Why so rude roadies - why so rude?

Smokin Joe

Do I detect a bit of inverse snobbery in some of these posts?

So what if someone doesn't wave, surely you can't be so emotionally damaged by the snub that you have to fantasize about him being some sort of inadequate saddo.

Maybe he just thought you were an ugly b'stard and didn't bother

dbmnk

Ladies are easily distinguished from behind. Actually that is the most pleasing angle to view a female cyclist (for the most part), and also the reason lycra bibs were invented. Clearly otherwise a cycling skirt would be preferred.

pinno

CRUSTS - thats all - CRUSTS.

Wassafuckinmatter with saying hello, you pompous baskets ?!?!

Why do people read into these things and assume all sorts of dodgy excuses for not acknowledging another human bean - no matter what sex/size/shape/colour/hairy/non-hairy they are?

Basically what you should do is wear a sticky label on yer backside with your salary written on it and then people can decide whether or not they want to talk to you.

I finished the Etape Caledonia in May. Unfortunatly due to my dodgy immune system (Bone Marrow Transplant, 3 Hip replacements, Leukaemia etc etc, blah blah) and a resulting chest infection, I coughed all the way around - especially up the Scheichallion climb. I even had to stop at one point. Not a single FU**ER stopped to ask me if I was OK.

On a deeper level, we have yet to shake off the hedonistic and selfish culture brought in by Thatcherism and perpetuated by Blair.
Anyway, listen chubby chap - just you wait 'cos when you shed 4 or 5 stone, you'll be stomping by these ignorant folks - they won't be able to drop you. Then you'll be able to talk to them insessantly until they crawl off their bikes and into the nearest hedge. Make sure you ask what colour of underwear they are wearing and if they've had the squitters recently...oh and that time you visited the VD clinic and my god - have you noticed how small your todger is at the end of a long ride etc. Just attach a bungy chord to the back of their saddles to make sure. hee hee hee - good luck.

PedalMonkey

Garz wrote:

I caught up with a mr astana full kit guy along my 40 miler yesterday, I tagged behind him for about half a mile and he didnt even know I was there before I branched off in another direction. That or he simply chose not to acknowlege me as he was in expensive gear!

Taking a leaf from NapD's ideology I just wave/nod/smile to everyone, if they blank me then who cares right?

See that would really nark me, somebody catches me up, doesn't say hello and tags behind me ... maybe he knew you ?

dennisn

dmclite wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

Welcome to road riding.

+1,

surprised they didn't toy with you, must have been adhering to euro cycling rules.

+2

Some riders are just way too cool to acknowledge lesser mere mortals. Happens all the time. Nothing unusual about it and they do it to all they pass.

cjw

pinarello001 wrote:

Why do people read into these things and assume all sorts of dodgy excuses for not acknowledging another human bean - no matter what sex/size/shape/colour/hairy/non-hairy they are?

I used to walk down the street and wave and say hello to everyone I passed.... but they eventually came for me in a van and I spent a while in a padded room in a jacket with sleeves at the back

Now I have learnt and I only nod my head or lift a hand to cyclists... today everyone did same back but I couldn't care less if they didn't (or I didn't). Don;t take it personally, as it can't be. They don't know you.

joebingo

pinarello001 wrote:

On a deeper level, we have yet to shake off the hedonistic and selfish culture brought in by Thatcherism and perpetuated by Blair.

I don't think that Thatcherite businessmen are to blame for people not saying hello.

Sometimes, I don't want human interaction when I am out riding. Not always, but sometimes.

Anyway, the only people who I say hello to and don't get a hello back from, are the people on Hybrids and MTBs wearing normal clothes and no helmets.

General public, why are you so snooty and rude?

Smokin Joe

pinarello001 wrote:

I
On a deeper level, we have yet to shake off the hedonistic and selfish culture brought in by Thatcherism and perpetuated by Blair.

Well I've heard of quite a few things being blamed on Thatcher, but cyclists not nodding back to you must surely take first prize

Anyone going to bring Hitler into this?

cjw

joebingo wrote:

pinarello001 wrote:

Anyway, the only people who I say hello to and don't get a hello back from, are the people on Hybrids and MTBs wearing normal clothes and no helmets.

