How rude and ignorant are roadies?

flanners1

Bought a roadbike end of August have been using it quite a bit; have been a MTBer for 17odd years. When on the trail the people I have cycled with over the years and when on my own I/we always acknowledge other riders, say hi, nod, wave etc...........

Having been on the 'roads' for several months I can honestly say I have never met such a bunch of miserable rude b'stards!!!! No acknowlegements, waves, nods from the majority of riders out riding (not commuting). I am unsure of the reasons:

1. I ride a Focus Cayo
2. I live in Tunbridge Wells (?)

I am unsure of why I am posting this I just feel let down by some of the attitudes of road based riders it really gets to me when I wave and get blanked......it affirms some of the stereotyping that goes on.

whinge over.

jimycooper

i get the extreame opposite, everybody waves, nods to me when out on the roads. i'm around brighton so not miles away, i dont see how it can be so different. not that i dont believe you.

flanners1

jimycooper wrote:

i get the extreame opposite, everybody waves, nods to me when out on the roads. i'm around brighton so not miles away, i dont see how it can be so different. not that i dont believe you.

Sure I have met some nice blokes and chatted but on the whole unfortunately I am sticking with the above impression.

daowned

Cycling is about the most friendly sport /activity you can get. Sadly however it does tend to have the most snobs of any sport I know and can be elitist.

I find that the more selective and closed a club/group is then the more snobery.

I wouldn't let it put you off, keep nodding away mate

fto-si

I find that most roadies do give some form of acknowledgement although I did get one who completely blanked me yesterday.

Confused as to why someone would blank you because you ride a Focus?

finchy

I live in the Maidstone area, and 99% of riders around here say hello. Medway riders also seem quite friendly (insert your own joke about them being happy to be on day release here :P ). Maybe you need to head east.

Try cycling in France, specifically Normandy, you'll be ignored far more over there than here in England.

Jonathan M

johnfinch wrote:

I live in the Maidstone area, and 99% of riders around here say hello. Medway riders also seem quite friendly (insert your own joke about them being happy to be on day release here :P ). Maybe you need to head east.

Try cycling in France, specifically Normandy, you'll be ignored far more over there than here in England.

Yes, but it would be like wanting to be acknowledged by every other car on the road, in some parts of France cycling is quite popular!


Yes,some roadies feel too "elite" to acknowledge other riders, often those who fail to give a grreting are the least elite out there. But then I've also come across the same traits in mountain bikers, I think it has more to do with an individuals personaility rather than their chosen sport.

JGS

I usually acknowledge people and sometimes even wave at a few (depends how fast I am going). However yesterday I did blank a few people by accident because I was reaching down for a drink, or looking down to find out what the rattling was (mudguard was loose). So sometimes it may be that they are pre-occupied with not crashing than blanking you? I can say that some of the roadies round here do have quite puzzled faces when you wave at them, maybe some people are just like that? You can't assume that because you are doing the same pasttime they automatically might like you or even care who you are, sad but true.

Rich-Ti

Richmond Park amazes me - I lap there a good few times each week and so few people offer any kind of acknowledgement at all! Weird... :roll:

redddraggon

Rich-Ti wrote:

Richmond Park amazes me - I lap there a good few times each week and so few people offer any kind of acknowledgement at all! Weird... :roll:

Isn't there tonnes of riders going around RP though? I bet I'd quickly get bored of waving every 5 secs, but then again I'm from North Wales where it'd be considered "loads of riders out" if I saw 5 riders.....and then it's a pleasant surprise to see some one else out.

Rich-Ti

True enough rd - it does get a little tedious sometimes!

Anonymous

Flanners1 wrote:

Bought a roadbike end of August have been using it quite a bit; have been a MTBer for 17odd years. When on the trail the people I have cycled with over the years and when on my own I/we always acknowledge other riders, say hi, nod, wave etc...........

Having been on the 'roads' for several months I can honestly say I have never met such a bunch of miserable rude b'stards!!!! No acknowlegements, waves, nods from the majority of riders out riding (not commuting). I am unsure of the reasons:

1. I ride a Focus Cayo
2. I live in Tunbridge Wells (?)

I am unsure of why I am posting this I just feel let down by some of the attitudes of road based riders it really gets to me when I wave and get blanked......it affirms some of the stereotyping that goes on.

whinge over.

Get lost lycra boy

(adds Flanners1 to ignore list)

Anonymous

I get a very mixed response, some people are really friendly and others just completely blank you.
Doesn't bother me though...

meagain

Simple answer to the OP Question:

Great majority of them, very.

Slow Downcp

This comes up regularly!

