Have you ever gotten a penalty?

No penalty here, but I had a similar situation in one of the sprints last year where I was passed and then the rider seemed to just settle down into a slower speed right in front of me. I passed her again after hanging back there and worrying about drafting... and she promptly kicked it in and passed me again. It was frustrating for me because I feel that she should have kept her momentum up at least until I was (maintaining my own previous speed) no longer in her zone.

In your case, it sounds like it was not your fault, just bad luck that the tail end of the situation was seen by an official.

At  least the guy that caused the penalty tried to stand up for you. Still understand your frustration.

Got a 2:00 penalty in my first tri ever. I didn't even realize it until I looked at my time. It took me a half hour to track someone down and the official record said 'littering on the race course'.....for the life of me I couldn't think what/when I would have tossed anything on the course--other than at aid sations. Loading my bike on my car I realized the number on my bike was gone.......must have come of during the race.

Jeez, seriously!? They gave you a penalty for that? Wow, that's nuts.

I got a 2:00 penalty in my very first tri because my run number had flipped around (one side had torn off the number belt) and they couldn't see my race number.  Whatev.  LOL

Wow, I think that would have put a bad enough taste in my mouth that I wouldn't be back, you'd think they could tell for purposeful and accidental...

I got a penalty for taking too long to pass.  There were 3 of us trying to kill each other on the bike and we kept attacking and attacking.  I would attack on the uphills and they on the down/flats.  So as I went to push, I realized that I had to do a double pass or else send my team-mate back 3 lengths on a climb.  So I figured it would be best to pass them both.  Well, it took me 17 seconds to make the pass and I got a 2:00 penalty. 

Smart race tactics would have said as soon as I crossed my team-mates wheel, I slid over and sent him 3 lengths to the rear.  Then I have a fresh 15 seconds to pass the next guy.

What that racer did was 100% legal but crappy.  As soon as his front wheel passes yours, you have to go back out of the zone.  Even if that means you have to come to basically a stop.  It sucks, but that's how it works. 

Live and learn right?

oops. Double post

Funny thing is I felt bad like I did something wrong.....You can be sure that my number was MORE securely fastened at the next tri.

How is it abandoned equipment if you picked it up? 

I feel like that it should be illegal to overtake that way but it would be incredibly difficult to police. What is now particularly frustrating thinking about it is that being in the last wave, there are lots of people riding constantly in the left at 16mph.  I think I averaged a little north of 20 including the penalty, but after I made a pass I got to the right.  

The course was routinely blocked and I often had to slow down a bunch to get around or even go in to the lane with vehicular traffic to make these passes as some people just would not move right even as I was coming up.  I asked the penalty tent official if he had seen a blocking penalty yet and he said no.  Argh!!

That was my thought. Basically, the answer was along the lines of "we didn't see it--we just saw it go flying" :D No way to prove it after the fact (well, aside from the fact I still HAVE that bottle :p), so I'm not going to argue.  I've been a sports official, and I know how hard it can be and how many judgement calls you have to make and how much it sucks to have angry yahoos yelling at you. I chalk it up to karma points ;-)

There were a lot of people riding left, I agree (I was in one of the last waves as well).  More then I have ever seen at any other race.  If I said on the left most moved over, but of course I shouldn't have had to say it.  I passed two girls riding side by side that forced me over the white line.  They totally didn't get why that was an issue.  Drafting and blocking.  Oh well, it is what it is

The officials were ON TOP of penalties yesterday.  I couldn't believe it.  I actually didn't pass a few people when they were around because I was so nervous about it.

Funny story though...

Last year during the Galveston HIM - my first tri...  I saw some people riding on a motorcycle in the bike lane. I was about to give them a WTF? when I saw them give the rider in front of me a penalty.  First time I'd ever seen an official...  *facepalm*

Yep, got a drafting penality last year in an Olympic.  Was cruising nicely along and then we hit a chip sealed road on a uphill.  Guy in front of me slowed down a bit, I tried to pass him but the rough road and uphill sucked all I had left so pulled left about a foot or two at about 2 bike lengths behind to avoid the draft until I recoverd and could get around him.  Apparently I wasn't wide or far enough behind.  At least that is my guess because the official never informed me .  I was pissed at the time because the officials drive by but never tell you a violation until you get home, then have to email the RD to figure out what the penalty was. 

Did I deserve it? Probably, but they had to be really picky as I would have been on the very outside edge of the draft box on an uphill section of road.  Of course the five 40 year olds who were clearly cheating with a peleton didn't get a thing.  Oh well, two tears in a bucket.

The penalties should be stiffer for this.  Those bottles are a hazard that can really ruin someone's day/season.

Lol that is exactly how I feel.  I just didn't have much of a choice.  The official didn't tell me how long the penalty was for and did not know where the penalty tent was.

For everyone who drops a bottle or just for those who don't go back to get it?