Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
Or the burning question might be - What makes you think other cyclists need to make eye contact with you while you pass them? Any good reason to think that they were unaware of your presence?
Are you a mind reader? How did you determine that all the "clueless" cyclists were "surprised" by your presence? What were your clues?
The ones who don't make eye contact -- most of whom are
unable to make eye contact without crashing -- swerve around and generally jump out of their skin when being passed. Being able to make eye contact with someone behind you while still being able to hold your line at speed is cycling 101. If you can't do that, then I guess you really do need mirrors, the more the better.
When it comes to other cyclists, I am a mind reader, or so it might appear to the inexperienced observer.
"Cluelessness" and "surprise" are easy to discern, provided the observer himself is not a wobbly, timid dilettante who is having enough trouble not riding off into a ditch at any moment.