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Bike Etiquette

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  • March 19, 2015 at 6:23 pm #23547
    Colin Peyresourde

    I was cycling around the Olympic Park Road track a few months back when I realised that I had picked up a wheel sucker. I had passed him a little while back, and I gave him the benefit of the doubt by continuing to ride and allow him to either pass me, or to introduce himself. A lap and a half later and he was still stuck to my wheel. I quickly veered over to one side and soft-pedalled so he would get the idea. After passing me, I passed him again less than have a lap later. Poor etiquette on his behalf for sure.

    Wheel sucking is one of the clearer bits of bike etiquette that is poor form, but it made me think what other bits of general road usage could you enshrine in a codicil for road use. I realise that the Velominati have attempted to do this, but also know that many vehemently dislike these. So I thought I would throw this open for discussion: What would you like to see as a standard for cyclists? Or do you think that there are no ‘golden rules’ of cycling? Any one ‘the Rules’ you particular like/hate?

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  • March 21, 2015 at 12:57 pm #837929
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    Leviathan

    I now have my nod down to a
    I now have my nod down to a barely imperceptible movement, just in case the person going the other way doesn’t acknowledge me he might just think I am looking at my stem. To be honest the majority of people won’t do anything, I think it is a bit of a myth that all cyclists out in the country are forum inhabiting hard core roadies.

    also, Why is this track not in Manchester?

    March 21, 2015 at 12:31 pm #837927
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    KirinChris

    In the situation described by
    In the situation described by the OP no I don’t think that’s wrong.

    It was on a road cycling track so one should expect people to be training and riding. Same in Richmond Park or somewhere used by many cyclists for training, or on an event like an audax or sportive.

    Personally I would usually ask before doing it, just something like “Mind if I tag on for a bit?”. If they agree then at least I can assume they will give signals.

    If someone does it to me I would prefer they had asked but if they don’t then I just figure they don’t know any better.

    The only time I would say anything is in the interests of safety if I’m planning something which will cause me to change pace.

    On a commute or in a more variable environment, absolutely not.

    It’s unreasonable to expect people in front to be obliged to point out every obstacle, which is necessary to ride safely.

    It’s also dangerous to the rider in front, who has no idea whether you are paying attention or likely to ram into his RD or clip his wheel.

    In that context it’s the cycling equivalent of tailgating.

    March 21, 2015 at 11:54 am #837925
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    atgni

    Reggie Plate wrote:Kadinkski

    Reggie Plate wrote:
    Kadinkski wrote:
    Oh, and I don’t know why but it really annoys me when I nod or say hello to another cyclist and they just blank me. I shouldn’t care, but I do.

    Happens all the time. I nod, wave or say hello. They just blank me. Not everyone, but a significant number. It’s the same thing with runners. Some say hello, others just look straight through you. I really can’t understand their mentality. Perhaps they’re just naturally anti-social individuals.

    When driving; I wave at other cars of the same model and colour as mine for fun. 2-3% wave back, most just look confused. It’s a bit like counting tractors on a long journey.

    March 21, 2015 at 10:13 am #837923
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    Colin Peyresourde

    At the road track you can use
    At the road track you can use the whole width of the track, and you pay to use it, so you go there to train, not dawdle about He was also quite close on my wheel, gentleman had the chance to introduce himself when I slowed down and never offered his wheel.

    I don’t think I would have minded as much if it was on the open road and we were doing our own thing going in different directions, but I wasn’t prepared to pull him to a new PB or wait till I got tired and over took me.

    I think if he had of said hello and stated his aims or offered a wheel I may have been content, but to pull someone else’s lazy bones around and then have the put you in the shade when you were tired sucks.

    I don’t play golf and so have no idea what you mean. Manners are manners and he had none. I wasn’t interferring with his ride and so there was no need for me to introduce myself, he was the one getting involved in my ride. It’s not like you go say ‘hi’ to everyone there (and you wouldn’t do that on an indoor track either).