I got a great hello back from a guy in normal clothes on a hybrid as I went past on my carbon bike all lycred up and I said 'that must be hard work!".... he was pulling a trailer with 2 kids in the back

adydow

I always say hello or give a wave when passing or being passed by another cyclist, and its always nice to get a response or even when someone beats be to it and I reciprocate, cant see why people on here can't understand you getting annoyed when you get snubbed or ignored when been polite, sociable or show common courtesy, perhaps there the knobs that don't say hello or because they ride elitist bikes and wear elitist gear there above themselves and everyone else, it happens alot in mountain biking to.

Its the same when driving and you give way to someone and they don't acknowledge you. There just knobs.

Velonutter

How many times has someone waved at you and you only realised that they were waving at you after you have passed them...that's a fair enough excuse.

But please if someone said good morning to you whilst walking in the street you would be regarded as immensely rude if you didn't reply.

Same reply to when someone lets you pass when you are in the car, just ignorance not to say thank-you, Motor-bikers normally always wave even if it is just to lift their hand off the bars.

I was bought up in the old school to have manners, it takes just a few muscles to smile and say good morning and more to frown, what is this world coming to when a simple morning or hand wave is all that is required.

I know when I am out giving it my all that I would find it very difficult to talk and have a conversation, but I would never fail to wave or smile, so come on why the grief, nothing to do with being egotistic, just common manners that sadly many are forgetting now.

If everyone was courteous to others then wouldn't the world be a better place.

valerian

Slow-N-Old wrote:

How many times has someone waved at you and you only realised that they were waving at you after you have passed them...that's a fair enough excuse.

But please if someone said good morning to you whilst walking in the street you would be regarded as immensely rude if you didn't reply.

Same reply to when someone lets you pass when you are in the car, just ignorance not to say thank-you, Motor-bikers normally always wave even if it is just to lift their hand off the bars.

I was bought up in the old school to have manners, it takes just a few muscles to smile and say good morning and more to frown, what is this world coming to when a simple morning or hand wave is all that is required.

I know when I am out giving it my all that I would find it very difficult to talk and have a conversation, but I would never fail to wave or smile, so come on why the grief, nothing to do with being egotistic, just common manners that sadly many are forgetting now.

If everyone was courteous to others then wouldn't the world be a better place.

Here, here. Well said.

cjw

Slow-N-Old wrote:

it takes just a few muscles to smile

T'interweb tells me it's about 27 muscles to smile... that could be the difference of 0.00075 seconds in wasted watts

Velonutter

cjw wrote:

Slow-N-Old wrote:

it takes just a few muscles to smile

T'interweb tells me it's about 27 muscles to smile... that could be the difference of 0.00075 seconds in wasted watts

pmsl & how many to frown :roll: lol

Takis61

Thatcherism & Blair in the same sentence - what a twonk !
I'm with the hello to everyone brigade, if I get ignored usually I ignore it, sometimes I say fu2 under my breath, makes me feel better
On the subject of annoying, got passed & dropped on a nasty hill this merry morn as I'm sweating & gasping my way skywards, twat had the temerity to say hello as he left me gasping in his dust - now that is annoying !

Anonymous

It's easy to tell a woman cyclist. They are the ones that slap you when you touch their ar5e.

micaab

made a big effort to say hello to everyone today and was pleasantly surprised (except for 2 oldish and rather weird looking guys who made me want to put my head down and pedal faster),

crimsondynamo

Maybe they just couldn't be bothered because when being a pedestrian they don't say hello to every other pedestrian they see?

That's not a fair comparison. I used to ride a motorbike, and even as a high-viz bibbed, L plates learner on a 125cc I was struck by how every other biker would give me a nod. ZZ Top beardies on choppers to Valentino Rossi style "Power Rangers" with blacked out visors, everyone.

MTBers also look out for each other. I gave a noob my last inner tube down at Glentress the other week.

And when I rode road, I did so in full FdJ lycras which complimented my italian frame and colour coded-tyres!

nitesight

Maybe that's why i got so narked. I used to ride a motorbike for years and always got acknowledgment from others. I'm new to road riding and just couldn't understand the attitude.

The great thing is it seems from most of the replies on here the attitude can be common but isn't from the majority.

I'm a polite chap. I like to be civil. I hate how the little things like manners and mutual respect are slipping away so will continue as I have today and acknowledge the others out and about. I'll be glad of the replies and let the others pass me by.

Perhaps as the twenty milers move to thirty and forty one day I'll be able to chase down one and sit on his back wheel screaming GOOOOODDDDD MMMOOOORRRRNNNNNINNNGGGGG TTTTOOOO YOUUUUUU SIIIIRRRR! and then thunder past.

