I Can't Pass on the Right?

[Seattle Forrest]

I pass on the left when it's possible and not dumb. Cars pass us on the left, and for the most part we're always ready to be passed on that side. So it makes more sense.

I was riding in Queen Anne when this hipster came into my lane in front of me from a side street. He was going a lot more slowly than I was, and he was weaving back and forth on the left side of the lane, like he might have just finished some PBR. So I passed him on the right, but gave him as much space as I could have, putting myself in the door zone. I heard an explosion of swearing behind me, with "don't pass me on the ****ing right" somewhere in the outburst.

[Bob Dopolina]

No doubt. Large group ride (Century, charity ride etc.) or just a regular group ride with people I din't know, I'm going to assume that any of them is going to something completely idiotic at any given occassion, and ride accordingly.

That's actually the assumption I make when riding, driving a car or standing at a crosswalk.

I always assume that cars I see ahead of me, cars that are behind me, cars passing me or cars I am about to meet at an intersection are going top do the exact worse thing they could do and I plan accordingly.

Most often I am pleasantly surprised.

[Ultraslide]

In the US, ride on the right, pass on the left is a common courtesy when in a herd of Freds. When training with people who race you are usually more concerned with the wind, so passing or falling back on the right is common. That said there is always the person who rides in the middle of the lane no matter what and gets irritated when you pass on the right. Whatevs.

[antmeeks]

Well, you bike ninjas can pass wherever you want as silently as you can.

For me, I'll always pass on the left, while announcing "on your left", because I don't want to get run off the shoulder when the guy I'm passing decides to suddenly change his line.

I've seen it happen twice so far this year. Neither fun nor pretty.

If I encounter any of you above-mentioned ninjas on any group rides, feel free to silently pass me wherever you want.

But don't complain when I accidentally run your dumb a$$ off the road or into another rider because I'm avoiding a road hazard and didn't know you were there.

[LowCel]

Well, you bike ninjas can pass wherever you want as silently as you can.

For me, I'll always pass on the left, while announcing "on your left", because I don't want to get run off the shoulder when the guy I'm passing decides to suddenly change his line.

I've seen it happen twice so far this year. Neither fun nor pretty.

If I encounter any of you above-mentioned ninjas on any group rides, feel free to silently pass me wherever you want.

But don't complain when I accidentally run your dumb a$$ off the road or into another rider because I'm avoiding a road hazard and didn't know you were there.

You can say ass.

[calamarichris]

How come the same idiots who get their chamois in a knot over my passing on the right, also happen to be the type who ride FLAP and make it impossible to pass on the left without crossing the double-yellow?

[Nachoman]

Where I ride the shoulders are tight and most people pass on the left. I personally don't care if you pass me on the left or the right, just a little heads up/warning is all I ask.

You want every person that passes you to warn you?

[RT]

You want every person that passes you to warn you?

I warn everyone I pass. Why wouldn't you?

[Bob Dopolina]

Hello people.

The thread is about passing riders on a group ride not random riders you encounter on the road.

[RT]

Hello people.

The thread is about passing riders on a group ride not random riders you encounter on the road.

Then I retract all of my statements. Your original post should have included that nugget

[Nachoman]

Then I retract all of my statements.

The record shall reflect that all of RTDub's comments are stricken.

[MegaTom]

If a group is in such a position that one would have to pass them on the right, then they're already doing it wrong (the British, Aussies and a few others excepted). Tell the ****ers to speed up or move right to the slow lane if they don't like being passed on that side.

[Bob Dopolina]

If a group is in such a position that one would have to pass them on the right, then they're already doing it wrong (the British, Aussies and a few others excepted). Tell the ****ers to speed up or move right to the slow lane if they don't like being passed on that side.

So you're saying pacelines always rotate to the right regardless of wind direction?

Is this SOP in the US?

[RT]

The record shall reflect that all of RTDub's comments are stricken.

Thank you, 41 stenographer.

[njkayaker]

Not trolling. Serious question.

