People taking it too seriously.

DonDaddyD

What is it with some cyclists and their inability to talk to other cyclists.

It happened several times yesterday. Chiefly amongst cyclists I've overtaken and then met again when I'm stopped at the lights.

Chief culprit I'm riding along in a gaggle of people when a Giant Defy 3 (same level as my SCR - the Defy's predecessor) comes scorching past. Young whipper-snapper I thought and so I sprinted, he sprinted some more so I replied with a gargantuan effort. As we were neck and neck, clearly racing - SCR has gone out of the window - I look over to give him a nod, would he acknowledge me, no.

At the lights (when he eventually go there) I was all eager to talk about his bike, the guy refused to look in my direction or acknowledge my existence.

Its the same all over. Sometimes I'm at the lights and a guy stops next to me, I look over to say "nice bike" "morning" or something friendly and I get barely a twitch of facial muscle. I'm not talking roadies all types of cyclists except Bromptons, Brompton riders are notouriously friendly.

Whether I overtake them or encounter them at the lights cyclist, I find, generally don't like to talk to each other.

Miserable bunch.

Cafewanda

You want conversation on the morning commute? This is LONDON we don't talk to strangers, what's wrong with you?? :shock: :shock: :roll:

(mutter, mutter)

always_tyred

If I catch up a slower cyclist and they start giving it plenty as I'm passing them, even though I've eaten up the ground between us at a fantastic rate for the preceding minutes, I don't feel a terribly large amount of human warmth towards them.

Weren't you complaining about slower cyclists coming back past you the other day, DDD?

biondino

DDD, you are the man who takes it all too seriously on a message board so you should have some sympathy

Kieran_Burns

I tend to have a natter with whomever I end up next to. Every person on the bridleway gets a cheery good morning / evening.

I get nods of recognition / acknowledgement / thanks from drivers (hell I even have them letting me out of junctions at the moment!)

Schoolkids generally get out the way on the shared paths...

Maybe it's just you? Are you scary looking? :shock:

Sewinman

Being friendly to other Londoners? Weirdo. :shock:

woodyonthebeach

I want to be friendly. but I have nobody as I am out in the sticks

Gazzaputt

Sometimes make a comment or engage in a conversation but this isn't the norm when committing.

Weekend jaunts always give a wave or hello. Usually catch someone up to have a chinwag with.

Steve0843

If someone came near my bike in London, I would use a pre emptive strike on the grounds that they are probably going to a. Stab me or b. Steal my bike and then stab me.

Stuey01

I had a good chat t'other day with a chap I had SCR'd down Embankment. He was on a nice condor roadie, I overtook him heading along embankment then we met again at the lights by big ben. Cursory glance at each other's machines and we're off when the lights go green. I left him for dead and carried on all the way to Wandsworth bridge. We meet again in Wandsworth as he has taken a shortcut. I say hello as I pass again and we had a nice little chat about routes home, he was amazed he had gotten in front again as I was a lot quicker.

I think if someone had just overtaken me at speed and then said "nice bike" at the lights I would assume they were taking the p1ss.

Porgy

how come noone tries to talk to me?

linsen

Porgy wrote:

how come noone tries to talk to me?

Because you are a penguin?

Gazzaputt

Porgy wrote:

how come noone tries to talk to me?

Where do you go to Porgy? I go from Moorgate to Bexley.

I give a hello to other roadies but most are commuters so i don't bother.

Stuey01

Porgy wrote:

how come noone tries to talk to me?

It's the gimp suit.

Roastie

DonDaddyD wrote:

What is it with some cyclists and their inability to talk to other cyclists...

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I find it quite amusing that cyclists are so "unfriendly" at the lights - particularly if a little SCR has been involved.

I usually find that a comment like "nice bike" is usually a good precursor to starting an interchange (tho' for from guaranteed success) - but if you are a picky kinda guy, that does limit you to talking only to people with bikes that you approve of.

Herd mentality also applies - it seems most are reluctant to acknowledge the existence of someone from a different herd, particularly if they percieve the other persons herd to be inferior (e.g. a hi-viz commuter to a roadie).

The only subset people who I've had chat to me unsolicited at lights are cute girls. But then again, hardly surpsrising 'cos chicks dig me .

Porgy

Gazzaputt wrote:

Porgy wrote:

how come noone tries to talk to me?

Where do you go to Porgy? I go from Moorgate to Bexley.

I give a hello to other roadies but most are commuters so i don't bother.

i go from Bexleyheath to Holborn. Mind you I am a grumpy arse in the morning.

itboffin

It's taken me almost 40 years to work out that it's just London & New York where you DON'T talk to strangers everywhere else people actually communicate.

It's all very alien

Porgy

linsen wrote:

Porgy wrote:

how come noone tries to talk to me?

Because you are a penguin?

but a penguin who can ride a bike. I'd talk to me.

Porgy

itboffin wrote:

It's taken me almost 40 years to work out that it's just London & New York where you DON'T talk to strangers.

ahhh my two favourite places in the world 8)

Gazzaputt

Roastiecp wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

What is it with some cyclists and their inability to talk to other cyclists...

Herd mentality also applies - it seems most are reluctant to acknowledge the existence of someone from a different herd, particularly if they perceive the other persons herd to be inferior (e.g. a hi-viz commuter to a roadie).

Is not that they're inferior if another roadie pulls up then I'll chat as it is clear we have something in common to chat about. If I started talking every man and his dog on a bike I'm sure they'd think I'm mad and boring.

