The threat of other cyclists

[BSRU]

Over the past month I have been overtaken by a roadie on a nice looking Spesh Roubaix a few times, he appears to be on training rides.
No thoughts of trying to race him as I'm on my 24kg+ tourer, I'd have to kill myself to just keep up and I do not see the point this time of year.

 

[glenn forger]

I never get overtaken.

 

[Stephen C]

...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

I find this happens a lot, the cycle paths in Cambridge are crap, they just stop on the pavement and move onto the road, so the cyclist moving from the pavement to the road thinking they are safe because there is the cycle lane in the road so cars will move across and don't look. The standard of cycling here really is bad.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Theres been a few kids generally on BMX's hopping off the path without looking, but I'm usually far enough out in the lane to get by with an 'oy watch yourself' than anchoring on to avoid them in the gutter. I had a cyclist run into the back of me at a set of lights a few years ago. I stopped, he clearly had no expectation that I would do and ploughed into the back of me without even a hint of brake squeal to warn me. Luckily no damage done but he seemed to think it was my fault for stopping despite the fact there were clearly cars visible and moving off across the junction.

 

[hopless500]

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.

But people do that training thing where they go hell for leather, pootle for a bit to recover, then go hell for leather for a bit, then pootle.... and so on. So it could just be that.

 

[Frood42]

But people do that training thing where they go hell for leather, pootle for a bit to recover, then go hell for leather for a bit, then pootle.... and so on. So it could just be that.

Interval training, used to do it on the treadmill, but gyms are boring, I would much rather be out on the bike!

Or maybe even HIIT (high intensity interval training) depending on how much of a sweat you want to work up.
.

 

[sheffgirl]

Today I was cycling in the contraflow bike lane on a one way street, and a cyclist came the other way, also on the contraflow lane. Shouldn't they be on the left hand side of the road with the other traffic? Its the first time I've used this cycle lane, and probably the last

 

[Frood42]

Today I was cycling in the contraflow bike lane on a one way street, and a cyclist came the other way, also on the contraflow lane. Shouldn't they be on the left hand side of the road with the other traffic? Its the first time I've used this cycle lane, and probably the last

If as described, yes, they should really be in the "traffic" lane.

Anything like the pic below?
You get the odd person going the wrong way on it, they seem to be attracted to the blue paint
They soon move out onto the road though when they see me coming

.

 

[Leodis]

The nodders who cycle at 2mph with no shoulder checking are the baine of my life, jesus speed up or let me get past you nobs and oil your chain and a full guard might be nice.

 

[vertigo16]

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. ****ing 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.

Completely agree with this. Save for the very few occasions when I end up doing the same and lining up at the lights on the right of someone who has overtaken me already, because I want to put myself in a place where a vehicle can see me.

Even more annoying (I find) is when I line up in the cycle lane at lights, intentionally leaving 5m or so in front of me from the other cyclists in the (full) box because I don't want to line up on the inside of a lorry. Some dufus then squeezes past me on the left (WALKING thair bike to get round me!) and lines up on the left of the vehicle! It saved them what, 5 seconds!?? Did they not think I could see the space?? Did they not see the lorry, sometimes even indicating!!??

 

[crazyjoe101]

I normally go at my fastest comfortable speed when riding alone, but I won't lie, if I see an inconsiderate / idiot cyclist jumping reds through junctions or not stopping for pedestrians etc. then I will make an effort to overtake them just to show them that they'd be better off getting fitter. That said, I don't commute, my riding in London has been to train on street-lit roads and as such I'm probably less tired than your average commuter is so I have an unfair advantage. I don't really care if people want to race as long as they are being considerate and safe, I can see how it would be annoying to be in an overtake > get overtaken cycle due to someone trying to 'win' though.

 

[Hip Priest]

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

I'm 6'1" and 16.5 stone and nobody ever overtakes me. Well, unless there's a gradient.

 

[glenn forger]

The lightest I've ever been is six pounds four and NOBODY overtakes me.

 

[captain nemo1701]

I was once overtaken going uphill on the Bristol Railway Path by a bloke in a suit on a Brompton. I decided to lose weight and cut down on smoking after that.

There are a few egotistical road bike riders on the Railway Path it has to be said. They overtake at warp speeds, often in stupid places. I've never understood the rush. Coming down the path last week, I had to brake suddenly when I heard my rear light pop off and clatter on the floor. Bloke on road bike about 3ft from my rear swerved and exclaimed 'whooooaa!' as he shot past. Silly beggar shouldn't have been that close

 

[Frood42]

Bloke on road bike about 3ft from my rear swerved and exclaimed 'whooooaa!' as he shot past. Silly beggar shouldn't have been that close

Probably needed the extra assistance to keep up/get past that drafting can bring
.