    March 21, 2015 at 9:34 am #837921
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    jbw118

    I was commuting home the
    I was commuting home the other night when someone who was obviously just out for an evening ride passed me. I attempted to say hello but got completely blanked. I have to admit this annoyed me a tad so I hung on to his wheel for the next 5 miles and had one of the easiest commutes in a long while. I did express my gratitude when I peeled away at my turn off though. 🙂

    March 21, 2015 at 9:14 am #837919
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    Reg Molehusband

    Kadinkski wrote:Oh, and I

    Kadinkski wrote:
    Oh, and I don’t know why but it really annoys me when I nod or say hello to another cyclist and they just blank me. I shouldn’t care, but I do.

    Happens all the time. I nod, wave or say hello. They just blank me. Not everyone, but a significant number. It’s the same thing with runners. Some say hello, others just look straight through you. I really can’t understand their mentality. Perhaps they’re just naturally anti-social individuals.

    March 21, 2015 at 9:10 am #837917
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    Griffsters

    I just go at my own speed, If
    I just go at my own speed, If a rider sits behind me or overtakes me I don’t care. What does irk me tho is when i’m overtaken and they then slow down so in effect i’m wheelsucking…but i’m not I’m just going the same speed I was.Then they start looking back with a disgruntled look…oh do f*ck off. I’m on my own ride, get over yourself.

    Even worse when they have blown up with the effort of overtaking and i then have to re-overtake and they think i’m now racing them..oh do double f*ck off 👿

    March 21, 2015 at 9:09 am #837915
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    Asprilla

    Wheel sucking is idiotic. It
    Wheel sucking is idiotic. It happens a lot on my commute and its a case of other people putting me at increased risk of accident just because they are lazy.

    March 21, 2015 at 12:41 am #837913
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    Guillaume

    Great answer! I so wheel
    Great answer! I so wheel sucking when i m tired, i dont mind people are wheel sucking me. We are cyclist we should be helping each other, otherwise we are no better tham the drivers we keep moaning about!

    March 21, 2015 at 12:37 am #837911
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    Guillaume

    Your attitude is as sillly as
    Your attitude is as sillly as a driver complaining about cyclists!

    March 20, 2015 at 10:56 pm #837909
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    mikesean mcc

    this cheard me up thanks
    this cheard me up thanks 😉

    March 20, 2015 at 10:41 pm #837907
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    stuartforrest

    If you join a chaingang then
    If you join a chaingang then you should ask if they mind you doing so, and be prepared to do some work to show you’re adding value, and if you’re going to sit in behind someone then do the same and be prepared to do some work. If you’re passing someone it can be useful to give a quick look back as you move into the lead, as it shows them that you’re aware they’re there and expecting them to work if they’re going to sit in for a while.

    I commute through Richmond Park daily and I’ve had plenty of examples of the above, and plenty of people just sitting in for a tow. I don’t really mind, because the reality is that sometimes people aren’t strong enough to do much more than hanging on for dear life. If I find myself in that situation, behind someone strong and unable to do more than hang on, then saying so when the opportunity arises (when slowing for a roundabout for example) is usually enough to flatter someone into forgiving excessive wheel sucking.

    Overlapping though, I have no time for. Shows a lack of awareness of the etiquette and is damn right dangerous. I’ll drop someone or tell them to stop it straight away. Particularly bad in the Park in the winter in the dark.

    March 20, 2015 at 10:34 pm #837905
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    Oor Wullier

    I can’t even get a
    I can’t even get a wheelsucking arrangement among my mates to work properly – i.e. a couple of us progress at approximately the same speed within a few feet of each other. Either they drop me or I drop them. What chance have I got with complete strangers?!

    *Although it has to be said that we are all mountain bikers dabbling in tarmac.

    March 20, 2015 at 4:20 pm #837903
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    Jeroen0110

    Tjuice wrote:I used to get

    Tjuice wrote:
    I used to get annoyed by wheel suckers.

    I can’t be bothered to let it annoy me any more.

    Anecdotally, there is a small increase in my overall happiness during cycle rides.

    here here, life’s too short. Teflon cyclist… apart from white vans that cut you up perhaps…!

    March 20, 2015 at 4:10 pm #837901
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    Tjuice

    I used to get annoyed by
    I used to get annoyed by wheel suckers.

    I can’t be bothered to let it annoy me any more.

    Anecdotally, there is a small increase in my overall happiness during cycle rides.

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