What do you do?

[threebikesmcginty]

Build up speed and overtake whilst freewheeling

and whistling.

With your hands on the back of your head in a leaning back and relaxing pose.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Next time, get the expletives in first. Creep up behind him, draft for a bit, then shout:


"WILL you get out of my F**KING way!!"

as loudly as you can. I think you'll find that's the generally accepted way to pass slower cyclists.

 

[Kirstie]

I've never posted about this because I was unsure of the reception it would get but this thread is the place. About a year ago I was out on a Sunday on my roadie and overtook a bloke on an mtb who was weaving down the road very slowly. I was doing about 20mph, I turned the corner, stomped up the hill and then caught up with a tractor pulling a trailer at the top so had to slow down. When there was enough space, I overtook the tractor and before I know it along comes mtb man, puffing and panting, and overtook me as I was overtaking this tractor, head down, not saying a word. Not particularly great road sense I thought. As we were now at the top of the hill, I wanted to get clear of this mtb pillock who had overtaken me dangerously, so I put my foot down and dropped him. Got to the bottom of the hill, turned the corner, stomped up the next hill. I was waiting at the junction at the top, then, sure enough, along comes mtb man *again* and this time says something like 'I nearly lost you there'. Do I care? No. Do I think this is a race? No. Do I want you to leave me alone? Yes.

So then he struck up a conversation. To be polite, I chatted to him as we rode along, trying to glean which way he was going do I could go a different way, then I started to drop him again. As I pulled away I hear him saying 'shoot shoot shoot' as he realised he couldn't keep up.

I mean who TF cares?!? Just cos he got overtaken by a woman roadie he starts riding like an arse and being a pest! Some people!!

 

[ttcycle]

Kirstie, WheeledWeenie and I were talking about that earlier today in communting under perceptions of cyclists - it's pathetic isn't it?

 

[Kirstie]

Will have a look at the thread - glad it isn't just me!

 

[Rhythm Thief]

That's just weird.

 

[snorri]

n. Shuold i not have passed him or just not said anything. What do you do?

Along with your cheery greeting you should have politely suggested he save a little energy for the steep hill just around the next corner.

 

[Kirstie]

That's just weird.

Even weirder was that he was wearing a pisspot helmet, lab specs and a great big thick waterproof! And he kept going on about how his bike, which was a bottom end Gary Fisher hardtail, was top of the range and had featured in some TV programme.

Weird weird weird.

Bet it's someone on here. Ha ha.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Even weirder was that he was wearing a pisspot helmet, lab specs and a great big thick waterproof! And he kept going on about how his bike, which was a bottom end Gary Fisher hardtail, was top of the range and had featured in some TV programme.

Weird weird weird.

Bet it's someone on here. Ha ha.

Certainly wasn't me ... I'd never have caught up with you.

 

[Shaun]

Kirstie, it wasn't a completely unfit beer-bellied older bloke with thinning hair and a CycleChat shirt at full stretch across the midrift was it?



I don't know what it is with some fellas though - they seem to think their pride is even more dented if it's a woman who scalps them. Strange thing the old Red Mist.

Just take some satisfaction in the fact that he will have been sooooo knackered from chasing you down that the next day he will have been walking like John Wayne with stage seven piles and looking less colourful than death warmed up.

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[Aperitif]

I had a really nice ride last Autumn with a female rider...we both got sidetracked due to a vehicle fire and she was good. It was a more than gentle lance into Chobham outwards...she had a replacement bike for a write off etc (with the front lever on the right hand side...) A good looker, a good cyclist and decent conversation at an even pace.
It is a juggling act, particularly so when male attitudes get in the way. At certain times, we are all in it together (FNRttC for example) and I can't think of one example of 'miffery' I have experienced on those, although it is slightly different to the OP.

Self-centred people remain just that. We pass them by with whatever strategy works - unless of course they are patently in trouble.

 

[swee'pea99]

"cheery hello & wave"? You really haven't got the idea, have you? Next time you'll know better...

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Response to the OP. I've been that man. Struggling to get home at the end of my first ever, as in of my life at age 48, 300km ride. Some one less than half my age drafted me for about 1 km then, on a hill, breezed past complete with "hi, nice day, going far, you ok?" and cheery smile and wave, before promptly turning into a driveway, getting off and waving at me as I ground my way past.

I'm not sorry to say I told him to "'k off". It was the 'going far?' that did it. Utterly irrational of me. Come far? No mate, only from Wales!

The red mist got me home though so every cloud and all that.

 

[Aperitif]

Collins!

Have a breather.

 

[XmisterIS]

Re: the OP - personally I wouldn't have given it any more than about 0.25 second's thinking time!