What's the etiquette before passing someone?

[Scilly Suffolk]

Normally I use an overly cheery Brian Blessed-esque voice and a huge Mornin' or 'afternoon!

The only time I didn't was about 3 months ago before I had the road bike. I was closing in on a roadie on my MTB and went for it as we climbed up and over a long motorway bridge. Went past him at a fair rate or knots and gave him the sideways sneer ( I know he'd probably just done LEJOG or something but that didn't matter at the time) and on the descent promptly dumped by chain off the front ring and had to suffer the smuggest grin I've ever seen as he went past never to be seen again. I felt like a complete XXXX.

Never been like that before and will never be like it again.

Similarly, I was on a mission to catch-up with a carbon-fibre something and went belting past a flat-bar & panniers job without so much as a "Wotcha mate!".

After a couple of miles drafting the CF, I dumped the derailleur into to spokes and snapped it.

You can guess the rest, can't you?

 

[jim55]

I think cyclists that dont say anything then scrape past inches from you are worse than drivers that do the same thing.

On a sportive or something fair enough but out on the lonely road theres no excuse.

Speak or dont speak but give folk a little room.



il echo that ..on one of my very first runs on the bike (now bearing in mind this was uphill ona country rd)i was struggling up the hilland we had passed some club riders who were stopped in a lay by,,a bit up the road when i was wobbling about trying to keep going up the hill (there was nobody around and i was at the back ,,i was dropped like a stone )the club riders came blasting past me ,,scared the shite out of me ,,no shout ,,nothing ,,with the net result i ended up in the hedgerow with the bike on top of me ..to the guys credit he msgd me when i posted said it was him and apologised ,,fair enough ,,but you never know who yr passing ,,it may be a new rider ,,whos not really confident(me)..a wee shout before hand would b fine even just a "hoi"or "coming through"would b better than nothing ,,kinda shook me up a bit ,,,

 

[BluesDave]

In my humble opinion we cyclists should alwys say good morning to each other. I say good morning to lots of cyclists on my way to work or give a simple nod.
I also say good morning to pedestrians as well sometimes. As for passing I always overtake on the left not the right and give plenty of room. I don't overtake a lot as me and my old jalopy don't always reach the heady speeds as you more expensively equipped chaps.
I wouldn't shout anything when coming up behind a cyclist. If startled it could cause them to swerve fall off or crash into something or someone.
Any of these could cause a fatality given the right circumstances.

 

[smokeysmoo]

As for passing I always overtake on the left not the right and give plenty of room.

If I hear someone coming I'll instinctively move to left, (space permitting), so I would unwittingly put myself right in your path, or worse still crash right into you. Why on earth would you pass on the left?

 

[Angelfishsolo]

If I hear someone coming I'll instinctively move to left, (space permitting), so I would unwittingly put myself right in your path, or worse still crash right into you. Why on earth would you pass on the left?

That is a very good question.

 

[byegad]

What is this concept of passing people you talk about?

I do it all of the time, down hill or into a gale. Otherwise I'm the passee rather than the passer.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I do it all of the time, down hill or into a gale. Otherwise I'm the passee ather than the passer.

Actually during the Tour Challenge ride I passed other roadies for the first time. 'T'was a great feeling

 

[apollo179]

tbh on the rare occasion i pass anyone i say or do nothing , except for the old man i quite often pass who i acknowledge.

 

[biggs682]

there are a couple of regular people i overtake on my commute home , first one is a lady riding an mtb that does not have its front brake connected for some strange reason i always feel like saying or asking why but never do , the other 1 is a male mtb rider who always holds a rucksack on his bars which cause's him to weave all over the place and i have to wait for a safe place to pass on the cycleway or wait till we hit the road , and then blow him away with a good evening .

 

[pepecat]

I don't say anything.
Don't pass people that often anyway, but when I do, I don't say anything. Is that rude??
I don't honk at all the cars I overtake when I'm driving, so why make other cyclists aware that I'm there? Far as I'm concerned they and I are just 'traffic'.

 

[NinjaSeb]

I don't say anything either, why should I?

I don't say hello to every person I pass when I am walking along a pavement..

 

[ufkacbln]

AirZound and then yell "Get out of my way"?

 

[citybabe]

I will say good morning / afternoon / evening. Sometimes I'll get a reply and sometimes I won't.

 

[captainhastings]

Not really a problem I come across

 

[Sittingduck]

I don't say anything.
Don't pass people that often anyway, but when I do, I don't say anything. Is that rude??
I don't honk at all the cars I overtake when I'm driving, so why make other cyclists aware that I'm there? Far as I'm concerned they and I are just 'traffic'.

Not rude at all. I say nowt when passing folk and don't expect anything from those who pass me. If somebody says hi, I will of course reply with a cheery hello or morning. More chance of me greeting folk who come the other way but generally I only respond, never initiate.