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 vxla on October 3, 2008 at 8:54am
I make sure I know if they're riding fixed or free, and brakeless or not. That makes a difference on how I ride with them, either as a leader or a follower. In terms of other stuff, if people don't want someone drafting off them, they'll ride faster or move over.

I always point out bumps, holes, and car doors with hand signals and vocally.
Permalink Reply by Kelly on October 3, 2008 at 8:59am
I am always a fan of communicating. The other night with the head winds from the north, I had a guy RIGHT on me out on the lakefront trail. No big deal but no salute, smile, or greeting. I then grabbed another drafter. He was at least nice enough to pull for a half mile or so. At the end of my 6 miles is when I finally said, "nothing like team work to get home, huh?" Some sort of signal should be given to let a rider know you're drafting. If they don't know or hear you, they could slam on the brakes, swerve, whatever and you'd be up S--T creek.
I think the best thing ANY rider could do is hold a straight line. Swerving is not only dangerous but unpredictable. I always remember that there is someone faster who will pass (not often ;) ) but to be predictable for others is courtious riding.
Permalink Reply by heather s on October 3, 2008 at 9:23am
I'm someone who doesn't like drafting OR people drafting off me... not because I'm a jerk or don't want to help anybody out, just because it makes me nervous to have another cyclist so close to me. So I try to speed up or hang back a bit to avoid it. I only ride on the streets, though, not on the lakefront path, so maybe the situation is different. But I am always really appreciative of hand signals and wish more people would use them. And if someone is behind me and decides to pass, I love it when they call out 'passing on the left' or whatever way they want to communicate that. With so many people wearing headphones, though, I'm not sure if this is always useful or even common practice.


vxla said:
I make sure I know if they're riding fixed or free, and brakeless or not. That makes a difference on how I ride with them, either as a leader or a follower. In terms of other stuff, if people don't want someone drafting off them, they'll ride faster or move over.

I always point out bumps, holes, and car doors with hand signals and vocally.
Permalink Reply by Ammo on October 3, 2008 at 10:08am
If I am leading I always signal. If I follow I try to stay at least a car length behind. Unless I am in a hurry to pass them up. I cruise when I ride, generally everyone passes me up.
Permalink Reply by L. Jerome on October 3, 2008 at 10:36am
i havent quite drafted a stranger...i dont mind following by a car length or less - i just figure getting right on them might creep them out... i do love communicating with signals, both reading and giving them... its just a fun feel... when im last in line and there are a number of cyclists in front of me and i can see they want to get out in the lane to avoid one of those massive squares surgically removed from the roads i typically throw my arm out to take the lane to block any traffic they may be worried about... then the whole line of us can avoid the concrete steps and smoothly glide back to the bike lane...

i also like using my cheery bell to say hello to other riders... or say "im sliding by on your left" if i try to pass - ive learned the best way is to just be way nicer than is called for, people cant get the wrong idea and it might cheer them up a bit
Permalink Reply by B on October 3, 2008 at 11:56am
I think you can never go wrong by saying something to the person you're going to catch a draft off of. Two recent examples from rides last week: 1) coming N on the path around McCormick I tell someone I'm coming around him, he hustles, catches on and says, "hey do you mind if I catch ride home?" I say, "not at all just be safe", 2) up N on Milwaukee, mid-day, dude grabs my wheel around Ogden, I stop at lights, he flies through often on my inside without saying boo, same sequence repeated up to Armitage.

I think guy #2 is kind of an ass (can I say that without the hole?) and making things less safe for me.

If you've got someone on your wheel, if you're going to moving laterally, look over the shoulder you're pulling toward to indicate where you're going and make sure your wheel sucker isn't overlapping your wheel. Signal at turns and point out obstacles, potholes, and yell "DOOR!!" when you see a door opening.

I tend to ride through, rather than around stuff if someone's on my wheel and I'm trying to be nice. This is a hard wired rule in fast training rides, but kind of a courtesy when commuting. Abrupt lateral motion is a tough, dangerous thing to follow, which may also say "DON'T RIDE NEAR ME" to someone behind you ;)
Permalink Reply by J on October 3, 2008 at 12:33pm
In the last year alone, I've personally observed a half dozen accidents on the LFP that led to riders sent to the ER. All involved riders drafting strangers. Even if you are a super defensive rider, this is really not a good idea.
Permalink Reply by k8 on October 3, 2008 at 12:55pm
I don't draft and I'm not particularly fond of people drafting off me. Generally speaking, I try to avoid other bikers. Group rides make me frown and packs of commuters make me nervous. I signal turns, give cars a thumbs up or howdy-wave for letting me cut over and give a plenty wide berth (after taking a good gander at what's behind me) when passing.
Permalink Reply by B on October 3, 2008 at 1:00pm
the world needs more k8's (except perhaps for the frowny on the group ride thing).
Permalink Reply by Tommie on October 3, 2008 at 2:24pm
Oh man. Drafting... Drafting.... Oh drafting. . . . .

Drafting someone you don't know is a bad idea.

Letting someone you don't know draft you is also a bad idea.

Obviously, you need to consider safety. But maybe one should also consider how strange it is to draft someone from light to light OR how not safe it is to be riding at drafting speeding along the lakefront path--more than once I have seen a cyclist C R U S H a 6 year old on the LFP (granted, the 6 year old is at fault and the parent should've been taking care BUT.....ITS A KID).

I want to pontificate more but its8.30 on a Friday night and I'm still at work.
Permalink Reply by Leah on October 3, 2008 at 4:28pm
K8 - I signal and thumbs-up to cars too! I like to think it helps the overall image of cyclists when drivers see courteous cyclists who communicate. :)

I agree with Tommie that safety is first always, and that depends on both the people involved and the circumstances. For example, riding home on the LFP, or on a weekend afternoon? Not a good place to draft. Falling in behind someone at 7:30 on a saturday morning when the path is clear? Better. I also think each person needs to use their best judgment. If someone's behind you, it's just as much of a safety call to use signals as it is to say, "Please get off my wheel." And it's just as important to be safe behind someone, which means being alert and respectful, as well as knowing when to pass or drop back.

For example (and the reason I started the thread), the other night coming home from work I heard someone drafting off me. I signalled that I was slowing and turning off the path, and almost collided with the guy, who thought it was the right time to try and pass me. The whole thing could have been avoided if he had a) told me he was there - it could have been a real collision if I didn't know someone was there at all, and b) respected the signals and just waited til I went by. It was a needless close call that kind of shook me up.
Permalink Reply by Sam S on October 4, 2008 at 8:06am
Following: In certain situations, usually involving a steady strong headwind, and only on the LFP, I will draft a stranger. It has to be someone who is going significantly faster than me, which, not to brag, means they are a pretty strong cyclist. I make sure the person knows I've sped up behind them and am keeping pace. I do stay back a few feet. (With friends, I can overlap wheels.) It can be inspiring to have someone to keep pace with, and I know it will improve my own strength. If there is any congestion on the path, forget it. If the person clearly does not want me there, I will drop back more.

Leading: I generally don't mind when I pick up a drafter. It gives me something to concentrate on, and I use plenty of hand signals to make sure they know I'm going to slow, turn, etc. I always look back to see who is behind me. If it's someone on a mountain bike, I just accelerate quickly and break the draft. ;-) Otherwise, I just try to keep a steady pace. Many times I've had someone say "thanks for the inspiration"... that makes it worthwhile. If I don't want someone behind me, I can signal them to pass, stay back, or I can just slow down a bit.

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