People taking it too seriously.

Bassjunkieuk

I really don't know what your talking about DDD, I can think of at least twice in Clapham when I've had a chat with a chap on a SCR 3.0, his is slightly newer then mine but talking can be difficult over his bl00dy noisy freewheel ;-)

In all honesty there have been a few times where I've said "nice bike" to someone but that's generally when they are on an identical bike to mine :-) Other times I guess it just is that London mentality of just keeping yourself to yourself.......

lost_in_thought

I'd rather people didn't talk to me when I'm out and about on the bike, unless I know them already. I don't mind a 'nice bike' or similar, and that sort of thing will get a smile or a 'thanks', but no more.

On my old commute there was one guy I'd often see at the holborn circus lights, who'd strike up a conversation and was always going the same way.

I worked out a new route to avoid him.

I once chatted to a friendly aussie girl roadie, but that was a very rare occasion.

My commute is 'me time'. No chatty chatty.

White Line

Sounds like Glasgow to be honest.

Nobody seems to talk to strangers here. Although, a mate from Edinburgh thinks that folk are way more friendly here than other at the west coast. :?

The only people I seem to see on my commute are either riding a BSO or RLJ / jump up on the pavement and use the pedestrian crossing. :roll: Then they roll past you at the next set of lights and do it again.

It's not fair because I can't get any scalps due to all there violations making them void! :evil:

Although, I was once on a bus ( :oops: ) and seen this lass at the lights, in primary, on an MTB. But man, I wish I was on my bike at the time. Even going the opposite direction I may have turned round and said that I "forgot something". She really made my day.

Rockbuddy

London seems to have an etiquette all of it's own (although citys in general can be unfriendly). Do you talk to people when out walking or on the tube too?

Anecdote:...My dad was visiting me in London when I lived there a few years back. We were travelling on the tube from Zone 4 to central. My dad being the friendly northerner type kept looking at people, smiling and saying hello! I tried to tell him that people don't talk on the tube but this kinda threw down the guantlet for him and he tried even harder to get people to talk to him. I laugh about it now but how embarassing at the time. By the time we got into central London we almost had the carriage to ourselves...

always_tyred

White Line wrote:

Nobody seems to talk to strangers here. Although, a mate from Edinburgh thinks that folk are way more friendly here than other at the west coast. :?

This is just what people from Edinburgh say to people from Glasgow to console them. Its a bit like your mum telling you everything is going to be fine.

That said, Edinburgh is a bit like Gibraltar. A big rock, full of English people ( ) and everyone from the surrounding areas hates us.

DonDaddyD

lost_in_thought wrote:

I'd rather people didn't talk to me when I'm out and about on the bike, unless I know them already. I don't mind a 'nice bike' or similar, and that sort of thing will get a smile or a 'thanks', but no more.

On my old commute there was one guy I'd often see at the holborn circus lights, who'd strike up a conversation and was always going the same way.

I worked out a new route to avoid him.

I once chatted to a friendly aussie girl roadie, but that was a very rare occasion.

My commute is 'me time'. No chatty chatty.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you a Londoner... :roll:

Cafewanda

I thought LiT was being rather sociable :P

Headhuunter

I never really instigate conversation on the commute however I return it if spoken to. There are way too many cyclists on London roads in rush hour to nod, wave or speak to all of them, I generally use my energy getting up to speed and concentrating on the traffic. In any case I usually end up passing the flocks/packs of commuters and cycling on my own so I'm usually at the lights on my own with a bunch of cars and motorcyclists.

On weekend rides I always wave or speak to other roadies, I've seen and spoken to De Vere and Dynamo riders. In fact on bank hol Mon just gone I was out on one of my regular routes when I spied 4 De Vere riders all done up in their yellow tops ahead, they weren't going very fast so I blasted past them with a "morning!". Later, 2 of them chased me down on a hill and flew past me. I tried to keep up, but they were very quick. I caught them a few mins later at the top of the hill and we had a natter.

