Dear ELITE biker

[Jason]

Dear ELITE biker,

Thanks for passing me this morning and calling out AND ringing your ELITE bell not before you passed, but as you were already next to me. Thanks also for riding an ELITE stealth bike that is impossible to hear so there was no warning that you wanted to make an ELITE pass at the same time as I was passing a jogger. I know you had to beat your ELITE time to work or whatever it was that you were doing that made it so important to ELITE pass me at the same time as I was passing a pedestrian. Really appreciated you not only nearly causing me to crash, but scaring the hell out of me by calling your ELITE pass as it was not only too late, but as we were about to head into a fast corner. I am sure that your ELITE nerves allowed you to just cut me off as I was trying to carefully pass a jogger. Maybe you don’t know at all what its like to have normal nerves that get undone by somebody trying to pass you with only 2″ to spare on your left. I need to learn from your example so I too can be ELITE someday.

Normal commuter,

Jason

Topic

[MV Clyde]

Just last Sunday I had the same ELITE thing happen to me….not just once but twice in succession. First guy passed me while I was passing a jogger. I was able to pull back. Then his buddy passed me just as I was attempting to pass again. Neither one announced. Actually now that I think about it, two ELITE passes is not my personal best. I had three Cat 6 Racers pass me in succession while I was attempting to pass a slower cyclist near the Reagan National Airport. None of them announced. It was obvious I was trying to pass but all three passed me anyway. I’ve been noticing a lot of bad passes on the MVT this year.

[mstone]

@krazygl00 26311 wrote:

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.[/quote]

Many of the local trails have a speed limit, so no, they don’t generally have the right to use the MUP for race training. Most of the trails also have posted rules including signaling before passing.

Quote:

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.

I don’t really care whether someone thinks they’re safe (more likely they’re just impatient/arrogant) when they pass in the “middle lane” — they’re not safe, because they’ve left no margin for error or unexpected behavior on the part of several people. It’s really not that hard to tap the brakes, and if you don’t want to have to slow down and speed back up again, you need to be riding somewhere other than a MUP.

[Greenbelt]

Truly ELITE cyclists know that slowing down for traffic provides an excellent opportunity for acceleration training when the coast is clear.

[Dickie]

For some reason I found myself unusually annoyed by this thread and topic, so much so that I spent a good part of my morning attempting to resolve my angst. I ride roughly 4000 miles a year, the majority of those miles are from my daily 25 mile commute. I try to use my commute for fitness and training, but also for fun and economical reasons.

Based on the described visual stereotype I would be labeled an “elite” cyclist. I ride a thoroughbred racing bike in full cycling kit and I even match my socks (I’m OCD). I travel at a good clip, mostly on the roads, but occasionally of the trails. The only item that would distinguish me as a commuter would be my fully loaded back pack.

Now I say all this because it dawned on me that I was taking many of the comments personally. The labels need to be dropped. Defining someone as an “Elite”, “Roadie”, “Commuter” does nothing more than divide us, and that just bums me out. I have been riding in this area for 6 years, and 30 years in total, and I have no doubt that the majority of cyclists out there are idiots no matter what label you assign them.

Every single day I ride I witness numerous stupidities from all types of cyclists. Running red lights, weaving, wearing headphones, riding against traffic, no helmets, no shoes, talking on phones, passing without warnings, passing two abreast, passing on blind corners, riding between cars, traveling too fast on the trails…. The list goes on and on. I tried for years to “educate” the offenders, or lead by example but it doesn’t change. To quote Tears for Fears (sue me), “People are People”. The same folks that care only for themselves behind a wheel, or in line at the grocery store are the same folks riding bicycles, you can’t change a culture by simply teaching cycling etiquette, although I applaud the attempts.

Jason, I’m sorry you had to deal with one of these idiots, and I wish it had been me that approached you that morning. Perhaps if I had politely past you at an appropriate spot, with plenty of warning, a nice smile and a “good morning” I might have created a better impression for you, even if my socks matched my bibs and jersey.

[OneEighth]

I thought “people are people” was Depeche Mode.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@OneEighth 26366 wrote:

I thought “people are people” was Depeche Mode.

That really was an egregious mistake. Tears for Fears?! Martin Gore’s poor little English heart died a little this morning.

[Dickie]

@OneEighth 26366 wrote:

I thought “people are people” was Depeche Mode.

BUGGER! I just lost my 80’s music trivia title.. I stand corrected and slightly ashamed.

[OneEighth]

Typical ELITE biker completely insensitive to anything other than matching socks to kit.
So thankful I don’t have issues like that…ahem…

[OneEighth]

@rsewell19 26378 wrote:

BUGGER! I just lost my 80’s music trivia title.. I stand corrected and slightly ashamed.

Hang there—not sure who should be more ashamed—you for flubbing or me for immediately keying on it.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@OneEighth 26380 wrote:

Hang there—not sure who should be more ashamed—you for flubbing or me for immediately keying on it.

Yeah, why do you ELITE riders always want to point out the shortcomings of others?

[OneEighth]

@ShawnoftheDread 26383 wrote:

Yeah, why do you ELITE riders always want to point out the shortcomings of others?

Because my matching socks give me a sense of enormous well-being and superiority which I’m just dying to share!
And may I just take a moment to say that it was a beautiful morning riding in.

[eminva]

If only there were Strava segments for best matched socks, 80’s music trivia, etc. . . . .

In all seriousness, if safe passing was a competitive sport that could be measured and the results displayed publicly on the internet, I bet everyone would be falling all over themselves to announce their passes.

Liz

[culimerc]

I have -2- reactions to frustrations like this.

1) let he who is without sin cast the first stone……… Pretty much rules me out.

2) Ride your own bike first. I do stupid crap, you do stupid crap, maybe rather finger wagging at someone else we should concentrate on not doing stupid crap.

Thanks is all

[pfunkallstar]

@Greenbelt 26344 wrote:

Truly ELITE cyclists know that slowing down for traffic provides an excellent opportunity for acceleration training when the coast is clear.

I really enjoy slowing down, allowing the L337’s to pass me, and then safely passing them again on a straightaway. Also, if you are going to pass me at least TRY to keep up a your pace, otherwise it goes yo-yo-esque pretty quickly – i.e. me stopping for reds and then having to pass you again.

[rcannon100]

stupid crap

When its stupid crap that puts the ELITE biker at risk, then its stupid crap. When its stupid crap that puts me at risk, and other people on the trail…. then its a problem.

[Author]

Replies