Dear ELITE biker

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  • July 24, 2012 at 6:43 pm #946743
    GuyContinental
    Participant

    Hmmm bummer pass- he clearly should have waited… but given that the dude actually had a bell and used it (albeit late) puts him in the 90th percentile as far as trail users. Calling the pass on top of the bell puts him in the 95th. Not a whole lot of “elite” pathletes who do either. Just sayin’. His fault, but if this sort of (very common) thing stresses you out you might want to mitigate the idiocy of your fellow man by using a mirror.

    As for the “stealth” bike… not sure what to say about that- I have a wheelset on my CX that is completely and absolutely silent and most fixies are always in stealth mode… I’m not going to rebuild the wheel just to make noise- that’s why I call passes (well in advance).

    July 24, 2012 at 6:48 pm #946745
    Subby
    Participant

    That was an ELITE post, so you are on your way! :)

    July 24, 2012 at 7:16 pm #946748
    Jason
    Participant

    Its clearly not ELITE to pass/call in advance, but only as you are already in the pass in order to show how ELITELY FAST you are.

    On a more serious note, I read a great article once, not sure where, when I was just starting to consider commuting in by bike. The article essentially said that you aren’t in the Tour De France during your commute, its ok to slow down for safety, or just because you want to. It emphasized that its a commute, not a competition or a way of punishing those less fast than you are. I try and adhere to that philosophy. I think that just as drivers get road rage because traffic isn’t going faster, bikers can do the same.

    I admit, I pass people, but I always ding from far away and then call my pass on top of it in a non-startling way. I also ensure there is enough space to do so, if not, I slow down and wait. We are all out there together, and its important to all get to where we are going in once piece. My mission set is not to get there super fast and show everybody else on the trail how ELITE I am. I guess this guy felt differently. I used to go faster, but I have a scar on my leg that explains why that’s a bad idea.

    July 24, 2012 at 7:45 pm #946755
    dasgeh
    Participant

    I’ve noticed that an increasing number of cyclists are calling passes when they’re next to me. I do think this is less helpful than not calling at all, because there have been times when I’m enjoying the scenery (and my slow commute), and the random, unexpected shoot/loud ding directly in my ear startles me. Luckily, I’ve had room to jump a little, but I can see it ending badly.

    @GuyContinental 26260 wrote:

    His fault, but if this sort of (very common) thing stresses you out you might want to mitigate the idiocy of your fellow man by using a mirror.

    I don’t think a mirror helps much of the time. Imagine a common scenerio (speeds made up): I ride around 12 MPH. I am coming up on a ped going 3 MPH. I slow down to around 8 MPH, closing the gap to the ped. I look back to see if anyone’s coming. All clear, or so I think. I look ahead again to see if anyone is coming towards me. As I pull out, someone going 15 MPH, nearly twice as fast as me, approaches me. Why didn’t I see them when I looked? A curve, a tree, whatever and the gap in speed. The approaching cyclist should have called the pass when they saw me, and slowed. Unfortunately, that often doesn’t happen. Ugh.

    July 24, 2012 at 7:57 pm #946759
    RESTONTODC
    Participant

    I use my bell from far away and close up because there are many joggers and cyclists with headset unless I get a wave. Then I call out thank you when I pass.

    July 24, 2012 at 8:03 pm #946762
    Jason
    Participant

    @dasgeh 26272 wrote:

    I’ve noticed that an increasing number of cyclists are calling passes when they’re next to me. I do think this is less helpful than not calling at all, because there have been times when I’m enjoying the scenery (and my slow commute), and the random, unexpected shoot/loud ding directly in my ear startles me. Luckily, I’ve had room to jump a little, but I can see it ending badly.

    I don’t think a mirror helps much of the time. Imagine a common scenerio (speeds made up): I ride around 12 MPH. I am coming up on a ped going 3 MPH. I slow down to around 8 MPH, closing the gap to the ped. I look back to see if anyone’s coming. All clear, or so I think. I look ahead again to see if anyone is coming towards me. As I pull out, someone going 15 MPH, nearly twice as fast as me, approaches me. Why didn’t I see them when I looked? A curve, a tree, whatever and the gap in speed. The approaching cyclist should have called the pass when they saw me, and slowed. Unfortunately, that often doesn’t happen. Ugh.

