misrable lot
I'm fairly new to cycling; I bought my first commuting bike about 4 years ago - one of those cheapie things from a well know 'high street' shop. then I read an article in Cycling plus (which my hubby subscribes to) about the ladies bike sold by Edingburgh cycles. I bought one and haven't looked back! (well only when manoeuvring past a stationary vehicle!)
Anyway - a couple of weeks ago I bought a ladies race cycle from edingburgh cycles - lovely bike!
had a couple of short runs (13 miles) - then Sunday just gone did a 20 miler around the local Essex countryside.
Now - I also ride two wheels with an engine and have done for many years. It is tradition amongst the motorcycling fraternity that when encountering a like minded soul approaching in the opposite direction, you give them a sort of sideways exaggerated nod and they respond likewise.
Being the sociable soul that I am I tried this on Sunday - I greeted probabaly around 15 cyclists on various parts of my route and only one yes 1 even bothered to acknowledge my existence. :?:
according to hubby they were all probably far to busy getting a bit of speed on :!:
is this true :?:
or are cyclist solitary souls :!:
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its quite easy to be very focused on the task at hand to notice other cyclists, and lately the weather has been a bit prohibitive to taking hands off the bars and in some cases looking around.
don't worry about it.My signature was stolen by a moose
that will be all
trying to get GT James banned since tuesday0 -
I find cyclists will almost always return a greeting. The exceptions are normally people who are riding very slowly on cheap bikes and probably don't really identify themselves as a cyclist. Sometimes it can be just raising one finger slightly from the bars or inclining the head to one side or a very slight nod - maybe they were just too subtle to notice ?
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
Cycling has more than it's fair share of miserable sods. On some days, everyone will ignore you, on others, everyone will be your friend. It's just the way it is...0
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Hi Sue,
Agree with the above three posters - sometimes everyone will say hello, sometimes you'll find yourself muttering "miserable sod" under your breath when you've been blanked. If I'm concentrating on traffic I may sometimes fail to say hello but usually I shout "MORNING!!!" so I usually don't get ignored.
At the weekend, my husband went out cycling and came back telling me that cyclists are a miserable lot. I went out and cycled with one guy for a few miles until our paths separated and then spent about 13 miles chatting with another, and I was asked to tag along by a cycling club so I had a totally different experience to him. That was an extraordinarily sociable ride though
On the whole, I find cyclists round my area to be really friendly
Try again at the weekend and tell us how you get on
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popette wrote:Hi Sue,
Try again at the weekend and tell us how you get on
sadly, I'm racing off road on my motorbike this weekend.
at the end of the month I'm entering my first Audax. - I expect that to be a very sociable event! Assuming I can ride fast enough to keep up :oops:0 -
Sue, what part of the Essex countryside where you riding around on Sunday? I did see a female cyclist on Sunday and I did raise my hand and say ' Hi '
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fto-si wrote:Sue, what part of the Essex countryside where you riding around on Sunday? I did see a female cyclist on Sunday and I did raise my hand and say ' Hi '
we were riding the roads from Old Harlow, to the Lavers and then Matching Green,
maybe you were the only one that I saw respond, can't remember where exactly it was, as this was my first "long distance :oops: " I was a tad bit tired at that point :!:0 -
z000m wrote:some1 who is out for a ride just for the "fresh air" will probably say "hi" some1 who wants to get up the next gradient in under 5 mins might be a little preoccupied.
yeah - that's what I reckon it is, all very serious. Hubby often tells me I need to change my mindset
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ONLY those on exactly the same TYPE of bike will acknowledge your presence! I get much amusement from exageratedly waving a hearty greeting at race-rep riders when on say a full susser - in their attempts to look the other way they almost fall off!
Many small minded, exclusive (read snobbish if you will) pedallers out there IMHO.d.j.
"Cancel my subscription to the resurrection."0 -
Likewise.
When I was 16 and thrashing older club cyclists on a bike I had liberated from a ditch in cut off jeans and flappy T shirt, I hardly ever got a wave back.
MTBers do generally seem to be a friendlier bunch, though of course no group is totally devoid of it's tossers.Wheelies ARE cool.
Zaskar X0 -
Nod at them all! It's fear of rejection that stop most being the first to wave!__________________
......heading for the box, but not too soon I hope!0 -
Most seem to be quite friendly but I've found a few who seemingly go out of there way to not bat an eyelid.
On one occasion I was caught by a bloke out on a lovely looking Ridley late last year (a Ridley as winter bike indeed). He slowed down to ride with me for a few mins. We were chatting away, asking where we each of us were going etc. After a bit coming towards us was a bloke dressed head to toe in celeste atop a Bianchi who ignored the pair of us.
