Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

Why do some cyclists feel the need to try and give it the big I am, passive aggressive "morning" etc.Then a way too close pass?

Normally I just go out and do my ride, and couldn't give a monkeys about anyone else's ride. I don't know their circumstances, I don't want to know. However there seems to be a (minority admittedly) of complete baw bags, who just have to try and be a 'hero'. I had a classic today on my ride. I became aware of a silent wheel sucker, on a bit of my ride earlier. The second I sat up to look at a road sign, he bloody nearly wiped me out with a ridiculous pass, then started to ride much slower than I was, before he tried to be a billy big balls. Normally I'd not give a hoot, but today, I decided to see how quick he really was, I properly lit the fires, and dropped him like a bad habit. It wasn't so much the idiotic pass, but the look the douche bag tried to give me as he struggled past. Later on, I had another pair, who just couldn't shut up. I guess it's the five days of summer brigade  16

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

Add new comment

39 comments

Avatar
Batchy | 8 years ago
0 likes

Well when I went out for a quick blast this morning no one past me or sucked my wheels. So before you lot say it. Yes I am a smug bastard !

Avatar
sergius | 8 years ago
0 likes

Out in Surrey you get loads of riders out on the weekend. I always say "good morning" to people when I go past them, it strikes me as rather rude to ignore them if you ask me.

I am of course entirely ambivalent as to whether they respond in kind, though the vast majority do so in good cheer.

Avatar
Judge dreadful replied to sergius | 8 years ago
0 likes
sergius wrote:

Out in Surrey you get loads of riders out on the weekend. I always say "good morning" to people when I go past them, it strikes me as rather rude to ignore them if you ask me.

I am of course entirely ambivalent as to whether they respond in kind, though the vast majority do so in good cheer.

You get to know the difference. Genuine salutations get genuine responses.

Avatar
Kadinkski | 8 years ago
0 likes

You would probably find a more receptive audience complaining about cyclists on a motoring forum.

http://www.petrolheadnirvana.com/torque/index.php might be a good start.

Avatar
Judge dreadful | 8 years ago
0 likes

I don't mind the ones that use me as a draft, then bugger off into the wild blue yonder at Mach 3, they are clearly doing something different to me on that day, I don't mind the genuinely chatty ones, who want to talk about the bikes, or the route, or exchange info about something on the route I wouldn't have been aware of etc. it's quite nice to have a respite from the monotony of some of the longer routes. To be fair, the vast majority of other cyclists I encounter are very much like this, it's just a shame there are some dicks, that spoil it a bit. Anyway, there was a positive to the encounter yesterday

 24 Sorry chaps

Avatar
Leviathan replied to Judge dreadful | 8 years ago
0 likes
Judge dreadful wrote:

I don't mind the ones that use me as a draft, then bugger off into the wild blue yonder at Mach 3, they are clearly doing something different to me on that day, I don't mind the genuinely chatty ones, who want to talk about the bikes, or the route, or exchange info about something on the route I wouldn't have been aware of etc. it's quite nice to have a respite from the monotony of some of the longer routes. To be fair, the vast majority of other cyclists I encounter are very much like this, it's just a shame there are some dicks, that spoil it a bit. Anyway, there was a positive to the encounter yesterday

 24 Sorry chaps

Dead Romans cannot be KOM, it says so in the Rules, I forget which one. Your achievement is meaningless because you are not a real person. What is to stop Martin Ferris from coming along later and taking KOM on another day? Also it doesn't list what paltry speed you achieved. For someone who is crowing so loudly over this to call someone else a dick is dickish. Your fall from grace will be as swift as it is inevitable.

Avatar
Judge dreadful replied to Leviathan | 8 years ago
0 likes
bikeboy76 wrote:
Judge dreadful wrote:

I don't mind the ones that use me as a draft, then bugger off into the wild blue yonder at Mach 3, they are clearly doing something different to me on that day, I don't mind the genuinely chatty ones, who want to talk about the bikes, or the route, or exchange info about something on the route I wouldn't have been aware of etc. it's quite nice to have a respite from the monotony of some of the longer routes. To be fair, the vast majority of other cyclists I encounter are very much like this, it's just a shame there are some dicks, that spoil it a bit. Anyway, there was a positive to the encounter yesterday

 24 Sorry chaps

Dead Romans cannot be KOM, it says so in the Rules, I forget which one. Your achievement is meaningless because you are not a real person. What is to stop Martin Ferris from coming along later and taking KOM on another day? Also it doesn't list what paltry speed you achieved. For someone who is crowing so loudly over this to call someone else a dick is dickish. Your fall from grace will be as swift as it is inevitable.

You're entertaining, I'll give you that.

