Rank the degree of "dumbness"

[rdtompki]

Large organized ride on Sunday. One terrific, long downhill: very good road, decent shoulder, great sightlines, double yellow the entire way. Two years ago we had three singles drafting us at 50+ Rank the actors from dumb to dumbest.

Actor 1: A single bike going perhaps 30mph about 3 ft. out in the lane. Two friends (?) front and back on the fog line.

Actor 2: Car following the three single riders for 30 seconds and unwilling to cross (by a few feet) the double yellow line to safely pass. Actor 1 shows no inclination to move over to facilitate a pass by Actor 2.

Actor 3 (OP&Stoker): Riding the brakes behind Actor 2 for 30 seconds. Actor 3 becomes impatient and passes (at 45 mph+) Actors 1 and 2 safely(?). No oncoming traffic in sight. Actor 3 crosses over the double yellow by perhaps 2 feet and easily passes Actors 1 and 2.

I won't editorialize. This may be interesting.

[Bob Dopolina]

#1 The two friends with Actor #1 riding a painted line on a descent.

All others are equal.

[generalkdi]

I guess everyone did OK? When I go down a long hill at 50+km/h, I take the entire lane, if we are 3, we don't get on the side for the cars at that kind of speed. We expect some car to pass us, when it's safe (look like what Actor 2 did?). For Actor 3, I never had a chance to pass other riders down a hill (not much riders here, population around 7000)) but if they are too slow, I'd pass them safely.

[TrojanHorse]

I don't go anywhere near taking the whole lane when I'm going 30 mph - that's nothing. I think it really depends on the speed limit. A normal route near me has a tiny bike lane with too much debris to really ride in but the speed limit on the road is 50 mph. I am NOT taking the whole lane on that road, sorry.

I don't understand what actor 1 is doing, specifically the friends.

Why the eff wouldn't actor 2 pass them?

And you're saying you were going 45 but actors 1 through 2 were only going 30? Wtf was wrong with them?

Need more info to properly castigate actors 1 through 3.

[lazerzxr]

WTF, am I reading a film script? I have no clue what you are talking about but it sounds dumb so my vote goes to the OP for ultimate dumbness.

I cant be bothered to read it again and understand

[merlinextraligh]

.

And you're saying you were going 45 but actors 1 through 2 were only going 30? Wtf was wrong with them?

Tandems can descend very fast. It's not unusual for a tandem to descend significantly faster than many singles.


As a purely legal question, Vehicle 1 and 2 made appropriate legal decisions. Vehicle 3 did not.

V1 arguably has a right to be out in the lane on a high speed descent if conditions are such that that is as far right as is practical under the circumstances, or the lane is such that it's not safe to pass in the lane.

V2 clearly can make the decision not to pass across a solid double line, and wait for another location to pass.

V3 passes on a solid double line. This is clearly illegal; no different if V3 is a bike or a car.


That said, if I'm V3 coming up on that, moving 15 mph faster, with a head of steam, and the left hand lane is clear, I might have, and have in the past, passed on the left.


But it's a bad idea, illegal, pisses people off, the car may change it's mind and move left at the wrong time, or it may freak out and move right into the other riders. Better course is patience.

[DropDeadFred]

wut

[Nachoman]

I would say that the vehicle was the dumbest if the driver had an easy and safe opportunity to pass the cyclists, and didn't, just because there was a double yellow line in the middle of the road.

[lazerzxr]

I won't editorialize. This may be interesting.

It isn't

[z90]

If your wife was the stoker, and you scared the crap out of her, I vote #3

[Phantoj]

the car may change it's mind and move left at the wrong time

If you define "dumb" as "likely to get killed", then Actor #3 is the dummy. Plenty of "dumb" behavior all around, but only #3 really had a much chance of getting hurt, IMO...

[Trucker Dan]

It sounds like every giant ride I've been on. Some idiots on a tandem go flying past everybody on the left side of the yellow, running cars off the road. Then they blowup on the next uphill and cause a huge brake check and bottle neck for everybody behind them.

If you're on a tandem and you cant climb and descend at the same pace as the group, stay out of the group.

[Paul Barnard]

I can't deduce that anyone in the scenario as presented was dumb, but that may be because I am dumb.

[ColinL]

I don't pass over double yellow on any hilly or curvy road on any vehicle-- car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle. I have been guilty of passing over double yellow on all of the aforementioned vehicles on flat road where I can see ahead many times the distance required to pass.

So, in short, I agree. #3 is the dumbest assuming the roads are not closed. If the road is closed to through traffic, then the double yellow doesn't matter. The whole road is then valid.

[JaceK]

you did editorialize, very liberally.

BTW: not interesting in the slightest, because it is so confusing to read... so very confusing.

[Young Version]

Was this Humboldt or Pentz?

[Ooompa Loompa]

I like pie.