BIking Ettiquite

Yeah, he was drafting......

I would have said something.  It's very rude of someone to do that.  Or next time just pull over to "adjust something on your bike" and let them pass.

I won't let anyone I don't know on my wheel. If they try I just stop pedaling until they pass. Sometimes they're insulted and will say something mean. I don't say anything. I'll just rest up a bit (out of their draft) and then blow by them so fast that they can't get on my wheel.

I've had two crashes in two months both of which resulted in an AC separations (and more injuries). It makes no sense for me to take risk on a training ride just so someone can pretend like they're a bike racer.

I guess the exception to this would be in an organized century. But even then, I'll either start at the very front and I can assume the those who can hang with the front pack are skilled bike riders. Or I'll start behind the very back and ride it as a time trial so that nobody I'm passing has the ability to get on my wheel.

I give them the eye and tell them to go around me. I don't like worrying about some random person behind me sucking my wheel.

I think that we all have stories like this.  I was down in Louisville riding a few months ago and I had a group of 8 people line up behind me.  I just stopped, let the past and then blew by them.  Only 1 person had the ..... to catch back up with me, sat on my wheel for close to 9 miles. 

I hate it when people do this.  The only people I will do this with are my training partners and even then I try not to sit on someones wheel.  What is the point.  I am out there to get a workout in and drafting is not my opinion of training. 

Just rude...

VERY poor etiquette!  What if you jump on the brakes to avoid something and never knew someone was there?  What if suddenly realizing it startled you ad you went down?  What if you just don't like someone sucking your wheel because you're a triathlete and not used to it?  I would have probably slowed up, looked backand said "WTF?"

The proper etiquette is to ride up alongside and offer a greeting.  Ask if you're a roadie and wouldn't mind riding together taking turns pulling.  Specifically state that you would like to do some drafting training and see if the other rider is OK with it.

If not, drop back and pace ride.

Sorry!  I'll ask next time

Very rude and dangerous.  Plus, why?  If one is training then why would you want the "easy" ride by drafting?  I know the Tri I'm doing on Sunday specifically states no drafting.  You need to have 3 foot distance from the next rider.

If nothing is said I'll slow down. 

Three years ago when I was HIM training I picked up a drafter that was coming around a corner.  She asked and I said sure, we were heading into a good headwind, didn't think anything of it.  Once we got on the back roads all of a sudden I start hearing her talking.  I was thinking "is she talking to me?"  Sure enough she was.  I told her that I have some hearing loss and cannot understand her at all with the wind noise.  Pulled her for 15 miles until I had to turn around, she kept on trying to have small talk even after told her!

I definitely call people out on it.  I'm not going to work my tail off pulling someone for miles without reciprocity.  I don't mind if someone wants to draft, but don't suck on my wheel unless you're also going to do your fair share. 

I like this approach

Do you really work any harder if someone's behind you? I can understand the safety factor, but can't understand this logic.

I would check and see if your bike shorts have gone see thru yet

Thats the only reason a guy would follow a lady for 9 miles!

I don't think it is right, but I always try to drop them as opposed to letting them pass. I look at it as an interval session. Try this next time. If you can't drop them hten let them pass. 

Kevin

I was in CP the other day, not going especially fast because it was crowded. When I moved to my right to avoid a rollerblader, I heard two voices yelling at me from behind to look where I was going. Turns out I had another bike AND a speed-skater (speed suit, aero helmet, 6-wheel rollerblades) sitting right on my wheel. Never knew either of them was there.

I can’t stand it when people just jump on my wheel without saying a word. It’s obnoxious. When you’re out running in the park, would you just run up behind someone and run along with them in lockstep? Would it be appropriate to just grab someone’s feet in a pool and draft along behind them for lap after lap? I don’t get why people think this is ok and why they think it’s somehow incumbent on the person pulling to be responsible for their safety.

I had a d00d do that to me a few weeks ago. 1. it's rude, esp. if you don't ask or anything. 2. I'm a single chick, out alone on a deserted country road...what dude thinks that's not going to make me at least a LITTLE bit wiered out.

So I gradually upped the tempo, until we were cruising at around 24-25, and eventually he fell off my wheel :p

Sure, I had to have a mini-time trial in my workout, but a little speed never hurts anyone.

It's called the Lead Dog mentality! 

I couldn't care less if someone is on my wheel. Doesn't happen too often, and they usually can't hold it for very long.. if they do, chances are that I know them. Either way, it doesn't bother me at all. I'll even start pointing at cracks, rocks and other things in the way that they wouldn't be able to see back there.

If you don't know someone you will stay 2-3 feet back, if it's someone you know and trust their skills you can get closer.

I did a duathlon this summer where a cyclists just out for a ride pulled on to the course right as I passed by. He sprinted up to my wheel to try and draft. Given he only lasted about 300m. I found it funny though!

I find most of the responses here very funny.  First off, yes, I consider it rude.  They should ask out of courtesy and just so you know that they are there. 

I don't see it as much of a safety issue because if I see a pothole and go around it and they don't, I'm not going down...they are.  If someone is that close to you (ie truly drafting) chances are just as high that they know what they are doing and will be able to do the smart thing should you slow up or brake/move/etc. 

It's not affecting you one bit if someone is on your wheel.  It's not slowing you down, causing you to swerve, etc.  As for speeding up, that is your call.  I'm going to do my workout as it's stated.  If that means you sit on my wheel because you want to pratice drafting or go at a faster speed, have at it.  But it's not going to cause me to do anything differently.

Not everyone is a triathlete.  Drafting is a legitimate part of road racing and it's something that requires practice.  I've had people latch onto my wheel and then say, want me to pull?  My answer is no:  I'm good.  This is particurlarly fun in Centuries.

So, in short, the only mistake that person made was not asking.

With out asking I would consider it rude, but in his defense.......

PACEBOOTY!

You might want to re-check the rules -- the standard drafting zone is quite a bit larger than that...

To OP:  Agree with the others.  It is not safe.  The couple times it has happened to me, I headed for the nearest hill and rode it hard to drop the passenger.  So far, this has worked.  But really, I'm not sure why I didn't just turn around and ask the person not to draft off of me.

Ride a clunker a hit the brakes at random times.
Be ready to veer off to avoid getting hit.

Hopefully, you can get him to break his leg with minimal danger to yourself.

I am almost sarcastic, but not enough for sarc font.

Edited by eabeam 2009-08-21 11:35 AM

I pick up people on rides and people pick up me on rides. Generally speaking I know and the person I pick up knows when there is someone behind them from the noise or talking to the person. I don't mind if someone is drafting off me and tend not to think that it is a safety issue. I'm usually going pretty fast and if they are drafting off me they probably have reasonably good skills. I like to switch off with the other rider (both take the lead and the draft) but realize that it is not always possible for someone to take the lead. There are many times when the only way I can keep up with someone is in their draft and likewise for the other person. In these cases (which are difficult to determine) I don't think the drafting rider needs to take the lead.

All that said I tend to get a little nervous if someone is drafting behind me on a tri bike in aero. That, in my humble opinion, is a faux pas.

A fart would also discourage