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2013-08-18 8:24 AM
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Subject: RE: Passing Etiquette in Bike Leg
Originally posted by Goosedog
Originally posted by the bear

Originally posted by wbattaile
Originally posted by Clempson ... i've even passed cars sitting driving behind people moving slower up ahead...
I think this part will result in penalty.

Based on what rule?

bear, what's your take on this? I've experienced this once or twice and slowed and did not pass the cars. Not really based on any known triathlon rule, but more that it felt unsafe. You never know when a car is going to turn in either direction, or swerve unpredictably. Outside of a race, couldn't a cyclist be ticketed for passing a moving car in the same lane - unsafe conditions or such? Assuming it could violate a traffic law, could an official issue a penalty for failing to follow the rules of the road? Thanks.

What traffic law would the cyclist be breaking?

Why would the pass have to be in the same lane?

Safety, of course, rules the day, but if you can safely pass any slower moving vehicle, I know of no rule that prevents it. This is the one I find that comes closest to addressing it. It also addresses, IMHO, the erroneous assumption that previous posters have touched on that you cannot cross the center line:

5.4 Traffic Laws. All participants must obey all traffic laws while on the cycling course unless otherwise specifically directed by a USA Triathlon official, race monitor or designee with actual authority. Unless otherwise directed in accordance with the preceding sentence, all participants shall come to a complete stop when required by a traffic sign or traffic control device and shall not proceed through any intersection unless such intersection is clear of oncoming traffic. In no case shall a cyclist cross a solid yellow line indicating a no passing zone. Any violation of this Section shall result in disqualification or a variable time penalty as determined in the sole discretion of the Head Referee.



Edited by the bear 2013-08-18 8:35 AM


2013-08-18 9:25 AM
in reply to: the bear

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Subject: RE: Passing Etiquette in Bike Leg
Originally posted by the bear
Originally posted by Goosedog
Originally posted by the bear

Originally posted by wbattaile
Originally posted by Clempson ... i've even passed cars sitting driving behind people moving slower up ahead...
I think this part will result in penalty.

Based on what rule?

bear, what's your take on this? I've experienced this once or twice and slowed and did not pass the cars. Not really based on any known triathlon rule, but more that it felt unsafe. You never know when a car is going to turn in either direction, or swerve unpredictably. Outside of a race, couldn't a cyclist be ticketed for passing a moving car in the same lane - unsafe conditions or such? Assuming it could violate a traffic law, could an official issue a penalty for failing to follow the rules of the road? Thanks.

What traffic law would the cyclist be breaking?

Why would the pass have to be in the same lane?

Safety, of course, rules the day, but if you can safely pass any slower moving vehicle, I know of no rule that prevents it. This is the one I find that comes closest to addressing it. It also addresses, IMHO, the erroneous assumption that previous posters have touched on that you cannot cross the center line:

5.4 Traffic Laws. All participants must obey all traffic laws while on the cycling course unless otherwise specifically directed by a USA Triathlon official, race monitor or designee with actual authority. Unless otherwise directed in accordance with the preceding sentence, all participants shall come to a complete stop when required by a traffic sign or traffic control device and shall not proceed through any intersection unless such intersection is clear of oncoming traffic. In no case shall a cyclist cross a solid yellow line indicating a no passing zone. Any violation of this Section shall result in disqualification or a variable time penalty as determined in the sole discretion of the Head Referee.

If they're passing a car on a solid yellow, wouldn't that be a violation of traffic laws in addition to violating the rule you quoted?  I don't believe passing a car at a dashed line where safe would be a violation of the rules nor traffic laws.

Regarding crossing the center line, I've been in a number of races where crossing it has been called out as illegal at the pre-race meeting regardless of whether it's solid or dashed, so it can be a race-specific rule for safety reasons, but otherwise I agree with you that I'm not aware of anything in the USAT rules that prohibits it.  This is one of the many reasons it's so important to attend those pre-race meetings.

As a side note, at the pre-race meeting last Friday for Nationals, it was stated by the officials that every single one of the bike penalties issued the year before were by people who failed to attend the meeting.  Additionally, I was shocked at the type of questions being asked, considering it was a National Championship where everyone had to qualify to be there.  As much as triathletes worry about using the correct supplements, training techniques, wearing the best shoes, or analyzing their gait, there seems to be an awful lot who don't put the same effort into understanding the rules.

 

 

2013-08-18 9:33 AM
in reply to: TriMyBest

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Subject: RE: Passing Etiquette in Bike Leg
Originally posted by TriMyBest
Originally posted by the bear
Originally posted by Goosedog
Originally posted by the bear

Originally posted by wbattaile
Originally posted by Clempson ... i've even passed cars sitting driving behind people moving slower up ahead...
I think this part will result in penalty.

