Road Cycling - Little Old Lady From Pasadena

Many of the drivers around here (south central Kentucky) are too cautious. Several days ago, a little old lady in a Lincoln followed me for five miles on a windy road at 15 mph. She would not pass me, even though I motioned for her to do so many times. She finally passed me when we came to an intersection. While I appreciated her extreme caution, I started to get worried because I feared she was stalking me! :)

Ah yes - the non-passer.

I hate that, especially in busy traffic. You get one person with plenty of room to pass you just sitting there holding up all the other traffic. All the other motorists are thinking - "Stupid cyclist" - when it's really the over cautious person behind you causing the hold up.

They are actually very easy to deal with if you think it's a problem. Just slow right down (to something in the range of 8-12km/h) and see how long they stay there.

I even stopped to force a guy to pass me on my commute this morning. The motorist stopped too.

He stayed there for a few seconds (with me jammed tight against the kerb to give him plenty of room) before he finally pulled around. It was a 2 lane road with no one in the other lane.

That is a very good thing.

Here in So. Cal it is different. Many drivers are too scared to pass riders.

Why? I hate to say this but, basicly many riders out here do not know how to ride in the streets and follow traffic signs and obey traffic laws. This causes drivers to hit bikes. Usually the fault of riders but in a court room the driver always looses out.

I am very afraid myself to pass a group of riders. Because I know exaclty how they are. I simply stay back and wait until they turn or another lane becomes available.

No Way!
Drivers in SoCal are crazy! They come in on you to almost side swipe as they pass. They will tailgate, sideswipe, cut off any cyclist.
I can say it is totally insane in So. Calif. The drivers are bad and don't care about the rules of the road.
Cyclists, especially in packs, do take more space and sometimes run stop signs (not good) but I would rather a group take up a whole lane of traffic than some driver barrel through at 50mph 2 inches from my elbow.

You literally cannot make a driver yield (even if you have the right of way) unless they are forced to yield.

Boy, I would love a bunch of old ladies driving slow!

Originally posted by MediaCreations
Ah yes - the non-passer.

All the other motorists are thinking - "Stupid cyclist" - when it's really the over cautious person behind you causing the hold up.

Yup, that's happened to me several times. One time one of the "drivers" that were held up by the slow motorist tried to wack me. Well, he came within an inch of my handlebar with his engine @ full song anyway.

These non-passers are very dangerous from that perspective.

I'd rather get passed by a few inches than be followed.