Mothyman

sounds like most of us love each other most of the time and sometimes we misunderstand each other when we mean well ...bla bla bla...... enjoy the cycling week ahead everyone....night night...I'm off to bed

Jay dubbleU

First time I got back on the bike and went for a decent length ride I had a visit from the PF - forgotten to bring some of the essentials - ie pump - roadie stopped, lent me his, offered a tube (unfortunately I was on the MTB so wrong size). Ever since I have always stopped if I come across someone with a problem - no RAC for bikes so I figure we need to help each other

mikeq

Generally I will say hello, nod the head or small wave and I wear team replica clothing.

Dont judge people by what they wear/ride. But then maybe I'm not a proper "roadie".

I will also stop if I see another cyclist in trouble. Myself and my mate were going around Loch Katrine couple of Saturdays ago, older chap on mountain bike had his chain come off into the BB on one of the hills, we stopped and helped him out.

There are occasions however where I am either blowing out my arse or off in my own wee world, so on rare occasions I might not acknowledge someone but it is rare.

Flasheart

dbmnk wrote:

Ladies are easily distinguished from behind. Actually that is the most pleasing angle to view a female cyclist (for the most part), and also the reason lycra bibs were invented. Clearly otherwise a cycling skirt would be preferred.

Too bloody right

Flasheart

I always nod and wave (from the hood) at roadies going the other way. I'd estimate 90% of the time it's reciprocated. Funny enough I rarely ever see a roadie going the same way as I am and I've not had anyone overtake me in months. They always seem to be going the other direction
I don't tend to greet non-roadies I overtake as they seem to be in a world of their own 1/2 the time ( the rest have MP3 players shoved in their ears) and I don't want to startle them and cause an accident :roll:
And the quote I saw before needs correcting:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to bury the bodies of the people that p*ssed me off

Anonymous

In fact I do actually say hello to most people that I walk past. In fact quite a lot want their photo taken with me when I'm at work.

However, no one wants to be seen dead with me when I'm riding my road bike as I insist on storing my energy replenishing banana in my shorts. Although that wasn't too bad after I learnt to put it down the front rather than the back.

I don't understand it, I always say hello to people but I sometimes get it in the village I live - I'll walk past someone, say hello and they don't reply but I just carry on regardless. You can't stop me saying hello. If I repeatedly see a non-responder I grind them into the ground with variations on hello and over a few weeks they tend to start saying hello back.

MattC59

Let's be honest, it's just bl**dy ignorant.

We've heard a lot of reasons (excuses) why they , or any cyclists, may not have replied to a cheery hello:
Concentrating too hard, out of breath etc etc.
The only good reason I can think of, is that the cyclist may not have seen you (obviously not in this case !).
How out of breath do you need to be, not to raise your hand in acknowledgement ? Think about it, you make hand signals to other riders with you.

And...... if they're concentrating soooo hard that they didn't see you, they can't be that road aware. Perhaps it's these guys who contribute to the bad name roadie have with other road users......................

In the defence of the OP, I don't think there's a frail ego, he's overly sensitive, has a chip on his shoulder etc etc, just polite and civil.

I find the best 'response' to being ignored after a friendly "Hello" are the words "Ignorant Pr*ck". It's amazing, no matter how softly you say it, the cyclist who couldn't hear you when along side, can miraculously hear, despite being a further 10m down the road.

(oh yeah, the above is with the exception of people with headphones in.)


I'm definitely with the "Hello" to everyone crowd, good manners don't hurt, and will get you everywhere in life (waiting for the smart a*se remarks !)

Aggieboy

Hello everyone.

synchronicity

A few of them blanked me because I was riding a MTB on the road the other day...

Little do they know I own 15+ road bikes here in Tenerife... :roll:

MrChuck

MattC59 wrote:

I find the best 'response' to being ignored after a friendly "Hello" are the words "Ignorant Pr*ck". It's amazing, no matter how softly you say it, the cyclist who couldn't hear you when along side, can miraculously hear, despite being a further 10m down the road.

Don't you think that's a bit of an overreaction?

CyclingBantam

nitesight wrote:

<snip> skinny guys with shaved legs could well be female from behind. </snip>

Ooh, ooh. I have a DVD that may inter..... oh, hang on.


Sorry, wrong forum. :oops: