Cycling in Melbourne Australia

Poor form?

Guys,
Has any other commuting cyclists noticed an increased occurance of cyclists "pushing" to the front of the queue at red lights, and then getting in the way going slowly after the lights go green?

I think this is poor form.. as you then have to pass these cyclists, often having to go out into the line of fire to then do this. My view is if you're going to pass me stopped at the lights, well at least be prepared to stay in front of me and not hold me up.

What do others think? Anyone else noticed this?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mick Doherty on November 20, 2009 at 3:23pm: yeah poor form, if you push to the front, its expected you're much faster and will stay in front

I have noticed a couple of times, but the overtaking part is a joy ...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on November 20, 2009 at 3:26pm: Had the odd bit of that myself, but on the flip side have to admit to occasional incidents of this "sin", too. In my case it's usually that I've mistimed my arrival at the lights, then failed to click in on takeoff (or forgot to change down before stopping.) If I have ever been one of these to you, I apologise. As for those who have done it to me, guess that's karma.

It's a fact of life that there will always be those in front that we have to overtake, and those behind who will feel the need to overtake. I wouldn't say it's any worse than it's ever been in my 4 months living here.

The psychology of traveling in a straight line owes a lot to pecking order that probably dates back to primitive hunter gatherer times, and even the best natured of us sometimes forget our manners. I'd be the last to judge them for it... unless they're repetitive offenders ;-); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cory on November 20, 2009 at 4:18pm: BikeSnobNYC refers to it as 'shoaling'. http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2009/10/indignity-of-commuting-by-b...

It's worse when you are riding a bike that appears as though it won't move quickly (like... err... most of mine) ;)

Then, 50m later, yr passing them. AGAIN! I had the one guy, at successive lights all the way home the other night. All I did was just pass him faster. He even RLJed! Finally, I made lights before he did, and the traffic stopped him. :D; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on November 20, 2009 at 4:28pm: RLJed? Red light jumped?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cory on November 20, 2009 at 7:06pm: Eeeyup; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chris Harris on November 21, 2009 at 7:53am: I don't mind so much, I just think "tosser" then either slip stream them, or pass them.
Or of course they can ride and leave me for dead - which is fine too.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Etienne de Brignell on November 21, 2009 at 5:10pm: For me it's the other way round. I'm a slower rider and often get dinged for not accelerating fast enough at the green light by cyclists who have arrived behind me. Seriously, what's the rush people?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Doug Parkinson-Akagi on November 22, 2009 at 5:39pm: Yep, know that feeling, especially when you are not aware of the (faster) person who has silently crept up behind you and goes past very fast with almost their elbows hitting you.. not great - another one of my pet peeves! It can be quite a surprise, especially if into a head wind where you just can't hear what's behind you.

Personally, when I come up behind someone at the lights, I always like to give them a few seconds once green to let them demonstrate their speed, and if they are going to be quite slow, I give it a wide berth and then put the power down once I'm past.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on November 23, 2009 at 5:23am: Have to say that this debate is starting to sound like car V. bike in microcosm.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Etienne de Brignell on November 23, 2009 at 7:33pm: I try my best to be considerate to other riders. If someone pulls up behind me on a road bike and looks as fit as Fabian Cancellara then I'll give them the signal to go ahead of me. Fixie riders tend to be the most impatient, but then rare is the fixie rider who bothers to stop at a red light in the first place.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on November 24, 2009 at 6:42am: Like I say, how is a broad, sweeping generalisation about fixie riders by we "more normal" riders any different to a motorist making broad, sweeping generalisations about cyclists.

As for red lights, they only exist because of the danger inherent in cars as a concept, regardless of how responsibly they're driven. When you start work at 5am, and travel there by bicycle, on a road with lights which free-run rather than sense traffic (or worse, lights which sense cars, but not bikes), you realise how stupid traffic lights are, and how they are no solution at all. I have NEVER seen a cyclist simply run a red, it's always done with eyes peeled for traffic on the cross street, anything less would be suicide. Cycling red lights is not 1% of the threat of a car doing the same (3 or 4 every change on lights without cameras!), let alone the threat it's made out to be by some histrionic types in authority.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Doug Parkinson-Akagi on November 24, 2009 at 9:46am: Sorry, please excuse my ignorance, but what is a "Fixie" rider?; ▶ Reply to This