Author Topic: Close passes  (Read 15403 times)

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Close passes
« on: 27 March, 2021, 06:27:51 pm »


Did an 80k ride today, and in the process experienced a number of close passes. Whilst the closest pass was sum fuckwi in a car who beeped, then squeezed past. The one that stands out was 4 very close passes in quick succession. Who by? 4 cyclists in a chain gang. They went past so close I didn't have enough space to go round the pothole in front of me. I'm really unimpressed. You'd think cyclists would know better. Greer

Sorry. Needed to rant

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Close passes
« Reply #1 on: 27 March, 2021, 06:36:45 pm »
I've also been surprised by number of close passes I've had from cars with bikes on, where you'd expect them to know better.

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
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Re: Close passes
« Reply #2 on: 27 March, 2021, 07:05:15 pm »
...Who by? 4 cyclists in a chain gang. They went past so close I didn't have enough space to go round the pothole in front of me. ..

Team Brexit Ineos, I'm looking at you  :demon:

Chris S

Re: Close passes
« Reply #3 on: 27 March, 2021, 07:12:28 pm »
The world is an angry place right now. Roads are part of the world. Off-road isn't exempt, though probably less risky; some of the shared use spaces around here attract a great deal of frowniness toward cyclists from walkers/dog emptiers.

Nothing like a worldwide pandemic to make us all want those around us, not in our "bubble", to not be there.

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Close passes
« Reply #4 on: 27 March, 2021, 07:39:54 pm »
...Who by? 4 cyclists in a chain gang. They went past so close I didn't have enough space to go round the pothole in front of me. ..

Team Brexit Ineos, I'm looking at you  :demon:

US Postal gave us lots of space when passing in Belgium in 2004.  Both the riders and the team car.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
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Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Close passes
« Reply #5 on: 27 March, 2021, 07:45:11 pm »
The worst ever close pass I have had was just outside Ullapool and was by a local.

The second worst was, ironically, also just outside Ullapool and was by a Dutch driver. Driving a LHD car, so clearly able to see where I was. He stopped further up the road to look at the view and seemed shocked when I remonstrated with him. I reckoned he had already driven hundreds of miles to get his Dutch LHD car to the NW Highlands.
It is simpler than it looks.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Close passes
« Reply #6 on: 27 March, 2021, 08:14:18 pm »
I suppose those used to riding in chain gangs have non-standard ideas about how much space you need between cyclists.  Not that that's an excuse, as it's one thing getting up close with someone you know and trust, and quite another doing it to randoms out on the road who might be daydreaming or easily spooked or whatever.

Anyway today's bonkers incident wasn't a close pass, it wasn't even the oncoming car playing chicken with me on the wrong side of a traffic island in order to overtake some slower cyclists in the other direction, *or* the driver of the car behind who did the same thing into a non-existent gap under they-could-go-therefore-it-must-be-okay-for-me-to-go rules.  No, it was the one who was so busy alerting me to the fact that I was riding an unusual-looking bike by applying a blast of horn mid-overtake that they almost failed to notice the van in front slowing down, or the oncoming horse (which at this point had already started to get twitchy about my presence) that it was slowing down for.  Fortunately the van blocking the view seemed to calm the horse, and disaster was averted.  The horseist rewarded me with an extremely posh "They just don't give a shit, do they?"  as I passed with care.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Close passes
« Reply #7 on: 27 March, 2021, 08:30:55 pm »
The worst ever close pass I have had was just outside Ullapool and was by a local.

The second worst was, ironically, also just outside Ullapool and was by a Dutch driver. Driving a LHD car, so clearly able to see where I was. He stopped further up the road to look at the view and seemed shocked when I remonstrated with him. I reckoned he had already driven hundreds of miles to get his Dutch LHD car to the NW Highlands.

I used to joke that the Dutch are so used to bikes being segregated, that they have no fucking clue what to do when they get mixed together. I remember watching a couple of Dutch cycle tourists in Dover who seemed unable to get out of the port as they lacked the confidence to mix with traffic.

This all said, my experience post plague is that the Dutch have completely lost the fucking plot and forgotten how to drive. Last weekend in a single 98k ride in the Veluwe, I had more close passes and was on the receiving end of more bad driving, than in the previous 20000+km of cycling in this country, combined. If I didn't have a well maintained bike with good brakes, I would have been splatted across the bonnet of one car, the driver of which decided to overtake a couple of cyclists on his side of the road, while completely oblivious to the one barrelling towards them. Much swearing happened.

I suppose those used to riding in chain gangs have non-standard ideas about how much space you need between cyclists.  Not that that's an excuse, as it's one thing getting up close with someone you know and trust, and quite another doing it to randoms out on the road who might be daydreaming or easily spooked or whatever.