It was wet but not windy, but even it if had been blustery you can keep your hands on the bars and give a definite nod but no nothing and the guy even looked to his left as if to snub us as we passed.
If I'd been on my todd and he'd thought “there’s a lad on a sub-£800 Specialized,he doesn't deserve my attention” then fair enough, I know there are snobs out there but the guy with the Ridley as a winter hack...
Its not as if it was summer and we were seasonal cyclists or whatever. If they'd been in a chain gang or a group with their heads down at speed then fair enough but this was a solo rider on his norm. There's just no need for it in my book.
Surely when the weathers crap we can all feel a sense of camaraderie, regardless of what we are riding, in going out when non-cyclists think we’re daft at the best of times let alone when it’s lashing it down.
I haven’t seen him since so I hope he was just passing through. Part of me wants to bump into him when I get my Izoard and tut when passing him, the rest of me says not to stoop to his level.0 -
Lagavulin wrote:Most seem to be quite friendly but I've found a few who seemingly go out of there way to not bat an eyelid.
On one occasion I was caught by a bloke out on a lovely looking Ridley late last year (a Ridley as winter bike indeed). He slowed down to ride with me for a few mins. We were chatting away, asking where we each of us were going etc. After a bit coming towards us was a bloke dressed head to toe in celeste atop a Bianchi who ignored the pair of us.
It was wet but not windy, but even it if had been blustery you can keep your hands on the bars and give a definite nod but no nothing and the guy even looked to his left as if to snub us as we passed.
If I'd been on my todd and he'd thought “there’s a lad on a sub-£800 Specialized,he doesn't deserve my attention” then fair enough, I know there are snobs out there but the guy with the Ridley as a winter hack...
Its not as if it was summer and we were seasonal cyclists or whatever. If they'd been in a chain gang or a group with their heads down at speed then fair enough but this was a solo rider on his norm. There's just no need for it in my book.
Surely when the weathers crap we can all feel a sense of camaraderie, regardless of what we are riding, in going out when non-cyclists think we’re daft at the best of times let alone when it’s lashing it down.
I haven’t seen him since so I hope he was just passing through. Part of me wants to bump into him when I get my Izoard and tut when passing him, the rest of me says not to stoop to his level.
Why the f*ck should he spea kto / acknowledge/ chatto / wave at you?
Do you do that to everyone you see when on the bus? Walking in town? driving your car? in the pub?
What gives you the right to expect someone you've never met before to speak to you?
Perhaps he was simply wanting some peace and quiet to ride his bike in solitude.
Get over the fact that just because you ride a bike doesn't mean other cyclists want to talk to you.Want to know the Spen666 behind the posts?
Then read MY BLOG @ http://www.pebennett.com
Twittering @spen_6660 -
spen666 wrote:Why the f*ck should he spea kto / acknowledge/ chatto / wave at you?
Do you do that to everyone you see when on the bus? Walking in town? driving your car? in the pub?
No I don't, but if someone were to do it to me in those situations then I'd return the gesture, as it's polite!0 -
spen666 wrote:Why the f*ck should he spea kto / acknowledge/ chatto / wave at you?
Do you do that to everyone you see when on the bus? Walking in town? driving your car? in the pub?
What gives you the right to expect someone you've never met before to speak to you?
Perhaps he was simply wanting some peace and quiet to ride his bike in solitude.
Get over the fact that just because you ride a bike doesn't mean other cyclists want to talk to you.
It's called MANNERS!
If I'm out for a walk and see someone heading the other way, I may say hello, or vice versa. Should I just ignore them instead and walk on? If I see another cyclist stopped by the side of the road with a puncture, I'd stop and offer assistance, do you? Or would it spoil your sense of solitude?0 -
Read the post I was replying to- so what if a cyclist ignored you.Graeme_S wrote:spen666 wrote:Why the f*ck should he spea kto / acknowledge/ chatto / wave at you?
Do you do that to everyone you see when on the bus? Walking in town? driving your car? in the pub?
No I don't, but if someone were to do it to me in those situations then I'd return the gesture, as it's polite!
do you acknowledge everyone you see when walking., cycling, riding on the bus?
There is no suggestion in the post I responded to that the poster either spoke to other cyclist or that other cyclist was even aware of this.
It may be nice if someone does talk to you, but to slate someone for keeping themselves to themselves is arrogant and rude and shows no respect for the rights of that other person. If they want to keep themselves to themselves, then that is their right and not something to be slated forWant to know the Spen666 behind the posts?
