Overtaking Other Road Cyclists - Abuse

dee4life2005

I was out for a 100km ride, and about 40 miles in I was heading up a 2.3 mile 2% climb. I was just keeping a steady cadence going up this hill, trying to get a bit of a breather, so was only doing about 13.5 mph with a heart rate of 150ish - still plenty in the tank. I see up ahead that there is a fellow road cyclist and it looked like I was starting to close the gap, although I wasn't trying to.

Anyway, about 30 seconds later I pulled out to do a safe overtake, giving him a good 3-4 feet of room and just as I was about to give a cheery "good afternoon", I was met with a "haha, you think thinking you're f'ing clever ... it's not an f'ing race you know ...bla bla <expletive> bla bla etc." ... I felt like stopping and asking what his problem was, but I just dropped a couple of cogs and put the power down. I was out of sight pretty quickly

What is it with some folk? It was a nice sunny and warmish day for a bike ride ...

First abuse I've experienced from a fellow roadie ... anyone else ever get this ? How do you respond?

Cheers
Steve

t.m.h.n.e.t

Actions >> words. Show him your heels

chrisaonabike

dee4life2005 wrote:

....What is it with some folk?

I think some people are just arses, possibly in this case an arse with a huge inferiority complex.

As the one usually being overtaken, I have nothing but admiration for the guys that thunder up past me, looking like they're barely ticking over while my heart is trying to bust out of my rib cage.

If they are nice enough to say hi on their way past, I'll be glad to say 'hi' back, and if I don't, it's only because I can barely breathe, let alone talk.

turnerjohn

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

Actions >> words. Show him your heels

+1 you did the right thing roasting his ass

hipshot

Some people take being overtaken very personally , like it's some comment on their ability rather than just another cyclist going at a different speed. The best response is to laugh, grown men acting like kids is really quite funny if you think about it.

I was once chased and overtaken by a bloke on an mtb who accused me of 'trying to shake him off'. I didn't even know he was behind me!

herb71

Give him the benefit of the doubt. He's working hard, blood in his legs not in his brain, probably trying to think of something clever / witty to say and it came out wrong, i've done it myself.

chrisaonabike

hipshot wrote:

I was once chased and overtaken by a bloke on an mtb who accused me of 'trying to shake him off'. I didn't even know he was behind me!

I'm finding all this bizarre. If I see someone ahead and want to catch him up as a personal challenge, why shouldn't I? Similarly if I'm aware of someone behind, and I want to shake him off, why the heck not?

Ok, I shouldn't do stuff that forces him to slow down or interfere with his line, that's obvious, but why does anyone care about being overtaken?

jay197

Some people suffer with a "persecution" complex, and they think, in their psyche, that everyone is trying to humiliate them etc, it is treatable with a few sessions, but more severe cases turn into "paranoia" or even worse if left unchecked.

It is not even worth trying to engage in "intelligent" conversation, as they will already be on the "defensive" and treat your conversation as a "personal" attack.

Note to Self: Stop reading my wife' University books when bored on the trainer

DavidJB

Sounds like you hurt his feelings. You should camp out on the climb every day unitl you see him again with a bottle of wine (in a bike bottle) and some flowers to make up for it you horrible man. :evil:

butcher of bakersfield

dee4life2005 wrote:

How do you respond?

I'd begin with F*** O**! And improvise from there.

Or (more likely)...

I'd gasp in astonishment and continue riding, wondering WTF. I find it hard to believe anyone would get angry because they were passed by someone travelling a little more quickly.

Nik Cube

I would have slowed down and the pulled away and then repeat until I felt I had really humiliated him - some people say I have a nasty streak I have no idea what they mean

Phill B

i would have slowed down and allowed him to pass thus making him feel better about himself and then blast past him pissing myself laughing while saying something like "im going to win ner ner na ner ner"

Joeblack

Phill B wrote:

i would have slowed down and allowed him to pass thus making him feel better about himself and then blast past him pissing myself laughing while saying something like "im going to win ner ner na ner ner"

That's twice tonight the forum has actually made me lol

declan1

Whenever I overtake someone, they're usually some kid on a BSO, and they just look shocked as I fly past them. It's not really hard - they just trundle along bobbing up and down.

I've come close to overtaking other roadies, but I just hang back and wait for them to turn off. I don't like overtaking people - it looks like I'm showing off or something.

If they have a go at you then you should just humiliate them! Cycle alongside for a while and pick up the pace so they're puffing and panting then just cycle off!

alihisgreat

I like it when people overtake me as it gives me an idea of how much faster its possible to go.. and what I should be aiming for.

Having said that I don't get overtaken often.. not sure whether that's down to speed.. or just not coming across many people.

dee4life2005

Phill B wrote:

i would have slowed down and allowed him to pass thus making him feel better about himself and then blast past him pissing myself laughing while saying something like "im going to win ner ner na ner ner"

Haha ... Like it !! :-)

wellbeloved747

This Happened to me I overtook a guy on a Venge Di2 and i was just on my Allez. i belive they are people who belive kit will improve speed and stamina and to a degree it will however you need the body too. he said "think your clever overtaking me haa' i took this harshly as being 15 people always doubt me so i replied " man the f**k up" and went and strangles his £6k bike was not match for a teenager

Mikey23

Good job it wasn't lance. You would have had your business trashed, your family threatened, been ordered back to the peloton and been on the end of a lawsuit ....

chrisaonabike

declan1 wrote:

I don't like overtaking people - it looks like I'm showing off or something.

