Passing cyclists (Read 499 times)

There is a road near my house that I drive every morning and evening before/after work.  It is a steep and sustained rural one lane (each way) road that is very popular with cyclists.  They love to ride to the top of the hill and then speed down it.  I like endurance sports, so I totally understand why they do it.

Sometimes after work while driving the road, I will get stuck behind one or more cyclists going slower than I would like to be going.  What I do is stay behind them patiently until there is a safe place to pass, then I zoom by them.  Well, every time I do that I get a pissed off reaction out of them.  Usually the finger held way up in the air to let me know that I messed up.

I'm not trying to be a jerk, and I don't understand what I did wrong.  Do they expect me to just go as slow as they are?  Otherwise what am I supposed to do?  I want to do the right thing by them, but at the same time, I don't want to be stuck at uber slow speed just because.

I'm a cyclist that uses my bike as my primary form of transportation; I have been for over 25 years.

However, I understand what you're saying and it's something I've addressed before in the cycling community, both with other cyclists in my area and on the net, especially here: http://www.bikeforums.net/forum.php

There are a number, I wouldn't say majority, but a fair number of cyclists that believe it's perfectly all right to not only take the lane, but to keep it. However, there are others, like me, that are very much supporters of FRAP laws (Far Right As Practicable), but many look at that and misinterpret in very gross manners.

I do believe that because these cyclists that want to ride in the middle of the roads have caused many states to enact new legislation to better address this problem and is the reason behind many of the states adopting very similar cycling  laws as my own state of Florida http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.2065.html

Key Excerpts:

(5)(a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride in the lane marked for bicycle use or, if no lane is marked for bicycle use, as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:
1. When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
3. When reasonably necessary to avoid any condition or potential conflict, including, but not limited to, a fixed or moving object, parked or moving vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, animal, surface hazard, turn lane, or substandard-width lane, which makes it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge or within a bicycle lane. For the purposes of this subsection, a “substandard-width lane” is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
(b) Any person operating a bicycle upon a one-way highway with two or more marked traffic lanes may ride as near the left-hand curb or edge of such roadway as practicable.
(6) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway may not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast may not impede traffic when traveling at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing and shall ride within a single lane.

I've heard some crazy interpretations of things in the above excerpt. I would check your state's laws on bikes, it's very possibly your state's bike laws are very similar to Florida's. You can possibly contact law enforcement on the cyclists' unlawful riding.

And I thought this was going to be a bragging session about a tempo run or something.

 

I'm not trying to be a jerk, and I don't understand what I did wrong.  

Just sounds like the cyclists are a bunch of cock farmers.

And I thought this was going to be a bragging session about a tempo run or something.

There's a set of off-road rec trails through the Don Valley here in Toronto that I use a lot.  It's actually pretty common that I have to give a good head start to the cyclists before I start, because I know I can pass most of them.  And there are the really talented bikers that can hammer this course like nobody's business.

I think it's the "zooming" by them that may be causing the issues.  Just drive by at a normal speed.

It is just this sort of thoughtful common sense that will end this thread early!

I think they should wave and smile at you.  Seems like you are doing the right thing, depending on the meaning of "zoom."   I'm surprised at how many people don't know that (around here anyway) cyclists have a right to the whole lane.  The majority of motorists try to "squeeze" by cyclists, when they should do exactly as you are doing -- WAIT until it is safe to pass in the other lane giving the cyclist a comfortable, wide berth.

We've got a 3 foot law up here - you must stay at least three feet from the bike when passing.  To me, even 3 feet feels too close.  I also stay well back until safe to pass, and have never received a one finger salute.