Originally Posted by Digital Gee
Yesterday some dood decided to draft me for a couple of miles. He never said a word, and he never offered to take the lead. We even came to a traffic signal or two and he hung back, rather than pulling up for a cheery hello or whatever. Finally he went off another direction.
In your opinion, did this cyclist follow or break the International Unspoken Cycling Conventions?
If you are going to draft, you should ask permission to do so. The other person needs to know that they have someone back there so they can take them into account when they do a manuever.
Also, you should take your turn pulling. I learned that if you can not pull, you have no business drafting. There are exceptions to that. I have been with people and told them that since I was manifestly stronger, to let me do the pulling.
However, there are many cyclists these days who treat others as their domestiques and avoid drafting at all costs so they have fresh legs so they can win the sprint at the end of the ride. I guess someone did not tell them that this is not the Tour de France. Also unlike the Tour, they are not compensating their domestiques. There are exceptions to that. I pulled a friend of mine through a century during a multiday ride and he gave me a couple of cold beers in appreciation at the end of the ride. And I think that is as much as I have ever made riding.
