Slipstreaming etiquette

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Lovely morning for a ride in today - the sun was shining, a little crispness in the air, just perfect.

But, I don't want to seem selfish, but it was slightly spoilt for me by the bloke who slipstreamed me for the best part of 5 miles, resolutely sticking to my back wheel, without once taking a turn at the front.

That's just rude if you ask me. If I'm slipstreaming someone then I will take my turn at the front - hey, I watch the Tour de France, I know how this works. The only exceptions to this are when the person is one of you fast guys on road bikes in lots of lycra and you're going so fast I can't actually get past, not something today's bloke could claim - after a while of this I started getting slower and slower in an attempt to get them to pootle off ahead.

So whats the etiquette for commuter slipstreaming?
 

bonj2

Guest
Keep slowing until he does overtake. There's a race in a velodrome between 2 people at once where they both go as slow as possible, trying to get the other one to go in front, and then all of a sudden one of them sprints off trying to leave the other one behind.


But you should probably remember you don't own the space behind you.
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
Etiquette is used for excluding people from your social group, whilst manners is used to include them.

He was a bit rude though, not taking your turn on the front is only acceptable when you're dying and only just hanging on. I would have spoken to him though, rather than relying on him being able to intuit what you were annoyed about.
 
BentMikey said:
Etiquette is used for excluding people from your social group, whilst manners is used to include them.

Ooh - now, thats an interesting distinction. May I ask if that's sourced from somewhere or one of your own? (As a professional words person I have a nerdy interest)

BentMikey said:
I would have spoken to him though, rather than relying on him being able to intuit what you were annoyed about.

At that time of the morning and when I'm that knackered I can barely speak to anyone to be honest xx(
 

BentMikey

Rider of Seolferwulf
Location
South London
I'm not sure on its origins, sorry. My friend used to use it, and he got it from his Dad. It does sound so good that it's likely to be a famous quote, probably trashed by me though.
 

Cab

New Member
Location
Cambridge
I'm never fond of people slipstreaming me. Unless I know that your brakes are up to it and you're up to it as a cyclist, I want you further away from me.
 
Tell him next time. If he's happy to draft you, telling him to "****ing take your turn!" just like the pros do shouldn't go amiss.

Or get really fit and get away from him.

Or gob over your shoulder.
 
Twenty Inch said:
Or gob over your shoulder.

xx(:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 
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