Cycling etiquette - sitting on wheels

[mustang1]

Yeah I'm not up for being tailgated (and then i get a few comments such as "if you dont like being tailgated then dont ride a bike"

Eh what!?

 

[Andy in Germany]

Clearly you all ride considerably faster than I do.

 

[Bollo]

Seems like half of the people responding are talking about something very different here? I thought the situation in discussion was not about when people catch and speak or share the work or sit 10m behind or anything like that but specifically about when people ninja their way on and literally sit a couple of inches off the wheel and don’t speak or communicate at all, wasn’t it? Two very different things, I think.

edit: and not talking about other commuters who happen to be riding quite closely either, I think that just goes with the territory, so to speak.

Yeah, someone riding a couple of metres behind wouldn’t worry me at all - rather that than start yo-yoing past each other.

The only thing that’d worry me about some unknown person getting very close is the safety aspect, and even then the sucker is more likely to go down if there’s any contact. Honestly, of all my safety concerns when out and about on a bike, this really isn’t one of them.

 

[FrothNinja]

clearly you all ride considerably faster than I do.

I don't

 

[Rain drops]

What most irritates me, when peacefully riding along some deserted minor moorland road talking to myself, (and getting a good old argument going in my mind), is some other lone rider coming up alongside to start a conversation. How can it not occur to them that some of us specifically want to be alone, to get away from it all? If it's company they need, why are they out there?

It's one of life's great problems, I tell you. There are too many people! I was astonished when, swotting for an exam in 1955, I read a United Nations report which estimated that world wide, on average, every second 3 people were born, but only 2 people died. A new person every single second!

It still goes on today apparently. No wonder there's a bike shortage when most of us need, or just hog, several at a time! (Another one coming for me next month. No apology.)

 

[T4tomo]

No wonder there's a bike shortage

I though its been established that there are 9 million bicycles in Beijing? Its Xi Jinping to blame, not only is he supressing democracy in Hong Kong, he's causing a world shortage of bikes by stock piling them in China.

Also the bloody Dutch, they yell at the German footy fans "we want our bicycles back", but have they looked at their local railway station? There are thousands just dumped there.....

*any reasoned arguments to the above facts will be strictly ignored.

 

[alex_cycles]

What most irritates me, when peacefully riding along some deserted minor moorland road talking to myself, (and getting a good old argument going in my mind), is some other lone rider coming up alongside to start a conversation. How can it not occur to them that some of us specifically want to be alone, to get away from it all? If it's company they need, why are they out there?

It's a good question, but all you have to do is speed up, stop or just say "I don't mean to be rude but I want to be alone". Hardly a big deal.
A lot of people in this thread would find it rude to be completely ignored. How do you know the stranger in front of you is like you or like them?
There are too many people in the world, but that's another issue.

 

[Dogtrousers]

One thing, which is a bit different, is that I do wish that groups of club cyclists - who, when they get to their cafe stop, probably complain to each other about close passes from cars - would give me more than a few centimetres of clearance as they zoom by. And would refrain from cutting across my front wheel once past.

At the speeds I ride (unless there's a headwind) air resistance isn't such a big deal. I mean it's there, it's a thing that you live with, but it isn't overwhelmingly dominant like it is at high speeds. So it's not something I give any thought to (headwinds excepted)

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/aero/formulas.html

 

[Dogtrousers]

What most irritates me, when peacefully riding along some deserted minor moorland road talking to myself, (and getting a good old argument going in my mind), is some other lone rider coming up alongside to start a conversation. How can it not occur to them that some of us specifically want to be alone, to get away from it all? If it's company they need, why are they out there?

Just pretend to be deaf. Or just don't listen. It works, trust me.

 

[T4tomo]

One thing, which is a bit different, is that I do wish that groups of club cyclists - who, when they get to their cafe stop, probably complain to each other about close passes from cars - would give me more than a few centimetres of clearance as they zoom by. And would refrain from cutting across my front wheel once past.

Have to say I agree with this, also often un-announced - surely the lead rider can muster a "on your right" or a cheery hello. Even if the lead rider passes wide, often the rest haven't been given a signal to pull out so end up grazing your elbow. Club cyclist take note, the 1.5m rule applies to you.

 

[alex_cycles]

One thing, which is a bit different, is that I do wish that groups of club cyclists - who, when they get to their cafe stop, probably complain to each other about close passes from cars - would give me more than a few centimetres of clearance as they zoom by. And would refrain from cutting across my front wheel once past.

I completely agree. In fact I stated as much, earlier in the thread. It applies to lone cyclists too. Really pisses me off when other riders don't give me a decent passing margin. In our club we always call out to pedestrians, runners, other riders and horses (for which we go very wide and slowly).

Generally a lot of people are thoughtless, ignorant and selfish. I suspect those of us who agree are more likely to cycle alone. (I cycle alone a LOT more than with the club, but I really enjoy both).

 

[Dogtrousers]

I think the trap that groups of cyclists fall into is because they are happy to ride close to each other, then they don't differentiate other cyclists who are not part of their group who are not happy about it. I think it's a perception/ignorance thing and not necessarily active selfishness.

And I should say it's not all cycling groups that do this. Probably more often than not I'm given plenty of space. But it doesn't make it right and I have actually been ridden off the road on one occasion.

 

[T4tomo]

And I should say it's not all cycling groups that do this. Probably more often than not I'm given plenty of space. But it doesn't make it right and I have actually been ridden off the road on one occasion.

That is pretty poor form.

I had a group start to overtake me and the OH approaching a roundabout, we were going straight on, and the leader of the group then starts to call out / signal going left, with some of the group on our outside, and some still behind, absolute farking muppets. I loudly shouted "we're going straight on" and made sure I was close to the OH so we weren't taken out. Some of their group ended up going straight on in the confusion, totally avoidable had the leader just slowed slightly and sat behind us.

 

[cougie uk]

What most irritates me, when peacefully riding along some deserted minor moorland road talking to myself, (and getting a good old argument going in my mind), is some other lone rider coming up alongside to start a conversation. How can it not occur to them that some of us specifically want to be alone, to get away from it all? If it's company they need, why are they out there?

Ok Greta Garbo !

 

[Andy in Germany]

I don't

I'll sit on your wheel then.