One of them was a 14 year old kid (14!!!) and the other was in his mid to late 40s I'd guess, they both looked like they hailed from that famous Columbian clique that cycles at breathtaking speeds around London they sometimes join the Dulwich Paragon club rides. We had a little chat,apparently the 14 year old had just won his 1st race at Crystal Palace, the guy may have been his father. The "father" told me off for dropping into too low a gear on the hill, he said that I should have stuck at it inthe large chainring, he said that's the reason they were able to get past me.

Landlocked

I've been commuting by bike for over a year now from SE London into Clerkenwell and no one has ever said boo to me other than maybe the odd comment when a ped has walked out in front of someone or a bus has blocked our path.

Now i've got a sexy new Cannondale synapse roadbike, i'm hoping someone will talk to me!

andy83

i even found myself saying good morning the other day when it was 9pm, long day at work lol

find that i have had a lot more acknowledgement since getting my road bike and prancing round in lycra :shock:

stopped to get drink other day and bloke who had stopped aswell to go shop called me over and was admiring bike and we had a nice chat

fair to say that werent on my commute but the just a ride in the countryside

freehub

Before I started cycling and with propor kit no one acknowledged me, now I have propor kit and propor bicycle most people say something.

I know cyclings on propor road bikes and in lycra dont like people overtaking them on beat up road bikes, jeans, baggy shirt and a large big backpack on the back, the other day I was in the city center and this guy on a roadie overtook me, he was going too slow for me, going along taking it easy at like 16-18mph, I had somewhere to go and was wanting to go at a pace I felt ok with, so I overtook him, was doing about 25mph, I always go abit too fast when overtaking, then I slowed down to about 20mph, then what do we have, he overtook me doing 22-23mph obviously only going that fast to keep in front of me, so I hung on behind him, only to find a short distance after overtaking me he stopped where he was going or something.

Headhuunter

Landlocked wrote:

I've been commuting by bike for over a year now from SE London into Clerkenwell and no one has ever said boo to me other than maybe the odd comment when a ped has walked out in front of someone or a bus has blocked our path.

Now i've got a sexy new Cannondale synapse roadbike, i'm hoping someone will talk to me!

I just think London's roads are too busy, there's too much traffic, bike and otherwise, to be saying hello/good morning to every Tom, Dick and Harry. I'm usually too busy trying to get speed up or weaving through gridlocked traffic watching out for pedestrians, making sure I don't clip wing mirrors etc than to make conversation.

Rockbuddy

Ok so joking aside, what do you have to chat about with complete strangers you meet at lights etc? I mean other than nice bike, lovely weather we're having etc.?

Few people saying we had a little chat!? What about? The most I have said to someone at lights is which way you going (if it's not obvious by road position). I see that as necessary communication for both our sakes. Not sure what else I would say???

OK, maybe I'm anti-social but I tend to find the sort of people who talk to you randomly in the street are (ok nice) but kinda nosey.

SO...what do you say???

Kieran_Burns

What do you say?

How about:

Morning
See that pillock at the lights?
That road surface needs sorting
Where you going to / from?
Nice bike
When the hell are they going to improve this junction / light sequence / road surface
Have you tried that shortcut down by....?
How the hell fast were you going when you went past?
How the hell did you manage to stop in time when that pillock.....?

yada yada

Headhuunter

Thing is I only find I'm waiting at lights for a pretty short period, certainly not enough time to get to know a complete stranger. Basically all you have time to say is perhaps, good morning, nice day isn't it? Do you come here often? etc etc then the lights change and you head off and probably never see that person again. Seems pretty pointless to be honest. Civil and well intentioned, but pointless.

Crapaud

Cafewanda wrote:

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)

DDD should've texted him on his Burberry. :twisted:

Rockbuddy

Crapaud wrote:

Cafewanda wrote:

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)

DDD should've texted him on his Burberry. :twisted:

Did you mean blackberry or are you implying DDD is a chav

Rockbuddy

Kieran_Burns wrote:

What do you say?