Only in your head.

Sprool

always sad to hear about fellow cyclists in a negative light. This guy sounds like a tool. I've never overtaken anyone yet but am happy to exchange pleasantries with fitter/younger cyclists that overtake me. I guess the difference is that theres no ego involved, I'm out to enjoy the countryside and get fit, not prove myself against others.

karlth

Very seldom passed other roadies, but quite often get passed by them. Like others here I just watch in amazement as they pass me on a hill as I'm struggling just to keep the pedals turning, and they fly past like it was flat.

Pass people on MTBs, hybrids regularly. One did recently yell "show off", but I thought, "no, not really, you're on a hybrid with heavy tyres and you're sitting upright into the wind; I'm on the hoods semi-aero on 23mm of slick light rubber, don't take it personally that I'm going faster than you because you'll be the one laughing when we hit that dodgy patchwork of potholes, ironworks and patched tarmac at the bottom of that hill over there."

Mikey41

Overtook two cyclists today, first was a roadie who seemed to be just ambling along. I was just spinning easy, overtook him as we started up a hill with a "hello". He looked a bit surprised, dunno if he was just a new rider. Second one was an MTB whose rider was pedalling at about 40rpm in a huge gear, going not very fast.

garethjohn

Remember flying up behind a slightly older guy on the tail end of my commute home. Instead of just whizzing by I just sat on his wheel for a minute then passed so he could draft me. The last 5 miles were a blast sharing the burden especially with the crappy head wind. 8)

napoleond

Cinzano the fecker.

Drumlin

What's the etiquette when being passed by one of those bikes with an electric motor - is "haha, you think thinking you're f'ing clever ... it's not an f'ing race you know ...bla bla <expletive> bla bla etc" allowed then ? I was passed by one recently (going uphill) and that's exactly what I was thinking !

racingcondor

Drumlin wrote:

What's the etiquette when being passed by one of those bikes with an electric motor - is "haha, you think thinking you're f'ing clever ... it's not an f'ing race you know ...bla bla <expletive> bla bla etc" allowed then ? I was passed by one recently (going uphill) and that's exactly what I was thinking !

My understanding is that they're limited by law to 20mph so the etiquette is to admit defeat on the way up the hill and enjoy blasting past again on the way back down .

Seriously, who cares as long as the person passing does it safely. Last time I met a guy on an electric bike I had quite a nice chat with him.

Don't know what happened in the OP's case but it sounds like the guy he passed was having a really bad day.

Mikey41

racingcondor wrote:

Don't know what happened in the OP's case but it sounds like the guy he passed was having a really bad day.

Yeah, that guy sounds like a tool. He'll probably do it again to someone less tolerant and get a kicking.

I'll just overtake if safe, leave plenty of space, say hello and be on my way. I've been passed plenty of times, even on the roadie by a guy on an MTB. It's nothing personal, they're just stronger than me

pippi_langsamer-2

I would imagine it wasn't a seasoned cyclist you passed- rather a wet-behind-the-ears "Wiggo", clone probably sporting Sky replica kit and maybe perhaps a CBoardman bike? Probably the same sort of twit who hates being overtaken in a car too.....

I'd have dropped back.....let him get on your wheel (if indeed he was able to know what that means), and then turn the screw slowly again. Repeat a few times 'til he gets the message :!:

ktuludays

I always exchange pleasantries with other cyclists whether i am the overtaker or overtakee. it is often the latter but i really don't care or get abusive when people pass me. i generally wonder if they are on strava!

saprkzz

I got a very similar reaction a few weeks ago where riding up to coombe hill in wendover i entered at the bottom of a steep climb on my MTB and started to pedal up, at the same time 3 roadies had started their climb, we were quickly gaining on them and proceeded to overtake 2 of them, and once caught up with the front guy I rolled along side to him to which he looked at me and said "If you think you are f***ing overtaking me on that thing" and started to power down.
I couldnt continue to overtake him afterall we are on a 15% and i am on 2.2 fats... But i stuck to his wheel and joked by saying "No but I am keeping up with you", and just as the hill crest came my mate on his MTB flew past him, they werent happy, but serioulsy why the need for an attitude like that??

What the hell is wrong with people, who cares.. If I had of been on my Cervelo, I wander what he would have said then.

Next Story is....

Yesterday I had a guy come past with aero bars on his CAAD and polietly said "morning", to which I replied Morning back, BUT where I went wrong is I saw it as a challenge and had to overtake him back haha.. so we got into a cat and mouse for the next 5 miles, was good fun, I said sorry for getting into a race with him and he responded ok with it!

tiredofwhiners

Mikey41 wrote:

He looked a bit surprised, dunno if he was just a new rider.

It wasn't me judging by your location, but when I am overtaken (frequently) I rarely hear someone on a bike coming up behind me and go through various stages of shock - where the F did he come from', spluttering because my breathing rhythm has been disrupted, and by then its too late so say hello.

Its not rudeness, its just some of us are slow and cannot spek that quickly when cycling !

The OP's encounter is weird though - what a strange response from the cyclist.