Missed connection

[Crickey7]

Those drivers sure showed ’em.

[Oldtowner]

Going the other way, I actually saw this group on MacArthur Blvd last weekend. I remember them because they were riding three abreast, which I thought was unusual. What’s the protocol (not the law) for large groups like this for sharing the road?

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Oldtowner 124058 wrote:

Going the other way, I actually saw this group on MacArthur Blvd last weekend. I remember them because they were riding three abreast, which I thought was unusual. What’s the protocol (not the law) for large groups like this for sharing the road?

On a road like this, I’d say taking the entire lane is safest and probably the protocol. If they went single file, that would only encourage more drivers to try and squeeze around. I believe the law allows for two riders abreast, but that seems somewhat arbitrary, particularly in this case, since two abreast fills most of the lane and would still require drivers to (illegally) cross the center line if they really want to pass. Might as well just ride several riders across so drivers don’t have to pass as longer a line of cyclists.

[hozn]

I ride MacAurthur in a group once or twice a week. Group is small (usu 8-12) so we typically do a double paceline. The scary thing is that drivers will pass (in the other lane) even if the lane is fully occupied by cyclists. I am surprised I have not witnessed a head-on car collision yet; there have been some really dumb moves and close calls.

[Subby]

Hey as long as the driver doesn’t have to get somewhere 27 seconds more slowly, I guess it’s fine.

[ian74]

I try not to let things get to me. I let the little daily transgressions roll of my back. The uncalled passes, the unsafe passes etc. but today I experienced something I’ve NEVER experienced before. Someone actually yelled at me for signalling a pass, and a slow down while riding the MVT.

I was coming down the second airport hump on my way to the 14th street bridge, and I had picked up two tails. The leader was on my wheel with probably less than a bike length between us. We started descending the hill and there were two joggers spaced in front of me and one approaching in the opposite direction. I signaled my lane change and announced my pass to the first jogger, now the next jogger and a jogger coming from the other direction were approaching each other. I couldn’t safely go between them, so I signaled to the riders behind me that I was slowing. It was a gradual slowing too. It’s not like I slammed on my brakes and I don’t even think my speed dropped more than a few mph. There was a good amount of distance between the first and second jogger.

Then the rider behind me yelled “Jesus dude! Relax! I’m not going to f***ing pass you!” uh….ok. I said “I don’t care!” Then he yelled “I’m not some stupid f***ing ***hole!” I replied “well there are plenty of them out here” Then him and his buddy flew by when they had a clear pass.

How crazy, the guy was so obviously pissed by my signals that he had to yell at me? What’s wrong with these people. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t I guess.

[KWL]

Sigh. I really am looking forward to bad weather and a near empty MVT.

[Crickey7]

I love seeing the ever growing numbers on the CCT. I do not love that the percentage of riders calling passes seems to be reaching new lows.

[dbb]

During the count this morning at the T intersection on the Virginia side of the 14th Street Bridge, I was amazed at the desire of riders along the MVT to pass right at that intersection as other riders were turning on/off the MVT.

That said, I saw a lot of turns signaled and folks playing nice as well.

[bobco85]

@Crickey7 124254 wrote:

I love seeing the ever growing numbers on the CCT. I do not love that the percentage of riders calling passes seems to be reaching new lows.

I wonder if there’s a correlation between cyclists not calling their passes and drivers not using their turn signals. I’m going on the “most cyclists are drivers, too” logic here where I have noticed people communicating less with each other in general except for when they get impatient/angry.

As has been stated before (perhaps not on this thread), there should be more signs along more trails reminding people to call their passes. I’m almost at the point of making these signs myself and placing them along the trails.

[rcannon100]

@dbb 124255 wrote:

During the count this morning at the T intersection on the Virginia side of the 14th Street Bridge, I was amazed at the desire of riders along the MVT to pass right at that intersection as other riders were turning on/off the MVT.

That said, I saw a lot of turns signaled and folks playing nice as well.

I heard you refused to count Bilsko. What’s with that???

[dbb]

@rcannon100 124257 wrote:

I heard you refused to count Bilsko. What’s with that???

He was two minutes late and the count stopped at 0900. We agreed he would pass by the count location this afternoon between 4 and 6 and I would count him then.

If you snooze, you lose

[dasgeh]

@ian74 124252 wrote:

Then the rider behind me yelled “Jesus dude! Relax! I’m not going to f***ing pass you!” uh….ok. I said “I don’t care!” Then he yelled “I’m not some stupid f***ing ***hole!” I replied “well there are plenty of them out here” Then him and his buddy flew by when they had a clear pass.

Some responses that popped in my head: “Then stop acting like one” (after the 2nd comment)
“Sorry you’re having a bad day”
“You never know”
“The eyes in the back of my head can’t tell”
“I’m just slowing because I need more of a workout”
“I’m just slowing because I don’t want to get to work”
“I’m just slowing because it’s a beautiful morning”
“Perfect morning for a bike ride.”

[Crickey7]

@ian74 124252 wrote:

Then he yelled “I’m not some stupid f***ing ***hole!”

“My apologies. What kind of f***ing ***hole are you, then?”

[GovernorSilver]

@ian74 124252 wrote:

Then the rider behind me yelled “Jesus dude! Relax! I’m not going to f***ing pass you!” uh….ok. I said “I don’t care!” Then he yelled “I’m not some stupid f***ing ***hole!” I replied “well there are plenty of them out here” Then him and his buddy flew by when they had a clear pass.

How crazy, the guy was so obviously pissed by my signals that he had to yell at me? What’s wrong with these people. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t I guess.

Man, you’d think this beautiful weather would put people in a better mood than that.

I rang my bell as usual before a pass, and as I passed the other cyclist, she shouted something. I couldn’t tell if she was yelling at me or at a Bluetooth headset. It kind of sounded like she preferred me to call my pass with “On your left” or something like that instead of using the bell, but again, I wasn’t sure.

[Author]

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