E-Bike Etiquette

Etc · 26-10-2017 8:09pm #1

Sorry if this might be a silly question.

On the verge of pulling the trigger on one of these for a daily commute. I 'll be heading into the city center. I know there's unwritten rules about queuing at lights but having test ridden a few, the torque really takes you off the lights quickly, is it ok to come around people quickly (safely) or get into line and overtake progressively ?

I have a high cadence anyway and a would tend to accelerate quickly up to speed on my road bike.

Lumen · 26-10-2017 8:12pm

If you go around you'll end up in the middle of the pedestrian crossing.

Etc · 26-10-2017 8:20pm

Lumen wrote: »

If you go around you'll end up in the middle of the pedestrian crossing.

?

Plastik · 26-10-2017 8:25pm

Get into line and overtake progressively (safely).

death1234567 · 26-10-2017 8:52pm

Etc wrote: »

is it ok to come around people quickly (safely) or get into line and overtake progressively?

That's the whole point. Drop the hammer on that bad boy and keep her lit', preferably while flipping off anyone left in your wake.

Etc · 26-10-2017 8:58pm

death1234567 wrote: »

That's the whole point. Drop the hammer on that bad boy and keep her lit', preferably while flipping off anyone left in your wake.

I'm not a pr1ck, that's why I'm asking for some advice as I've not commuted by bike before.

Zen0 · 26-10-2017 9:19pm

No, it's not OK to salmon past everyone on the assumption that you are going to be faster on the off, at least not if you don't want to piss off fit cyclists. Just because you are on an ebike doesn't mean there are not cyclists in that queue who are faster than you.

Edit: just read your question again, and maybe you are asking if it's OK to move past other cyclists once the lights go green. I think that depends on whether you can do it safely without compromising your own or other cyclists' safety. But beware of assuming that those in front of you haven't the same intention. Also be aware that most ebikes I have seen top out at relatively modest speeds. A fit cyclist may be faster. If you charge past someone on the off, good manners suggests you should be able to stay ahead of them, which is another reason for passing when the traffic is up to full speed.

Etc · 26-10-2017 9:27pm

Zen0 wrote: »

No, it's not OK to salmon past everyone on the assumption that you are going to be faster on the off, at least not if you don't want to piss off fit cyclists. Just because you are on an ebike doesn't mean there are not cyclists in that queue who are faster than you.

So you're making an assumption I'm not a fit cyclist. I've just said I haven't commuted before. What I have said that there is an initial torque boost with an e bike and as per the title I'm asking about the right etiquette, I don't want to piss anyone off, I just want to go to town on my bike with the minimum of fuss for me and the rest of the world.

There's no need to be angry !

Zen0 · 26-10-2017 9:29pm

Why do you assume I'm angry? You asked a question and I gave a reply.

Etc · 26-10-2017 9:31pm

Zen0 wrote: »

Why do you assume I'm angry? You asked a question and I gave a reply.

Tone has a lot to do with it, plus you've made an assumption about me with not context to do so.

crosstownk · 26-10-2017 9:35pm

As someone stated earlier, no need to salmon.

Stop at the lights and take your place in the queue. Once everything starts moving again then pass those that are slower when it's safe to do so. Although the odds are that those you pass will salmon you at the next set of lights. Head wrecking stuff.

martyc5674 · 26-10-2017 9:40pm

Salmon?!... WTF!!

Etc · 26-10-2017 9:44pm

crosstownk wrote: »

As someone stated earlier, no need to salmon.

Stop at the lights and take your place in the queue. Once everything starts moving again then pass those that are slower when it's safe to do so.

Thanks, really appreciate the response, that's exactly what I wanted to know. And just for context I've been riding road bikes for 35 years, I've moved to a city centeroffice in the last 6 months and we're selling the car so my bike will my primary mode of transport in the future for commuting and touring.

I see some crazy commuting walking through the city in the mornings, cars, public transport, Peds, motorcycles and bikes. As my main interaction will be with cyclists in cycle lanes I want to know the best way to get along.

Plastik · 26-10-2017 9:46pm

As a matter of interest, if you have a road bike why don't you just commute on that? You will be as fast, and you will get fitter. I've come across some eBikes that are properly quick, but if you have a legal one while you might have quick acceleration you have a very low elec-assisted top speed of about 25kph. Others, I know, will do about 40kph. Where they are being sourced I don't know. A good few eBike commuters that I regularly see cycle like absolute plonkers, jumping lights, jumping on and off footpaths, jumping queues. Don't be that guy.

crosstownk · 26-10-2017 9:48pm

I suppose in a nutshell, ebike etiquette is no different to bike etiquette.

