Etiquette when leading or following

I'm wondering about everyone's point of view about what to do when you ride with someone else. I'm thinking here of strangers, not people I'm training with.

For example, when I'm following someone, I try to keep my front wheel at least three feet behind theirs, and when they look back I try to acknowledge that I know I'm drafting, so they don't think I'm a jerk. I usually say something like, "Just following if that's ok." Sometimes I forget, or I just don't feel like it.

When I find that someone's following me I try to use hand signals more, like indicating when I'm turning off the path or have to slow down for something. I don't know if people who are following me care (or even if they notice). When I follow people I'd love it if they did this too, but it rarely happens.

What about you? What do you do when leading or following? What would you like people who are following you (or in front of you) to do?

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Permalink Reply by grayn8 on May 8, 2013 at 4:08pm
I thinks this pertains to the OP:

Now that its spring (feels like Summer after this winter) and there are a lot more bikers, I've been trying to figure out the etiquette. Today on Elston and yesterday on 18th, I passed multiple riders. I come to a stop at a red light and they ride through it. I then get the green and pass them. Each time saying on your left. It felt creepy playing leap frog and each time they would catch up and overtake at a red - they never said anything. What's the deal? For those that go through reds (not judging in this venue) does the leap frogging bother you?

Last week-an older gentleman lycra'd up was somewhat close to me along the north branch trail on a roadie drop bar looking thing. I was going home on my commuter with 40# in my panniers doing roughly 14-18 mph. I had been biking previously before passing him about 20 miles. At one of the road crossings, he passed me while I came to a complete stop and said nice pace. I couldn't tell if he was trying to be really caustic sarcastic or sincere. If my pace is too slow, what do these road Lycra bikers do? I don't know about these hand gestures (palm on the back?). He seemed very focused on his riding and when i do tempo training runs, it can be hard to breathe let alone shout out something like on your left.

So leap frogging creepy? But what about those who come to stops versus those who don't? If in the front on a trail and stranger danger bike gets too close for a few miles--in the road bikie tribe, is the one in front supposed to say/do something?
Permalink Reply by grayn8 on May 8, 2013 at 4:48pm
I thinks this pertains to the OP:

Now that its spring (feels like Summer after this winter) and there are a lot more bikers, I've been trying to figure out the etiquette. Today on Elston and yesterday on 18th, I passed multiple riders. I come to a stop at a red light and they ride through it. I then get the green and pass them. Each time saying on your left. It felt creepy playing leap frog and each time they would catch up and overtake at a red - they never said anything. What's the deal? For those that go through reds (not judging in this venue) does the leap frogging bother you?

Last week-an older gentleman lycra'd up was somewhat close to me along the north branch trail on a roadie drop bar looking thing. I was going home on my commuter with 40# in my panniers doing roughly 14-18 mph. I had been biking previously before passing him about 20 miles. At one of the road crossings, he passed me while I came to a complete stop and said nice pace. I couldn't tell if he was trying to be really caustic sarcastic or sincere. If my pace is too slow, what do these road Lycra bikers do? I don't know about these hand gestures (palm on the back?). He seemed very focused on his riding and when i do tempo training runs, it can be hard to breathe let alone shout out something like on your left.

So leap frogging creepy? But what about those who come to stops versus those who don't? If in the front on a trail and stranger danger bike gets too close for a few miles--in the road bikie tribe, is the one in front supposed to say/do something?
Permalink Reply by grayn8 on May 8, 2013 at 4:58pm
I thinks this pertains to the OP:

Now that its spring (feels like Summer after this winter) and there are a lot more bikers, I've been trying to figure out the etiquette. Today on Elston and yesterday on 18th, I passed multiple riders. I come to a stop at a red light and they ride through it. I then get the green and pass them. Each time saying on your left. It felt creepy playing leap frog and each time they would catch up and overtake at a red - they never said anything. What's the deal? For those that go through reds (not judging in this venue) does the leap frogging bother you?

Last week-an older gentleman lycra'd up was somewhat close to me along the north branch trail on a roadie drop bar looking thing. I was going home on my commuter with 40# in my panniers doing roughly 14-18 mph. I had been biking previously before passing him about 20 miles. At one of the road crossings, he passed me while I came to a complete stop and said nice pace. I couldn't tell if he was trying to be really caustic sarcastic or sincere. If my pace is too slow, what do these road Lycra bikers do? I don't know about these hand gestures (palm on the back?). He seemed very focused on his riding and when i do tempo training runs, it can be hard to breathe let alone shout out something like on your left.

So leap frogging creepy? But what about those who come to stops versus those who don't? If in the front on a trail and stranger danger bike gets too close for a few miles--in the road bikie tribe, is the one in front supposed to say/do something?

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