Why so rude roadies - why so rude?

Firecrakka

A smile costs nothing but gives much.
It enriches those who receive without making poorer those who give.
It takes but a moment, but the memory of it sometimes lasts forever.
None is so rich or mighty that he cannot get along without it.
None is so poor that he cannot be made rich by it.
Yet a smile cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen, for it is something that is of no value to anyone until it is given away.
Some people are too tired to give you a smile.
Give them one of yours, as none needs a smile so much as he who has no more to give.

MattC59

MrChuck wrote:

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?

Quite possibly, yes, but they're clearly unaware of their rudeness, so I'm just helping them and pointing it out. I'm just trying to help them so that they don't get a reputation for being an 'Ignorant Pr*ck'. Ever thoughtfull and caring, me

Anyway, if they choose to be ignorant/rude, they have to expect to be treated as such.

huuregeil

Ridiculous debate.

I generally pass more people than get passed by others. I always say hi, unless my head's down and I'm busting a gut.

A significant proportion of people i pass don't respond to the hello. Fine, doesn't bother me. I put it down to the startled rabbit effect - by the time they realise they've been passed *and* the passing cyclist has said hi, they haven't got time to react. Happens to me too when I get passed. So what? Nothing, nay bother. But I can understand why faster cyclists don't bother to say hi to people they pass. It doesn't mean eff all, so don't get your knickers in a twist about it.

feltkuota

I tend not to say anything when passing someone. Do not wish to appear a smug get by being all happy going past someone when they could well be suffering.

If I'm out on a training ride I always give cyclists going the opposite way an acknowledgement. If nothing comes back so be it no offence taken.

huuregeil

feltkuota wrote:

I tend not to say anything when passing someone. Do not wish to appear a smug get by being all happy going past someone when they could well be suffering.

Also completely valid, particularly on a hill.

APIII

huuregeil wrote:

feltkuota wrote:

I tend not to say anything when passing someone. Do not wish to appear a smug get by being all happy going past someone when they could well be suffering.

Also completely valid, particularly on a hill.

So, in summary:

Saying hello = smug get
Not saying hello = arrogant c0ck

You can't win

synchronicity

This has been debated many times before on forums all over the world.

The point is that you can be riding a Pinarello with assos or team kit, and you'll get your respective nod or wave back (I know). Ride down the same stretch on a MTB or else wearing t-shirt & normal pants and you are ignored (again, I know).

But therein lies the point:

IN EITHER CASE THEY HAVE SEEN YOU AND THEREFORE JUDGED YOU.

Why not just be friendly - doesn't take much extra effort... you've already performed a bit of mental expenditure in deciding whether or not they were "nod worthy".

"Diabolical, that's what it is"

Is encouraging all cyclists who don't look "professional" such a bad thing :?:
I'm of the opinion that if it has two wheels, I think they deserve some kind of acknowledgement... the world is too negative & critical already. I'm open to cycling, therefore I wave at all of them

So just wave or nod FFS. You can still judge them later, but that way, everyone's happy. :P

I wasn't always that way, I used to be a classic road snob, so anyone can change...

Lycra Man

nitesight,

Like you, I say Hello, nod or wave to everyone on any kind of bicycle, and sometimes pedestrians too, if we notice and acknowledge each other. Like you, I am sociable and polite.

About 60% of the time I get a response (wave, nod, vocal reply) and I would say that the majority of people who do not respond fall into two categories:
1. Roadies
2. People who just use a bicycle to go somewhere, as opposed to people like me for whom cycling is part of our lifestyle, whether for fitness, weight loss, preparation for sportives/Audax, etc

The chip on my sghoulder is that I have a flat bar bike, and think that roadies on drop handled bikes look down on me. There, I've said it. Feel better now.

So keep on being friendly, and enjoy it when you get a response. If you don't get a response, don't worry, because it doesn't mean a thing.

Lycra Man

timb64

Lycra Man wrote:

nitesight,

Like you, I say Hello, nod or wave to everyone on any kind of bicycle, and sometimes pedestrians too, if we notice and acknowledge each other. Like you, I am sociable and polite.

