52
votes
Accepted
Leaving lock on the parking rack - is this rude?
Whether it's rude is a matter of local custom. Whether you're offended by it depends on your flexibility and sensitivity
Often, we cyclists can become a little over sensitive, after having to defend ...
- 17.2k
43
votes
Polite way to ride in the dark
There are now many bike lights on the market which have a shaped beam with a "horizontal cutoff" giving strong light onto the road or path, but much less above the horizon. When adjusted ...
- 6,555
40
votes
Accepted
Polite way to ride in the dark
Consider how you feel when a fellow cyclist approaches you will full beam straight ahead. It's pretty blinding, even for a moment, and especially off-road when your eyes aren't used to it.
So in a ...
- 524
39
votes
Accepted
Is it ethical to ride with races without being part of them?
Unethical, because you're imposing costs on the organisers anyway. Apart from the obvious "if you get hurt they're going to help you", they almost always face costs per participant and often have a ...
- 23.3k
29
votes
Accepted
What is the safest and most courteous way to ride on a two-lane road?
I use the method in your 3rd picture - I take the middle of the lane when there are no bike lanes. I am helped in these cases by the fact that these roads in my city usually specify the right-most ...
- 545
20
votes
What is the safest and most courteous way to ride on a two-lane road?
I use the following rule of thumb: If there is enough space for two cars next to me, I move to the side. If not, I keep the whole right lane for myself. I do the same even if only one lane is ...
- 333
18
votes
Accepted
Group ride - Proper descent etiquette
Summary
If the description above is accurate, Rider A operated their bicycle correctly, and gave enough clearance to riders still in the paceline.
Remembering that we weren't there in person, there ...
- 29.6k
17
votes
What are the possible practical consequences of breaking the rules of the road?
The consequences for you as an individual are perhaps not as important as the broader ramifications of your behaviour.
By behaving as if you think that the local rules of the road don't apply to you,...
- 1,185
14
votes
Leaving lock on the parking rack - is this rude?
I'd pick a different spot in the rack if possible. But if I was in a hurry or there wasn't another suitable place I'd use it (e.g. my bike doesn't fit on the bottom of the double stacker at the ...
- 57.3k
12
votes
Group ride - Proper descent etiquette
Apologies, this answer is somewhat at a tangent (Weiwen Ng already gave a great answer).
Irrespective of who is technically right or wrong from an etiquette standpoint, Rider B can resolve this in ...
- 18.3k
11
votes
Is it ethical to ride with races without being part of them?
I’d say it’s totally okay if the road is not closed for the event and still open for cars and other vehicles.
- 26k
10
votes
Polite way to ride in the dark
I had to face exactly this on an old commute. Dipping the front light was absolutely necessary in a park and another stretch of unlit bike path. It was a bright enough light to illuminate the road, ...
- 57.3k
9
votes
Is it ethical to ride with races without being part of them?
If it's a race with competitors who are trying to win, then I would definitely say no. Like time travel, just being there at the same place and time can cause unknown effects on future outcome.
If ...
- 21.7k
9
votes
What is the safest and most courteous way to ride on a two-lane road?
Stay to the right of the lane and not on the curb.
The primary problem with this is that cars may pass you too closely. This is both annoying and dangerous. I have had good experiences with ...
9
votes
Leaving lock on the parking rack - is this rude?
This will depend on MANY things, including but not limited to:
local custom
office politics
special concerns (I can't think of any, but more in this later)
utilization of the rack
your feelings on ...
- 543
9
votes
Polite way to ride in the dark
In case you can read German, here's a nice explanation how to adjust the bike front light.
Summary:
put bike 5m from a wall
measure distance (height) of the light from the street
make sure that the ...
9
votes
Group ride - Proper descent etiquette
Riding with others is very much a Trust-Fall exercise. If anyone doesn't gel with your group, it can cause issues with the dynamic and that can grow into full-on accidents.
Sometimes it's best to set ...
- 121k
9
votes
Accepted
Etiquette (and common sense) rules for MTB cyclists
This depends heavily on geography and individual trail systems. For example, in US National Forests, cyclists yield to hikers and equestrians, hikers only yield to equestrians, and uphill traffic has ...
- 3,464
8
votes
Polite way to ride in the dark
You can dip the light slightly (point it towards the ground). Even without considering politeness, you might prefer to illuminate the ground ahead of you, instead of (as you would on a lit city street)...
- 12k
7
votes
What are the possible practical consequences of breaking the rules of the road?
This is highly dependent on where you are. Generally, in the US, if you're on the road, you're subject to the standard vehicle regulations in the area (e.g. what applies to cars) you are in (with some ...
- 46.1k
6
votes
What is the safest and most courteous way to ride on a two-lane road?
First of all, you should go with what is law in your country.
In my country we all learn to ride as in picture one, and all drivers learn to pass with enough space and not to pass when there is not ...
- 3,664
6
votes
Right of way for a raised crossing?
The vehicular and cycle traffic has priority, since the crossing is not a zebra crossing and there are no traffic lights, which are the only situations in which the Highway Code talks about ...
- 17k
6
votes
Accepted
How to "fit in" a cycling bunch?
I've heard once: if a person offers you a gift and you don't accept it - it remains the property of the other person. And it's the same with criticism. And thus, if you engage yourself into a ...
- 4,281
6
votes
How to "fit in" a cycling bunch?
This is almost a question for https://interpersonal.stackexchange.com/.
Any group of people has a spectrum of attitudes and social skills. Just ignore and don't engage with anyone in the group that ...
- 75.5k
5
votes
Is it ever okay to get in front of another cyclist at stoplight?
It clearly is OK sometimes: almost the opposite case to what you describe, i.e. when a faster cyclist has been gaining for a while but finally catches up at the lights, or has been stuck behind unable ...
- 57.3k
5
votes
Safely overtaking pedestrians
As a pedestrian who faces this issue repeatedly, I can tell you that most cyclists ten to yell at the last second which causes a fear response rather than a thoughtful reaction. When I hear a bell, a ...
- 51
5
votes
Accepted
Other commuters riding too close
Just wave him past, that's what I do. I don't draft and I'm not interested in someone drafting off me. Nor am I particularly interested in being polite to someone who is interfering with my ride or ...
- 1,650
5
votes
Right of way for a raised crossing?
According to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD) and Highway Code pedestrians only have priority at zebra and parallel crossings (which include stripes flashing orange ...
- 51
5
votes
How to "fit in" a cycling bunch?
Change the riding style. Either go to the mountain biking or touring/endurance riding.
The Rules do not apply to them: to MTB — because it originated from different historical background; to touring —...
- 14.4k
4
votes
Safely overtaking pedestrians
I personally think "on your left/right" is confusing to a lot of people who are just walking there thinking their thoughts. Also where I live there's quite a lot of foreigners (myself ...
- 301
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible