I was waiting to cross Lead on Wellesley southbound this afternoon. A motorist stopped next to me (there's a light) and asked, 'First or second?'.

Indeed. You need to find that motorist again and ask them.

Indeed. Why did you not inquire of the motorist when they were stopped? Why do you believe this belongs in A&S?

He came after you, so, he is clearly second.

Anyway, once, while stopped at a traffic light, a Hispanic motorist pulled up next to me and said, "Hey buddy, would you like to swap bikes? You give me yours, and I'll give you mine." I thanked him and politely declined, and he sped, as soon as it turned green. I will forever remember that motorist, for his nice gesture.

I always go second. No point in going ahead of a motorist from a dead stop. I’d rather they pass me at the light than after moving off.

Who's on first. What's on second.

If I'm the first one to the light (bike lane or no bike lane) I take the lane, because I like to see how long it takes a car/cars to catch up to me from a dead stop. That's the sprinter in me.

If I'm on a road without a bike lane, I simply take the lane -- all the time at a red light -- in the exact way a car would, i.e. If I'm the 6th person to the light, I take the position of the sixth vehicle.

If I have a bike lane, I stop way back from the light and once it turns green I sprint and find a gap and take the lane thru the intersection, that way I'm in no danger of a Right Hook.

Also it's amazing how long it takes five or more cars to get thru a light that turns green; although, I find this as an extreme form of frustration when I'm in the car driving.

But on a bike, it's just amusing.

What would I have asked? A&S is full of motorists endangering bicyclists, or at least treating them disrespectfully. On this occasion one treated me respectfully. Maybe it's a trend.

Bicyclists often defer to motorists, even when they have come first. I always do. I don't trust them, have been driven into. No matter how much right-of-way I have I don't want a motorist to drive into me.

You and me both.

I was on my way home after a 3-hour ride and an hour at the gym, had 20 pounds of groceries. I'm not sprinting.

I wish I could remember which comedian did "The light is green! The light is green! For God's sake, can't you see that the light is green?!!!
I think of the bit often while driving.

No need to make excuses for not sprinting.

It is legit to ride a bicycle and enjoy the ride without sprinting or trying to see how far or fast you can go, despite what some of our more competitive colleagues may believe is the correct (if not only) way to be a "cyclist."

Sprinting is enjoyment

Riding in zone 2 all the time is what makes cycling suck

Got it, pain IS (the) gain for any Real Cyclist™

There is a right turn into a 4 lane road going downhill. The 4 lane is posted at 35, which I can easily hit when I turn right on a green arrow and the oncoming cars are stopped on red. It gives me enough time to move to the center lane and then the left turn lane at the next light. Today parents were picking up their kids from grammar school so I had to wait through two light cycles for my left turn. I never have had an issue taking each of the lanes and drivers in that area are respectful of cyclists. After I take my left with the cars there is a convenient bike lane.

So today I was not first of second but 5th.

Some people have heart issues that don't let them go past zone 2. For them, riding zone 2 all the time is better than not riding at all.

I see you still have a complex about this 😂

I still have the "complex" (of over 70 years of riding) that allows me to enjoy every bicycle ride without compelling me to consider it as a training event or exercise regimen, or a need to justify riding without a fitness or performance goal.

It also allows me to consider that other cyclists don't have the same reasons to ride as me.

This is a "complex" which some of the self-styled enthusiasts who post on BF appear to lack, hence their compulsion to gratuitously inject OT performance goals and metrics into general safety, advocacy and numerous other non-racing/non-competitive bicycling discussions.

Is anyone compelling you to ride any faster or justify your own choices? Someone simply stated that they like to sprint ahead from the lights. They never said that everyone should do the same.

Oh yes they should. If you don’t sprint from every light, and train to improve your VO2Max to the Max, and do intervals until you drop, it’s time to hand in your cycling license. Oh you don’t have one?! Never mind.

unraveled thread alert

Let me guess... you were supposed to give him your bike, then he'd drive home and come back with his to give you?

I don’t know is 3rd.

Actually impressive. If I did that, I'd probably break myself as well as snapping various things on the bike.

I now I cheat -- I start out in a fairly low gear. I got sick of changing out chains/cogs, so I learned how to become efficient in shifting gears.