I have been riding for a while and never gave any though to whether I passed on the right or left. I was all conditional, both were ok and no announcements were needed. This is esp true if we are talking about intense rides or training races.

I have read, in several threads over the last few days, of people complaining about riders passing on the right.

Can someone please explain this to me. Is it a regional thing? Has it come about because of some traffic laws or some other outside reason?

Esplain please.

Newer riders are often surprised by being passed. Having a "pass on left only" rule simplifies things.

For experienced/careful riders riding with other experienced/careful riders, the rule isn't necessary.

[flaco]

In group rides, you just do what the group does. Personally, I find group rides with a bunch of regimented rules about passing, pulling, etc., and yelled announcements about every little movement or hazard, annoying. But, they are out there.

[Commodus]

It's illegal here, so obviously it's unexpected behaviour.

Equally obviously, this doesn't apply during closed-course events.

[RT]

Cortical implants for all in the group. Verbal discourse is irrelevant.





You will all be assimilated.

[cuda2k]

Really depends on the group and the skill level of the riders within it. If it's an 'A' group comprised of experienced, fast riders, many of whom have race experience, I would not hesitate to pass where there is room to do so. If it's a group comprised of less experienced riders, or a mixed-bag, I'll usually pass on the left and generally announce as well. Last weekend I was co-leading one of the rides with my club, this was, more or less the 'mid range' ride as far as speed/distance goes, so no real newbs, but not those who typically have race or even solid pace-line skills. There was also a rider who was just coming back from surgery, who I know is a very skilled rider. I did not hesitate to pass him on the right, but announced I was doing so.

[gregf83]

So you're saying pacelines always rotate to the right regardless of wind direction?

Is this SOP in the US?

If the wind isn't from the side our group will normally rotate left so that the rider dropping back is on the shoulder line and the line of riders is roughly in the middle of the shoulder. But there is almost always wind from the side so we just rotate into the wind.

Perhaps you were riding with triathletes. I believe they must pass on the left or get a penalty.

[RT]

I think the easiest solution is to just pay attention to which elbow is being flicked

[Seattle Forrest]

Well, you bike ninjas can pass wherever you want as silently as you can.

For me, I'll always pass on the left, while announcing "on your left", because I don't want to get run off the shoulder when the guy I'm passing decides to suddenly change his line.

I've seen it happen twice so far this year. Neither fun nor pretty.

If I encounter any of you above-mentioned ninjas on any group rides, feel free to silently pass me wherever you want.

But don't complain when I accidentally run your dumb a$$ off the road or into another rider because I'm avoiding a road hazard and didn't know you were there.

It's not a video game or a cartoon.

And your post is too sanctimonious for the road forum. Maybe you got lost and thought you were in A&S.

[Rocket-Sauce]

For some recreational/club riders, passing on the right seriiously upsets them, passing unannounced seriously upsets them, and God forbid you pass them on the right unannounced.

I think that the people it upsets are not very good bike handlers, and get scared by things not going exactly as they anticipate.


I got seriously chastised on a group ride, when I passed a guy on the right unannounced going up a bridge. There was a lane wide shoulder, and the guy was on the left of the shoulder, and I gave him a solid 4 feet of room, to make sure I didn't get in his comfort zone.

After they got done yelling at me, their point was "How do I know not to move right into you if I don't know you're there"?

Ignoring the fact that they do have eyes, and need to watch what they're doing, there's no way he could have hit me if he tried.

/thread.

[Nachoman]

I think the easiest solution is to just pay attention to which elbow is being flicked

I'm also striking this comment because it's a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham.

[topflightpro]

Most states in the U.S. require bicyclists to ride as far to the right as possible. As such, passing to the left should not be possible as there should not be room.

Additionally, in most states in the U.S., a bicycle is considered a vehicle on the road and is subject to the same traffic laws as cars. Therefore, on a single-lane road, bicycles, like cars, should pass on the left, just as we would expect a car to pass on the left. If we are talking multi-lane roads, it gets a little complicated, as a car or rider could pass a person in the left lane by going in the right lane, but that is a different issue.