Loner Manners?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

But, on roads and paved trails, if there aren't lots of cyclists around, and someone just eases up on me and follows somewhat closely a long time without saying anything, it kinda gets to me. Kinda like having a stranger on a less-than-crowded street just slip in behind and follow me. Just feels creepy. On the bike, especially if it is a guy, I usually pull over and let him go by.

Yes, that's how I feel. I think it's good to remember that not all cyclists ride in organized packs and clubs where drafting is taken for granted. Many of us are independent bicyclists who never ride in cycling clubs, and do not see ourselves so much as members of 'the sport'.
I am not antisocial, but if i am out riding alone then I am riding alone. I don't want some silent stranger following me. ((shudder)) Most of my rides have at least some portions that are rural and not highly populated. It would be pretty stupid for me to ride down a wooded back road while some strange man was tailing me on his bike.
At the very least I would want you to introduce yourself in a friendly way and ask to ride along for a while and chat (I still will be naturally wary though).
No stealth shadow riders for this girl.

[Crankin]

I don't feel comfortable with anyone drafting me. On occasion, I have been having a fast day when I am out with my husband. Usually, a guy will come up behind me and just stay there. They never say anything. In some cases they pass me, but sometimes it's a slower guy that just can't stand that a woman is ahead. Eventually, they drop back. I don't like it at all.
At times my husband wants me to "pull." I hate it. I just feel like he is going to crash into me being that close. I know he won't, but I can't stand it for more than 15 minutes.
The only people I will get sort of close behind are my husband or the couple who are our regular riding partners. I can predict what they will do. Oh, and Denise G., who I have ridden with several times.

[gnat23]

"You enjoying the view back there?" (This has embarrassed a few folks enough to get off my butt)

I felt bad one day when I was leap-frogging some dude on my usual commute route, but to my credit: I was doing intervals! So he'd pass me calmly, and then like a minute later I'd zip by like a bank robbery gone bad. Then he'd catch up and pass me again... he must have thought I was insane!

-- gnat!

[Grog]

I agree with Spokewench in theory, however there's no way my ride is going to be the same if there is someone behind me that crashes because they hit my rear wheel. Being at the front gives me lots of responsibilities, and I am not always willing to assume those responsibilities. If I'm riding casually, it's one thing. If I'm training and going at high speed/high effort (as mentioned by the original poster), it's another story.

In Montreal on the F1 Grand Prix course road cyclists tend to get together on summer evenings and ride in very fast pacelines together (30 mph, sometimes more). It's relatively flat, but there are some sharp turns and some inclines that can bring cyclists to stand up, or pedals to hit the pavement, with catastrophic effects for all involved. One night when I was there there was a crash and one cyclist died at the scene. Not a nice way to finish an evening.

When I went there to train, and joined the pacelines, I knew that it was dangerous (and exhilarating!). I trusted some people but certainly not everyone, and especially not strangers. It worked the other way around: I would not have tried to join a paceline with people I didn't know. If someone I did not want in my paceline joined us, and we couldn't get rid of him/her (usually him) (at that kind of pace, there are no kind words or gentle educational methods, just orders barked over shoulders in heavy wind), I'd just peel off and finish the workout on my own.

I feel the same when I'm training on the open road, although of course the risk is much less if there are only two - not twenty - people involved.

I also agree with Lisa's point of view regarding possibly creepy strangers. Not everyone wants to have company on the road, especially not company that requires attention (signals etc. are attention).

[ttaylor508]

The only person I draft off us is DH. He is a very strong and fast rider and really, its the only way I can keep up with him. We typically pick up a lot of riders on group rides, mostly guys, and the only time it bothers me is when they try to cut my wheel to get right behind him. I don't leave any space for them to cut in, they simply drift to the right to push me over. This happens so often that I finally convinced DH that we need matching Jerseys so people realize we are together. He has no clue this is happening while he is up front and it wasn't until last years double century that we did with a friend and our friend (who rode behind me the whole time) mentioned the problem to him that he realized it was an issue. (I am drifting now, not drafting.....)

When I am alone I don't draft off of strangers and it really doesn't bother me if they catch my wheel for a while. The only time it every bothered me was when this huge guy got on my wheel and was pounding massive gears to keep up. I figured if he hit my wheel we were both going down.

Anyhow, I think Blondiebiker's original post had more to do with how close is too close. I would say stay two to three bike lengths back if you are pacing (going the same speed as the other rider), thats just my two cents though and it sounds like some might still be uncomfortable with that distance.

[OakLeaf]

This thread is making me think that everyone should get in some good paceline practice.

Obviously it's easier to learn when you're young and full o' beans. And it may be harder for slower riders to find a group of people who want to ride paceline.

But the basic skills are ones that every rider should work on periodically. Maintaining a consistent speed; holding your line; signaling hazards both verbally and with hand signals; bike-handling skills and reflexes; group manners; listening to one's own body to know when to hand off the pull. Whether one normally rides alone or with others, it's important to have all these skills for traffic situations, and sympathetic pacelines of riders of similar abilities are one really good place to develop the skills.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

This thread is making me think that everyone should get in some good paceline practice....

Whether one normally rides alone or with others, it's important to have all these skills for traffic situations, and sympathetic pacelines of riders of similar abilities are one really good place to develop the skills.

I have developed some very good traffic and safety riding skills while riding with my husband, with occasional friends, and alone. I have absolutely no desire to ride in pacelines, whether for 'practice' or any other reason.

But it's good idea for people who like to ride bicycles like that.

[maillotpois]

Even if you don't "plan" to ride in pacelines, it's still a great idea from a bike handling perspective to know how to do it, and how to ride safely in a group.