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to Judge dreadful | 8 years ago
0 likes
Judge dreadful wrote:
bikeboy76 wrote:
Judge dreadful wrote:

I don't mind the ones that use me as a draft, then bugger off into the wild blue yonder at Mach 3, they are clearly doing something different to me on that day, I don't mind the genuinely chatty ones, who want to talk about the bikes, or the route, or exchange info about something on the route I wouldn't have been aware of etc. it's quite nice to have a respite from the monotony of some of the longer routes. To be fair, the vast majority of other cyclists I encounter are very much like this, it's just a shame there are some dicks, that spoil it a bit. Anyway, there was a positive to the encounter yesterday

 24 Sorry chaps

Dead Romans cannot be KOM, it says so in the Rules, I forget which one. Your achievement is meaningless because you are not a real person. What is to stop Martin Ferris from coming along later and taking KOM on another day? Also it doesn't list what paltry speed you achieved. For someone who is crowing so loudly over this to call someone else a dick is dickish. Your fall from grace will be as swift as it is inevitable.

You're entertaining, I'll give you that.

Oooh diddums - i've just realised you're the chap who got so very, terribly upset about digitalepo. Still, as you said

"Screw Strava"
"... it's only good for lol's"

Avatar
Judge dreadful replied to fukawitribe | 8 years ago
0 likes
fukawitribe wrote:
Judge dreadful wrote:
bikeboy76 wrote:
Judge dreadful wrote:

I don't mind the ones that use me as a draft, then bugger off into the wild blue yonder at Mach 3, they are clearly doing something different to me on that day, I don't mind the genuinely chatty ones, who want to talk about the bikes, or the route, or exchange info about something on the route I wouldn't have been aware of etc. it's quite nice to have a respite from the monotony of some of the longer routes. To be fair, the vast majority of other cyclists I encounter are very much like this, it's just a shame there are some dicks, that spoil it a bit. Anyway, there was a positive to the encounter yesterday

 24 Sorry chaps

Dead Romans cannot be KOM, it says so in the Rules, I forget which one. Your achievement is meaningless because you are not a real person. What is to stop Martin Ferris from coming along later and taking KOM on another day? Also it doesn't list what paltry speed you achieved. For someone who is crowing so loudly over this to call someone else a dick is dickish. Your fall from grace will be as swift as it is inevitable.

You're entertaining, I'll give you that.

Oooh diddums - i've just realised you're the chap who got so very, terribly upset about digitalepo. Still, as you said

"Screw Strava"
"... it's only good for lol's"

It is, I've not changed my view. It counts for squat, but it is a laugh.

Avatar
kwi replied to Leviathan | 8 years ago
0 likes
bikeboy76 wrote:

Your achievement is meaningless because you are not a real person. What is to stop Martin Ferris from coming along later and taking KOM on another day? Also it doesn't list what paltry speed you achieved. For someone who is crowing so loudly over this to call someone else a dick is dickish. Your fall from grace will be as swift as it is inevitable.

You also forgot to mention a leader board of seven is hardly a leader board....

Avatar
Judge dreadful replied to kwi | 8 years ago
0 likes

 44 I

kwi wrote:
bikeboy76 wrote:

Your achievement is meaningless because you are not a real person. What is to stop Martin Ferris from coming along later and taking KOM on another day? Also it doesn't list what paltry speed you achieved. For someone who is crowing so loudly over this to call someone else a dick is dickish. Your fall from grace will be as swift as it is inevitable.

You also forgot to mention a leader board of seven is hardly a leader board....

A leaderboard consisting of purely road.cc people, that's what made me laugh  16

Avatar
700c | 8 years ago
0 likes

yeah I think you're reading too much into it. I know that I've sometimes surprised people by passing and saying 'morning', the problem is you can't hear bikes coming, so they might not have known you were there. What I consider a friendly encounter might be interpreted as 'passive aggressive guy trying to show off' - in fact nothing could be further from the truth.

This may be amplified if the speed differential is greater and it appears like I'm 'flying past' trying to prove a point. I'm really not and there's a strong chance you might catch me when the road turns uphill anyway  3

Most people I meet riding are in good humour and rightly so - exercise gives endorphins which makes you feel good!

Perhaps you were having a bad day?!

Avatar
barbarus | 8 years ago
0 likes

Who are these "other riders" you speak of? I hardly ever meet anyone else riding! It would be lovely to be wheelsucked/overtaken/waved at in a friendly manor a little more often!

Avatar
bikebot replied to barbarus | 8 years ago
0 likes
barbarus wrote:

Who are these "other riders" you speak of? I hardly ever meet anyone else riding! It would be lovely to be wheelsucked/overtaken/waved at in a friendly manor a little more often!

Easy to fix, come ride in Surrey on a Sunday morning, you'll be waving like the Queen.

Avatar
Batchy | 8 years ago
0 likes

Did you note whether or not all these wheelsuckers etc were wearing helmets ?

Avatar
KirinChris | 8 years ago
0 likes

Although there's no excuse for sitting on a wheel without asking - Rule 19, as Colin said - maybe he thought he was helping, giving something back after having taken a tow from you. You just never know what's going on.

