Keep your hands and advice to yourself - a brief rant
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Keep your hands and advice to yourself - a brief rant
I was riding along a short section of bike path today when I saw glass from a smashed beer bottle strewn across the trail. I slowed down to see if I could thread my way through a clear patch. There was no one ahead of me or coming towards me, and no one behind me that I was aware of, so I moved into the center of the path. Next thing I know some guy is half-wheeling me on the right and saying "Just relax!" As he passed, he forced me into the thick of the glass along the left side of the path, rolled his own wheels over the second thickest patch, and worst of all PATTED ME ON THE BACK while saying "relax, relax!"
Several lessons here (for him):
1. Announce yourself before you are half-wheeling another rider.
2. Do not make arrogant assumptions about how you can help nervous newbies (I am not, by the way, new to this, nor was I nervous). Instead, consider the possibility that the other rider has a reason for slowing and changing lane positions.
3. Do not begin a pass until you have given the other rider sufficient time to become aware of your presence.
4. Do not pass on the right unless you have clearly communicated what you are doing.
5. Slow down on the MUP. I might have realized he was behind me on the path if he hadn't been flying.
6. DO NOT TOUCH OTHER RIDERS without their consent, especially while the are IN MOTION!
Okay, rant over. Thanks for the space to vent.
Several lessons here (for him):
1. Announce yourself before you are half-wheeling another rider.
2. Do not make arrogant assumptions about how you can help nervous newbies (I am not, by the way, new to this, nor was I nervous). Instead, consider the possibility that the other rider has a reason for slowing and changing lane positions.
3. Do not begin a pass until you have given the other rider sufficient time to become aware of your presence.
4. Do not pass on the right unless you have clearly communicated what you are doing.
5. Slow down on the MUP. I might have realized he was behind me on the path if he hadn't been flying.
6. DO NOT TOUCH OTHER RIDERS without their consent, especially while the are IN MOTION!
Okay, rant over. Thanks for the space to vent.
#2
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Yeah, I had a guy half-wheeling me on a narrow bridge the other day. Pedestrian walking toward us on the correct side. Even with a helmet mirror I didn't notice the other cyclist behind me half-wheeling, riding the center of the narrow bridge. Most bridges on the local MUP also have bollards to discourage vehicles. So riding the center of the bridge between a pedestrian and another bike makes zero sense.
The cyclist half-wheeling me probably assumes I'm going to turn right at the foot of the bridge toward the main section of the MUP. I'm not. I'm planning to turn left toward the levees to get a higher view for some photos, since I brought my camera gear.
So as I approach the end of the bridge and glance in my mirror before turning left I notice the other cyclist on my left just behind me about to pass me as soon as we exit the bridge.
I yelped "WHOA!"
Speed Racer says in a condescending voice "You're okay, you're okay."
So I just cut left in front of him. At that point I don't care if I cut his front wheel out from under him. If he french fries when he's supposed to pizza he's gonna have a bad time. I suppose he braked or swerved. No contact. I didn't look back to see who it was.
The cyclist half-wheeling me probably assumes I'm going to turn right at the foot of the bridge toward the main section of the MUP. I'm not. I'm planning to turn left toward the levees to get a higher view for some photos, since I brought my camera gear.
So as I approach the end of the bridge and glance in my mirror before turning left I notice the other cyclist on my left just behind me about to pass me as soon as we exit the bridge.
I yelped "WHOA!"
Speed Racer says in a condescending voice "You're okay, you're okay."
So I just cut left in front of him. At that point I don't care if I cut his front wheel out from under him. If he french fries when he's supposed to pizza he's gonna have a bad time. I suppose he braked or swerved. No contact. I didn't look back to see who it was.
#3
High Plains Luddite
Is half-wheeling when you're only a half a wheel length behind the other rider?
No matter what it is, I would have been quite angry if I had been touched and told to relax while being forced to take a different line as the OP describes.
No matter what it is, I would have been quite angry if I had been touched and told to relax while being forced to take a different line as the OP describes.
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Strange... sorry. Chivalry and chauvinism have a lot of overlap
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Get a t-shirt or sign that reads, "Crop Dusting in Progress!" or perhaps, "I Only Look Contagious!",
or maybe: "Go Ahead...Make My Personal Injury Lawyer's Day!"
or maybe: "Go Ahead...Make My Personal Injury Lawyer's Day!"