How about:

Morning
See that pillock at the lights?
That road surface needs sorting
Where you going to / from?
Nice bike
When the hell are they going to improve this junction / light sequence / road surface
Have you tried that shortcut down by....?
How the hell fast were you going when you went past?
How the hell did you manage to stop in time when that pillock.....?

yada yada

Ok, so kinda small talk really. I guess I am anti-social, 'cos it just wouldn't occur to me to saying anything like that to other cyclists. I'm kinda with HeadHunter, if it don't directly affect me I don't really feel the need to say anything. I would, however, reply if someone talked to me (if I had the breath) as I am polite just not very sociable

lost_in_thought

Kieran_Burns wrote:

What do you say?

How about:

Morning
See that pillock at the lights?
That road surface needs sorting
Where you going to / from?
Nice bike
When the hell are they going to improve this junction / light sequence / road surface
Have you tried that shortcut down by....?
How the hell fast were you going when you went past?
How the hell did you manage to stop in time when that pillock.....?

I just don't see the purpose in it. I mean, you're most likely never going to see that person again, so why bother making small talk?

The only time I'll initiate conversation is if someone's been cut up by a driver/hit a big pothole/got a puncture etc etc to see if they're OK.

DonDaddyD

lost_in_thought wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

What do you say?

How about:

Morning
See that pillock at the lights?
That road surface needs sorting
Where you going to / from?
Nice bike
When the hell are they going to improve this junction / light sequence / road surface
Have you tried that shortcut down by....?
How the hell fast were you going when you went past?
How the hell did you manage to stop in time when that pillock.....?

I just don't see the purpose in it. I mean, you're most likely never going to see that person again, so why bother making small talk?

The only time I'll initiate conversation is if someone's been cut up by a driver/hit a big pothole/got a puncture etc etc to see if they're OK.

What if (by talking to that person) they end being the love of your life? Sure you can doubt it, but that's how it often happens, by giving them the oppurtunity of conversation...

If not that, anything could happen, by simply talking. We don't talk enough to each other.

Christophe3967

IME people rarely talk to each other in London although there are exceptions and I see a few people on a regular basis that I say Hi to. This is one drawback from wearing earphones of course...

roger_merriman

DonDaddyD wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

What do you say?

How about:

Morning
See that pillock at the lights?
That road surface needs sorting
Where you going to / from?
Nice bike
When the hell are they going to improve this junction / light sequence / road surface
Have you tried that shortcut down by....?
How the hell fast were you going when you went past?
How the hell did you manage to stop in time when that pillock.....?

I just don't see the purpose in it. I mean, you're most likely never going to see that person again, so why bother making small talk?

The only time I'll initiate conversation is if someone's been cut up by a driver/hit a big pothole/got a puncture etc etc to see if they're OK.

What if (by talking to that person) they end being the love of your life? Sure you can doubt it, but that's how it often happens, by giving them the oppurtunity of conversation...

If not that, anything could happen, by simply talking. We don't talk enough to each other.

some people are more chatty than others my wife is a london lass born and bred and has a tendicy to filter people out, where as I am very much a country oik at heart so i don't filter and do chat, though not that often on the commute much as i don't tend to if walking. tend to chat more when out about in the lanes or top of box hill say.

DonDaddyD

IME people rarely talk to each other in London although there are exceptions and I see a few people on a regular basis that I say Hi to.

And

roger merriman wrote:

some people are more chatty than others my wife is a london lass born and bred and has a tendicy to filter people out, where as I am very much a country oik at heart so i don't filter and do chat, though not that often on the commute much as i don't tend to if walking. tend to chat more when out about in the lanes or top of box hill say.

I'm not the most vocal of people... but I can't help but feel that London is wrong.

The sad truth is I needed a faceless computer to create new social interactions with people who, if I had met in the real World, probably wouldn't have given me a second thought.

Jay dubbleU

'Good Morning' round hear is SCR speak for 'Race Yer' :twisted:

Kieran_Burns

lost_in_thought wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

What do you say?

