Shouted at by another cyclist
Discussion
So, I was riding home from work last night, and way up ahead of me another cyclist dropped off the pavement and onto the road and quickly got up to speed. I ended up behind him, thankful for a break from the headwind for a bit, and sat there on his back wheel for about 30 seconds.
He kept looking over his right shoulder at me. I thought he was about to move over to the right to take one of the side roads.
Then he suddenly yelled "Do you want to overtake or what?!"
I shouted back "No thanks!" ...(cheerily)
I then got a huge torrent of abuse "you f
king ignorant , ps off!" and he started dabbing his brakes! At which point I rode around him and put some distance on him until I got to a red light where I stopped, and he rode through it!
I honestly don't know what I did to upset him. Was he just jealous I was getting a tow? Or was he mentally unstable?
I get people on my back wheel all the time and it's really no bother. Seems the done thing to a certain extent.
He kept looking over his right shoulder at me. I thought he was about to move over to the right to take one of the side roads.
Then he suddenly yelled "Do you want to overtake or what?!"
I shouted back "No thanks!" ...(cheerily)
I then got a huge torrent of abuse "you f
king ignorant , ps off!" and he started dabbing his brakes! At which point I rode around him and put some distance on him until I got to a red light where I stopped, and he rode through it!I honestly don't know what I did to upset him. Was he just jealous I was getting a tow? Or was he mentally unstable?
I get people on my back wheel all the time and it's really no bother. Seems the done thing to a certain extent.
His reaction was totally uncalled for.
But; I will say that i hate people that I don't know drafting me. It makes me feel unsafe as i know nothing about them or their ability. I just slow down a few mphs and let them overtake me.
I regularly cycle back home with a mate and we draft each other along the A6, but keep swapping and I trust his riding ability.
I'll just be clear, his reaction was stupid, and i've no doubt that he's the kind of person that would brake-check in a car. I also don't know how close you were.
ETA - I never actually get overtaken...ever. That would affect my commuter racing score.
But; I will say that i hate people that I don't know drafting me. It makes me feel unsafe as i know nothing about them or their ability. I just slow down a few mphs and let them overtake me.
I regularly cycle back home with a mate and we draft each other along the A6, but keep swapping and I trust his riding ability.
I'll just be clear, his reaction was stupid, and i've no doubt that he's the kind of person that would brake-check in a car. I also don't know how close you were.
ETA - I never actually get overtaken...ever. That would affect my commuter racing score.
Edited by hondafanatic on Tuesday 8th June 12:31
hondafanatic said:
His reaction was totally uncalled for.
But; I will say that i hate people that I don't know drafting me. It makes me feel unsafe as i know nothing about them or their ability. I just slow down a few mphs and let them overtake me.
Agreed on all points. It only takes a small wheel overlap to knock you off however the guy clearly over-reactedBut; I will say that i hate people that I don't know drafting me. It makes me feel unsafe as i know nothing about them or their ability. I just slow down a few mphs and let them overtake me.
hondafanatic said:
His reaction was totally uncalled for.
But; I will say that i hate people that I don't know drafting me. It makes me feel unsafe as i know nothing about them or their ability. I just slow down a few mphs and let them overtake me.
I regularly cycle back home with a mate and we draft each other along the A6, but keep swapping and I trust his riding ability.
I'll just be clear, his reaction was stupid, and i've no doubt that he's the kind of person that would brake-check in a car. I also don't know how close you were.
ETA - I never actually get overtaken...ever. That would affect my commuter racing score.
+1 - I had a similar thing happen on the way home last week but I overtook the guy then he started to draft me pretty closely, there needs to be some kind of sign to state you are drafting rather than stalking if you get my meaning.But; I will say that i hate people that I don't know drafting me. It makes me feel unsafe as i know nothing about them or their ability. I just slow down a few mphs and let them overtake me.
I regularly cycle back home with a mate and we draft each other along the A6, but keep swapping and I trust his riding ability.
I'll just be clear, his reaction was stupid, and i've no doubt that he's the kind of person that would brake-check in a car. I also don't know how close you were.
ETA - I never actually get overtaken...ever. That would affect my commuter racing score.
Edited by hondafanatic on Tuesday 8th June 12:31
I agree with the OP though it is un-called for to shout abuse,
I would quite like to have a chat with him actually. And by that, I mean a real chat, not a shouting/boxing match.
I really want to know what terrible thing he was seeing that I wasn't.
Equally, he might also find it some comfort if I gave him the reasons why I didn't overtake him immediately:
- I thought he might be turning right due to his constant observations over his shoulder
- He wasn't going any slower than I was comfortable to go. I was in no rush.
- I was on about mile 25 that day and glad to get out of the headwind for a bit
I really want to know what terrible thing he was seeing that I wasn't.
Equally, he might also find it some comfort if I gave him the reasons why I didn't overtake him immediately:
- I thought he might be turning right due to his constant observations over his shoulder
- He wasn't going any slower than I was comfortable to go. I was in no rush.
- I was on about mile 25 that day and glad to get out of the headwind for a bit
Edited by Mr Gear on Tuesday 8th June 12:49
Rolls said:
Thats half the fun isn't it!
leading, with someone on your wheel - try and drop them on any little hill you can..
behind, on someonelses wheel - read the above!!!
The commute is "not" a race, afterall!
Absolutely, and I'd never do the hard work on the approach so that when I pass I appear to be taking it easy leading, with someone on your wheel - try and drop them on any little hill you can..
behind, on someonelses wheel - read the above!!!
