Rules of the Road

[quint41]

Hi, ladies!

My sister and I were just having a discussion about the "rules" of group riding, for lack of a better term. I am all about safety and being cognizant of how we riders are viewed by drivers. I announce when I'm about to pass someone, I don't draft without letting the rider know that I'm about to do so, I ride as close to the shoulder as safety allows, and I always ride single file when there is traffic. When cars approach from behind and slow down because there are two bikes in the road, or the driver beeps as he approaches, I know what's going through his or her mind .... "#%@*$ bikes!" It's unnerving to come around a corner at 30 mph and encounter two bikes, side-by-side, doing 17 mph.

How do you handle it if you're riding on a street with traffic, and someone seems insistent on riding beside you to have a conversation?

[Mr. Bloom]

I agree that this is unnerving from the car's perspective. In Indiana, cyclists are allowed to legally ride two by two within 4 feet of the curb - I guess this is about half a lane.


I'm still not really comfortable seizing that legal right even though it's allowed. I only do it with NO traffic and on straight roads with good visibility.

[KnottedYet]

Tell them it's not safe to ride two abreast here, and make them go single file.

Tell them you refuse to have conversations while riding in traffic.

[mimitabby]

It is legal in the state of washington to go two abreast too. If there is only one lane each direction, we always go single file in traffic unless it's very very slow (and bikes can keep up)

If it makes you nervous, tell whomever you don't wanna. like Knot said

[Zen]

Not long ago I rode with a very experienced cyclist from the LBS. He knew I was new and I just told him what I was comfortable doing. If you think you're going to be seen as bossy or dictatorial just tell them your skills aren't up to it (even though they are )

[five one]

I am all about safety and being cognizant of how we riders are viewed by drivers. I announce when I'm about to pass someone, I don't draft without letting the rider know that I'm about to do so, I ride as close to the shoulder as safety allows, and I always ride single file when there is traffic. When cars approach from behind and slow down because there are two bikes in the road, or the driver beeps as he approaches, I know what's going through his or her mind .... "#%@*$ bikes!" It's unnerving to come around a corner at 30 mph and encounter two bikes, side-by-side, doing 17 mph.

How do you handle it if you're riding on a street with traffic, and someone seems insistent on riding beside you to have a conversation?

This is the reason I generally tend to steer clear () of group rides. Most of my rides are either alone, with DH, or friends whose cycling skills I know and respect. We always ride single file regardless of the traffic. Like quint, I am very aware of how I appear as a cyclist sharing the road with cars. We ride a lot of rural two lane roads with little or no shoulder. When I hear a car coming up from behind, I make it obvious to the driver that I'm trying to move over as far as is safe for me. Most of the time, they will pass giving us plenty of room. It frustrates me to no end to see cyclists who know better riding side by side hogging a lane and, in doing so, giving the rest of us a bad name.

If I was riding with a group, I'd let it be known before the ride how I feel about riding side by side and chitchatting. If the group felt differently, I'd ride alone or with someone who shared my views. I'm a very quiet person anyway. I don't need to have a constant stream of chatter going on to keep me from being bored on the road. When DH and I are riding, it's usually in what I refer to as companionable silence. After 32 years of marriage, we don't need to be talking to one another all the time. But that doesn't stop me from yelling out "Cute butt!" once in awhile.

[Laterider21958]

It is legal to ride two abreast here in Australia. However, I prefer to ride single file. There's not much point riding next to each other with a view to having a chat as wind noise makes it fairly impossible to hear effectively anyway. We can talk when we stop.

I ride as close to the left as is safe and possible, but after having being cut off by left turning vehicles on the arrival at intersections and roundabouts many times, I am going to begin to move further out from the kerb and centre myself more so vehicles can't sneak up and do this suddenly. Some drivers don't calculate the speed a cyclist is travelling very well, and think they have enough time to turn. Some just ignore your presence and turn anyway.

Ride defensively - expect the unexpected - be prepared to be amazed - avoid contact at all costs (the cyclist always loses this one) - stay alive!

[Crankin]

I NEVER ride two by two. Once in awhile a friend will ride up to tell me something or my husband and I will move up/back to communicate, but when i am with a group I get very annoyed with people who don't follow this rule. When I lead group rides, I am very clear about my expectations for single file. Most of the riding I do is on narrow country roads, but it's still suburbia, with cars. I also see the point of how cars feel; it's not fun to be driving up Strawberry Hill Rd., with several curves and a hill, tons of cyclists and be behind a group that doesn't get in line. Several towns around here have passed new laws about ticketing cyclists who ride side by side and many still do not abide by the rules. On a recent group ride with 50 people, one guy was way out in the middle of the road talking. A pick up was behind him, getting angrier by the minute, since there were so many riders in this group. By the time the truck got to me, he was really pissed and almost ran me and a couple of others off of the road. I don't condone this, but I understand how he felt. I have been known to yell "single file" or "get in line" when people are oblivious.