But it's just bad etiquette. In the TTT if you catch up the riders in front, you give them a bloody wide berth. I'm used to Amsterdam cycling, where at certain times of day you can feel like you've accidentally ridden into the middle of an informal alley cat. But you know that's the deal, you signed up for that when you crossed the a10. But on a tiny road in the middle of nowhere?

It was on this road: https://goo.gl/maps/cuk5zxGkAts82GM28


Quote
Anyway today's bonkers incident wasn't a close pass, it wasn't even the oncoming car playing chicken with me on the wrong side of a traffic island in order to overtake some slower cyclists in the other direction, *or* the driver of the car behind who did the same thing into a non-existent gap under they-could-go-therefore-it-must-be-okay-for-me-to-go rules.  No, it was the one who was so busy alerting me to the fact that I was riding an unusual-looking bike by applying a blast of horn mid-overtake that they almost failed to notice the van in front slowing down, or the oncoming horse (which at this point had already started to get twitchy about my presence) that it was slowing down for.  Fortunately the van blocking the view seemed to calm the horse, and disaster was averted.  The horseist rewarded me with an extremely posh "They just don't give a shit, do they?"  as I passed with care.

Fuuuck

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Close passes
« Reply #8 on: 28 March, 2021, 08:43:19 am »
Out on the bike yesterday, I spoke to two horse riders who told me some cyclists were
just as bad as motor vehicle drivers for close passes. As I spoke to the second horse rider, I
noticed a few riders approaching from behind the horse/rider who didn't even slow down and announce their presence.

Re: Close passes
« Reply #9 on: 28 March, 2021, 09:17:36 am »
The noobs are out in force at the moment, cosplaying being pro.

Me and my mate, Steve, go noobsurfing on our rides. The rules are thus: Should any cyclist overtake us and not respond in kind to our cheery greetings we are to allow them to build up what looks like an unassailable lead,  and then upon a nod of agreement reel them back in, but not too soon. The skill is to get the timing right, know the route, so that the catch occurs about a third of the way up a climb, just as they are dying. Being both seasoned fixed gear riders it is only ever going to end one way. Naturally we relish the opportunity to extract a resentful hello from them. The funniest are the ones who refuse to make eye contact and just give a feint nod. Bonus points if they are riding deep rimmed carbon wheels and full Castelli in winter/spring.

LMT

Re: Close passes
« Reply #10 on: 28 March, 2021, 12:17:17 pm »
The noobs are out in force at the moment, cosplaying being pro.

Me and my mate, Steve, go noobsurfing on our rides. The rules are thus: Should any cyclist overtake us and not respond in kind to our cheery greetings we are to allow them to build up what looks like an unassailable lead,  and then upon a nod of agreement reel them back in, but not too soon. The skill is to get the timing right, know the route, so that the catch occurs about a third of the way up a climb, just as they are dying. Being both seasoned fixed gear riders it is only ever going to end one way. Naturally we relish the opportunity to extract a resentful hello from them. The funniest are the ones who refuse to make eye contact and just give a feint nod. Bonus points if they are riding deep rimmed carbon wheels and full Castelli in winter/spring.

So in other words you get annoyed when people don't say hello to you?

Re: Close passes
« Reply #11 on: 28 March, 2021, 12:20:31 pm »
The noobs are out in force at the moment, cosplaying being pro.

Me and my mate, Steve, go noobsurfing on our rides. The rules are thus: Should any cyclist overtake us and not respond in kind to our cheery greetings we are to allow them to build up what looks like an unassailable lead,  and then upon a nod of agreement reel them back in, but not too soon. The skill is to get the timing right, know the route, so that the catch occurs about a third of the way up a climb, just as they are dying. Being both seasoned fixed gear riders it is only ever going to end one way. Naturally we relish the opportunity to extract a resentful hello from them. The funniest are the ones who refuse to make eye contact and just give a feint nod. Bonus points if they are riding deep rimmed carbon wheels and full Castelli in winter/spring.

So in other words you get annoyed when people don't say hello to you?

Seems entirely reasonable to me ...

LMT

Re: Close passes
« Reply #12 on: 28 March, 2021, 12:23:09 pm »
The noobs are out in force at the moment, cosplaying being pro.

Me and my mate, Steve, go noobsurfing on our rides. The rules are thus: Should any cyclist overtake us and not respond in kind to our cheery greetings we are to allow them to build up what looks like an unassailable lead,  and then upon a nod of agreement reel them back in, but not too soon. The skill is to get the timing right, know the route, so that the catch occurs about a third of the way up a climb, just as they are dying. Being both seasoned fixed gear riders it is only ever going to end one way. Naturally we relish the opportunity to extract a resentful hello from them. The funniest are the ones who refuse to make eye contact and just give a feint nod. Bonus points if they are riding deep rimmed carbon wheels and full Castelli in winter/spring.

So in other words you get annoyed when people don't say hello to you?

Seems entirely reasonable to me ...