The commute is "not" a race, afterall!
I don't mind people drafting me on the commute, and as I'm huge, it happens quite a bit. If I see a potential problem I sit up visibly, and make it known that there may be issues ahead.
When I draft a stranger, I normally stay slightly off centre to get a bit of a view of the road too, in Richmond Park I tend to be a bit braver though.
In the above example, his reaction seems excessive, though I could understand people being a bit nervous about being drafted by strangers.
When I draft a stranger, I normally stay slightly off centre to get a bit of a view of the road too, in Richmond Park I tend to be a bit braver though.
In the above example, his reaction seems excessive, though I could understand people being a bit nervous about being drafted by strangers.
okgo said:
I draft randoms all the time in Richmond Park, I don't like being drafted but it happens a lot, so I'll do it to others that are about my pace.
I can climb better than most though, so if they hold me up on a hill I'll go past them.
I drafted a lady cyclist in Richmond Park 'cos she had a great bottom and it helped me up the hill too.I can climb better than most though, so if they hold me up on a hill I'll go past them.
Hope I didn't creep her out.
It just proves the one abiding rule of travelling on the roads (particularly if you happen to be in London): There are tits using all forms of transport.
I think there is a mild urge to ride faster than other people in all of us. Perhaps he'd sucumbed to that urge but developed some sort of inferiority complex when he discovered he wasn't able to zoom off? God knows... Glad the bloke is on a bike, whatever the reason. You wouldn't want him adding to the number who drive 2 tons of car like that.
I think there is a mild urge to ride faster than other people in all of us. Perhaps he'd sucumbed to that urge but developed some sort of inferiority complex when he discovered he wasn't able to zoom off? God knows... Glad the bloke is on a bike, whatever the reason. You wouldn't want him adding to the number who drive 2 tons of car like that.
Chris71 said:
It just proves the one abiding rule of travelling on the roads (particularly if you happen to be in London): There are tits using all forms of transport.
I think there is a mild urge to ride faster than other people in all of us. Perhaps he'd sucumbed to that urge but developed some sort of inferiority complex when he discovered he wasn't able to zoom off? God knows... Glad the bloke is on a bike, whatever the reason. You wouldn't want him adding to the number who drive 2 tons of car like that.
I think there is a mild urge to ride faster than other people in all of us. Perhaps he'd sucumbed to that urge but developed some sort of inferiority complex when he discovered he wasn't able to zoom off? God knows... Glad the bloke is on a bike, whatever the reason. You wouldn't want him adding to the number who drive 2 tons of car like that.
There's
s everywhere. I was on my commute into Swansea from the east this morning. At full tilt on the cycleway on Fabian Way. Saw a bike coming towards me about 200m off, and acknowledged, moved to the left of the (3 bike wide) track to give us both plenty of room.
As I approach the bike, it's an old geezer, screaming at me to slow down!!!! Waving his right hand at me and thus wobbling all over the place.
Scared the pants off me, as I thought he may have been a gun toting psycho!!
You cannot compensate for weirdos.!!!
As I approach the bike, it's an old geezer, screaming at me to slow down!!!! Waving his right hand at me and thus wobbling all over the place.
Scared the pants off me, as I thought he may have been a gun toting psycho!!
You cannot compensate for weirdos.!!!
ratbane said:
I was on my commute into Swansea from the east this morning. At full tilt on the cycleway on Fabian Way. Saw a bike coming towards me about 200m off, and acknowledged, moved to the left of the (3 bike wide) track to give us both plenty of room.
As I approach the bike, it's an old geezer, screaming at me to slow down!!!! Waving his right hand at me and thus wobbling all over the place.
Scared the pants off me, as I thought he may have been a gun toting psycho!!
You cannot compensate for weirdos.!!!
Ha ha! I did the New Forest Sportive last year and was told to slow down by a fellow competitor! IT'S BEING TIMED YOU MORON! I don't want my mates to beat me! As I approach the bike, it's an old geezer, screaming at me to slow down!!!! Waving his right hand at me and thus wobbling all over the place.
Scared the pants off me, as I thought he may have been a gun toting psycho!!
You cannot compensate for weirdos.!!!
As an irregular rider- I would add to this debate that if I were riding down the road and someone irrelevantly pedalled up and started riding up arse I would be angry too.
It seems like a totally bizarre thing to do. I have never heard of this.
You wouldn't do it in a car.
You wouldn't do it on foot.
WHy does it feel acceptable to do it on a push bike?
It seems like a totally bizarre thing to do. I have never heard of this.
You wouldn't do it in a car.
You wouldn't do it on foot.
WHy does it feel acceptable to do it on a push bike?
blindswelledrat said:
As an irregular rider- I would add to this debate that if I were riding down the road and someone irrelevantly pedalled up and started riding up arse I would be angry too.
It seems like a totally bizarre thing to do. I have never heard of this.
You wouldn't do it in a car.
You wouldn't do it on foot.
WHy does it feel acceptable to do it on a push bike?
Because unlike in a car (on the open road), you are only doing about 15mph and therefore braking distances are tiny.It seems like a totally bizarre thing to do. I have never heard of this.
You wouldn't do it in a car.
You wouldn't do it on foot.
WHy does it feel acceptable to do it on a push bike?
In addition, "getting a tow" in a headwind cuts the effort required to pedal massively. Maybe even 50% at a guess.
You wouldn't do it in a car or on foot because there is nothing to be gained.
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