Etiquette for passing a lady

The Rookie

OK, lots more bike commuters now its warmer and had a particular quandry last night...

Now I'm old fashioned enough [old enough before someone else says it!] to open doors for ladies, give up a seat on PT for them or say Ladies first, you get the drift....

Scenario, caught up with a young lady, going slower (not much slower downhill, uphill her heavier tourer was slowing her somewhat) and was trying to figure the best etiquette for passing....

Had to sit behind for a while like a gentleman (although possible admiring the view was less gentlemanly....) until it was safe to pass, but when we got uphill to pass, should I have whipped past displaying my manly prowess, or been less obvious and passed at a reasonable pace so as not to disturb any sensibilities she may or may not have had?

Lookng forward to answers, LiT's especially (not that I guess she gets passed much, and probably doesn't intend to use practice to make perfect!).

Simon

Headhuunter

Of course you should've whipped past! As you point out, hanging around behind "admiring the view" really isn't gentlemanly! You utter cad!

Kieran_Burns

Pass by safely and quickly, with a friendly smile and a nod. Usually accompanied by a cheery "evening / morning / afternoon"

Just like I do on the huge number of occasions I pass all the other cyclists.

Okay, that last bit was a lie. :oops:

essex-commuter

Do you drive a car? If so would you overtake a female driver any differently to how you would overtake a male?

I don't see what difference it makes.

rolf_f

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Pass by safely and quickly, with a friendly smile and a nod. Usually accompanied by a cheery "well, hello" in your best Terry Thomas voice whilst twirling your moustache end.

Just like I do on the huge number of occasions I pass all the other cyclists.

Okay, that last bit was a lie. :oops:

Fixed that for you Kieran........!

Lancslad

whip past and say hello whilst your doing it..

My O.h. sent me a text earlier saying 'i was much quicker on the bike today although spurred on by a fat bloke on a mountain bike overtaking me'



So there you go you could be doing them a favour.

(not that i'm suggesting your fat or a mountain biker )

Clever Pun

essex-commuter wrote:

Do you drive a car? If so would you overtake a female driver any differently to how you would overtake a male?

I don't see what difference it makes.

I can't see what type of underwear a car driver is wearing

but yes, you're right

iPete

Always go wide around people, especially if passing at speed.

As for the man woman thing, I pass men differently, I make sure I keep on the gas incase they make chase :twisted:

Mike400

Just pass like you would anyone else, safely, at your own pace.

Rather than sitting behind her oogling her arse and breathing heavily

The Rookie

To be clear I was only sat behind until the first opprotunity to pass....as for a car, you usually don't know the gender of the driver......also on average men are physically stronger than women, so the car is a pretty irrelevant example perhaps?

I was a little ungentlemanly getting out the saddle to acclerate up behind, sitting back down to pass nonchalently as if I hadn't been.....but yes I did make a cheery 'good evening' as I passed.....

Simon

kieronymous

Mike400 wrote:

Rather than sitting behind her oogling her ars* and breathing heavily

Oogling: perusing swimsuit catalogues via a popular search engine.

How about a well timed slap and an encouraging "giddyup luv!"?

(kidding)

essex-commuter

The Beginner wrote:

so the car is a pretty irrelevant example perhaps?
Simon

Not really, I was just using it as an example to explain that in my view it makes no difference on the gender of the rider to how I overtake. I will go straight past a rider if it is safe to do so, I will sit behind if not and then overtake when it is safe to do so. I will give the rider enough room 1) so as not to spook them and 2) if they are not as confident on a bike as I ( and therefore likely to wobble etc) am or they change direction to avoid a pothole, I'm not endangered.

MonkeyMonster

Indeed essex - same here. Here's a question though - how do you tell a lady she's got a split forming in her shorts... Slap bang in the middle and right in the eye line of any followers...

DonDaddyD

This thread is so old fashioned suddenly my computer screen is black and green...

The Beginner wrote:

as for a car, you usually don't know the gender of the driver......

Yes you do.

You should have passed her with your back wheel about 30cm from hers thereby inviting her to a draft. Then at the moment you are perfectly in front you should have stood up on the pedals, bum bum perched high like a proud peacock.

Or as you pass her, look her up and down provocatively, knod knowingly and say "nice bike".

essex-commuter

DonDaddyD wrote:

Then at the moment you are perfectly in front you should have stood up on the pedals, bum bum perched high like a proud peacock.

