Mr. Beanz

Dude, don't gimme ideas!

BigPolishJimmy

I ride with a rather large adjustable wrench for "safety" in many situations, you never know when a nut will come loose and need fixin. On the other hand you might invite them to join up with the local bike club as they seem to enjoy riding with other people.

Griffish

I found that pepper spray works very nicely...just shoot it back over the top of your helmet...very hard to miss. Hehe... Honestly I ride a great trail and so far have had very few problems. Almost everyone that has passed me has said "on your left" followed by "Thank you". So far everyone has been very respectful. I think it's because this trail is used by so many cyclists that everyone just kind of knows the "rules"? Also, when I pass someone I say the same. I don't think it is safe to pass silently (at least not here), because you never know what they are going to do if they don't know you are there. The only time I hate hearing "on your left" is when I have to answer "Hey Grandma, nice to see you out, where's Grandpa?....On Your Left boy..." hehe sorry...
Just my 2 pennies...

Iamkar33m

Excuse my n00bness, but what exactly is wheelsucking? Is it slang for drafting?

chunkyd

glad no one got hurt....

Why change your path? i'd either pull up next to him and ask if he has an issue.. or if you can leave him behind.
If someone is being dangerous....(an accident is one thing) but intentional moron-isms are another! That line comes quickly to an altercation. Say what you gotta say. I know its OUTRAGEOUS but sometimes fist-a-cuffs are nessesary and yes you may possibly lose..and badly but thats not the point.

It's ok grown men have to fight sometimes.. and its just about respect and
saying "this is not acceptable" alot of times its not even a fist fight just you saying HEY! and being willing to accept any outcome from it.

No knuckledragging but every now and then you have to pull the club.. Me tarzan ugh ugh ugh you jane! lol

Harry Stone

People who act like that generally believe that they're just playing around. It's not that they think you'll take their actions as a joke, they know they're being aggresive and stupid. They just know most people will want to avoid confrontation and so they'll put up with it. Once you convince them you're not one of those people they get intimidated pretty quick. I don't want to advocate beating the tar out of someone on the side of the road so I'll leave the rest for you to figure out.

Neil_B

Disgusting. Pam had the correct idea. Life, and cycling, is too short to spend it adopting the sort of behaviors recommended in the post above.

Neil_B

It's not a 'chick' perspective, it's a common sense perspective. And it's refreshing to read it in this overheated thread. Thank you.

Mr. Beanz

Yup!

dirtbikedude

In the first scenario, if someone intentional speed up AFTER they knew I was passing they would get the ,"What the F### A** H***!!!". If they proceed to keep at it I would slightly tap their brake lever as the front brake is USUALLY on the left but I can be confrontational when some one even slightly threatens my well being and if they messed with the Mrs I'd toss 'em over the edge.

In the second scenario I would have just been a smart *** as it is a bit more dangerous to "screw around" on the streets. I would have asked 'em if they were racer types and if it makes 'em feel better when they pass a slow riders like me.


As for an "On yer left", I always announce when I will pass someone but I do so well in advance just in case they do that little "wiggle" (more like a big arch) in the direction I will be passing.

DBD

chunkyd

Historian - Sorry you feel that way, I've never been the type to let someone elses reckless actions harm me or someone with me. We all pick our battles but i'm just saying sometimes it's about letting people know that they should approach with caution.
If everyone would be more verbal and sometimes physical about correcting truly improper actions you would have less people feeling like their untouchable.
(big or small... physically or Mentally). A war of words can be a passive aggressive persons way of fighting.

If there is a way out physical confrontation you should take it.. but sometimes that altercation should happen and needs too.. (altercation as in confronting the issue), I'm just saying i confront my issues and if they go south, i'm ready.

Wogster

Drafting is when you are very close to someones wheel and are either in an event where it's expected, or have their permission to do so, wheel sucking is do the same thing when you are not in an event where it's expected, and do not have their permission. Often wheel suckers are unwilling to take a turn at pulling as well,

People don't do it to me, I go to slow for an effective draft.......

I have seen the same situation with drivers, guy is going 60km/h in an 80 zone, you pull out to pass, and all of a sudden, they pick up the pace.. So you give up on passing, and within a minute or two, they are back at 60,

As for the OP, this is the exact time, to pull over, grab some fuel or some water, get off and stretch, then when they are long gone, get back to your ride .... not much you can do about idiots. I suspect that many of the idiots are actually P.O.B.s -- People On Bikes, this is what I call those people who are new to riding and are not up on the proper rules of cycling.

heckler

wow i wish i lived where you do... i have looked at people and had them shake their head "no" while not letting you in. Ohio must have a bunch of nice people.

I tend to make excuses for people on the road, car or bike. If i get cut off i assume the guy maybe taking his pregnant wife to the hospital. Like someone else suggested maybe this guy was doing intervals....no matter how unlikely.

