Trail Etiquette
- This topic has 11 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 4 months ago by
.
-
Unsolicited drafting is unwelcome and dangerous – especially on a MUT, where you often have to react to the unpredictable actions of other trail users. There’s not a lot you can do about wheel-suckers, though. Like Pete, my approach is to slow, and ask them to go around. It’s better to just let them get away from you; the ones who are doing it on purpose, not out of ignorance, will get all bent out of shape if you complain, and it’s just not worth the grief.
I had one particular incident where a guy riding in the drops on triathlon-style aero bars snuck on to my rear wheel. He followed me up the S-curve behind the Italian Store. Not knowing anyone was back there, I merely sat up at the top of the climb, without applying any brakes. I heard, “WHOA!” as this guy missed sweeping my year wheel by mere millimeters. This, and other less severe incidents, have made my feelings about the subject unambiguous and strong. Wheel sucking is dangerous and rude. You shouldn’t do it.
If I find myself in a position where I’m riding about the same speed as another rider, and I don’t feel like I can pass them and “stay away,” I’ll let them know I’m back there, that my intent is not to sneak up and draft, and that I’m going to hang safely back. In other words, I tell them I’m back there, and try to work it out, so we’re both comfortable.
Of course, if it’s someone like Pete, I’ll draft. That’s because I’ve spent hours on group rides trying to keep his wheel. He knows what I’m going to do, and I know what he’s going to do. In that case, it’s drafting by prearranged, mutual consent. Besides, since Dirt puts in the miles, and does the work, drafting is one of the only techniques available that insures I will be there at the end of the ride, rather than struggling to catch back up to the pack.
Senor Womblehead…. Wise words indeed. Did you notice that I didn’t suggest going Ben Hur on the Drafters? I guess the new medication is working.
(totally joking. I love and respect all mankind and would never condone any kind of action like that against someone.)I got rear-ended by people while riding the dummy twice last year. How did it happen? I stopped at a stop sign. The people drafting off of me didn’t. Who the heck drafts off of a cargo bike anyways??? Bummed me out. They totally scuffed up the pink paint on the bucket panniers.
@eminva 1471 wrote:
What is the etiquette related to drafting? Thanks very much in advance for any tips. This is a wonderful forum and I appreciate it very much.
You may want to define what you’re calling drafting before everyone piles on.
It’s not drafting if they’re 5-10 feet back. It’s just another bike behind you. You’re really only in someones draft if you’re right off their wheel.
That said, I commute daily on the W&OD. As a 54yo husband and father of three girls I’d be more concerned about any of them riding alone versus in close proximity to another commuter. The old “safety in numbers” adage does indeed apply. Besides, I have yet to see anything about an incident on the W&OD where someone was assaulted because someone flew off one bike onto another at speed.
@eminva 1594 wrote:
No, I’m pretty sure I can’t anticipate someone attacking me by jumping from their bike to mine! I suppose if someone were determined to attack, the best way would be to create an obstacle in the cyclist’s path, so I probably shouldn’t worry so much about someone behind me, huh?
I agree with the obstacle scenario, and that should be a concern. I ride into downtown at around 4am, and I’ve had this attempted on several occasions. Scariest for me was crossing the Key Bridge, where two peds were walking on left and right expecting me to take the center. At the last minute they closed together and attempted to clothesline me off the bike. My reaction? I aimed directly at the larger of the two, and managed to both shoulder check him and keep the bike upright.
Other than that the clearly drunk guy that tried to take me down was more amusing than threatening
As a cyclist concerned about personal safety I’d be most concerned about the ped that only comes in view at the last minute or is even vaguely questionable. In my experience though with 10k miles commuting on the bike this year? The most dangerous are the jogger running in the same direction with the iPod blasting that u-turns without looking, or the ped walking Fifi on the 20′ retractable leash on the other side of the trail.. The Fifi one cost me a shoulder reconstruction and 6 weeks off the bike in May, and not so much as an “I’m sorry” from Fifi’s master.
I’ve been rear ended on the W&OD 3 times in the past few years, all by roadies stealth-drafting me (i.e. they snuck up and hung 4 inches off my wheel without saying anything). I’ve subsequently lost my sense of humor about it, and ask that they not do it, and if they persist will do everything I can to convince them that it isn’t a good idea. This includes wild speed swings, weaving, pretending intersections are clear and then jamming the brakes at the last second, practicing my stoppies in the middle of the trail, etc.
My personal etiquette on catching up to someone is to either immediately pass them or hang back about 15-20 yards. I’m actually mindful of women riders; I generally never follow them at dusk/during the winter, for the reasons you articulate (though its usually hard to tell if a rider is a lady from 10-15 yards back when everyone is decked out in winter clothes).
@CCrew 1600 wrote:
As a cyclist concerned about personal safety I’d be most concerned about the ped that only comes in view at the last minute or is even vaguely questionable. In my experience though with 10k miles commuting on the bike this year? The most dangerous are the jogger running in the same direction with the iPod blasting that u-turns without looking, or the ped walking Fifi on the 20′ retractable leash on the other side of the trail.. The Fifi one cost me a shoulder reconstruction and 6 weeks off the bike in May, and not so much as an “I’m sorry” from Fifi’s master.
Ugh. Headphone wearing joggers are bad, but the retractable leashes are downright evil. I had it out with an old lady in Reston a few years ago, who had stopped on the right side of the trail to chat with her friend, while her little dog was off in the bushes on the left, with the retractable leash going across the entire trail right at neck level (she was up on a slight hill). Saw it at the last second and managed to slam my brakes on, but it could have been bad.
My personal philosophy is that I never swerve to avoid people. If a jogger makes an abrupt u-turn in front of me, I’ll hit them. I know too many folks who have swerved to avoid someone doing something stupid, and crashed and badly injured themselves as a result. If I’m doing down, I’m taking you (and/or your little dog) with me.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.