travkat

Absolutely great advice. And I am that guy, I am usually the one who offers to stop and help people with flats and always gives up a tube or C02. In fact when I was working in shop I gave beginner seminars on basic roadside flat fixes etc. I was hoping that Karma was working for me. I guess since I didn't go down it was. Happy Holidays all!

urbanknight

This. One thing I've noticed is that some people simply don't know the etiquette. Not to stereotype, but most of the tri people I've ridden with have no clue about group riding protocol. Some of these people are even close friends, so I know they would have pointed out dangers (and not absent-mindedly get in the aerobars) had they thought about it. One guy (not a triathlete, but someone who rode with a friend of mine frequently) had a habit of almost throwing his bike backwards when he stood during climbs. I made a mental note to stay a bike length away. So, unless and until I am familiar with a person's riding habits, I play it safe.

GP

Where are the potholes?

big john

There are people out there who never point anything out. They're not trying to be jerks, they just don't do it. Some people assume other riders subscribe to the same rules and ideas as they do and they might not.

umd

Sorry, you were wrong. I agree with that others have said, don't follow people you don't know so closely and be responsible for your own safety. When you are riding in a group you have to have some faith in the people you are with and and put some of your safety in their hands. When you encounter random people on the road don't make any assumptions.

rufvelo

I sometimes point out road conditions to strangers when I know they're sitting on my wheel....sometimes I don't....

colombo357

Your fault. Don't expect a stranger to take a hand off the bars during a descent to help you out.

Nachoman

I barely expect my riding partners to point out road hazards.

icyclist 

"A runner was right there when it happened and even he thought it was lame of the guys in front."

Well, that settles it!

roadiejorge 

You announced yourself so they should have pointed out a pothole, but courtesy isn't a given unfortunately. Even when riders don't announce themselves I point out potential hazards if they're on my wheel.

sstorkel

I ride alone so often it usually doesn't occur to me to point out obstacles to random wheel-suckers behind me...

FLvector

Yes, poor etiquette indeed. Did the rider up front point out the pothole to the second rider? If not, any verbal communications? If not, since they managed to avoid the hole, they probably assumed you also knew it was there. I always signal to anyone latching on to a ride and would hope for the same. Since it is likely to encounter the same cyclists on a future ride, a small gesture goes a long way.

jdon

In an ideal world, they would have pointed out the pot holes. For a less than ideal world, you assumed too much. Be responsible for your own safety and try to look after others.

umd

I'll point out that this is why many people don't like random people to be drafting them, because they don't want to feel responsible for having someone behind them. When this comes up here on BF all the time, the common thing people say is that it doesn't affect the person in front so they shouldn't care. But as you can see, it clearly does affect them because now [some of] you guys are saying that it's "bad etiquette" to not signal to some random stranger sucking your wheel.

The bottom line, if you aren't in a group with someone, and you are following close enough that it is a problem when the person in front doesn't point something out, then you screwed up. The etiquette fault lies with you for getting too close in the first place.

Grumpy McTrumpy

I know a guy who points so damn much he cannot ride in a straight line. I don't point much at all, saving it for only really big deals.

coasting 

jerkfaces everwhere.

Grumpy McTrumpy

black friday sale at the jerk store.

v70cat

I have a couple thoughts on the matter:

1) If you are riding in the drops at speed it is very hard to avoid the hazard and point it out in time to the rider behind. Also if you are following someone and they quickly change direction (assume the rider did it for a reason) you also change direction and follow the path of the lead rider.

2) It drives me crazy when the lead rider points out every little imperfection in the road.

3) When I ride on a path I know well I will inform other riders well in advance. For example the strom drain rut on Montauk Highway East just after leaving WaterMill, across from the Milk Pail.

hhnngg1

While I do think it's poor etiquette, you can pretty easily play devil's advocate and see it this way:

Your were coming down a descent a FAST speed, nearing 30mph. While you (and many on these forums) will have confidence to take a hand off and signal at that speed, these guys may not have. I for sure have bombed down windy roads (fortunately not with anybody behind me) at similar speed, encountered an unexpected branch or pebble, and not had time or confidence to take a hand off the brakes to signal it.

I'd actually say it was far more likely that they weren't out to "screw you" , but that they were trying to ride safely within their limits at that type of speed.

I already know you're going to say "but it was totally clear" and "totally safe to signal with no curves, turns, or braking areas", and that'll probably be true to you, but you already knew that you can't assume everyone out there is as good a rider as yourself.

I actually have found that that are very few real strangers out there who are out to be 'jerks' , but many, many more instances of incidents where one person misinterprets the action and immediately concludes that they were intentionally wronged by a 'jerk.' I don't know any cyclists, even bad ones, who would split quickly just to wipe out a rider behind them, and I've been taken down in a similar fashion in a fast ride splitting around unexpected traffic cones with no signal warnings despite at least 7 riders ahead who were too busy emergency braking and swerving to signal until it was too late. (Good riders, too - a few Cat2-3s in there)

jdon

Correct.

carpediemracing 

If some random rider latches on, I'll point stuff out until either the rider goes by, turns off, or drops off. I'll ease my pace unless I'm time-challenged (like I have 3 hours left to ride and it's 2.8 hours until it gets dark - this mainly applies to North County "training camps" since that's about the only time I do regular long rides).

Having said that, although I point out stuff, my expectations of others is much lower. I assume they won't. Therefore I always ride like I do in a race - look out for my front wheel and keep an eye out for any potential problems.

When I'm out there in Feb I'll post something somewhere. We can go for a nice, friendly, etiquette nice ride.

umd

Same

Daytrip

Public roadways; use at your own risk.

I ride solo almost exclusively, so it probably wouldn't occur to me to point out a pothole or other road hazard to anyone who might be behind me. I figure if I could spot and avoid it, so can they. Now, if some stranger starts sucking my wheel without my permission, I get nervous. I probably wouldn't want to encourage them.

pcad = freelance humanitarian

Pelotoner

Amen to this my brother. We all need to get along and help others.

StephenH

The problem I have is that 95% of the time when I'm riding, I'm riding by myself, so pointing out every little flaw in the road, hollering "car up!" "Car back!" "Passing!" etc is just not something I'm used to doing. On the other hand, I'm not accustomed to riding 6" off somebody's wheel and hoping they do my thinking for me, either.

I've also noticed among people that do this, a WIDE variation in what gets pointed out.

I'm reminded also of a road in Louisiana where the road sign said "Substandard Road- Next 20 Miles". Maybe that would be the way to handle it on a group ride, since some of the roads I'm on have long areas of substandardosities.