How about:

Morning
See that pillock at the lights?
That road surface needs sorting
Where you going to / from?
Nice bike
When the hell are they going to improve this junction / light sequence / road surface
Have you tried that shortcut down by....?
How the hell fast were you going when you went past?
How the hell did you manage to stop in time when that pillock.....?

I just don't see the purpose in it. I mean, you're most likely never going to see that person again, so why bother making small talk?

The only time I'll initiate conversation is if someone's been cut up by a driver/hit a big pothole/got a puncture etc etc to see if they're OK.

There is no point, and THAT is the point.

You're just being friendly. It makes people's days go more smoothly. As far as I am concerned I *like* people, I hate crowds but like people.

I see the same faces on the way to / from work and there is a social connection there now, and this because we take the time to be nice to each other

I genuinely have to say I am surprised at your response as you come across as a sociable person on this forum.

DonDaddyD

Kieran_Burns wrote:

There is no point, and THAT is the point.

You're just being friendly. It makes people's days go more smoothly. As far as I am concerned I *like* people, I hate crowds but like people.

I see the same faces on the way to / from work and there is a social connection there now, and this because we take the time to be nice to each other

+1!
I have ranted these exact words myself!
"As far as I am concerned I *like* people, I hate crowds but like people."

R_T_A

I consider myself a very friendly person who always smiles and nod at peds/cyclists on the way to work. But that's because they're more of a rarity than the crush of city life (lived in Greater London for 25 years).

Everyone is a bit more cynical in big cities - and it's normally for self preservation. If you're approached by a stranger you instantly think it's because:

- They want money
- They want you to buy something
- They're going to mug you
- They're a mentalist
- They're trying to hit on you (a compliment for a guy; can be threatening for a girl)

I've brushed someone off before in London, only to find out that they wanted to know the time :shock:

I've also tried to ask directions before in London, and had a girl visibly shrink away from me in fear. All she saw was a short haired 6'1'' 85kg white bloke coming towards her, and probably went through the above list in a few seconds.

I'm not saying it's right; it's just the way it is.

I'm glad that people still believe in being friendly though. My Mum brought me up with the old addage:

"A stranger is just a friend you haven't met".

Not:

"A stranger is probably an unemployed foreigner who's after your wallet and kidneys".

Don't stop starting conversations, just don't expect everyone to be as trusting.

*gets off soapbox*

Cafewanda

Jay dubbleU wrote:

'Good Morning' round hear is SCR speak for 'Race Yer' :twisted:

That's the conclusion I'd come to

Porgy

roger merriman wrote:

my wife is a london lass born and bred and has a tendicy to filter people out, where as I am very much a country oik at heart so i don't filter and do chat.

my wife is London born and bred and very chatty when out and about - always seems to be making friends just out in public spaces, wheras, I'm from Devon - used to the idea of people passing the time of day BUT NOT IN LONDON :shock: .

When I go back to Devon I have to de-Londonise - takes a while - though Plymouth's not as friendly as it used to be.

And London's not as unfriendly as it seems sometimes.

biondino

I had an argument with a Dynamo last night after I was startled to find him up my ars3 along New King's Road - I'd been intending to move out to avoid a pothole and he was right there. When we stopped at the lights I turned to him and said "could you warn me next time?". He seemed to think I was being ridiculous, and "didn't see what the problem was". I pointed out we were commuting, not racing, and if I'd had to brake suddenly, or move out - pretty likely really - it could have been nasty. His response was "oh I could handle all that". Not the point!

After he started moving off I shouted "Bad rep for your club mate, bad rep", and he slowed down and asked once again what my problem was. We spoke a bit more - not aggressive or anything - but I'm pretty sure it made less than no difference to his attitude.

However, this morning an experienced looking fixie rider complimented my bike - "I'd never take my Bob Jackson into town!". Thanks fella! And he had a Sheldon Brown sticker on his rear mudguard. Nice.