#6
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OP, that is pretty annoying. I'm glad he didn't slap your butt though.
One time on a group ride, I was way lagging up a hill, and this one guy was nice enough to hang back and chat with me (although with my huffing and puffing I wasn't much for conversation). Then all of a sudden his hand was on my back and he was helping push me up the hill! I didn't mind much because it helped, but it did seem odd. I'm sure I would have been more alarmed if I was a woman.
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or get one of these and not worry about it: The World's Loudest Cycle Horn | Hornit dB140
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A wave of the hand behind the seat, and friendly "sorry about that" should take care of things.
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Sorry I don't see the problem. If someone is half wheeling you and you don't like it, why not simply take him out with a jog in his direction?
With the least amount of skill, the front rider is virtually assured to stay up while the rear rider wipes out every time.
With the least amount of skill, the front rider is virtually assured to stay up while the rear rider wipes out every time.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
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I like this one!
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Different strokes. I prefer a hand on my back or hip to let me know someone is there rather than yelling.
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Oh, Bull. I'm plenty tough. The guy was a smug jerk who had no idea what was going on, made stupid assumptions, and probably ended up with a flat tire.
That's your preference. I'd advise you not to assume that you are welcome to lay your hands on others without their consent.
#16
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What kind of a d^ck move is half wheeling? Either pass me or hang back, but don't ride slightly back from me unless we know each other and have been talking for the last 7 miles. And I don't know that I would want someone close enough to me to be able to touch me while I am riding a bike. That means you are too damn close.
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My post was facetious, and not a serious suggestion. However, I class things like this in the "compost happens" category and forget about them entirely within minutes. IMO certainly not worth writing about when I get home.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
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Ha!
#21
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I see posts on facebook about how men break women's reasonable boundaries often. It's pretty dismaying and surprising. I'm sorry this happens, and obviously, I don't do that.
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I would also be annoyed, perhaps to the point of writing about it, if someone touched me inappropriately. He touched her thigh. Not cool.
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Thigh?
Are we talking about the same event?
I have no idea of the OP's gender, though "Giant Doofus" doesn't sound like a lady. In any case the OP said "PATTED ME ON THE BACK".
BTW - I never said I wouldn't be annoyed, just that it's the kind of thing I don't think about for long.
I have a fairly simple rule that if I let people get to me to the point that I'm annoyed or angry for more than a minute, then they've won. I ride for pleasure, and don't let people detract from that. Someone annoys me, I let them know what I think on the spot, then move on as if it never happened.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
Last edited by FBinNY; 01-25-17 at 04:07 PM.
#24
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Oops, I don't know where I got the "thigh" part, but yes, she is a woman.
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Her?
Thigh?
Are we talking about the same event?
I have no idea of the OP's gender, though "Giant Doofus" doesn't sound like a lady. In any case the OP said "PATTED ME ON THE BACK".
BTW - I never said I wouldn't be annoyed, just that it's the kind of thing I don't think about for long.
I have a fairly simple rule that if I let people get to me to the point that I'm annoyed or angry for more than a minute, then they've won. I ride for pleasure, and don't let people detract from that. Someone annoys me, I let them know what I think on the spot, then move on as if it never happened.
Thigh?
Are we talking about the same event?
I have no idea of the OP's gender, though "Giant Doofus" doesn't sound like a lady. In any case the OP said "PATTED ME ON THE BACK".
BTW - I never said I wouldn't be annoyed, just that it's the kind of thing I don't think about for long.
I have a fairly simple rule that if I let people get to me to the point that I'm annoyed or angry for more than a minute, then they've won. I ride for pleasure, and don't let people detract from that. Someone annoys me, I let them know what I think on the spot, then move on as if it never happened.
Yep, Giant Doofus is a woman. I took my username from the brand (Giant) and name (Doofus) of the bike I was riding when I joined this forum. It's funny that you think the name suggests a man. Huh.
I think the practice of letting these things go is generally a good one. It's what I usually do. But, like I said, this one stuck with me, so I decided to indulge in a little rant. No harm.
No, not my thigh. That would have earned him a kick to the crotch, even if I had to crash the bike to do it. Not joking. Still, the "pat on the back" was not the harmless between-friends sort of thing you might imagine. First, I've never met this guy. Second, it was more like he was steering me by pressing his hand to the small of the back. It was creepy, especially combined with instructions to relax.