I'm a roadie and acknowledge other cyclists, but don't get hung up on it if they don't respond. I've said before you don't wave and say hello to every other pedestrian if you're walking - if you're on a bike, why assume every other cyclist wants to say hello.

FWIW - I've used to do a fair bit of MTB'ing, and I found MTB'ers more ignorant. Didn't let it bother me though.

doktorsteve

I think that I alwys get a response but not being a trained auctioneer I cannot always see it.
Somtimes I pick up a slight nod or a querying look.
Could it be the peak on my helmet?

cyclingpunk

I am in Kent and most of the riders will give a little nod. The ones that do not are not being rude, maybe they are just concentrating on the ride and training? Nearly all the joggers (women!) will say hello though so that makes up for it

Richard_D

On Saturday we went cycling through the NewForest and got nods and waves from most people. Roadies and MTBs alike as well as horse riders and walkers. All in all an up lifting cycle even if it was interupted by a puncture. There are times when I think some of the forest trails would give solid tyres flats.

hothead

Can annoy me sometimes and in the past have been waved by a full on chaingang and about 10 mins later a guy on his own not exactly flying blanked me. I carry on waving at everyone, just think its a nice gesture and alway brought up to do it by my dad when out with him.

have to say every cyclist over 60 (ish) always wave and respond (well thats what I find), so perhaps like a lot of things its a generation thing????

Dont let it stop you, if you like a nod or a wave keep going. Nothing to do with riding a Focus, in fact a great bike as I have one

toshmund

After a hard week at work, I go out for the fresh air - and to ponder over life and its complexities. If that means I miss your acknowledgement, I apologise...what I really want to say though is..."Stop being needy - and get on with it!"

JesseD

I have a theory on this, When I started cycling I joined a club and was taught the etiquete of road riding, this included greeting fellow cyclists when out on the road. However cycling is now so much more popular than it was was 23 years ago, and more people ride for fun and fitness and do not ride for a club so do not understand the unwritten rule of acknowledging fellow cyclists. I must admit it doesn't bother me to much and wave and nod at everyone.

boybiker

We keep getting this old chestnut.
The answer is quite simple, sometimes you are too knackered/ lost in your own thoughts/ preoccupied with not getting killed to acknowledge every cyclist on the road. Last week I was involved in an event where people where having to be lifted off their bikes at the end and I don't think you would have got a cheery wave out of any of them.
Plus of course we are all arrogant twunts who hate anything which isn't a road bike and hate any roadies on better bikes.

JesseD

boybiker wrote:

Plus of course we are all arrogant twunts who hate anything which isn't a road bike and hate any roadies on better bikes.

Thats actually probably closer to the mark, unless you are actually overtaking them :twisted:

wastelander

I always get a nod in first and don't differentiate between anyone...leisure riders, MTBs hell - even Yoofs on full suss halfrauds specials!

shane515

johnfinch wrote:

I live in the Maidstone area, and 99% of riders around here say hello. Medway riders also seem quite friendly (insert your own joke about them being happy to be on day release here :P ). Maybe you need to head east.

I'm from Medway and will always say hello/wave to fellow riders , must go now as the coach is here to take me back lol

Shane

Edit. And I also ride a Focus Cayo

mr_hippo

Flanners1 wrote:

I am unsure of why I am posting this I just feel let down by some of the attitudes of road based riders it really gets to me when I wave and get blanked......it affirms some of the stereotyping that goes on.

No one waves to you or acknowledges your presence? You may be paranoid - please, seek medical advice.

gematkinson1

guess it depends.

i was back up north a few months ago visiting my folks, took my low end bianchi out on an early morning hilly ride solo near worksop, only to be shot past by a team on pinarello princes, full team kit, and most said 'morning!' and smiled and were very nice!

however i find in london (richmond park) its always a bit of a daggered look while glancing at what bike you have and what threads your wearing! lol

Marko1962

Up here in North Cheshire we are a friendly bunch of strangers, I always nod or wave to other bikers whether they be roadies or MTB hoping I'd be the first to get a wave in although normally it's a draw or the other biker wins. It is rather funny when you have a chain gang all waving saying hi etc, dont know who to wave at first and my hands up and down looking like i'm doing something naughty :oops:

ps I ride a Focus and I can never recall anyone looking at my bike when we are doing a combined speed in excess of 30 mph, eye contact only...

fnb1

I think with respect Gem, I would be very surprised if you didn't always get a wave, whether from Roadies, mtbers or indeed random male pedestrians

gematkinson1

haha what are you insinuating ;-)

i do get a few pitying waves also when they see me struggling up a climb :-)

fnb1

Gem, not suggesting anything, just the vast majority of us are feek and weeble males easily distracted by a vision such as yourself, anyway,

if you are struggling up any hills may I be the first to offer you a gentle push