Mondo734

So today on my ride I was doing the MUP speed limit of 15 mph. I came behind two people riding at about 10mph. The couple were riding in a way that one was slightly in front of the other but also side by side enough to talk. They entered the bridge before I could pass them, so I once I entered the bridge I called out that I was passing on the left. As I was passing I got an earful from both of them. Keep in mind that the bridge was the same width as the trail we were riding so there would have been the same amount of room to pass. Am I missing something, was I in the wrong?

HokuLoa

No, but that doesn't mean you won't startle or annoying someone by passing on a bridge.

Retro Grouch 

That's where "passing aggressive" met "passive agressive".

JonathanGennick 

The bridge has railings, yes? Those give a more hemmed-in feeling. If they are bar height they limit how far to the side you can as compared to when there is no railing. Some riders are fearful on bridges -- you'd be surprised. They may already have been feeling tense due the bridge and the railings, and you just happened to come by at the wrong moment.

rebel1916

That's on them, not you. Should have given them an earful back about keeping right.

Digital_Cowboy

I've been passed, and have passed others on the bridges/overpasses on The Pinellas Trail and haven't had any problems in either situation.

The only real problems that I have with riding the trail are people who are walking their dogs off leash or who have their dogs on leashes that are longer than 6' or who are walking on the bicycle side of the trail, or who are riding two abreast even though they can see that there is another cyclist approaching them. And instead falling in single file will continue to ride two abreast forcing the other cyclist into the pedestrian side of the trail.

The only time that I have a problem with people passing me is when I'm going around a curve or over railroad tracks.

Just yesterday I had a car do just that, pass me going around a curve. Fortunately for the driver there wasn't another car coming from the opposite direction. But why do I think that if there had been and the car that passed me hit it or had to take defensive measures. That the driver would have blamed me saying that I had "forced" them to pass me.

Nightshade

No longer than most bridges are it's best to wait to pass for safety and simple good manners , which by the way, the OP demonstrated a serious lack of.

Life's to fricking short to be in THAT much of a hurry.

rebel1916

I love the way a certain subset of cyclists make up rules that everyone else is expected to know and follow. If you can hold a line you can make a pass anywhere. As I said before, riding 2 abreast and conversating without getting single file when someone is approaching from behind is way more obnoxious than safely passing someone in some imaginary no passing zone.

GiantDefyGuy

No way.

Aside from politely announcing his presence and his intentions, what else could he have done? Offer them freshly made cookies?

If the couple really had that much of a problem with the situation, maybe they could've said something to him before the actual "pass" happened. Something like "Would you mind not passing until the bottom of the bridge? My husband is terribly scared up here, and you're wearing those dangerous clipless shoes"

This is like someone with social anxiety yelling at people who bump into them at a large outdoor festival.

Life's too frickin' short to try and impose all of your little "rules" on everyone else in the world. Live and let live.

achoo

Bullhockey. Utter bullhockey.

If there's no difference in width, there no difference in passing on the bridge compared to passing anywhere else.

RaleighSport

Me thinks you like to ride slowly two abreast and not be passed?

Mondo734

I am glad to see that I didn't violate some highly regarded unwritten rule then. I have been riding for about three years consistantly and have never had a problem passing people on a bridge nor being passed on a bridge. But there are still some cycling "norms" I am unaware of and just thought this might have been one.

RaleighSport

If there had been opposing bike traffic sure bad form.. and I hope we can all see why? but yeah.. I'd have passed them as I understand the situation.

bkaapcke

I wouldn't, just because you can't bank on them staying put while you pass. bk

tcarl

+1

tcarl

+1

tcarl

-10

Nightshade

Lotta rude and dangerous people anymore.

Oh yes, I forgot! We're in the "me first" generation.

RaleighSport

The me first generation? How is riding two abreast and making up rules of the road to suit yourself rather then moving over not the offensive part of this to you?

CB HI

You still ride tricycle, right?

CB HI

Yeah, while I was cycling home from the grocery store pulling the trailer on the downhill side of the road bridge going the speed limit, the same two people passed me in their car with the bikes on the car rack, yelling I was holding up traffic and I should get the **** off the road.

megalowmatt

Wow, the unwritten rule of not passing other cyclists while riding over a bridge.

Who knew?

wphamilton

I don't pass on mup bridges, because there are (blind) turns on both sides which you can't even see entering the bridge due to the hump. When I come around one of those bends and enter the bridge it's annoying - and dangerous - to be suddenly confronted with some guy in my lane passing a knot of people because he won't slow down from 15 mph.

SlimRider

Just like we have rules and laws for auto drivers, we should have rules and laws for cyclists!

It may vary from state to state, just like some driving rules do, but we should have those laws for cycling. That way, we wouldn't have doubts and questions like this here on Bike Forums.

As cycling becomes more prevalent and gains in popularity, there will become an ever increasing need for more precise and judicious cycling laws, upon which we shall be held accountable.

In the future, there will be no doubt and no question. There will just be a code to follow, written about cycling on bridges within our state.

009jim

My opinion is that the 3 foot rule applies whether you are in a car or on a bike. In other words none of us likes to have someone go past really close because it would mean that if we had swerved a little, for any reason, it would have resulted in an accident including most likely some broken bones and/or bike damage and no riding for a week or two. So if we use the old "do unto others....." rule - you should only pass someone closer than 3 ft, if YOU would like someone to pass YOU closer than 3 ft.