The shoaling thread - understanding this phenomenon

To clean up other threads, let's have our CIVIL thoughts/opinions/discussion on shoaling.

Obviously it bugs people when it is repetitive and puts a faster rider in a situation where taking the lane to pass is the only option, thus subjecting someone to a great risk of injury.  Others don't care either because they adjust their speed or weren't going that fast in the first place.

Perhaps some ground rules to the discussion?

1.  Shoaling, in this arena, is the act of moving to the front of a rider/group of riders in an attempt to get to the front of a mass of riders and then proceeding at a slower speed than originally held by the group, thus causing riders to pass.  This is to happen more than once on a stretch of road. 

2.  Shoaling is not (to be changed if needed) a faster rider moving to the front of a rider/group of riders knowing they will accelerate faster than the other riders, therefore not causing potentially unsafe passing.

3.  Assume people either for or against the act of shoaling isn't form a self-righteous position.

4.  Civil disagreements can ensue, mods can feel free to stop a train before it derails the thread completely.  That also means NO personal attacks, if someone freely admits to being a shoaler for what ever reason, they should feel safe stating their position and why they do it.

5.  State your case/thoughts/opinions/constructive criticism and let others respond.  If your response is going to be too long, a cliff notes Tl;Dr would be appreciated at the beginning or end of your post.

6.  Lets remember we all share something in common (myself very much included) and we very well could run into each other out on the street riding.  If it is kept civil here, it will be civil out there despite our different position on shoaling.

I, for one, am excited to read other's thoughts and so on, on this topic.  I am also open to learning something new and how I can best avoid having animosity towards other cyclists.

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Permalink Reply by millenial removing Bernie tattoo on September 26, 2014 at 2:48pm

Here here!  As a transwoman of colour, I get shoaled all.the.time.   I'm pretty sure its because people just can't stand seeing a person of colour "get ahead."  This just gives me a massive adrenaline surge and I spin up and leave them in the dust.  My bike is a machine that kills fascists!

Ifi Susana said:

As someone who is shoal-ed a lot of times only from me to pass them again and again, this behavior infuriates me. As a person who is a lady and a fattie, I get the sense that many who try to shoal me believe me to be slow (I am not fast, but I am faster than the average cyclist-lighter bike, clipped in, etc). I end up having to draft (which is rude) behind them because they won't stop at lights probably because they want to beat me at life or something (goodness knows how demoralizing it is to be passed by a fattie...). Now if you are faster than me, by all means please pass, but if you are slower than me and constantly try to get in front of me, just let me go. Several times I have passed guys on heavier, slower bikes shoal me at the intersections by not stopping at all for the lights only to pass them again and again. Sometimes I will just draft of them for a bit to be a jerk, but their relaxed pace some how fatigues me more. Sure I have been pass a few times probably by people who are not use to riding much, but usually when I pass them, they do not try to catch up to me to pass me and go slow. So in my mind, that type of shoaling is not a big deal. I just get the sense that those who shoal me again and again are trying to send me some sort of message. IDK.

Permalink Reply by Tandemonium on September 26, 2014 at 4:12pm



rwein5 said:



Tandemonium said:

Come on, you can do better than that. You got spunk, kid, keep your chin up!



rwein5 said:



Tandemonium said:

so meta...



rwein5 said:

Chainlink, AKA:

bicycle community passive aggression


Tandemonium said:

Shoaling, AKA:
bicycle commuting microagression
Permalink Reply by Lee Crandell on September 27, 2014 at 3:47am

I don't know if it's "shoaling," but I encounter this behavior far more often, and it's far more frustrating. When I would commute down Lincoln Ave., there were slow-riding regulars who I'd encounter every week who would run every single red light... so they'd pass me, then I'd have to pass them on the next block, then they'd run the next light, and I'd have to pass them again the next block, leap-frogging all the way downtown.

JM 6.5 said:

Question for the group - Is it "shoaling" if a slower rider passes faster riders by running a red light/not even slowing at a stop sign for cross-traffic or pedestrians? This behavior really gets under my skin. No, we're not "riding at the same pace"; I'm riding faster but more safely and obeying traffic laws.

Permalink Reply by Lee Crandell on September 27, 2014 at 5:10am

I don't think so. I already ride slowly, and when I know there's a red light ahead I coast slowly so I hopefully don't have to stop before the light turns green. I have a single-speed upright posture bike and I like to feel relaxed when riding. But since I only have one gear, it's very challenging for me to go slower than my regular slow pace. The people I'm passing tend to have multi-speed mountain/hybrid bikes usually set in the wrong gear so that they're pedaling much faster than me but going slower, and they don't look at all relaxed. The most reckless one of these bunch I'd see seemed to run every red light with little regard for other traffic, yet she wore a bright orange safety vest, as if that make her safe. I don't commute downtown any more, and it was a mild inconvenience to me -- I'm more concerned about these people learning to ride safety and less stressfully.

Jennifer on the lake said:

I wonder if some of these are in the "slow down and go with the flow" camp.

