The threat of other cyclists

[Markymark]

I am starting to get more worried about other cyclists that cars sometime. Quite often I have cyclists trying to under/overtake me on turnings. I had one the other night, I overtook him with plenty of space on the straight, no issue. It clearly dented his ego and 3 or 4 times he tried to pass me when turning into/out of side roads (it's a common route through Islington/Hackney). Trouble is I often don't see them until he's trying to push me into the gutter as he's miscalculated it. Got annoyed and dropped him but I shouldn't have to. Nor should I be overtaken when turning into a side road as one minor change of direction from either of us and we're both off.

The guy (incase he's reading it) rides with a child extensin thingy at the back around 6pm from Angel towards Hackney as I've seen him a couple of times. I hope he's not such a complete **** when his kid is on the back.

Also have problems with cyclists pulling from left filtering if I'm filtering on the right and just not looking. They know about the cars in traffic so don't bother to see if there's a cylcst there. Its not about speed as I could be crawling along but have more than once nearly had someone woosh into the side of me.

The trouble is, a cyclist bashing into me on my bike can easily knock me off and that is potentially very dangerous.

 

[Linford]

I see ego influencing a lot of cyclists on the road....then again, I see ego influencing a lot of cyclists here

 

[Frood42]

I see ego influencing a lot of cyclists on the road....then again, I see ego influencing a lot of cyclists here

Also see:

I see ego influencing a lot of people on the road.

I take a primary position at lights, I do this on the road and on cycle paths, so far I have had one Barclays bike try to undertake and two road bikes try to undertake me, both at lights. Most commuters either wait behind or move into an overtaking position and I will give those space and let them by if it is clear.

Undertakers get the door closed on them and then dropped, which must have been quite embarrasing for the chaps on the road bikes.

As I tend to ride with traffic alot more than some do, its not too much of a problem for me to control by closing the door... (as I am always shoulder checking left as well as right).
.

 

[BlackPanther]

It's a real blow to some riders egos when they're overtaken. Me included! I've been plodding along in my own little world and been taken a couple of times. Immediately I realised that I'm not going anywhere near my top speed. Fortunately, when road bikers overtake, they tend to do it at their top speed, so it doesn't take long to chase them down on my machine. However, if I happened to be on the mountain bike, I'd probably let it go!

 

[buggi]

when on my road bike I've been overtaken by someone on an MTB ...

it never bothers me, i know if i put the hammer down I'd soon catch em but really.... Who can be arsed, i want to enjoy my ride home.

 

[CopperBrompton]

There do seem to be a fair number of cycle commuters who are TdF wannabes and pose a menace to pedestrians and other cyclists alike.

The crazy thing is if they want to prove what hard men they are, they'd make a far better job of it stopping at lights and slowing down around pedestrians before sprinting off again, instead of looking scared to lose their momentum as it's the only thing keeping them going ...

 

[GuardTwin]

It's a real blow to some riders egos when they're overtaken. Me included! I've been plodding along in my own little world and been taken a couple of times. Immediately I realised that I'm not going anywhere near my top speed. Fortunately, when road bikers overtake, they tend to do it at their top speed, so it doesn't take long to chase them down on my machine. However, if I happened to be on the mountain bike, I'd probably let it go!

I've been in that situation before, in my own little world going "did doo loo dee daaa" when a roadbike zooms past (mostly uphill) So I try and over take, It has been my ego before but half the time it is motivation of seeing how long I can keep a fair distance before losing them or over taking them..... I would love to try that on my road bike now, would not be as hard working..... But over taking anyone who is at their optimal peak and not even putting half of their effort in does make you feel superior regardless on how you might see things in fitness to age wise.

 

[Twelve Spokes]

when on my road bike I've been overtaken by someone on an MTB ...

it never bothers me, i know if i put the hammer down I'd soon catch em but really.... Who can be arsed, i want to enjoy my ride home.

That's an ego dented thing.

Seriously im surprised as im not the slowest out there.I do get dropped.it happens.

 

[Naemeth]

I don't mind getting overtaken, it's just a sign I need to get more training in .

Stick to your line, slow down at roundabouts, stop at red lights, it's not exactly rocket science

 

[ComedyPilot]

At about 6' and 16 stone, I'm usually the one being overtaken.

And I don't mind it.

Don't expect to pass me and left hook me though, as I will make a mess of your car/bike....and you....

 

[Plax]

I've never understood this kind of mentality. If a cyclist is going slower in front of me then I will overtake them. If I get overtaken then they are clearly going faster than me and I don't really care. However there was one instance that I overtook a cyclist going slower than me. Shortly afterwards they went hell for leather and overtook me, before slowing down again. This meant that it wasn't long before I had to overtake them again. Repeat this a couple of times until we went separate ways. I maintained a fairly consistent speed and made no effort to deliberately catch him up. Idiot man (yes, they are always men) kept speeding up and slowing down. It took me a lot of effort not to shout a rude word at him and push him off his bike.

 

[Sittingduck]

There are a lot of try hard bellends out there. Just ride predictably and do not undertake!

 

[HLaB]

SCR can be fun but I like to think that I adapt to the situation only racing when its safe to do so. There's some muppets out there who take it to dangerous levels or just obliviously, have the must get in front/ can not stop syndrome!

 

[marcusjb]

The slower bellends that push their way to the front of every single red light (at least they stopped eh?). All those people that passed you between the last light and this one have now got to do it all again?

As for people that can't handle getting overtaken, very odd - there's always someone faster than you, deal with it.

I can be fairly quick when needs be, and indulge in a little SCR from time to time - especially when you know the other person is playing the game for fun as well. Pissing off boys in lycra on their Pinarellos (seriously? For commuting????) whilst being on a hefty fixed wheel wearing jeans can also be a good stress reliever from time to time.

 

[compo]

You reach a place in life where being overtaken is the norm and any ego once displayed is reduced to zero.

As to the OP I was riding down the hill into Epping when a lady on a bike with a child in a child seat just swerved off the pavement where she had been cycling straight into the road. She didn't look round or give any indication of what she was about to do. I was being overtaken by traffic and had nowhere to go, so she is lucky I am a slower rider and was just able to stop or we would have had a fall, baby and all.