Based on what rule?

bear, what's your take on this? I've experienced this once or twice and slowed and did not pass the cars. Not really based on any known triathlon rule, but more that it felt unsafe. You never know when a car is going to turn in either direction, or swerve unpredictably. Outside of a race, couldn't a cyclist be ticketed for passing a moving car in the same lane - unsafe conditions or such? Assuming it could violate a traffic law, could an official issue a penalty for failing to follow the rules of the road? Thanks.

What traffic law would the cyclist be breaking?

Why would the pass have to be in the same lane?

Safety, of course, rules the day, but if you can safely pass any slower moving vehicle, I know of no rule that prevents it. This is the one I find that comes closest to addressing it. It also addresses, IMHO, the erroneous assumption that previous posters have touched on that you cannot cross the center line:

5.4 Traffic Laws. All participants must obey all traffic laws while on the cycling course unless otherwise specifically directed by a USA Triathlon official, race monitor or designee with actual authority. Unless otherwise directed in accordance with the preceding sentence, all participants shall come to a complete stop when required by a traffic sign or traffic control device and shall not proceed through any intersection unless such intersection is clear of oncoming traffic. In no case shall a cyclist cross a solid yellow line indicating a no passing zone. Any violation of this Section shall result in disqualification or a variable time penalty as determined in the sole discretion of the Head Referee.

If they're passing a car on a solid yellow, wouldn't that be a violation of traffic laws in addition to violating the rule you quoted?  I don't believe passing a car at a dashed line where safe would be a violation of the rules nor traffic laws.

Regarding crossing the center line, I've been in a number of races where crossing it has been called out as illegal at the pre-race meeting regardless of whether it's solid or dashed, so it can be a race-specific rule for safety reasons, but otherwise I agree with you that I'm not aware of anything in the USAT rules that prohibits it.  This is one of the many reasons it's so important to attend those pre-race meetings.

As a side note, at the pre-race meeting last Friday for Nationals, it was stated by the officials that every single one of the bike penalties issued the year before were by people who failed to attend the meeting.  Additionally, I was shocked at the type of questions being asked, considering it was a National Championship where everyone had to qualify to be there.  As much as triathletes worry about using the correct supplements, training techniques, wearing the best shoes, or analyzing their gait, there seems to be an awful lot who don't put the same effort into understanding the rules.

 

A solid yellow line was never mentioned, but yes you are correct. And of course always check for any race-specific rules that supersede the standard USAT rules.

Regarding the lack of rules knowledge, I gave a rules presentation at a club meeting last year, and as a prelude gave a short quiz. I was embarrassed by the lack of understanding that our club members had, especially since many of them have been racing as long or longer than I.

2013-08-18 11:08 PM
in reply to: the bear

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Subject: RE: Passing Etiquette in Bike Leg
Originally posted by the bear

Originally posted by Goosedog
Originally posted by the bear

Originally posted by wbattaile
Originally posted by Clempson ... i've even passed cars sitting driving behind people moving slower up ahead...
I think this part will result in penalty.

Based on what rule?

bear, what's your take on this? I've experienced this once or twice and slowed and did not pass the cars. Not really based on any known triathlon rule, but more that it felt unsafe. You never know when a car is going to turn in either direction, or swerve unpredictably. Outside of a race, couldn't a cyclist be ticketed for passing a moving car in the same lane - unsafe conditions or such? Assuming it could violate a traffic law, could an official issue a penalty for failing to follow the rules of the road? Thanks.

What traffic law would the cyclist be breaking?

Why would the pass have to be in the same lane?

Safety, of course, rules the day, but if you can safely pass any slower moving vehicle, I know of no rule that prevents it. This is the one I find that comes closest to addressing it. It also addresses, IMHO, the erroneous assumption that previous posters have touched on that you cannot cross the center line:

5.4 Traffic Laws. All participants must obey all traffic laws while on the cycling course unless otherwise specifically directed by a USA Triathlon official, race monitor or designee with actual authority. Unless otherwise directed in accordance with the preceding sentence, all participants shall come to a complete stop when required by a traffic sign or traffic control device and shall not proceed through any intersection unless such intersection is clear of oncoming traffic. In no case shall a cyclist cross a solid yellow line indicating a no passing zone. Any violation of this Section shall result in disqualification or a variable time penalty as determined in the sole discretion of the Head Referee.




x2.

As someone said earlier, exiting the lane is sometimes (almost always, in these parts) declared illegal but that's a mater for the RD and is not addressed (AFAIK) in USAT rules. The reason RD's declare it illegal is clear: they close one lane (of a four lane road) to cars, and do not want cyclists in the same lane as cars. Fair enough. I don't particularly want to be riding there anyway.
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