Weepsie · 26-10-2017 9:57pm

crosstownk wrote: »

I suppose in a nutshell, ebike etiquette is no different to bike etiquette.

Yup. There's a guy on my regular commute on an ebike who insists on mounting paths to skip queues, regularly ignores pedestrian lights when people are crossing and just acts the arse.

I imagine he'd be the same on a normal bike too.

Etc · 26-10-2017 10:02pm

Plastik wrote: »

As a matter of interest, if you have a road bike why don't you just commute on that? You will be as fast, and you will get fitter. I've come across some eBikes that are properly quick, but if you have a legal one while you might have quick acceleration you have a very low elec-assisted top speed of about 25kph. Others, I know, will do about 40kph. Where they are being sourced I don't know. A good few eBike commuters that I regularly see cycle like absolute plonkers, jumping lights, jumping on and off footpaths, jumping queues. Don't be that guy.

You can purchase a fast e bike from main dealers in Dublin. And in fairness you can apply the plonker moniker to a lot of cycling groups in the city centre. I might get shot but there are a lot of Dublin bike users who don't know what a traffic light is never mind a one way street.

I'm buying one for several reasons, the car is being sold tomorrow, I want to cycle all year round and on the days where it's particularly sh1tty, I think the assist will encourage me to get on the bike rather than using public transport. I want to be able to use it if I have meetings across town, I don't want to turn up dripping in sweat, so I'm looking at it as a complete move to 2 wheels.

crosstownk · 26-10-2017 10:04pm

martyc5674 wrote: »

Salmon?!... WTF!!

I may have confused salmoning with shoaling.......

martyc5674 · 26-10-2017 10:08pm

crosstownk wrote: »

I may have confused salmoning with shoaling.......

I think you confused the cycling forum with the fishing forum.

mrcheez · 26-10-2017 10:08pm

Etc wrote: »

Sorry if this might be a silly question.

On the verge of pulling the trigger on one of these for a daily commute. I 'll be heading into the city center. I know there's unwritten rules about queuing at lights but having test ridden a few, the torque really takes you off the lights quickly, is it ok to come around people quickly (safely) or get into line and overtake progressively ?

I have a high cadence anyway and a would tend to accelerate quickly up to speed on my road bike.

If there is a designated "bike zone" at the traffic lights, move out into the middle of that taking your position at the front alongside the others.

If not, then proceed as far as you can up the queue to the traffic light.

eeeee · 26-10-2017 10:10pm

Don't shoal. It's unnecessary
Queue in behind cyclists that are already there.
Bike is a bike, regular etiquette applies.

crosstownk · 26-10-2017 10:11pm

martyc5674 wrote: »

I think you confused the cycling forum with the fishing forum.

No doubt they discuss Shimano there too

mrcheez · 26-10-2017 10:19pm

nee wrote: »

Don't shoal. It's unnecessary

I'm sure this is controversial comment in this forum but an experienced cyclist can tend to accurately predict whether or not he will be fastest off the mark by looking at who is at the traffic lights already.

A kid dressed out in jeans on a mountain bike, or someone on a Dutchie with a shopping basket at the front, etc etc ... if they are at the front and there is a bike zone space free at the front of the traffic and you know that you will be faster off the mark and not have to overtake in heavy traffic then by all means move up to the front alongside the others.
It makes it easier for everyone as you can get back into the bike lane quickly and not have to risk moving out into traffic seconds after you start moving.

If you don't think you will be faster, or if there isn't an allocated space for bikes at the traffic lights then wait in line.

Etc · 26-10-2017 10:25pm

mrcheez wrote: »

I'm sure this is controversial comment in this forum but an experienced cyclist can tend to accurately predict whether or not he will be fastest off the mark by looking at who is at the traffic lights already.

A kid dressed out in jeans on a mountain bike, or someone on a Dutchie with a shopping basket at the front, etc etc ... if they are at the front and there is a bike zone space free at the front of the traffic and you know that you will be faster off the mark and not have to overtake in heavy traffic then by all means move up to the front alongside the others.
It makes it easier for everyone as you can get back into the bike lane quickly and not have to risk moving out into traffic seconds after you start moving.

If you don't think you will be faster, or if there isn't an allocated space for bikes at the traffic lights then wait in line.

This is exactly what I was trying to articulate with my question and my perspective on a commute. Thank you mrcheez !

Grassey · 26-10-2017 10:27pm

mrcheez wrote:

A kid dressed out in jeans on a mountain bike, or someone on a Dutchie with a shopping basket at the front, etc etc ... if they are at the front and there is a bike zone space free at the front of the traffic and you know that you will be faster off the mark and not have to overtake in heavy traffic then by all means move up to the front alongside the others. It makes it easier for everyone as you can get back into the bike lane quickly and not have to risk moving out into traffic seconds after you start moving.