I was out recently with a chap from our club who is seriously good - like, aiming to get on a pro-team level of good.

He was telling me he'd been out training, just warming up before doing a series of one minute maximum effort intervals.

He'd been aware of someone on his wheel, which he didn't mind - it's in a dedicated cycle park, not an open road, so it isn't unusual. But just as he was about to start his intervals the guy started coming around him to do a turn on the front. Before he could get there Matt just burns away.

So we were thinking there's some poor guy who's probably telling his mates he was just trying to do a turn but this touchy bloke got so offended at being overtaken he sprinted past.

Avatar
brooksby | 8 years ago
0 likes

The problem I have with wheelsuckers is that I'm not a practiced team rider; I'm just a commuter and I'm not comfortable with someone sitting inches off my wheel using me as a windbreak. I don't want to have to worry about what will happen if I have to brake suddenly or swerve and some strange roadie is RIGHT behind me.

Avatar
fukawitribe | 8 years ago
0 likes

Sounds to me the attitude of the people you meet on your ride are not your largest issues... hey, just me maybe - although you'll probably call me 'poppet' too, beats the stigma of talking to 'em or telling someone you're a bit knackered eh ?

Avatar
Leeroy_Silk | 8 years ago
0 likes

I like how light hearted subjects quickly turn into serious debates.
The OP vented a little steam and we all dowsed him with extinguishers thinking it might have been an inferno.

Avatar
Judge dreadful replied to Leeroy_Silk | 8 years ago
0 likes
Leeroy_Silk wrote:

I like how light hearted subjects quickly turn into serious debates.
The OP vented a little steam and we all dowsed him with extinguishers thinking it might have been an inferno.

That's the Internet for you.  16

Avatar
srchar | 8 years ago
0 likes

He's probably over on Bike Radar now, posting about how some nobhead couldn't take being passed and turned himself inside out to get back in front.

Avatar
Judge dreadful replied to srchar | 8 years ago
0 likes
srchar wrote:

He's probably over on Bike Radar now, posting about how some nobhead couldn't take being passed and turned himself inside out to get back in front.

It was you wasn't it?
awwww bless  24

I certainly didn't have to "turn myself inside out" to get back past, far from it.

Avatar
Curto80 | 8 years ago
0 likes

You have got some issues. If you can't go for a bike ride without hating everyone around you go find a different hobby.

Avatar
Judge dreadful replied to Curto80 | 8 years ago
0 likes
Curto80 wrote:

You have got some issues. If you can't go for a bike ride without hating everyone around you go find a different hobby.

How was it having your arse handed to you poppet  21

Avatar
Colin Peyresourde | 8 years ago
0 likes

Personally I never ride a wheel if I'm out on my own. You just don't know what you are dealing with and if you need a wheel you're not getting the best from your training.

I only look to overtake if I'm going faster and can sustain. Going 'big balls' for the overtake looks pretty stupid if 2 miles down the road they then overtake you again....though you'd be forgiven if the gradient changes.....some of us are puncheurs, some of us climbers. They road caters for both but not all the time.

The Rules cater for this anyway: Rule 19 covers it perfectly.

Avatar
Judge dreadful replied to Colin Peyresourde | 8 years ago
0 likes

 24

Avatar
Flying Scot | 8 years ago
0 likes

Stop moaning, you don't know how long the guy was there, he was probably gaining on you and then you slowed to stick your arms up shortening the gap.

It's totally normal to get close before overtaking, I give the 'morning' as I pass, or some other salutation just as I start passing, would you rather I shouted 'hold your line' instead? It's just son you know you're sharing the road with someone.

.....but if you can't or aren't going to pass, leave some braking space.

Avatar
Leviathan | 8 years ago
0 likes

Cool story Bro.*

*as they say on IMDB when they don't believe you. Sure you've never sucked a bit of wheel yourself and never had any glee from an overtake?

Avatar
kev-s | 8 years ago
0 likes

wheelsuckers annoy me too

Almost hit one in the face when i didn't realise he was there and i stretched my arms backwards, think it gave him a little shock and he backed off lol

Why do people think its acceptable to ride up behind someone and sit inches away from their rear tyre??

Do it in a car and its called tailgating and can cause an accident

Its just as dangerous on a bike imho especially if you have to avoid a pot hole or brake quickly for something in the road and the person sitting on your arse doesn't have time to react and goes into the back of you

Nothing wrong with being a miserable git  4  4

I go out on my road bike to get away from people and have some peace and quiet, the last thing i want is to have complete strangers try and talk to me or every person i pass saying hello and taking offence when i don't say hello back

Avatar
HalfWheeler replied to kev-s | 8 years ago
0 likes
kev-s wrote:

I go out on my road bike to get away from people and have some peace and quiet, the last thing i want is to have complete strangers try and talk to me or every person i pass saying hello and taking offence when i don't say hello back

I bet you're a barrel of laughs at the office xmas party.

Pages

Latest Comments