Bike Creep
The other day I was enjoying the wonderful cool autumn weather on my ride home.
When all of the sudden I was interrupted.
And I realized there was something lurking over my shoulder.
I thought he was trying to pass me… but he didn’t.
I know drivers complain about tailgators. But they should consider themselves lucky that they can’t feel that stranger’s breath on their cheek.
But then there’s those people who pass and get in front of you at a stop light, forcing you into the “creep” zone. If you are going faster than them and there’s no opportunity to pass due to a narrow bike lane and dense traffic to the left, what’s a person to do in that situation? I’ve also noticed that as biking gets more popular in urban areas the amount of personal space I used to find in the bike lane has definitely become more scarce, so perhaps a certain amount of “bike creepiness” is just something that we will have to accept as a condition of success for higher ridership. A gang of bicyclists in a huddle is certainly a different dynamic than just oneself and one other person though, for sure!
I personally try to never pass another bicyclist until I know I will be moving faster than them, as well as avoid passing when approaching an intersection where they might turn with no warning. I’m happy to hang back several bike lengths until there’s a safe place to pass, but this approach is certainly not universal so we end up dealing with a lot of leap-frogging.
Holy moly, that looks like me and my bike. Was it me? Where did this happen? I try to swing around people in the car’s lane, but I’m not perfect. Need I apologize?
I thought bike creep was the n+1 phenomenon.
http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/#12
Isn’t this called “half wheeling” but I agree, it’s annoying because you automatically sense someone is there and yes it’s creepy.
When this happens I just tell the person, draft me, or pass me. If you want to chat, then come along side and let’s talk.
Your ‘bike creep’ is doing what is referred to as ‘half wheeling’ you; he’s not right behind you drafting you (which, as a sidebar to this, if you find people are actually drafting you? Then you’re a faster, stronger rider than you think you are!), and as you remarked, he’s not passing you either. It’s not necessarily intentionally being ‘creepy’.. but it is being *rude*, and potentially dangerous. The only other explanation I can dream up is that it’s an inexperienced rider, not very strong or very fast, and he *was* in your draft, but as soon as he pulled around to try to be a Manly Man and *pass* you? Now his nose is in the wind, and he finds he doesn’t have the horsepower to pass you. Next time somebody halfwheels you like that? Either pick up the pace and leave them in your dust, or soft-pedal for a bit and just let them go by you. If they insist on continuing to halfwheel you like that, *then* there’s a solid argument for the guy being a creep — so give him the dirtiest look you can possibly muster and try to macho him out. 😉