Lee Crandell said:

I don't know if it's "shoaling," but I encounter this behavior far more often, and it's far more frustrating. When I would commute down Lincoln Ave., there were slow-riding regulars who I'd encounter every week who would run every single red light... so they'd pass me, then I'd have to pass them on the next block, then they'd run the next light, and I'd have to pass them again the next block, leap-frogging all the way downtown.

JM 6.5 said:

Question for the group - Is it "shoaling" if a slower rider passes faster riders by running a red light/not even slowing at a stop sign for cross-traffic or pedestrians? This behavior really gets under my skin. No, we're not "riding at the same pace"; I'm riding faster but more safely and obeying traffic laws.

Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on September 29, 2014 at 3:58am

I prefer the more silent method of making my brakes squeak and/or a controlled skid to a stop at a light.  I did say something similar once and they got all huffy with me and then proceeded to blow every light/stop sign just to stay ahead.  Or I have drafted them and just enjoyed not having to work so hard.

NYC (7.0 mi) said:

This is exactly what I do to a chronic shoaler.  And then while on his ass, I ask "I thought you were the fastest, bro?  Let's go!"

Chitown_Mike said:

Perhaps they were enjoying the reported 30% more efficiency of your draft?

There should be a thread about wheel suckers that draft but don't offer, or won't, take the pull on the front.

Davo said:

Am I annoyed by shoaling, yes. Does it ruin my day, no. Another phenomenon I encounter is when I try to motion to a faster rider to go ahead of me and they don't only to pass me later.

Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on September 29, 2014 at 4:07am

I read this and really thought that would be ridiculous in today's world, but then I realized I am sure there are plenty of silent haters out there and shoaling is a passive-aggressive tactic to "prove a point".  Ride on, but enjoy the ride and don't let the opinions of others ruin your day or ride!


envane (69 furlongs) said:

Here here!  As a transwoman of colour, I get shoaled all.the.time.   I'm pretty sure its because people just can't stand seeing a person of colour "get ahead."  This just gives me a massive adrenaline surge and I spin up and leave them in the dust.  My bike is a machine that kills fascists!

Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on September 29, 2014 at 6:47am

So, now added to the endless list of Etiquette Offenses is drafting?

Ifi Susana said:

... (I am not fast, but I am faster than the average cyclist-lighter bike, clipped in, etc). I end up having to draft (which is rude) behind them because they won't stop at lights probably because they want to beat me at life or something (goodness knows how demoralizing it is to be passed by a fattie...). Now if you are faster than me, by all means please ...

Permalink Reply by Ifi Susana on September 29, 2014 at 6:56am

It is rude to draft of someone without their permission. Drafting it self is not rude, but for some drafting is extremely worrisome and they are not comfortable having someone on their wheel. I personally love pulling people, but am quite bad at it,. However, you technically should ask if you can draft. 

Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on September 30, 2014 at 5:04am

I don't think so.

If someone passes me just for the sake of passing, and not going any faster after that, then I will draft the heck out of that person. The way I see it, if they think they're fast enough to pass me and be in front of me, then they should go faster than the speed that lets me draft off them.

On the other hand, there will also be times when I creep up behind a person and draft for a while to see if I can pass or not. If not, then I'll continue to draft, if yes, again, I'll be prepared to be drafted.

I'm just saying, if I pass someone, I'm prepared to be drafted by that person. If you don't want to be drafted, then go faster.... or slower!

I do announce that I pass, most of the time. Some other time, I will ring my bell.

With that said, I rode the ACC this past weekend and the people I rode with came up with a good idea for people who shoal that they should announce their intentions as well. You know, something along the line:   "Shoaling!"


Ifi Susana said:

It is rude to draft of someone without their permission. Drafting it self is not rude, but for some drafting is extremely worrisome and they are not comfortable having someone on their wheel. I personally love pulling people, but am quite bad at it,. However, you technically should ask if you can draft. 

Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on September 30, 2014 at 5:24am

I think we should do one better, and instead of the Trollolololol guy singing, we should do a Shoalolololol as we pass....


J.A.W. said:

With that said, I rode the ACC this past weekend and the people I rode with came up with a good idea for people who shoal that they should announce their intentions as well. You know, something along the line:   "Shoaling!"

 

Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on September 30, 2014 at 5:25am

That's how I read it too.

J.A.W. said:

I don't think so.

If someone passes me just for the sake of passing, and not going any faster after that, then I will draft the heck out of that person. The way I see it, if they think they're fast enough to pass me and be in front of me, then they should go faster than the speed that lets me draft off them.

On the other hand, there will also be times when I creep up behind a person and draft for a while to see if I can pass or not. If not, then I'll continue to draft, if yes, again, I'll be prepared to be drafted.

I'm just saying, if I pass someone, I'm prepared to be drafted by that person. If you don't want to be drafted, then go faster.... or slower!



Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on September 30, 2014 at 5:26am

In some situations, especially if you and the other rider don't know each other's riding habits and level of skills, or if you're just not comfortable with someone riding that close, it can be dangerous and cause crashes.

Ifi Susana said:

It is rude to draft of someone without their permission. Drafting it self is not rude, but for some drafting is extremely worrisome and they are not comfortable having someone on their wheel. I personally love pulling people, but am quite bad at it,. However, you technically should ask if you can draft. 

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