London Roadies Cheer Up

NWLondoner

What is it with London Roadies??

Yesterday i went for a ride in the Surrey Hills and every roadie inc 2 that were hammering it down Staple Lane managed to give a nod,smile or say hi.

As soon as I hit London and then RP all you get is blank expressions :roll:

daviesee

Extend that to Londoners in general.

For a group of people that live in the "best place in the world" the are not half a miserable bunch :roll:

Actually, extend that to all major city dwellers :evil:

Tonymufc

daviesee wrote:

Extend that to Londoners in general.

For a group of people that live in the "best place in the world" the are not half a miserable bunch :roll:

Actually, extend that to all major city dwellers :evil:

Not all city dwellers mate. Us mancs are the happiest bunch of mofo's you'll ever find.

sungod

oi! we're not all grumpy sods, although there certainly are a few

i usually say/gasp "morning" to others as i go around regents park, mostly i get it reciprocated

in many parts of london, strangers coming up to you and saying hello tend to be either on the cadge, preparing to rob/attack you, off their nuts from drink and/or drugs, or victims of care in the community, so after a while you tend to blank people by reflex, probably similar in other big cities

but i've had the same out in the country, weirdly i experienced friendly van drivers but the miserable git on a bike wouldn't even give a nod, mind you he was on a mtb...

cookiemonster

I think its just numbers - if you nod or wave at everyone you pass on a bike in London you may as well set up a direct debit with the physio to help with the neck problems you're going to have

Bobbinogs

My experience is that it is a bit like that old black and white tv sketch with John Cleese and Ronnie Corbett (or something like that)..."I look down on him and he looks down on..."
I am not sure of the pecking order in bikes (but my own preference would be to see roadies at the top ) but I find that when riding my wife's MTB only old ladies walking their dogs say "hello", riding my hybrid and I get the occasional nod from roadies, whereas riding my road bike gets me a decent nod rate from any chain gangs going past but no smiles from pedestrians.

Then again, could be my ginger hair giving me an inferiority complex (might also explain the "Oi, ginger" shouts I get ).

MadammeMarie

Why would I want to say good morning to a passing stranger? Just because he/she is in a bike? Do people get on trains saying hello to each other? No they don't! They are all passengers, but that's it!

I say good morning to the guy at the security check point in Canary Wharf, but that's because I ask him which way to go.

Besides, we are busy dodging the traffic!!!

freehub

MadammeMarie wrote:

Why would I want to say good morning to a passing stranger? Just because he/she is in a bike? Do people get on trains saying hello to each other? No they don't! They are all passengers, but that's it!

I say good morning to the guy at the security check point in Canary Wharf, but that's because I ask him which way to go.

Besides, we are busy dodging the traffic!!!

Actually, you'll find they're on a bike, unless it's slightly different down south?

hopper1

Tonymufc wrote:

daviesee wrote:

Extend that to Londoners in general.

For a group of people that live in the "best place in the world" the are not half a miserable bunch :roll:

Actually, extend that to all major city dwellers :evil:

Not all city dwellers mate. Us mancs are the happiest bunch of mofo's you'll ever find.

'Cos you're all wasted! :shock:

White Line

freehub wrote:

MadammeMarie wrote:

Why would I want to say good morning to a passing stranger? Just because he/she is in a bike? Do people get on trains saying hello to each other? No they don't! They are all passengers, but that's it!

I say good morning to the guy at the security check point in Canary Wharf, but that's because I ask him which way to go.

Besides, we are busy dodging the traffic!!!

Actually, you'll find they're on a bike, unless it's slightly different down south?

Mike67

MadammeMarie wrote:

Why would I want to say good morning to a passing stranger? Just because he/she is in a bike? Do people get on trains saying hello to each other? No they don't! They are all passengers, but that's it!

I say good morning to the guy at the security check point in Canary Wharf, but that's because I ask him which way to go.

Besides, we are busy dodging the traffic!!!

I guess if you're in commuterville then everyone is miserable doing the daily work/grind routine.

I wouldn't say hello to everyone on a train of course, that would be straight out of the nutters textbook I would say 'how do' (being northern) to people I sat next to though, just out of courtesy.