About 60% of the time I get a response (wave, nod, vocal reply) and I would say that the majority of people who do not respond fall into two categories:
1. Roadies
2. People who just use a bicycle to go somewhere, as opposed to people like me for whom cycling is part of our lifestyle, whether for fitness, weight loss, preparation for sportives/Audax, etc

The chip on my sghoulder is that I have a flat bar bike, and think that roadies on drop handled bikes look down on me. There, I've said it. Feel better now.

So keep on being friendly, and enjoy it when you get a response. If you don't get a response, don't worry, because it doesn't mean a thing.

Lycra Man

+1 on all scores

Gettingthere

I'm a complete newcomer, and though have some cheap cycling kit was wearing cropped jeans and vest top (I am female if that helps ), was out for a weekend ride (as transport rather than training) last weekend and got 'the nod' from two proper cyclists, on separate occasions, both coming the other way. Was rather pleased myself.

Haven't read ALL the posts here but would say that if someone says hello its only polite to say hello, nod etc back.

gabriel959

It is not a big deal is it?

I say hello and smile when I am not knackered (doesn't happen oftern though!) and to be honest I find that most other cyclists including roadies also answer back, if they don't, hey-ho ... who cares? It is their loss not mine

Gabriel

Woodchip

When travelling in the opposite direction to someone (on any bike) I'll give a nod or greeting call (not Tarzan like though). However, on the occasions I've passed people I haven't said hello first as I'd find it a bit rude if someone sailed passed giving greeting call as if they weren't putting any effort in. However, if I HEARD them say hello then I'd probably give an acknowledgement of some sort.

Might just be me though, and I may be arrogant. Oh well, I'm sure my weedy 12 stone body will survive.

Stuey01

I was out on a ride recently with a few people when coming the other way was another group. the hello's started at the leaders of each group then before you know it you're saying hello machinegun style to the entire line as they whizz past, as is everyone in my line and what you get is a cacophony of "hello, hello, hello, hello........"

It felt ridiculous.

I'll mostly just give the barely perceptible nod TM. Doesn't feel quite so silly as riding along bellowing out hello at everyone. Going the same way as someone, if at a similar speed, you get a bit more time so I'll say hello.
Rarely bother on the commute, but do so on a leisure ride, whether road or mountain bike.

These threads are common and mostly it is accompanied by some slating of the "offending" roadies related to their skinniness/carbon/fancy kit/shaved legs/all of the above, for me it says more out the insecurities of the poster than the snobbery of the "offending" cyclists.
I wouldn't fit the skinny/carbon/shaved profile so I'm not being all defensive here, I'm a hairy 14st+ mountain biker with a 2nd hand aluminium roadbike. I do have a flash castelli top though

fatandwheezing

The offical rules when passing a couple, is say hello to the woman, and totally blank the guy. Also, if you are the guy in the couple, you have to look as manly and threatening as possible, to ward off the gang of cyclists from your woman.

Loads of hellos when I was on the road bike yesterday, not so many when I went out in the afternoon on the MTB with the girlfriend, apart from a young lad who was out with his dad who cyclied along side me for a bit.

eh

Clearly none of you "Hello" people try hard enough. There have been plenty of training sessions in my life when I can hardly see further than the cassette whirring around on the bike in front of me, let alone wave at other people. Sure if you are out on a steady ride its nice to be friendly, but sometimes if you ride hard thats just not possible.

Moral of the story stop being such a sensitive, aggressive, b*gger. :roll:

bexley5200

i use to ride a flat bar road bike roadies just think your a lesure cyclest till i go past at 18 mph uphill tossers we are

Mettan

nitesight wrote:

Today was only the second time I'd ridden 20 miles. The last was Friday so only a few days ago. It was lovely, really enjoyed myself but the ride home was a bit of a slog as was mostly up gentle hills with heavy legs.

So there I am nearing home and spinning away in a higher gear to try and clear my heavy legs when I'm passed by two roadies.

