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pastry_bot
Genuine question to those with extensive knowledge and understanding of cycling etiquette.
Regents park this morning. Tons of cyclists, groups of 8/10 holding each other's wheel. Having been a regents park cyclist for the last 4/5 years on and off, this is seemingly always been the case. You always have someone sitting on your wheel, it's never been an issue and I'd always assumed that was how things are. Doesn't seem like such a smart idea with covid going on, so i wear a neck buff over my mouth and try and keep a descent space from the person in front.
This morning, I'm at the front of one of these trains, guy overtakes and immediately slows down directly in front of me. I'm now sitting on his wheel. Again, no biggie, happens all the time, I'll just follow him and keep the normal distance, plus a little extra.
We reach a stoplight, everyone slows down/unclips. Lights turn green, guy in front takes off, I follow, the people behind me do the same. Again, normal for Regents Park.
Guy in front then turns round and aggressively asks why I'm sitting on his wheel. Taken aback I explain we're all sitting on each other's wheel, it's fairly normal. He repeats the question, I tell him he overtook and slowed down. "Did I fuck", he responds, and cycles off.
He then sits about 2/3m in front of the group to prove a point. Then slows down and we all overtake him, again, in a group of maybe 5 riders spaced further apart than normal. I point out as I pass that it's fairly normal to be in a group.
Am I in the wrong here? I appreciate that with covid-19 drafting isn't the best idea, and I wear a face mask and try and keep about 1.5/2m, but I've always known drafting to be a normal thing around Regents Park.
Completely happy to admit my mistake.