Overtaking etiquette

[Conquiztador]

So there you are. Happily killing bugs as you pass unsuspecting cagers from behind. (The only way really) and you are doing well, you are sort of in a rythm.

You come past a cager and there is a nice gap to the next one. But...between you and the next cage is another biker. He is riding a swizz bang late model Whatsit with LED rear lights, exhaust out from under seat. Your bike is not even close to that. Infact there is a minimum of $15k between them Probably more. And if he, in first gear, decided to find out how fast he could go, he would pass you while you would be lying on your tank to drop the wind coeficient figure to something close to a Ferguson Tractor.

But he is doodling at the speed of the cages. And you have no interest in sitting there watching his wide backtyre. But at the same time there is this unwritten rule that you dont just swish past someone who is doing all the law requires him to do.

So what do you do?

Me, I have long time ago stopped admiring others bikes while riding. If he is too slow for me he is just like all others: Passing fodder. So I swish past and carry on (expecting him to wheelie past me on next straight at 160k/h...)

But there was a time long ago I would not pass because he was higher up the food chain than me and my old warrior of a bike.

[neels]

If it's going slower than you want to, pass it. Car, truck, bus, bike, whatever.

And if it's going slower than me then it's pretty slow.

[Rob Taylor]

Yes he is HISTORY real fast,,,

[Headbanger]

I give other bikes the same status I give cars.

[2wheeldrifter]

If it's going slower than you want to, pass it. Car, truck, bus, bike, whatever.

And if it's going slower than me then it's pretty slow.

Well if he's REAL slow, yes zoom pass them all... but I normaly pull in behind them if it's a good steady pace to let them know I am there and then pass them.....

but I have had it happen twice to me coming up to other bike, he must of just seen me in his mirror and just pulled out to pass as well and f ing near takin me out.. hence the finger when I pass him!
I thought dickheads had 4 wheels!

[YellowDog]

There's always the danger you'll scare a noob shitless.

Sitting in their mirror space for a second or two before moving past is fair enough.

[JimO]

So there you are. Hapily killing bugs as you pass unsuspecting cagers from behind. (The only way really) and you are doing well, you are sort of in a rythm.

You come past a cager and there is a nice gap to the next one. But...between you and the next cage is another biker. He is riding a swizz bang late model Whatsit with LED rear lights, exhaust out from under seat. Your bike is not even close to that. Infact there is a minimum of $15k between them Probably more. And if he, in first gear, decided to find out how fast he could go, he would pass you while you would be lying on your tank to drop the wind coeficient figure to something close to a Ferguson Tractor.

But he is doodling at the speed of the cages. And you have no interest in sitting there watching his wide backtyre. But at the same time there is this unwritten rule that you dont just swish past someone who is doing all the law requires him to do.

So what do you do?

Me, I have long time ago stopped admiring others bikes while riding. If he is too slow for me he is just like all others: Passing fodder. So I swish past and carry on (expecting him to wheelie past me on next straight at 160k/h...)

But there was a time long ago I would not pass because he was higher up the food chain than me and my old warrior of a bike.

fukkem passhim.........how is your boy after his off??

[sleemanj]

There is also the possibility that he knows something about the situation that you don't, yet.

Is there a cop parked 200m down the road with a radar gun.
Is the car at the front about to turn right to cross the lane you are overtaking down.
etc...

Exercise caution when you see somebody acting "out of character" :-)

[325rocket]

good question. i always feel a bit weird passing other bikes, especially if there is a bit of pace going on, not a lot but a comfortable rhythm.

then theres this

There's always the danger you'll scare a noob shitless.

i always take more care when passing new riders. i remember being scared shitless by faster riders blowing past me when i was on my 2 fiddy.
its not hard to let someone see you before you pass them.

[varminter]

I passed an old lady on a zimmer frame recently, does that count? Almost gave her the finger but she looked kinda tough.

[proseuche]

they're toast

[R-Soul]

Well if he's REAL slow, yes zoom pass them all... but I normaly pull in behind them if it's a good steady pace to let them know I am there and then pass them.....

but I have had it happen twice to me coming up to other bike, he must of just seen me in his mirror and just pulled out to pass as well and f ing near takin me out.. hence the finger when I pass him!
I thought dickheads had 4 wheels!

Yeah I was going to mention that self preservation dictates that you make it clear to him that you are there- so he doesn't make his move just as you do.

[release_the_bees]

There is also the possibility that he knows something about the situation that you don't, yet.

Is there a cop parked 200m down the road with a radar gun.
Is the car at the front about to turn right to cross the lane you are overtaking down.
etc...

Exercise caution when you see somebody acting "out of character" :-)

I totally agree with this.

[CookMySock]

There's always the danger you'll scare a noob shitless.

Ah yeah yah gotta watch that.

I slow down, let him know I am there, and then when space I pass. But if I wanna pass him there's no waiting around.

Steve

[Headbanger]

Yeah I was going to mention that self preservation dictates that you make it clear to him that you are there- so he doesn't make his move just as you do.

If they aren't in the habit of checking their mirrors before swerving out of their lane then there will be serious repercussions no matter what action is taken by other road users to compensate for their lack of awesomeness.

Personally I don't agree with swooping in behind a bike while doing a pass just to try and get their attention via their mirror, If you are passing a block of traffic then stay with the game-plan and pass the fuckers, No need to change trajectory mid-maneuver just because there is another bike on the road.

Just my 2 cents.

Put the hammer down.

Having said that, I play the game as she rolls on the day.