Me - cheap jersey and cycling shorts, old Raleigh Airlite, 15st 10lbs and on the tail end of the longest distance I've done averaging 16 MPH with a max of 30mph at one point and very chuffed with myself.

Them - drafting so no doubt doing 40% less work, fresh as daisies and wearing what looked like rather pricey gear and bikes. Either not very hairy or shaved legs. (perhaps women? )

Why am I annoyed? They pass me but not at any great pace - going no faster than I had for the last 18 miles so as they pass I give a cheery "Good Morning!" & they BOTH blank me as if I didn't exist. :evil: They weren't working hard - no iPods or reasons beyond being a couple of elitist tw@ts. Not so much as a raised hand or look back and nod - absolute blank. You could almost imagine the thinking - "Oh Gregory, look at that puffy chap there, my shorts probably cost more than his bike! Who does he think he is being on the road with the likes of us?"

At least that's what was going on in my head - made me so mad that I had an adrenaline dump and could have probably caught the meandering pompous plonkers and reminded them that manners cost us nothing. Instead I fumed for a few minutes until a rather attractive young lady on a shopper said good morning and got a cheery reply in return - thus resetting the nob/nice balance to neutral.

If it was the same direction ?? then they might not have been expecting a hello - opposite direction, then sometimes people say hello, other times they don't.

Slow Downcp

So you call two people that you don't know "Elitist Tw@ts" and they're the rude ones? :roll:

I always try to ackowledge other cyclists, but if I don't get a response it doesn't bother me.

Stewie Griffin

I ignore everyone, Im a Londoner though. Its not good form to acknowledge folk you dont know. Picture the scene. Packed like sardines in a carriage stuck in a tunnel with someones umbrella up your nose. If you were irritated enough, you might clear your throat in the hope that the umbrella holder might notice that he had stabbed you in the face, if the next stop is yours however, you would probably just deal with it for a few mins and not mention it. No I dont say hello to people I dont know because they are on a bike at the same time as me. How weird would that be ?

will3

APIII wrote:

huuregeil wrote:

feltkuota wrote:

I tend not to say anything when passing someone. Do not wish to appear a smug get by being all happy going past someone when they could well be suffering.

Also completely valid, particularly on a hill.

So, in summary:

Saying hello = smug get
Not saying hello = arrogant c0ck

You can't win

I find that shouting "F*ck off" at all the other cyclists leaves no ambiguity.

CiB

Oh dear. Why are roadies so rude? Pick one from:

I've just done my 20th rep of that hill and am absolutely breathless, but am man enough not to want to show it.

You are the 83rd person so far this ride to imagine that I have the slightest clue who you are, and why you want to say hello to me, far less why you want me to say hello back to you.

At the precise moment that you shot past me doing 24mph whilst I was doing 32mph in my replica kit on a carbon uberbike in the opposite direction, I was breathing out; the moment that it was worth me responding had passed by the time my vocal chords could form any sound.

Because we are rude gits who really do eye up someone else's kit and ability before deciding whether it's worth responding to some inane greeting from someone who secretly desperately wants to be part of this club that we alone are members of, those of us with all the gear and the right idea.

Take your pic. Oh - you already have.

mask of sanity

Stewie Griffin wrote:

No I dont say hello to people I dont know because they are on a bike at the same time as me. How weird would that be ?

Not weird at all, sociable though (which can only be a good thing). Costs nothing to give a simple greeting/acknowledgement but means a lot to receive one so why not do it?! And if they don't reciprocate, oh well, just makes it nicer when you do get greeted with a cheery smile.

I don't get why us British seem desperate to avoid all contact with people we don't know though, it doesn't seem to happen in other countries... :? Is a shame.

2Phat4Rapha

Full on roadie, half my age (and weight!), fancy bike and all the gear, not only said hi at the weekend but pulled alongside to complement me on the speed I was doing on 'that' (that being a flattie hybrid). And no he didn't mean it sarcastically. Thanks to whoever you were, fair made my day! 8)

huuregeil

mask of sanity wrote:

I don't get why us British seem desperate to avoid all contact with people we don't know though, it doesn't seem to happen in other countries...

