Originally Posted by
base2
Drafting someone with out permission is not cool. In fact it's rude for a variety of reasons. It's on par with tailgating.
I never do this. I see it as a given that this is antisocial behavior. And if I approach a lone female rider from behind, I either stay way back or wait to pass when I can do it decisively. I don't want to give the impression I'm following her.
Originally Posted by
base2
If you can't maintain your gain, the result is a lot of unnecessary passing & every pass requires a new situational analysis & negotiation with all the possible trail occupants/hazards.
Yeah, I can see how this would be off-putting. Usually, I can keep my position ahead of whoever I've just passed, if not pull ahead. Sometimes I can't even catch the guy. We seldom have a back and forth interchange.
The nice thing about this loop is it's an actual road, not just a narrow MUP. From the outer to inner part of the loop, there is one wide vehicle lane (one way road), then a painted bike lane, and then a pedestrian lane. The only times I've had conflicts were when some walkers (usually with strollers and/or dogs) move into the bike lane at the same time there's a car nearby. It can get a little congested. It's usually not bad, and most folks get along fine with each other. It's a pretty unique setting, and I drive 40 minutes each way to work out there. I've been going there for nearly 40 years. For my first 14 years on the planet, my family lived less than two miles from the park, and I rode there frequently. At 52 now, I still love to ride there; I just don't get to as often as I'd like.