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 Steve Courtright on August 27, 2013 at 8:58am

Shoaling once and being passed is forgivable.  Shoaling much faster riders more than once is rude.  Period.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on August 27, 2013 at 8:58am

Getting out in front of cars is more about visibility than impatience (at least for me). I'm less likely to be right-hooked that way. Also, on streets with no bike lanes, it's better to get out in front of cars at the intersection instead of having to merge left once you encounter parked cars on the right side.

J.A.W. said:

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.

Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on August 27, 2013 at 9:02am

Shoaler!

This is true. It's the reason why I do it.

Or... "you" could just stay behind that car, like every other vehicles on the road, since we all strive to be treated equally while on the road. (I said "you" - since I don't do it).



Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Getting out in front of cars is more about visibility than impatience (at least for me). I'm less likely to be right-hooked that way. Also, on streets with no bike lanes, it's better to get out in front of cars at the intersection instead of having to merge left once you encounter parked cars on the right side.


Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on August 27, 2013 at 9:08am

Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't!  But I only go to the right of cars if I am sure I can get in front of them so they can see me!

J.A.W. said:

Shoaler!

This is true. It's the reason why I do it.

Or... "you" could just stay behind that car, like every other vehicles on the road, since we all strive to be treated equally while on the road. (I said "you" - since I don't do it).



Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Getting out in front of cars is more about visibility than impatience (at least for me). I'm less likely to be right-hooked that way. Also, on streets with no bike lanes, it's better to get out in front of cars at the intersection instead of having to merge left once you encounter parked cars on the right side.


Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on August 27, 2013 at 9:21am

It's frustrating when they won't let you pass but swerve to keep you from passing, blow red lights/stop signs in order to get a head, or ride on the sidewalk to pass thinking they are sneaky.



Tim said:

it's funny because I admit I do it too. Only thing is, I actually have a reason to do it, I ride fast. The thing that I don't do is, if someone is faster than me, I will let them go ahead of me, and that is how it should be.

Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on August 27, 2013 at 9:22am

As my Strava shows, this is where I sprint fastest on.

Chitown_Mike said:

What?!  I use Milwaukee to practice sprints.  It's a perfect spot to shoal and/or pass going fast.


Permalink Reply by Tricolor on August 27, 2013 at 9:33am

But if the lead car is signaling for a right, never go around them on the right.  You don't know if they're going to turn on red or not.  Even if you end up in front of them there's a good chance they didn't see you doing it.

If I pass a line of cars on a street (Like State) where there's a chance to go right I always get on the left side of the right lane so there's no obstruction to turn right.  Since it's the slow lane anyone going straight can wait unless they're trying to ace out other traffic, which is kind of like cars shoaling one another.  And I have as much sympathy for them as I do for their biking counterparts.

Lisa Curcio 6.5 mi said:

Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't!  But I only go to the right of cars if I am sure I can get in front of them so they can see me

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on August 27, 2013 at 9:47am

Absolutely!

Tricolor said:

But if the lead car is signaling for a right, never go around them on the right.  You don't know if they're going to turn on red or not.  Even if you end up in front of them there's a good chance they didn't see you doing it.

If I pass a line of cars on a street (Like State) where there's a chance to go right I always get on the left side of the right lane so there's no obstruction to turn right.  Since it's the slow lane anyone going straight can wait unless they're trying to ace out other traffic, which is kind of like cars shoaling one another.  And I have as much sympathy for them as I do for their biking counterparts.

Lisa Curcio 6.5 mi said:

Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't!  But I only go to the right of cars if I am sure I can get in front of them so they can see me

Permalink Reply by KAREN KIELMA on August 27, 2013 at 9:49am

I have actually said I am riding faster, please let me stay ahead so I don't have to ride into traffic to pass you again. A couple F***k you blah blah blahs from a few people.  Maybe cause I am a girl and they were guys?

yaj 7.4 said:

I experience this pretty often too!  Yesterday someone did it at the Damen/Diversey/Clybourn six way intersection, and Damen narrows significantly just past the intersection.  So I have to be stuck behind someone I've recently passed (often multiple times, if they've just shoaled the Damen/North/Milwaukee intersection and blown the light at the highway exit) or swing out into traffic to get around them.  So annoying.  Should I say, please don't make me pass you AGAIN?? 

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on August 27, 2013 at 10:14am



Tricolor said:

But if the lead car is signaling for a right, never go around them on the right.

I think that holds true much of the time when they aren't using their right turn signal.  If the street beyond the intersection appears there isn't a lane for them to drive in, I don't think you can assume they are going straight just because they aren't signaling a right turn.  They are just as likely to be turning right without telling you.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on August 27, 2013 at 10:30am

I agree, and pretty much never move to the front on the right.  I'll go between cars and if I can't fit (or can see the light's about to change) wait behind them.

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on August 27, 2013 at 10:31am

Amen.  It's sad that this is the status quo, but it gets back to the whole "intersection problem" in general, where too many motorists in Chicago seem to constantly (and illegally) use intersections as an opportunity to pass people on the right. 

I actually see shoaling as a subset of that problem, the uptown blog link shared earlier nailed it with the whole racing mentality.

Skip Montanaro 12mi said:



Tricolor said:

But if the lead car is signaling for a right, never go around them on the right.

I think that holds true much of the time when they aren't using their right turn signal.  If the street beyond the intersection appears there isn't a lane for them to drive in, I don't think you can assume they are going straight just because they aren't signaling a right turn.  They are just as likely to be turning right without telling you.

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