (or if there's another group coming). I appreciate that. But I'm not bothered if it doesn't happen.
• Did I mention you should give me plenty of space?

Drafting is a bit of an oddity because it rarely affects me. I'm too slow to get involved in such shenanigans. However ... Never sit on a stranger's wheel. It's dangerous. If you want to draft someone, ask.

That said, earlier this year I was blatting along into a headwind in some very flat countryside. Two roadies nicely asked if they could draft. I was surprised and to be honest secretly pleased. It was a nice clear road with a decent surface so I said yes. Of course as soon as we hit a mild incline my power to weight ratio meant they had to zoom off into the distance.

Also, is this the best time to overtake? At the weekend I came up behind a group of three riders as we went round the one way system in a small town that I know well. I was going quicker than them and could have overtaken, but I sensed that they might be unsure of their navigation so I held back and planned to overtake once we were clear of the town if it was still necessary. Of course it wasn't. As soon as we were out of town they were off.

 

[Crackle]

After reading this thread I paid a bit more attention yesterday. I passed a few people and glanced across as I did and said morning. I got one morning back and two didn't even look at me. I got passed a few times myself, one bloke said a cheery morning to which I replied, another rather annoyingly caught me, didn't pass but sat outside and behind me, which I was aware of and which limited my options when a car half pulled out of a junction. I then slowed and he passed with a, morning. He got nothing back from me. Another bloke whizzed past and did the usual of not really going away from me and I slowly reeled him back in until we reached some lights and he went through them on red. A mixed bag all round.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Never sit on a stranger's wheel. It's dangerous. If you want to draft someone, ask.

I've sometimes had a rider catch me up (it's fairly easy) and sit on my tail for a bit. I don't mind if it's for a short breather and they overtake me fairly soon but I dislike it if they just hang there, distracting my attention. The really annoying ones are those who sit there long enough to irritate me so that I coast for a bit and they pass me while mumbling "Fuksake". Cheeky bastards!

 

[bladderhead]

Velominati are a bunch of mucking fuppets.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I've sometimes had a rider catch me up (it's fairly easy) and sit on my tail for a bit. I don't mind if it's for a short breather and they overtake me fairly soon but I dislike it if they just hang there, distracting my attention. The really annoying ones are those who sit there long enough to irritate me so that I coast for a bit and they pass me while mumbling "Fuksake". Cheeky bastards!

Yes, I was a bit unsure of whether to mention drafting because it's not really in my bailiwick. So I defer to people who do know about such things.

I often "mentally draft", just try to keep a rider ahead in sight and not let them get too far away. That used to be my tactic as a runner. Find someone a bit faster than me, run about 10-20m behind and keep them on a piece of elastic.

 

[Grievesy]

I don't know why. but when I commute on the cycle path (a converted old railway line, nice and flat for miles) if I see a cyclist in the distance my first thought is "game on" and I put the pedal down and try and catch them to varying degrees of success. sometimes I pass them or sometimes I sit behind them, it depends on what their overall speed is.

If I pass them though it's nice and wide with a wee wave of the hand as a hello/ thank you. If I'm sitting behind them it's probably a good 10 meters back. chilling

 

[Sharky]

The overtake that I really dislike is not an overtake at all. Occasionally you see a rider in the distance and you begin to catch him up. After several miles you get within 10 metres and you muster yourself for the final effort. Then oblivious to you, the turns off!