More than just weird?
 

I was riding this evening in a moderate crime area. Secondary residential street. I glance back and notice a vehicle not far off my back wheel just hanging out. Initially we were on slight incline, so thought wow someone actually waiting for a safe pass; but as we came over still just sitting there. I then saw open curb for about 10 car lengths so gave them all the room in the world to pass. Still hung back there. I did a faster than normal roll through the next stop sign and they stopped. Quickly they were just hanging on my rear wheel again. Next major intersection I decided I wasn't stopping and turned right when I would normally continue straight. Also curious if they would follow me onto a 4 lane boulevard at that pace. I never got over 20 mph, likely averaging around 15 during that stretch. However when I turned right, they turned left. Maybe a crippled vehicle, but sounded fine. Possibly elderly but car more typical of a younger crowd.

Sounds like the common behavior of a shoe thief.
They were after your shoes. Lucky you turned right and not left!

Barry

Maybe your Lycra shorts are getting thin in back…

I am all for freedom, and am of a small government mindset, but that ought to be criminalized for men.

You may want to monitor new videos posted to YouTube.

That was my thought too. Probably described by them as a "More than just weird cyclist?"

Unmarked police car?

Many years ago, I got a great price on some white bibshorts. I took them out for their inaugural ride on a pretty hot day. When I got back into town, I was trackstanding, up off the saddle, while waiting for a stoplight to change — and noticed a bunch of girls in a car watching me and grinning. When I got home, I told my wife, “Some girls out there were pretty impressed with my track standing skills!” That’s when my wife told me that she could see right through those bibshorts.

They went in the trash.

BUT.... did you turn Left or Right.... it makes the difference?

Barry

lololol. I rode a charity event with a female friend of mine several years back. Metric century. We'd hammer for a while, then lay back and let people get on our wheel or we'd get on theirs. We had just hammered down to catch up to a pack in front of us. I let Cheryl tuck in behind the group. It just so happened that we got right behind a largish guy with shorts that were probably 3 years beyond their reasonable shelf life. Like you could count butt hairs. Cheryl told me we either had to rotate or drop them.

We hammered down.

It seems I was able to provide some comic relief, but no lycra, would have had to been worn through liner and baggy shell. Sounds like the vote was just weird, but debatable whether me or driver. I did get followed through a park once then finally passed by two ladies with sheepish grins. I would be shocked if that was the case here following for a mile at 15 in a 30. I guess it was just one of those things, but pretty sure in 40+ yrs of cycling it's never happened on the open road especially once I took the gutter. Most cars don't last one block stop sign to stop sign before passing, laying on horn, or yelling.

That's about all that can be made of it. Perhaps they were playing with you as you were playing with them. Although I guess you sort of feel you were acting defensively.

There is no way on this that we should speculate that the car occupants bad intentions. Suspicious... maybe. But likely just innocent of wishing you harm.

Thanks for helping me carry that load. It's lonely being one of the few members here who is routinely laughed at.

Not to raise the level of paranoia, but bike thieves have been yanking people off their bikes to steal the bike. It's possible that *they* were following you in hopes you'd ride into an area where they wouldn't be seen knocking you off your bike and taking it. Hopefully, that wasn't the case, but nowadays you have to be aware and careful.

Weird? Weren't they supposed to stop?

Following directions on a GPS device or phone? I’ve seen it before.

I'm not sure that was supposed to be the weird part of the story.

Turn right, half block, u-turn back. Whatever they do gives you your answer.