....and made a noise like a laughing moose! (reference the split second timing thread of a few days ago!)

essex-commuter

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Indeed essex - same here. Here's a question though - how do you tell a lady she's got a split forming in her shorts... Slap bang in the middle and right in the eye line of any followers...

You don't, you just hope she doesn't realise and continues to wear the same shorts for the rest of the year!

lost_in_thought

The Beginner wrote:

OK, lots more bike commuters now its warmer and had a particular quandry last night...

Now I'm old fashioned enough [old enough before someone else says it!] to open doors for ladies, give up a seat on PT for them or say Ladies first, you get the drift....

Scenario, caught up with a young lady, going slower (not much slower downhill, uphill her heavier tourer was slowing her somewhat) and was trying to figure the best etiquette for passing....

Had to sit behind for a while like a gentleman (although possible admiring the view was less gentlemanly....) until it was safe to pass, but when we got uphill to pass, should I have whipped past displaying my manly prowess, or been less obvious and passed at a reasonable pace so as not to disturb any sensibilities she may or may not have had?

Lookng forward to answers, LiT's especially (not that I guess she gets passed much, and probably doesn't intend to use practice to make perfect!).

Simon

Ahhhh it's nice that there are people out there who still give up seats on PT and hold doors. They're few and far between in London.

Don't cut her up, don't pass too close, no smart-alec remarks, a cheery 'hello!' or similar is always nice. Speed isn't really relevant. Don't sit behind for too long. It's annoying!

will3

lost_in_thought wrote:

Ahhhh it's nice that there are people out there who still give up seats on PT and hold doors. They're few and far between in London.

!

You can have women's lib' or you can have doors held open, but not both

lost_in_thought

will3 wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Ahhhh it's nice that there are people out there who still give up seats on PT and hold doors. They're few and far between in London.

!

You can have women's lib' or you can have doors held open, but not both

When I was at uni, the debating society held a debate that 'women only want equal rights when it suits them'.

The great surprise was that Peter Stringfellow, seconding, made some excellent arguments which basically said 'of course they do, they're not stupid'.

He was right.

Cafewanda

+ 1

will3

Don't I know it :roll:

kurako

lost_in_thought wrote:

will3 wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Ahhhh it's nice that there are people out there who still give up seats on PT and hold doors. They're few and far between in London.

!

You can have women's lib' or you can have doors held open, but not both

When I was at uni, the debating society held a debate that 'women only want equal rights when it suits them'.

The great surprise was that Peter Stringfellow, seconding, made some excellent arguments which basically said 'of course they do, they're not stupid'.

He was right.

You were at uni with Pete Stringfellow? :shock:

DonDaddyD

Kurako wrote:

You were at uni with Pete Stringfellow? :shock:

Wasn't at Uni, t'was at her part time job to fund her high life....

biondino

The obvious answer to this thread is that you must obtain a top (or possibly bowler) hat, and as you pass, doff it.

lost_in_thought

biondino wrote:

The obvious answer to this thread is that you must obtain a top (or possibly bowler) hat, and as you pass, doff it.

YES!


And quietly say 'milady' at the same time.

kurako

Like this?



(Sheer coincidence I was in London when they all went by)

fenboy369

But how far can you lean over off your saddle with the intention of trying to sniff hers whilst remaining socialy acceptable?

I'll get my coat.... :oops:

The Rookie

Ooph.....

Now I was trying to avoid a degeneration in this thread, clearly I failed, Oh well......

Sounds like most think my etiquette acceptable, so I'll do the same next time....hopefully I'll get the chance!

Simon

davmaggs

seems a strange question. I'm not sure how overtaking can be compared to other forms of (possible older) social etiquette like giving up seats. You'd quite happily overtake a female pedestrian or in the days of yore horses weren't called to a halt because a woman's carriage slowed.

And of course you tell that a woman is driving a car. It's the one blocking the middle lane of the motorway.

seems to be like a sneeky means of blaming etiquette for lurking behind

Mark Elvin

I belive the corect way to pass is to pull up behind, so your front wheel just rubs her rear wheel. This causes her to wobble, fall off & leave your path clear.

Kieran_Burns

davmaggs wrote:

seems to be like a sneaky means of blaming etiquette for lurking behind

I'm sorry I don't get your point