    Exactly what I am getting at. And I offer that the loud pass/bell in your ear just as they are passing, is more dangerous than if they just made their high speed pass unannounced. Its more like they are delivering a token pass, so they can say to themselves that they called it, when really, a token pass follows the letter of the law rather than the spirit, so to speak.

    July 24, 2012 at 8:14 pm #946769
    TwoWheelsDC
    Participant

    I think the image of “elite” cyclists as being the ones who don’t call passes is a bit skewed. I’m not a super athlete, but I’m decently fast, so it’s rare that I get passed by non-roadie types unless I’m at the end of a long ride, or purposely going slow. I agree many roadies (for lack of a better term…some may use that term to describe me on occasion) don’t call passes, but when I get behind a group of slower cyclists and slow to their pace, I notice that the number of recreational cyclists who don’t call passes is just as high.

    Anyway, I don’t mean to rebuke or start an argument, but reading the most recent Grant Petersen comments (TdF should only have a niche following (??)) I’m especially sensitive to the “normal” riders vs. roadie arguments…let’s all just ride and have fun and not be a-holes, regardless of how we’re dressed, mmmkay?

    July 24, 2012 at 8:27 pm #946771
    txgoonie
    Participant

    @TwoWheelsDC 26286 wrote:

    I agree many roadies (for lack of a better term…some may use that term to describe me on occasion) don’t call passes, but when I get behind a group of slower cyclists and slow to their pace, I notice that the number of recreational cyclists who don’t call passes is just as high.

    Anyway, I don’t mean to rebuke or start an argument, but reading the most recent Grant Petersen comments (TdF should only have a niche following (??)) I’m especially sensitive to the “normal” riders vs. roadie arguments…let’s all just ride and have fun and not be a-holes, regardless of how we’re dressed, mmmkay?

    Can’t disagree, however, the difference is most of us believe a roadie/ELITE probably has a lot of experience and should know better.

    July 24, 2012 at 8:27 pm #946772
    ShawnoftheDread
    Participant

    Clearly, whatever form of swag we adopt for the Forum (see other thread) must include the words ELITE Rider somewhere. On this there can be no debate.

    July 24, 2012 at 8:30 pm #946773
    Tim Kelley
    Participant

    From my twitter feed this afternoon: https://twitter.com/grolby/status/227793539751346176

    July 24, 2012 at 8:31 pm #946774
    Terpfan
    Participant

    I will take something over nothing (by nothing I mean you Mr. UM jersey wearing MVT northbound every morning, and definitely not UM as in Terps either). It would be great if said passes were called a few seconds beforehand. In your situation, they have no business passing you while you’re passing someone else–that’s just dangerous on the narrow MUPs.

    Of course today I had someone turn in toward me upon ringing my bell. Literally I gave a good five seconds warning and the guy moves into the middle of the path. I think it was confusion over what was happening. Calling out “Im passing on your left” didn’t help either and the guy seemed annoyed that I passed him. So bizarre. Oh well.

    July 24, 2012 at 8:55 pm #946780
    jnva
    Participant

    L337 B1k3Rz FTW!

    July 24, 2012 at 9:11 pm #946785
    DismalScientist
    Participant

    @txgoonie 26288 wrote:

    Can’t disagree, however, the difference is most of us believe a roadie/ELITE probably has a lot of experience and should know better.

    There ain’t no shortage of poseurs out there.

    July 24, 2012 at 10:37 pm #946794
    krazygl00
    Participant

    Remember the “Multi” part of “Multi Use Path”. People use it for strolling, walking, running, teaching the kids to ride, leisure riding and yes, fast road-riding. No one has a moral claim greater than anyone elses; just because roadies are seen as elitist doesn’t mean they don’t have the right to use a MUP for race-training or just posing at being fast.

    Now of course they have to do it safely, but it very well may be that the roadies definition of a safe pass and a leisure cyclist’s definition could be very different.

    July 24, 2012 at 11:05 pm #946797
    Rootchopper
    Participant

    As an MVT commuter I feel your pain. This aggressive riding on the MVT is dangerous as hell. I could care less if these idiots hurt themselves but I’d greatly appreciate it if they didn’t take me out with them.

    I was once passed exactly as described as I cleared the ramp onto the DC-bound 14th Street bridge. When I yelled at the offender he actually screamed at me that I needed to look behind me when I was passing. (I posted the incident on this forum a couple of years back.) Now that I think about it maybe he was ELITE biker!

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