Creepiness? Or just friendly?

[VeloVT]

I agree with everyone that you should trust your gut about creepy situations. I also probably tend to be a bit over-reactive about perceiving creepiness in strange men though...

I do have a question about this "riding behind a stranger" issue though --

I was riding the other day with a girl from one of my classes. She was struggling along on a mountain bike with underinflated tires... working really hard. After accidentally losing her a few times, I suggested she ride ahead and I would follow (since I certainly wouldn't want to always feel like I needed to catch up). This went well and we continued for most of our loop this way, until the last section which is a gradual, but very long hill. She was really struggling and told me to go ahead and she would catch up. I didn't really feel good about doing this, but she insisted. So I went ahead, then at a certain point slowed down quite a bit, to look behind me (I didn't want to get too far ahead). As a was coasting uphill looking behind me, some guy in full kit from somewhere, full skinsuit, booties, matching windbreaker, etc, fancy bike, rear mounted bottle cages, passes me. This piques my competitive devil a little bit (dude, don't think you're that much faster than I am just because I'm a girl on a pink bike coasting uphill) and I catch him and stay with him for about a mile. We were going fast -- a pace I could sustain but one which had me working. It was fun... I was not right on his wheel, I would say half/three quarters of a bike length behind. At that point I pulled into a driveway to wait for my friend (we were riding on a somewhat busy road that is popular with cyclists for its rolling hills, wide shoulders and gorgeous views). I didn't announce my presence or try to talk to him, it's possible that he didn't even know I was there, since I never saw him look back (though I could hear him shift so presumably he could hear me shift as well).

At the time I was unsure if it was "rude" to follow a stranger like this -- would my behaviour here fall into the same creepy/annoying category as this white-bearded guy???

[Grog]

At the time I was unsure if it was "rude" to follow a stranger like this -- would my behaviour here fall into the same creepy/annoying category as this white-bearded guy???

It doesn't make you creepy (Geonz's answer is great) but it put you at a potential risk of hurting yourself, especially if 1) the guy doesn't know you're there or 2) the guy doesn't know how to draft someone else (and don't be fooled by the fancy clothes and bike, it doesn't mean much).

If there's a hill and he stands up (or sits back down), his bike will sort of "jerk back" (actually it's only slowing down while you keep pretty much the same pace) and you can bump into his wheel. Or if for some reason he brakes suddenly or even coasts, at the moment when you were not 100% attentive, you can also touch his wheel (or worse). He'll be fine, but you'll go down.

I don't think it's especially rude to draft off another roadie, but I find it really important to let that person know you're there. I'd really be mad if I someone drafting off me crashed in traffic because I didn't know they were there.

[smilingcat]

Polite thing to do is always ask if you want to draft someone.

If an idiot decide to draft off of me without asking, its a big "CLUE" that he doesn't know how to ride. I usually give the draftee a dirty look and if he still doesn't get it, I ride like Wilma until he goes away. Usually slowing down alot. I don't resort to snot rocket. Last thing is to piss off the guy behind you.

Being drafted by someone you don't know is very unsafe. Tell him to go away.
And kimmy's run in definitly gets my creepo alarm going in my head. If you are strong enough, drop him. And if you are not, stop and make a phone call. And even if you don't connect, pretend you are talking to your hubby or BF. Works like a charm.

shawn

[Eden]

I can see it in a couple of ways. Sometimes paths are so crowded that it can be nearly impossible to pass safely so you end up hanging out behind someone waiting. Really you should try to back off so that you aren't breathing right down someones neck in this situation, but everyone has their own personal space and some need more than others to feel comfortable.

Sometimes I end up behind other people because I'm supposed to be out doing a zone 1 recovery ride and I know that if I pass this person/group that I'll end up going much faster than I want. I try to hang out at a respectable distance and often someone in that group will drop back and chat. At 5 feet and female I'm not exactly a picture of threatening either though.....

Now when you are clipping along on a quiet trail or road and you pass someone who then latches on to your rear wheel and sits there saying nothing.... rude - or sometimes just clueless. Just try to be sure when you pass someone you do it decisively. If you pass and slow down the person you passed will often unconsciously speed up a little and next thing they know they are drafting you, whether they know how or not. Of course there are always those guys whose egos won't allow little ole 5 foot me to show them up and try to involve me in a silent "race". Those are the worst ones. Get off my tail dude and if you have to pass like I said do it decisively don't pass me then slow down - that's just annoying and now suddenly I'm drafting you and I don't want to be. (of course I kind of think its fun when some guy blows by me, but can't maintain that speed for more than a little bit so past I go again in a mile or so. I usually don't see those ones again since they burned it all up to pass me the first time)

[mimitabby]

Yay Eden! you are my hero.. (I would love to pass some more guys )

[Dianyla]

I was just thinking of another interesting way you could handle this, if you're coordinated enough to ride and use your cellphone at the same time.

Wait for El Creepo to start sucking your wheel. Pull out your cellphone and call police non-emergency dispatch (or, make a "pretend" call if you don't want to actually call someone). Then in a very loud voice that he can hear describe how there is this really creepy guy following you too closely on the Samm bike path and start describing him and your location on the trail. Maybe even slow down and glance back at him a few times while describing his build/height/stats and what he's wearing and what he's riding.

Yeah, that oughta do it.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Wait for El Creepo to start sucking your wheel. Pull out your cellphone and call police non-emergency dispatch (or, make a "pretend" call if you don't want to actually call someone). Then in a very loud voice that he can hear describe how there is this really creepy guy following you too closely on the Samm bike path and start describing him and your location on the trail. Maybe even slow down and glance back at him a few times while describing his build/height/stats and what he's wearing and what he's riding.

Yeah, that oughta do it.

Gee, I guess SO!

I pass guys on bikes all the time.

(in my car)

[KnottedYet]

I was just thinking of another interesting way you could handle this, if you're coordinated enough to ride and use your cellphone at the same time.

Wait for El Creepo to start sucking your wheel. Pull out your cellphone and call police non-emergency dispatch (or, make a "pretend" call if you don't want to actually call someone). Then in a very loud voice that he can hear describe how there is this really creepy guy following you too closely on the Samm bike path and start describing him and your location on the trail. Maybe even slow down and glance back at him a few times while describing his build/height/stats and what he's wearing and what he's riding.

Yeah, that oughta do it.

Considering at least 3 of us on this thread have had encounters with creepy biking white-bearded guy, I think a real phone call or two are in order. I assume that whatever city we are in has jurisdiction over their part of the trail?