Then read MY BLOG @ http://www.pebennett.com
Twittering @spen_6660 -
Seconded. And clearly evidenced above.MattBlackBigBoysBMX wrote:...of course no group is totally devoid of it's tossers.0 -
spen666 wrote:
Read the post I was replying to- so what if a cyclist ignored you.Graeme_S wrote:spen666 wrote:Why the f*ck should he spea kto / acknowledge/ chatto / wave at you?
Do you do that to everyone you see when on the bus? Walking in town? driving your car? in the pub?
No I don't, but if someone were to do it to me in those situations then I'd return the gesture, as it's polite!
do you acknowledge everyone you see when walking., cycling, riding on the bus?
There is no suggestion in the post I responded to that the poster either spoke to other cyclist or that other cyclist was even aware of this.
It may be nice if someone does talk to you, but to slate someone for keeping themselves to themselves is arrogant and rude and shows no respect for the rights of that other person. If they want to keep themselves to themselves, then that is their right and not something to be slated for
I bet you're a real ray of sunshine when out and about What are you banging on about 'rights' for? It's true that everyone has the 'right' to be an obnoxious git if they want, but they shouldn't then be surprised if they are thought of as such by us more sociable souls. 0 -
z000m wrote:im sure this thread is a wind up, if some1 doesnt say "hi" to you its not the end of the world
exactlyWant to know the Spen666 behind the posts?
Then read MY BLOG @ http://www.pebennett.com
Twittering @spen_6660 -
spen666 wrote:z000m wrote:im sure this thread is a wind up, if some1 doesnt say "hi" to you its not the end of the world
exactly
No, but it is the end of decent community spirit.
I am one of those people that will always doff the hat or utter a cheery "morning!" to people who I pass in the street, and it's amazing how many people are (pleasantly) surprised by this act and it brightens up their day.
People always go on about what's wrong with society these days, and this is it.
All those miserable bastards who can't even take a second out of their time to be polite.
Look at how many people never even speak to their neighbours anymore.
Of course one has the "right" to be a miserable and impolite sod, but that doesn't mean it isn't wrong to do so.
The downfall of society starts with the individuals that make it.
So cheer up and chin up you miserable fuckers, you might meet someone who is actually more interesting than yourself. :idea:Wheelies ARE cool.
Zaskar X0 -
Sadly in my area, the club riders pointedly ignore a "good morning" greeting, but the "casual" riders always respond positively.Perpetuating the myth that Lincolnshire is flat.0
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it's a sad day when your too ignorant to return a nod to a fellow cyclist., thats all it takes you know a slight twitch of the head..hardly a big deal is it.Sometimes you have to lose yourself
before you can find anything.0 -
It just goes to show that some people have their head well and truely stuck up their ass. Right I am off .
Now stop your jabbering the lot of you. :shock: bagpuss0 -
Thats southerners for you, get yourself to Otley, you'll get fed up of saying hello
andyfromletchworth (but now in otley).0 -
Although I wouldn't have put it in quite the same way as spen666 I have to agree with him to some extent. As a motorcyclist this topic of nodding/waving comes up every month or so from newbie riders and I find it irritating. Most bikers of a certain experience (in years riding) will acknowledge other two-wheelers but there are exceptions e.g. Harley riders are insular snobs, nothing more-nothing less, especially the "Surrey Chapter" (why does that always make me grin?) so it's not confined to cyclists. Walking along the road would you wave frantically to every wearing the same brand of clothing? Nod at someone with a shopping trolley?
It's time for a reality check. Get over it Sue, life's too short. Nobody's out to ignore you deliberately.To disagree with three-fourths of the British public is one of the first requisites of sanity - Oscar Wilde0 -
MattBlackBigBoysBMX wrote:Likewise.
When I was 16 and thrashing older club cyclists on a bike I had liberated from a ditch in cut off jeans and flappy T shirt, I hardly ever got a wave back.
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Good.
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.0 -
Tom Butcher wrote:MattBlackBigBoysBMX wrote:Likewise.
When I was 16 and thrashing older club cyclists on a bike I had liberated from a ditch in cut off jeans and flappy T shirt, I hardly ever got a wave back.
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Good.
No it's not.
You seem to have missed my point. Wheelies ARE cool.
Zaskar X0 -
These two items mean I never have to worry or suffer guilt from 'Britishness' disease and other social faux-pas whilst on my bit of metal.
Politeness, n. The most acceptable hypocrisy.
Ambrose Bierce (1842 - 1914)
One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness.
Josh Billings (1818 - 1885)
"No rock so hard but a little wave may beat admission in a thousand years."
Alfred Tennyson
thankyou for reading this and a cheery wave hello and goodbye to you all.'since the flaming telly's been taken away, we don't even know if the Queen of Englands gone off with the dustman'.
Lizzie Birdsworth, Episode 64, Prisoner Cell Block H.0