LOL, people are not at liberty to say hello to you.

Self entitled knobbery TBH.

Re: Close passes
« Reply #13 on: 28 March, 2021, 01:04:51 pm »
Out here, in the middle of nowhere, not responding to a cheery hello is a highly abnormal response. Indeed the norm is to pause for a brief chat. It's one of life's little joys.

That's the norm. You are abnormal. LOL


Re: Close passes
« Reply #14 on: 28 March, 2021, 01:09:10 pm »
You will be friendly or you will be punished. Can't see anything wrong with that.

Davef

Re: Close passes
« Reply #15 on: 28 March, 2021, 01:09:17 pm »
The beauty of interval training is that it gives the people that you have passed a chance to catch up and feel better about themselves.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Close passes
« Reply #16 on: 28 March, 2021, 01:12:19 pm »
Hot Flatus is the acknowledged master of fartlek, though I'm not sure that was how he pronounced the second syllable.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

John Stonebridge

  • Has never ridden Ower the Edge
Re: Close passes
« Reply #17 on: 28 March, 2021, 01:32:57 pm »
I will always wave, though ive noticed during the panemic fewer cyclists saying anything when overtaking but still waving an acknowledgement. 

I used to get humpty about folk passing without acknowledgement but im ambivalent about it beyond noting the correlation between full kit wanker outfit and zero acknowledgements. 

My fave episode was a guy who scudded past me on a road bike very close in Dalmeny without a word.  Then he passed me again on the Forth Road Bridge so hed obviously got lost.  When he passed for the 2nd time in 5 mins he did so with a sheepish “went the wrong way didnt I silly me” type comment.  I nodded sagely and silently while seeking to convey the “oh aye talking now youve been a dick eh” vibe.  He knew. 


Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Close passes
« Reply #18 on: 28 March, 2021, 01:36:50 pm »
Should any cyclist overtake us and not respond in kind to our cheery greetings [...]

"Smile luv"

Re: Close passes
« Reply #19 on: 28 March, 2021, 01:48:10 pm »
Hardly. It's not exactly a "Smile luv" scenario, is it  ::-)

It's just manners and not being an asocial weirdo.

Remember, this isn't an urban area.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Close passes
« Reply #20 on: 28 March, 2021, 01:52:58 pm »
Nope. It's not a "Smile luv" scenario.

It can feel like one when I'm on the receiving end.  *shrug*

Just like you don't know a random cyclist's ability to hold a line, as per the OP, you don't know what's happening in their head. Maybe they're having fun and are delighted to cheerfully greet fellow cyclists.  Maybe they're up for a bit of Silly Commuter Racing.  Maybe they'd be happy to stop and discuss the relative merits of recumbent bicycles for 5 minutes.  Maybe they're late for something important.  Maybe they're just wishing they could be home so the knee pain will stop.  Maybe their IBS is acting up and they're desperately trying not to shit their pants.  Maybe they're still reeling from being nearly taken out by a fuckwit motorist.  Maybe they just got a load of abuse for using their bell on a shared-use path.  Maybe they're busy solving a difficult programming problem in their head.  Maybe they just learned that someone close to them has died and have gone for a bike ride to get out of the house.

Another person's bike ride doesn't imply any obligation to entertain you, just like existing while female doesn't imply any obligation to entertain random creepy men.

Re: Close passes
« Reply #21 on: 28 March, 2021, 02:00:27 pm »
What, somebody on a bike  saying "hello"?

Honestly, I doubt any of the men I've said hello to as they passed didn't not respond because they feared that to do so might result in an unwanted sexual approach or a rape.

Women? Never known one to not initiate a greeting. As I said before, saying hello to other cyclists out in the countryside is the norm. To not do so is abnormal, whatever the reason.



LMT

Re: Close passes
« Reply #22 on: 28 March, 2021, 02:01:01 pm »
Out here, in the middle of nowhere, not responding to a cheery hello is a highly abnormal response. Indeed the norm is to pause for a brief chat. It's one of life's little joys.

That's the norm. You are abnormal. LOL

Says you. Once again, people are not at liberty to say hello.

And I would class putting in an effort to catch someone up who has not said hello to you, to say hello to them again just to prove a point as abnormal behaviour. Trying getting a life, then things like this don't bother you, it becomes case of meh, a shrug of shoulders and you get on with the day. Especially when said person who you have said hello too twice, probably could not care less and is just out riding their bike for the fun of it.

Re: Close passes
« Reply #23 on: 28 March, 2021, 02:05:15 pm »
To be honest, you are the last person I'd take advice from on what is normal  ;D ;D ;D

Abnormal and asocial? Yes, you'd be my first port of call.  :thumbsup:

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Close passes
« Reply #24 on: 28 March, 2021, 02:07:17 pm »
What, somebody on a bike  saying "hello"?

Saying hello is fine.  Expecting anything in response is not.