I've been caught out a few times by lads in jeans blowing me out of it on the green. Big lads too. Wouldn't have expected it from looking at them. I've since given up, just queue, over take when I can, then have slower cyclists breeze through red lights for me to overtake again.. Until the next lights.... And repeat...

Plastik · 26-10-2017 10:35pm

Etc wrote: »

This is exactly what I was trying to articulate with my question and my perspective on a commute. Thank you mrcheez !

You asked about etiquette, and etiquette says queue

With the ePower you will have no trouble overtaking anyone slower than you when the lights go green, and you won't look like a plonker in the meantime. Don't be looking for some confirmation bias by what some other posters do!

ted1 · 26-10-2017 10:38pm

Lumen wrote: »

If you go around you'll end up in the middle of the pedestrian crossing.

Or in the advance bike box

eeeee · 26-10-2017 10:55pm

mrcheez wrote: »

I'm sure this is controversial comment in this forum but an experienced cyclist can tend to accurately predict whether or not he will be fastest off the mark by looking at who is at the traffic lights already.

A kid dressed out in jeans on a mountain bike, or someone on a Dutchie with a shopping basket at the front, etc etc ... if they are at the front and there is a bike zone space free at the front of the traffic and you know that you will be faster off the mark and not have to overtake in heavy traffic then by all means move up to the front alongside the others.
It makes it easier for everyone as you can get back into the bike lane quickly and not have to risk moving out into traffic seconds after you start moving.

If you don't think you will be faster, or if there isn't an allocated space for bikes at the traffic lights then wait in line.

Except you can't. I commute in a dress on an old 10 speed, I get shoaled ALL the time, and I'm quicker than 90% of the guys* (another women has yet to do it to me) who shoal me. It pisses mt the fcuk off. It's unnecessary, it's wanky, and it costs nothing to wait behind and pass when it's safe.
If there's an asl hop in there and tear away to your hearts content. But if there isn't, and there's a queue, wait behind. Any other course of action is being a dick IMO.

*ETA Taking off in particular. I also don't commute in rush hour

Etc · 26-10-2017 11:03pm

Plastik wrote: »

You asked about etiquette, and etiquette says queue With the ePower you will have no trouble overtaking anyone slower than you when the lights go green, and you won't look like a plonker in the meantime. Don't be looking for some confirmation bias by what some other posters do!

But experience and road sense has to come into it surely ? So going back to first principals, there is more that one type of cycle commuter around town. I think that's what mrcheez put his finger on.

I can recognise an experienced cyclist immediately. And tbh, it's experienced commuters that I'd be concerned about p1issing off. But where I'm coming from is, I rock up to the lights in a line of 6 cyclists, 2 of whom are on on their phones or chatting to their mate, will blipping around them following the flow of experienced commuters be ok. And tbh, I think I'm answering my own question here but there can't be a hard and fast rule !

eeeee · 26-10-2017 11:09pm

Etc wrote: »

But experience and road sense has to come into it surely ? So going back to first principals, there is more that one type of cycle commuter around town. I think that's what mrcheez put his finger on.

I can recognise an experienced cyclist immediately. And tbh, it's experienced commuters that I'd be concerned about p1issing off. But where I'm coming from is, I rock up to the lights in a line of 6 cyclists, 2 of whom are on on their phones or chatting to their mate, will blipping around them following the flow of experienced commuters be ok. And tbh, I think I'm answering my own question here but there can't be a hard and fast rule !

You actually can't always tell who's an experienced commuter or not though. And why only those you perceive to be experienced cyclists deserve not to be pissed off? Why are the only ones who matter? We're all cyclists, surely everyone is worth your consideration?

Etc · 26-10-2017 11:10pm

nee wrote: »

Except you can't. I commute in a dress on an old 10 speed, I get shoaled ALL the time, and I'm quicker than 90% of the guys* (another women has yet to do it to me) who shoal me. It pisses mt the fcuk off. It's unnecessary, it's wanky, and it costs nothing to wait behind and pass when it's safe.
If there's an asl hop in there and tear away to your hearts content. But if there isn't, and there's a queue, wait behind. Any other course of action is being a dick IMO.

*ETA Taking off in particular. I also don't commute in rush hour

So to my question, if you look at the people who shoal you, is there a pattern, are they seasoned commuters ? Dublin bike commuters, deliveroo cyclists, couriers, because I think it has a bearing on how people will ride.

E-Bike Etiquette

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