The cutting in front of you seemed to upset you the most (understandably) but maybe he was trying to take a turn up front and misjudged? I am pretty shy and sometimes suck silently (on large charity rides) and then try to be helpful up front, in the beginning i was ignorant, and getting called an idiot doesn't provide me inspiration to learn...actually for me maybe it does, but i am kinda sensitive and would just be trying to avoid getting yelled at again.

Air

You can't control other people's behavior - with more and more people riding there will be more and more idiots. I'd say try to find another area where there might not be as many or the shoulder's are bigger.

Round here it's the delivery guys riding the wrong way with four bags hanging off of each handlebar. Now I just stop perpendicular to the path, stare and shrug (what would you like me to do?) at them which makes them stop, get off their bike, and walk around me (either curb or traffic side). It it becomes too annoying to ride against traffic maybe it'll be easier for them to ride one extra block (100 feet) instead.

owenh

ahhhh The wacky races are on again

ScrubJ

\

Consider the incident in this past Saturday's group ride where the lead rider gave the signal that he is about to pull out. He starts his move out to the left and almost gets nailed by some guy that decided he needed to blow by our line unannounced. Had he called out his intentions as he was passing the lead rider would have held his line long enough for the other guy to pass.

Missbumble 

Hey Beanz - I think sometimes there are a lot of jerks out there - and just let them be. ( Though I avoid confrontations to a fault so discount my advice, ok? ) Similarly if you are in a car and someone is a jerk - if you tell them you are risking your saftey. Is that true of bikers? So maybe the safest thing is to take a break and then ride or blow by them - but confronting them - not so sure that is the safest course. Ask the wife. I would be interested in what Mrs beanz thinks. (After all women know best ) What was her take?

Mr. Beanz

MissB, the first guy was such a jerk that she agreed with me!...Not like anything was unintentional!

nymtber

learn how to skid your rear wheel sending them launching over you and face first into the pavement/dirt/path. Or, i like the "spare" bike pump idea!!! Nothin wrong with a Colt .45 either (no, not the alcoholic beverage!) ok i really AM joking about the gun. Not worth goin to jail over...

Never come up on somone like that. well some kids on bmx bikes on the canal path, but had I been alone (I wont leave my girlfriend to far out of my sight) they wouldnt have had a chance and they wernt rude about it really, they were just bein kids (they were kids...maybe not even teens).

Hope none of these run ins lead to you or them getting hurt, although id personally feel less sympathetic if they got hurt. Id understand in a race, or even if it was friendly, but a complete stranger? thats ASKING for something bad to happen. Idiots will be Idiots...

Big Scott

Hard to tell what the guy was thinking in the first story, he may have been trying to catch your buddy's wheel and never heard your "O.Y.L" or he was just being a jerk and tried his best not to get passed again. On the other part when he passed you then got right in front of you that would normally be the "I'll take a pull for the group" move or worse the "I'm still a jerk" move.. hard to tell from this angle. I'll pass entire groups and take the front for a while; if they can hold my pace I will stay with the group and switch off with the leaders. One of the things I don't like is when I pull for a group and established that I am strong enough to make hard pulls but then when I pull off and try to get in the 3rd or 4th wheel spot they don't let me in. This normally happens the first couple times then the folks that didn't let me in figures out I'm actually helping them so I not only get let in I get props for the pull then allowed any spot I want. Most of the folks around GA know me and know that I can put the power down and hold it down until a major climb arrives then I know enough to pull off and let the climbers by.

The 2nd scenario seems like the normal testosterone battles we all love so much! Personally, I would have asked those guy just WTF they were thinking... in a nice way of course!


As far as the wheelsuck thing goes... I have no problem with a guy/gal in tow as long as they pay the toll (give thanks). The other night while doing my 6 mile back and forth loops on a road that is both flat & safe a guy sucked my wheel. I had just passed this guy and after the fact he latched onto my wheel, no big deal, happens all the time. I pulled this guy around for a while and he never came round to do any work, I was doing my thing and really didn't mind him being back there but I did him hurt. I proceeded to have some fun and rode him off my wheel big time. He tried his hardest to hold on but once I started approaching 28mph he had enough and let me go.

He gave me thanks after I turned around and passed him going the other way.



-Scott

Denny Koll

Whatever you do...don't say "hey how's it goin'...". That will piss someone off for sure.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...085&highlight=

bdinger

I just back off. People are going to be *******s if on a bike, or walking, or in a car. Life's too short to get worked up too bad about it, and lord knows I've been known to get steamy. Children have mellowed me out

Takabrash

I think I have the be-all end-all solution to D-bags that won't let you pass... the blowgun. A quick dart to the tire will slow anyone down Also, if you find you're out of darts, you can use it to jam into their spokes and endo 'em!