Overtaking and its various etiquettes

[Mugshot]

Far too nice this morning to be doing much more than a steady cruise to work, when I get overtaken by a lycra clad chappy on a nice looking Specialized, "Mmmuuhh" he said, "Morning" I chirp back. It's so so rare to see another bike travelling in the same direction as me that it's a rather pleasant surprise.
Anyway, I wonder how long I'll be able to stick with him before he disappears off into the distance, he's got his lycra and his nice road bike, he must be awesome, the realisation stikes me that people may view me in the same way
BUT, he slows, 100 yds or so from where he came past me there's a little hillock followed by a gentle incline and I'm having to hold right back to stop myself from overtaking him, the road levels off and still he's holding me up then to really add insult to injury the final section of my commute is a nice hill which gives an easy 30+ mph, and he goes down it with his brakes on!!
The problem is we were only about 1.5 miles from the end of my commute and I was a little wary that if I'd gone past him he would have thought I was being a bit of arse trying to get him back for overtaking me and I didn't have that much distance to really build up a decent lead.
I dunno, should I have overtaken or not? I guess the moral is if you're going to overtake, make sure you're not going to blow up immediately after doing so.

 

[400bhp]

Ride at your own pace - if someone takes offence that's there problem.

 

[fossala]

Don't overtake for the sake of overtaking.
As long as you follow that you will be fine. What I cannot stand is someone to over take me then slow down, like your story.

 

[Dan B]

Don't overtake for the sake of overtaking

Why on earth not? That's what makes it fun

 

[BSRU]

If your going for a steady cruise and your near the end of your ride then I would not bother.
It is always good to ease down near the end of a ride.

 

[Maylian]

Why on earth not? That's what makes it fun

Rule #38
// Don’t Play Leap Frog.
Train Properly: if you get passed by someone, it is nothing personal, just accept that on the day/effort/ride they were stronger than you. If you can’t deal, work harder. But don’t go playing leap frog to get in front only to be taken over again (multiple times) because you can’t keep up the pace. Especially don’t do this just because the person overtaking you is a woman. Seriously. Get over it.

On my ride there is a nice hill, get to 30+ on it as well. If someone overtook me before it and caused me to not enjoy it because they can't maintain a speed I would over take them without a thought. Plus wouldn't it feel good to overtake a lycra clad roadie? I know I liked it before I became one!

 

[Mugshot]

If your going for a steady cruise and your near the end of your ride then I would not bother.

Well that was kinda my thinking really, it was far too nice to get wound up or competitive, but had it been a few more miles to go I would have had to go round him.
There's one half decent climb on the route I took this morning and he overtook me not very far after that, I suspect he had spotted me in the distance, gave it all the beans up the hill to catch me, overtook, then had the rest of the ride to regret his exertions. I've done it myself but then stayed behind the person I'd chased down, just in case

 

[Matthew_T]

I was on a group ride on Tuesday and about 5 miles after we had started, a guy from the group overtook us all and headed off the front. I didnt want this to happen so I swung out (made sure I didnt hit anyone) and then went for it. To the rest of the groups amusement, I failed to catch up to him and he just disappeared. I then realised that he might have been going somewhere.

 

[alans]

I was enjoying a bimble the other week when I was passed so quickly by a peleton of ATG riders I thought I'd stopped
No point in me trying to engage.No problem,it's

However,it wasn't best pleased with the overtake of coatofpaint close...simply no need on a very wide quiet road (ex Stoke 2 Derby main road beyond Doveridge).Nor was I impressed with an undertake manouvre on a roundabout.
Several of these riders were wearing the club kit of a well known high profile Derby club,the reputation of which is higher than the road manners of some of it's members.

The chasing bunch had no problem overtaking at a sensible clearance,& some even exchanged pleasant salutations ;IME the normal interaction of this club's riders.

So,the opposed extremes of etiquette in one experience illustrate the fundamental issue:Human Nature=Crap Design
ymmv

 

[Dan B]

On my ride there is a nice hill, get to 30+ on it as well. If someone overtook me before it and caused me to not enjoy it because they can't maintain a speed I would over take them without a thought.

Sounds more like you're agreeing with me than disagreeing, there. "Leap frog" is one thing (and I agree it can be annoying, although you might just have to get used to and calm down about, if you're riding in London or anywhere else where RLJ is common), but an overtake "for the sake of overtaking" is a joyful overtake, a manoeuvre which cannot fail to make one smile. Honestly, why else would you overtake someone? Merely to get to your destination faster? Boring

 

[daSmirnov]

If I see a cyclist, I go for it unless I'm riding with someone else. Kids, the post-man, people kitted out in Horsham Cycling gear, the guy I call Mr Roadie, its all fair game if they wanna race, sweet, some excitement. And I'll leave them in the dust, no matter what it takes. No matter if I have to cycle 5 miles the wrong way or end up at work dead/dying.

Moral of the story, just bloody overtake! If he was a proper cyclist he wouldn't be going down hill with the brakes on, he was obviously inviting you past!

 

[Maylian]

Yeah I love an overtake, don't get enough on my short ride I have to settle with draughting cars down a nice smooth road at 40 for my entertainment and see the surprise of some drivers and gentle cyclists cruising along to see a bike going that fast. Overtaking is full of awesome

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

If your riding at your normal pace and find your getting held up then I dont see the problem with overtaking. It's better than the gimp I had a few months back, I overtook him cause he was slowing me down, he must of took offence as he then decided to get a few inches off my back wheel for a couple of miles, wouldn't come past, I indicated to turn right. Still stuck to my back wheel. Couldn't get the space I needed to make my turn so had to resort to pulling up at the kerb, he shot passed and then I carried on and made my turn. Complete and utter nob! I haven't bumped into him again yet......

 

[Mugshot]

If I'm understanding this correctly, it would appear I may have lost some man points this morning, let me state here and now, as Cyclechat is my witness, that should any incident occur ever again that in any way mimics what happened this morning, I'm going to open the taps and leave the blighter in my dust, so be warned Mr Specialized with your Aldi lycra shorts and Aldi cycling top on (I recognised the logo, was wearing a pair of the shorts myself ) next time I see you, you're mine!

 

[redcard]

I pulled up at the lights this afternoon, and there was some poser on a fixed gear, or a fixie, as the fashionable set call them. Anyway, I'm waiting behind him, the lights go green, he pulls away (if you could call it that), and I'm sitting there wondering when the feck he's going travel more than the circumference of his wheel. So, I overtake him and raise my hand as if to apologise, you gave me no choice, man.

50 yards later he overtakes, then 20 yards after that he pulls into the park and I continue ahead. What a pillock.