[jeannierides]

Tell them it's not safe to ride two abreast here, and make them go single file.

Tell them you refuse to have conversations while riding in traffic.

All of these folks have great ideas, but Knotted sums it up for me!

[trekin']

I'm beginning to rethink the whole group ride thing. I have joined the local bike club, which is quite large. They had a "beginner" ride, which is basically for new riders and new members. At this ride (there were about 15 of us), the leader clearly explained the rules of the road and talked about safety. This guy was very conscientious and worked hard to make sure everyone was OK and safe, and even well-hydrated. As riders, we all made sure we notified others of cars, debris in the road, and when we were going to pass, and we road single file, for the most part, even when there were no cars around. It was a very pleasant experience.

This past weekend I went out on one of the club's regular rides. There were 100 - 200 people present. Before the start, one of the officers of the club made announcements, and then spoke about something, but I couldn't hear because a bunch of guys in team garb were chatting up a storm nearby (violation of the rule of courtesy!). I'm assuming he was briefly going over rules of the road, but I never heard it...

On this ride, very few people let me know when they were passing...even though I have a mirror, I was amazed how bikers could come up behind me without me even seeing or hearing them...I was startled more than once to suddenly have someone about 6 inches away from me whizzing by...I saw many groups riding two or three abreast...a truck that politely passed me actually had to beep his horn at a group in front of me to get them out of the way...it was on a curve and the truck could have been rear-ended if another vehicle came up suddenly! At one point I had a paceline of 6 or 7 riders go whizzing past me without so much as a word! It was late in the ride, on a big curvey downhill run, and I was getting pretty tired...I was all alone at that point, and they came so fast I never saw them in the mirror or heard them! What if I had to swerve around a hole or something? That could have been a disaster!

What really gets me is most of the people who behave this way are experienced riders who should know better!

I'm beginning to think I'll just stick to riding alone and with my friends, except for the century I've entered in the fall.

By the way, I'm quint's sister...we've been ranting to each other alot lately...

[hurleygirl]

trekin',

I have been on many group rides, and I also get annoyed when the "car back" call doesn't get anyone to actually make room.

However, when I am in a group ride I rarely announce when I'm passing someone. I'm constantly moving around in the pack, and I'd spend the whole ride saying "on your left" if I did so. If you're in a group ride, you have to remember that you are not alone, so hold your line, try to keep smooth and avoid sudden swerves and braking, and expect people to pass you.

I also will ride side by side and chat if the traffic and road allow it. Sometimes I'm side by side and not chatting - double paceline situations. But I do group rides in part for the social aspect of it.

I suggest you stick with the beginner ride that you liked so much, and I also highly recommend you call ride leaders and ask what to expect before showing up to an unfamiliar group ride. That way you can get comfortable riding in a group, and avoid putting yourself situations like that big ride.

[trekin']

Well, hurleygirl, if I have to say "on your left" 5000 times during a ride to be considerate to others, and avoid a possibly unpleasant incident, so be it!! Common courtesy is not always convenient.

By the way, there were plenty of people on that ride who were courteous and communicated with those ahead of them...but it only takes one who is tired of saying "car back" or "on your left" to cause a major accident.

[RoadRaven]

I second the other suggestions here of just asking them to go single file - or, my version of it... say you are dropping in behind because of a car behind and just stay behind them!

[hurleygirl]

Well, hurleygirl, if I have to say "on your left" 5000 times during a ride to be considerate to others, and avoid a possibly unpleasant incident, so be it!! Common courtesy is not always convenient.

By the way, there were plenty of people on that ride who were courteous and communicated with those ahead of them...but it only takes one who is tired of saying "car back" or "on your left" to cause a major accident.

Sorry, just trying to help. My group rides must be very different from the one you experienced. We call "car back", "car left/right", we point out obstacles, we signal turns, we stop and regroup if necesssary, but we don't say "on your left". I expect them to be on my left. I expect them to be on my right. They expect me to ride smoothly so I don't endanger everyone by being squirrelly - I expect the same of them.

I still suggest you call ride leaders in advance so you know what kind of group to expect. I always do this before showing up to an unfamiliar group ride - I've learned the hard way that not every group ride, and not every club, is right for me.

[quint41]

I agree with everything that's said here. And, no, I am not shy in situations like this, particularly when I'm the one leading the ride. I hand out road rules to anyone who's interested, and I tend to ride either out in front or hanging back and yelling "car back" to everyone in front. And I don't hesitate to holler ahead of me for people to "ride single file please!"

I ride in social groups with all levels of riders, so we all must expect the unexpected. Some are learning, others are experienced. When someone announces that they are passing me, I say thank you. It sort of reinforces that the announcement is important and appreciated.

Sounds to me like Hurley is riding in a class of really good, longtime riders who expect the rest of the group to be as experienced as they are. I won't ride in groups like that because I know I'm not good enough and wouldn't want to jeopardize anyone's safety, mine or theirs!