On the road, depending how knackered I am I nod, raise a hand off the bars or even say hello to most every cyclist I pass. Possibly giving hoodies on dodgy bikes a miss (stereotyping I know
90% will give a response, I see it as acknowledging that someone else shares your specific interest (train commuting isn't a hobby or a sport...yet) and is most likely feeling as knackered as you are...I believe it's called empathy.

daviesee

MadammeMarie wrote:

Why would I want to say good morning to a passing stranger? Just because he/she is in a bike? Do people get on trains saying hello to each other? No they don't! They are all passengers, but that's it!

I say good morning to the guy at the security check point in Canary Wharf, but that's because I ask him which way to go.

Besides, we are busy dodging the traffic!!!

Thanks for proving the point so well

How many times do you have to ask a security guy which way to go? :shock:

Strangers are just people you haven't met :?

deptfordmarmoset

There was a guy I used to cross on an old commute. He'd always make the effort to wave or shout ''hello'' with such a sense of enthusiasm for being out on a bike on a winter's morning, that I miss crossing him now - it always made my ride a real pleasure.

(In London, and I guess the OP's right - it all becomes a little too inturned and sulky slog....)

Gazzaputt

Always give a wave on W/E rides.

Commutes only to the regular faces I see.

TheStone

NWLondoner wrote:

What is it with London Roadies??

Yesterday i went for a ride in the Surrey Hills and every roadie inc 2 that were hammering it down Staple Lane managed to give a nod,smile or say hi.

As soon as I hit London and then RP all you get is blank expressions :roll:

Doesn't really work on the commute as too busy trying not to be killed.
RP is so busy it's not practical to nod/smile/wave to everyone. Head down. Pain.

Le Commentateur

The expected gift is not worth giving.

Anonymous

Le Commentateur wrote:

The expected gift is not worth giving.

True, so true.

nolf

Le Commentateur wrote:

The expected gift is not worth giving.

I expect a blowjob on valentines day, is that not worth giving?

redddraggon

If I lived in London I'd be depressed too.

Monty Dog

When I used to work in London and trained in RP 20 years ago - I'd wave to the only other cyclist, Howard I'd sometimes see in the park at lunchtimes!

Le Commentateur

daviesee wrote:

Extend that to Londoners in general.

For a group of people that live in the "best place in the world" the are not half a miserable bunch :roll:

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.
– Samuel Johnson (Dead)

MrBlond

This man is tired of every single black cab trying to kill him on the way in

daviesee

Le Commentateur wrote:

daviesee wrote:

Extend that to Londoners in general.

For a group of people that live in the "best place in the world" the are not half a miserable bunch :roll:

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.
– Samuel Johnson (Dead)

But then, he also wrote this..

"Human life is everywhere a state in which much is to be endured, and little to be enjoyed."

He was a great writer and good for a useful quote.

Doesn't mean he was right. I am though, obviously

CakeHag1

I guess I thought it was a universal sorta thing, greeting someone else on their bike when approaching or passing. It could well be that the only single thing we have in common is that we each made the conscious choice to ride but that ain't insignificant. Always appreciated the brotherhood (or sisterhood) in cycling and I respect it, too. Once we were stopped at an intersection and these redneck jimboodies in, of course, a pick up truck (probably full of beer bottles and deer parts in the back) were giving us some grief. We got a hugely warm and appreciative chuckle out of a group out training on the crossing street collectively flipping the rednecks off for us.

markwalker

nolf wrote:

Le Commentateur wrote:

The expected gift is not worth giving.

I expect a blowjob on valentines day, is that not worth giving?

I find them worth recieving, not sure its a gift id like to give

VinceEager

its not about being miserable in london - its that you get so used to living amongst so may people all doing their own thing that you just tend to ignore them and live within your own life / space.

MadammeMarie

Mike67 wrote:

I guess if you're in commuterville then everyone is miserable doing the daily work/grind routine.

Nope, not misserable. Love my commute, even with strong headwinds!

MadammeMarie

daviesee wrote:

How many times do you have to ask a security guy which way to go? :shock:

Strangers are just people you haven't met :?

They change it every day, so I have to first draw their attention to myself and then, ask them which way. They split the lane in 2, one for security checkups, another one to just go through.

Strangers are strangers. I sometimes do talk to other cyclists while waiting at the lights, but to say "good morning" to every passing cyclist? I'd ran out of breath within the first 2 miles! There are lots of us here, y'know...?

MadammeMarie

redddraggon wrote:

If I lived in London I'd be depressed too.

Bollocks! You are just jealous....! :P