How to say hello

[paul04]

I was out on the bike today, and there was another cyclist about 100 yards infront of me, who I caught up too.
The road was clear infront and behind, so went for a over take and being polite I thought I would say hello as I was passing him, so as I got to the side of him I said hello, and it made him jump out of his skin, he was in a land of his own.

I apologized for making him jump and just carried on by.
So what is the best way to overtake someone.
Do you give a little shout out before you overtake.
Do you overtake then acknowledge them when you have gone past.

 

[Lee_M]

just as you get behind them, you tootle on your horn, bounce up and down on your fart cushion seat and start singing in a high pitched voice the entire back catalogue of Engelbert Humperdink, you also set off your handlebar mounted fireworks and fire brigade siren.

alternatively I tend to just say "on your right" while I'm slightly behind them

of course I rarely overtake anyone

 

[Sandra6]

I'm regularly over taken and I do prefer if the person lets me know they're there before they whoosh past so a "coming by" "on your right" or "passing you now" is appreciated.
To be fair though, people out on the road should be aware enough of their surroundings so as not to be made jump if someone speaks to them.

 

[Lee_M]

I'm regularly over taken and I do prefer if the person lets me know they're there before they whoosh past so a "coming by" "on your right" or "passing you now" is appreciated.
To be fair though, people out on the road should be aware enough of their surroundings so as not to be made jump if someone speaks to them.

what Sandra said, although in London/Essex its never quiet enough to not be overtaken every 5 seconds anyway

 

[Sittingduck]

So what is the best way to overtake someone. If they look like a wheelsucker: Wide and fast, as not to give them a sniff of your back wheel If they look normal: Just say morning (even if it's afternoon).
Do you give a little shout out before you overtake. Definitely not. Might be one of those nervous types, like the one you encountered. Don't want to spook them incase they wipe out and take you with them!
Do you overtake then acknowledge them when you have gone past. No - they might think you're taking the p*ss.

 

[Matthew_T]

I always say "on your right". I even had a bobby on a bike look a little perplexed when I said it.

For cyclists in the opposite direction, either a "hi" or just a smile and headnod suffices.

 

[derrick]

If it's an old boy i creep up behind them and give them a blast from the airzound,

Not really i normally give them a wide birth then say good morning or hi, most people now you are there.

 

[Gary E]

If I overtake someone I try to give them as much room as possible, to the point of riding completely on the other side of the road (traffic permitting of course). I always say Good Morning etc just before I appear in their peripheral vision. To be honest my main worry is in trying not to come across as being smug at overtaking them

I had some guy overtake me and give a blast on what I assume was one of those Airzound things. To say it took me by surprise would be a massive understatement, I nearly had a heart attack (as did the rider when I caught him up and told him what I thought of his road-craft ) Those things should not be used in place of a courteous "coming through"

 

[Chescadence]

I don't know; they'd probably be unable to hear me if I overtook...because I'd be in a car.

C

 

[Matthew_T]

Not really i normally give them a wide birth then say good morning or hi, most people now you are there.

Not all the time.

Once I was cycling home along the prom. The path is narrow but allows room to cycle two abreast (possibly three). I was just pootling along, not going for it, in a world of my own. I was relatively in the centre of the path as there was noone infront of me.
From nowhere, a cyclist passes me and says "Evening". He absolutely made me jump out of my skin! I had a little bit of a swerve and said "You made me jump" and he raised his hand in apology.
I am certain that if he had said "passing" or "on your right" then I would have moved over for him.

After he had passed me, I tried to jump on his wheel but he was speeding away at over 25mph. If I had caught up to him, I would have probably sounded my horn and screamed "EVENING!!!!"

 

[Matthew_T]

I had some guy overtake me and give a blast on what I assume was one of those Airzound things. To say it took me by surprise would be a massive understatement, I nearly had a heart attack (as did the rider when I caught him up and told him what I thought of his road-craft ) Those things should not be used in place of a courteous "coming through"

I have learnt that on the coastal path that I use pretty much everyday. When I used to give a little toot of the horn, it would take peds by surprise and they would be jumping about 4ft. Now I just shout "excuse me" or "on your _____ (whichever side I am likely to pass on)". They then look behind and often move out of the way. (I once had a guy who just wouldnt budge even though I had shouted 3 times and was now right behind him. Eventually there was a gap where I squeezed past and gave him a stare).

(P.S. This happened on a prom path which is actually the NCN 5 therefore cyclists do have priority but you have to give way to peds)

 

[Lee_M]

After he had passed me, I tried to jump on his wheel but he was speeding away at over 25mph. If I had caught up to him, I would have probably sounded my horn and screamed "EVENING!!!!"

and in another thread Matthew demonstrates how he gets into so much bother

 

[Gary E]

The problem is that if they're not paying attention anything you say, however well intentioned, is likely to make them jump. That's why I prefer to just give them as much room as possible.

 

[Chescadence]

The problem is that if they're not paying attention anything you say, however well intentioned, is likely to make them jump. That's why I prefer to just give them as much room as possible.

Agreed; however, they SHOULD be paying attention- especially if on a road rather than a cycle way.

C

 

[MrJamie]

I try to overtake really wide if possible so I'm not right next to them when I appear in their peripheral vision. It's usually easily done and most cyclists here ride in the gutter, even the PCSO I zoomed past the other day.

I rarely get a reply when I'm overtaking someone, but almost always when they're overtaking me. I can't decide if that's because people don't like being overtaken or because the faster cyclists are more friendly.