This is the absolute worst thing you can do to another cyclist at a stoplight

At Canadian Cycling Magazine, there are a variety of riders. Some use their bikes to race, some are strictly commuters, and some use them for friendly group rides. Different abilities, different bikes, different speeds. Which is actually what cycling as a community is about. It’s not about lighting it up at your local race, it’s not about riding to work and back. It’s not about taking your mountain or gravel bike to the trails. It’s whatever you want.

Not everyone rides the same speed when they are riding across town, and that’s fine. So you’re going to have to pass other riders, or they are going to have to pass you. All good. Sometimes passing cyclists in a city can be a little tricky, especially if it’s a narrow bike lane. You need to give both you and the other rider plenty of warning and room, while making sure there’s no car coming up behind you.

Let’s say you pass another rider, who’s going a little slower than you. And then you pull up to the light.

And then that rider..pulls up beside you? Or worse, ahead of you?

What? What just happened? They just…slow-passed you.

Why would that person make it so you have to re-pass them, and put yourself in harm’s way. Did they do that because they just weren’t paying attention to their surroundings? Or did they think that somehow they’d be able to go faster than you, despite the fact you were going twice as fast when you passed?

It’s not a competitive thing, it’s a safety thing. It’s dangerous enough out there with cars, so the fewer times you have to put yourself in harm’s way passing other riders, the better.

Seinfeld, Episode 19, “The commute”

George is riding his bike in downtown Manhattan. It’s a beautiful day and he is cruising along. Another rider who is going considerably faster than him, passes him.

A MINUTE LATER

George pulls up to a stop light. The other rider who passed him earlier is also waiting. George moves up beside him and then slightly ahead of him.

OTHER RIDER
What are you doing?

GEORGE
What?

OTHER RIDER
What do you think you’re doing?

GEORGE
I’m…riding my bike. What do you think you’re doing?

OTHER RIDER
You just slow-passed me.

GEORGE
I’m sorry?

OTHER RIDER
I passed you back on West End Avenue. Why are you going ahead of me here?

GEORGE
What are you talking about?

OTHER RIDER
I passed you. I went ahead. And you passed again.

GEORGE
So…?

OTHER RIDER
That’s like putting my whole bike in traffic again! From now on, when you get passed, stay there and end it!

GEORGE
Well, I’m sorry buddy…but I don’t ride that way.

George pushes his bike ahead even further of the other rider.

OTHER RIDER
Oh, you don’t, huh?

GEORGE
No. You ride the way you want to ride. I’ll ride the way I want to ride.

George pushes his bike ahead again.

OTHER RIDER
Gimme your bike! Gimme your bike!

George and the other rider continue to argue as the light changes from red, to green and back to red.