Bikers that always cut to the front of the line, repeatedly....

I am always getting quite annoyed of those fellow bikers, whom ride much slower than you, get in front of you at intersections. This is particularly bad on the diagonal roads where they will try to shortcut the light by pulling half way across it. 

Don't these guys have a clue after the 5th or 6th time that I pass them before they even finish getting across the intersection? It's not like this "head start" is really getting them up to speed any quicker. Most of the time they are just causing a potential conflict as I pass them....

I notice that it usually are the ones that are riding fixed gear... 

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Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on August 27, 2013 at 3:54am

This. And also some of them have never driven and really don't know/understand the traffic rules.



Andrew said:

Shoaling is indicative of people on bikes who think they are basically pedestrians on wheels. They move like pedestrians. Think about how pedestrians use the sidewalk, how they bunch up before crossing the street, or how they don't really look at the signal before they cross the road. These pedestrian-minded cyclists don't see any problem with shoaling (and other bad bike behaviors) because they are making decisions as a pedestrian would and not the way a motor vehicle would.

Permalink Reply by Rich S on August 27, 2013 at 4:02am

I will shoal if there's room for me to get to the front. I usually take Clark which doesn't get very crowded. I do this for 2 reasons. First I ride faster than 80-90% of the other riders I see on Clark. I don't ride particularly vigorously but I'm not coasting either. 

The second reason is to get ahead of traffic before the light changes. Some bikers will wait until the light is green before beginning to move through the intersection even though it's clear. That's fine for them but I don't think it's the safest for me personally. When it's clear and safe to do so, I'll proceed through the intersection a few seconds before the light turns green. Usually right when the cross traffic turns red or my direction gets a walk signal. Doing this allows me to get ahead of the cars and be visible to them before they start driving through the intersection. Particularly on intersections where the mouth is tight and the bike lane doesn't start until 15-20 feet into the street. I'm safely in the bike lane without getting squeezed by drivers. 

Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on August 27, 2013 at 4:47am

I look at it like I'm riding singletrack. If I'm faster, please get out of my way. If you're faster, I'll [HAPPILY] get out of your way. If you don't make way, don't get mad that I shoal you at the next light. Fin. 

Permalink Reply by David Altenburg on August 27, 2013 at 5:08am

I think I found your problem:

I look at it like I'm riding singletrack.

Permalink Reply by Sarah D. on August 27, 2013 at 5:09am

+1!

David Altenburg said:

I think I found your problem:

I look at it like I'm riding singletrack.

Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on August 27, 2013 at 5:13am

So, basically, everyone have their own rules, dos, and don'ts about shoaling.

http://uptownbikinglife.blogspot.com/2011/07/chicago-is-not-amsterd...

Just start with the third paragraph.

Permalink Reply by Andrew on August 27, 2013 at 5:52am

Here's another good link for the "I'm not riding fast, just faster than everyone else" crowd. If you're going to go cat 6 racing, you may as well know the rules.

Silly Commuting Race - The Rules

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on August 27, 2013 at 6:21am

Giving this another bump.  If you're going to bike on city streets, act like a vehicle.  Shoaling is akin to motorists who make left turns by going around people waiting in the left turn lane.  Absolutely no excuse for it, unless the biker in front of you just doesn't move when the light changes as they are too busy fiddling with their iThingee.  Which is about 1% of the time.

Andrew said:

Shoaling is indicative of people on bikes who think they are basically pedestrians on wheels. They move like pedestrians. Think about how pedestrians use the sidewalk, how they bunch up before crossing the street, or how they don't really look at the signal before they cross the road. These pedestrian-minded cyclists don't see any problem with shoaling (and other bad bike behaviors) because they are making decisions as a pedestrian would and not the way a motor vehicle would.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on August 27, 2013 at 6:38am

Shoalers aren't only on bikes.  Along the lake front trail at Wells (by Navy Pier), joggers do it a lot, too.

Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on August 27, 2013 at 7:32am

Things I learned today: 1. I am incapable of judging the speed of other cyclists.  2. I shouldn't get in front of anyone at a light, even if I'm 2x faster than them, in a hurry, and even if they themselves have just shoaled me at the previous light. 3. Generally avoiding close proximity with other vehicles is secondary to following traffic laws. 4. Getting out of the way of faster traffic, car or bike, is not being a vehicular cyclist.

I ride on Broadway north of Lawrence. I don't run into the shoaling problem that you on the near-west side and in the loop do. *I understand that shoaling is generally poor form* and don't do it, unless the shoalee is obviously, painfully slow. And yes, if you have eyes, you can generally identify the painfully slow. Some of you are acting like making that assessment is some kind of cyclist racism. All I'm saying is that sometimes, in the right context, you should feel fine getting in front of people at a traffic light. Probably not when there are like 15 cyclists at the same light. 

Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on August 27, 2013 at 8:53am

No one said not to do it.

You should feel fine getting in front of people at traffic light, but not hindering the cross walk, and not endangering yourself and other by going into the crossing traffic.

I stay behind enough for others to shoal at a light, especially on Milwaukee or Clark south bound morning traffic. But when the light turns green, yes, they will ALL move and try to be the first one out there. And believe it or not, the cars will always stay back until it's safe anyway and they know they will be caught up at the next light anyway, and this is where my opportunity comes in to take the lane and pass all those shoalers with my grin and my look back at them meanwhile thinking "hey look at me, dumb shits, I didn't shoal and I can go faster than you - see you at the next light!"

Now, the cars don't always stay back at all streets during rush-hour traffic, especially not on Broadway since it's not generally populated with bicyclists. In this case, I just wait until it's safe to pass. So, no I don't think that safety is secondary to breaking the law of the road - like shoaling.

Joe Schmoe said:

.... All I'm saying is that sometimes, in the right context, you should feel fine getting in front of people at a traffic light. Probably not when there are like 15 cyclists at the same light. 

Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on August 27, 2013 at 8:56am

With all that I have said, and the OP's post is about shoalers of other bike riders, lest we not forget, the practice is widely done with us (including me) with cars.

We all do it. We come to a stop light, and there's a car in front of us, and what do we do? We will shoal the f#ck out of that car if you know you can fit between cars to get to front of the line.

Soooooo.... scratch everything I've said so far :-o



Carter O'Brien said:

Giving this another bump.  If you're going to bike on city streets, act like a vehicle.  Shoaling is akin to motorists who make left turns by going around people waiting in the left turn lane.  Absolutely no excuse for it, unless the biker in front of you just doesn't move when the light changes as they are too busy fiddling with their iThingee.  Which is about 1% of the time.

Andrew said:

Shoaling is indicative of people on bikes who think they are basically pedestrians on wheels. They move like pedestrians. Think about how pedestrians use the sidewalk, how they bunch up before crossing the street, or how they don't really look at the signal before they cross the road. These pedestrian-minded cyclists don't see any problem with shoaling (and other bad bike behaviors) because they are making decisions as a pedestrian would and not the way a motor vehicle would.

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