Kieran_Burns

Stuey01 wrote:

Porgy wrote:

how come noone tries to talk to me?

It's the gimp suit.

Penguin Gimp suit???


Good Lord. :shock:



That's like the difference between kinky and perverted

Kinky is using a feather, perverted: the whole chicken.

DonDaddyD

Roastiecp wrote:

Herd mentality also applies - it seems most are reluctant to acknowledge the existence of someone from a different herd, particularly if they percieve the other persons herd to be inferior (e.g. a hi-viz commuter to a roadie).

Nah roadies are hate all other roadies, unless they've either met them prior to being on the bike e.g. online..... :shock:

Guy's that ride for teams will only talk to people who ride for their team. Never spoken to a Team DeVer cyclist. Rapha Condor riders simply look at me as though I'm as significant as the stuff you get in the corner of your mouth when you're thirsty.

As for London Dynamo :evil: I Encountered a London Dynamo along Clapham Common (road) on the commute home. I overtook him and another cyclist and generally slowed down (a bus was infront of me and there was no point trying to overtake it, I weren't going to beat the lights). Got to the lights and the Dynamo comes up to me and says "You alright? you were flying and then seemed to die. thought it was mechanical faliure..." :evil:

I then chased him all the way to Colliers Wood, asked him if he raced :roll: to which he replied "Yes, but only on the continent... its safer" He continued "You should join us too, not doing to badly keeping up with me.."

FyPunK

It must be a southern thing, by the time I get to work me neck hurts I have nodded that much. I used to chat with a fellow cyclist along the route we shared, but heard of an accident and not seen him since, don't know if it was him or not but he has dissapeared.

jedster

Have to admit DDD, thought this was a good liine the first time you told the story:

"You alright? you were flying and then seemed to die. thought it was mechanical faliure..."

Can't really complain about him not talking to you!

Rich158

It's odd isn't it, some people talk, some dont. I have some good chats with guy's on hybrids, fellow roadies, new commuters, and just general bods on bikes. The cost of the bike also seems irrelevant, I've had some good rides with guys on Colnago's, and old steel framed relics from the arc alike. The common thread is they all have a real enthusiasm for cycling.

My theory is that there's a type of cyclist who'se enthusiastic about what he does, loves the idea of being part of the wider cycling community and will aknowledge you, stop for a chat or wave as you go past in the oposite direction. Then there are others, who I'm convinced are not club members, that have all the gear but see cycling as a purely solitary activity, they don't interact with other cyclists, nor do they want to - I assume because they afraid they'll be forced to admit they're not as good as they think they are. Try to talk to one of these buggers and all you get is an icy silence :evil: :evil: I say leave them to their own devices, if they can't be bothered to talk to me I wouldn't want to ride with them anyway.

Jay dubbleU

I'm actually surprised as to how friendly people are - HGV driver waved me on this afternoon when I was in the middle of a junction - two different people I rang the bell at as a warning on the cycle track stepped aside and said 'Sorry mate' - most people on my commute are ok apart from the odd nutter - mind you I don't go round in a cloak or a penguin suite

jimmypippa

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I tend to have a natter with whomever I end up next to. Every person on the bridleway gets a cheery good morning / evening.

I get nods of recognition / acknowledgement / thanks from drivers (hell I even have them letting me out of junctions at the moment!)

Schoolkids generally get out the way on the shared paths...

Maybe it's just you? Are you scary looking? :shock:

Schoolkids (on bikes) get out of your way because they think you'll mug them.

Kieran_Burns

jimmypippa wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

I tend to have a natter with whomever I end up next to. Every person on the bridleway gets a cheery good morning / evening.

I get nods of recognition / acknowledgement / thanks from drivers (hell I even have them letting me out of junctions at the moment!)

Schoolkids generally get out the way on the shared paths...

Maybe it's just you? Are you scary looking? :shock:

Schoolkids (on bikes) get out of your way because they think you'll mug them.

Great I am the Sith Mugger from now on... :roll: (I really should've kept that story to myself....)

JonS123

"HGV driver waved me on this afternoon when I was in the middle of a junction "

Last week I was turning right at a cross-roads, bus was coming other way and also turning right, blocking my view of oncoming trafic, he then saw no traffic and waved me on - I was half expecting there to be traffic as I think all bus drivers hate cyclists but no there was no traffic

As to chatting to other cyclists, I am to busy breathing/panting to chat! though do find 50% of other cyclists don't give a NOR when I do

Roastie

Tonight on the way home a roadie on a Scott sat on my wheel for I'm not sure how long while I was spinning along at a nice 40ish km/h. We get to the light at Albert Bridge where I turn off the Embankment to head home. I turn around and say "See ya, mate!" He just looks at me as if I smell bad and stops just ahead of me at the light, pointedly looking the other way. The bloody cheek.

If I'd known he was a tosser, I'd have flicked onto the 52 and dished out some whoopass.

Twit.

cjcp

Roastiecp wrote:

I usually find that a comment like "nice bike" is usually a good precursor to starting an interchange (tho' for from guaranteed success)

I'm a sucker for a nice bike on the commute and can't help commenting. It's only right to say if they've gotta nice bike.  Last chap I saw was on a Dolan. Seen a couple of Sevens too.

Ended up having a chat with a club mate on tonight's commute - instigated by a zebra-crossing crossing Colnago.

However, I'm not one for speaking much on the commute, largely because I have my mind on the traffic. I was hit by a bus during my early commuting days after chatting at traffic lights, so I've been a bit less chatty since then.