I take it you haven't ridden in other countries then?! I've found French/German/Swiss/Italian roadies far less communicative on the road (and it's not cos I can't speak the language - I'm only half british and have lived some years on the continent).

Additionally, snobbery is *far* worse elsewhere. Thankfully, the British still have some (quite strong) notion of the Corinthian ideal: maximum respect is paid to the man/woman who can casually roll up to some form of sporting challenge, with absolutely zero whiff of money, and nonchalantly demolish the field, while still being a good bloke about it. This really doesn't cut it with any of the Germanic countries (where if you haven't got amazingly up to date kit, forget about it, no respect, because if you had the kit you'd go even faster, and it just doesn't logically compute), the French similarly, the Italians (where it's all about style). Only the Spanish come close.

I personally aspire to going "evens" on a 25mile TT on a steel bike with box section wheels, no tri bars. That would be unbelievably cool :-)

mask of sanity

huuregeil wrote:

mask of sanity wrote:

I don't get why us British seem desperate to avoid all contact with people we don't know though, it doesn't seem to happen in other countries...

I take it you haven't ridden in other countries then?! I've found French/German/Swiss/Italian roadies far less communicative on the road (and it's not cos I can't speak the language - I'm only half british and have lived some years on the continent).

Additionally, snobbery is *far* worse elsewhere. Thankfully, the British still have some (quite strong) notion of the Corinthian ideal: maximum respect is paid to the man/woman who can casually roll up to some form of sporting challenge, with absolutely zero whiff of money, and nonchalantly demolish the field, while still being a good bloke about it. This really doesn't cut it with any of the Germanic countries (where if you haven't got amazingly up to date kit, forget about it, no respect, because if you had the kit you'd go even faster, and it just doesn't logically compute), the French similarly, the Italians (where it's all about style). Only the Spanish come close.

I personally aspire to going "evens" on a 25mile TT on a steel bike with box section wheels, no tri bars. That would be unbelievably cool :-)

I've ridden in France on a 20 year old steel frame and still got some friendly acknowledgements (I'm guessing friendly though as I don't speak French). I did see a lot of damn fine bikes out there though, a number of them ridden by 'snobs'. But what I said I meant in general not just with regard to roadies and cycling.

ogre

I find this really tiresome. A friend and I were out on saturday and while pausing for food, were passed by 2 guys (one wearing the Saunier-Duval kit). we both said some form of greeting, we were both wearing appropriate team kit for sheffield/derbyshire, both on nice bikes - nbut why should this matter?

We were blanked, they weren't out of breath, they definitely saw us.

It's very sad really, i'll greet anyone suffering on a bike, be they mountaineer, commuter or BMX. Consistantly, the only ingnorance is from roadies. In general they're good, whether I'm FCN 2 or 7 most people are friendly.

BUT the Roadies are the worst for it......Why?

Anonymous

Funnily enough when I'm in full road regalia I get the most blanks from MTBers!

lesz42

i get blanked by more roadies, then mbters ( am a mtber) but, there is always someone who surprises you!


sometimes you see a "real" roadie, smart kit, smart bike, and looks like he is in the TdF ( dont think he/she would give a response to a mere mtber) and does!, say hi or some thing, and the rider nods, or what ever response that works


had some walkers give me some homemade oatie/cherry cakes, i was pooped after a long climb, stopped by some cars, and one came over to me, and handed me some cakes


see a group of mtbers, and they blank me totally, so what gives?


peace to all i say!

Firecrakka

We all know, it doesn't take alot to say Hello.
There is good and bad, in everyone.
Learn to live, learn to see each other.
Just a simple greeting, I know what you're thinking.
Carbon Roadies.... and MTB's
Can live together in perfect harmony.
Side by side on the roadways, no way, I say, can't you see......

Anonymous

I tend to give a small wave when on opposite sides of the road or a nod and a morning or hello, when passed or passing. if you don't say hello, then I've won, haven't I ?