Dour bloke behaviour on sportives

Alain Quay

Blimey I get tired of:

- blokes who will sit on your wheel but not say anything, let alone do their turn
- blokes who won't say a simple greeting
- blokes who won't acknowledge applauding spectators
- blokes who won't communicate e.g. with someone who has broken down,
taken a wrong turn, etc.

These are sportives I'm talking about, not races.

I wonder if cycling breeds a certain self-obessiveness. :roll:

Maybe organisers need to remind these people they are not in the TdF,
and they are average joes.

Roscobob

I asked a guy that had p*nctured if he needed a hand and got sneered at. Stain.

I know what you mean but they can be daunting for Noobs. I wouldn't like to get in the way etc. Always nice to acknowledge folk though.

Some folk are just dour though

GiantMike

On the recent Norwich 100, I regularly looked round to see a trail of riders behind me, never once taking the lead or helping out. The longest stint was about 10 miles along the coast into a headwind. It's nice to put the hammer down and drop them though!

LorneC

On the Trossachs Ton this past weekend, I stopped on the descent of Crow Road to give an unlucky cyclist an inner tube - he was trying to mend his FIFTH puncture of the day. My reason for doing this is simple - back in 2007's Pedal for Scotland I was in the same situation and had to wait 25 minutes in the rain for someone to offer me a spare tube.

Sure hope the guy was able to make it back to the finish without any more stops. I wore number 49, if that person is registered on this forum.

cougie

You do see some right to$$ers on these rides. My pet hates are the nobs that throw their gel wrappers and energy bars away on the roads, and the teams that think its some kind of death or glory race and will hurtle past your elbow with an inches space cos they're that close to dropping the wheel in front. If you want to race - go do a race.

ColinJ

LorneC wrote:

On the Trossachs Ton this past weekend, I stopped on the descent of Crow Road to give an unlucky cyclist an inner tube - he was trying to mend his FIFTH puncture of the day.

Hmm, it was probably not so much unlucky as careless or clumsy. To get that many punctures one after another would probably be due to:

Damaged or misalligned rim tape A thorn, nail or piece of glass stuck in the tyre Him damaging the new tubes when putting the tyres back on

As for dour blokes on sportives... yes, I've encountered them, on the Manchester 100, for example.

On the M100, I stopped at a red traffic light before a 90 degree turn over a singletrack canal bridge and had abuse screamed at me by the dour men behind me. They proceeded to shoot past me on either side and turn onto the bridge, only to be forced to dismount and walk back off the bridge by the oncoming traffic!

They were clearly devasted that their attempts to break the world record for a 100 mile potter around Cheshire had been thwarted. Well, I assume that was for the reason for them shouting at the motorists and giving them 'the finger'. Talk about "get a life"!

My mate used to ride around in a fast bunch to get a decent time in but he said that the risks they were taking going back into Manchester were ridiculous. For example - jumping red lights and sprinting through small gaps in heavy cross traffic.

rake

surely you cant speak to all 2 thousand people that may be there. after the 180th time in 15 minutes even hello might get a little tiring.

ColinJ

rake wrote:

surely you cant speak to all 2 thousand people that may be there. after the 180th time in 15 minutes even hello might get a little tiring.

Scowling takes as much time and energy as smiling!

amaferanga

Alain Quay wrote:

- blokes who will sit on your wheel but not say anything, let alone do their turn

Either can't (as was the case for the last 50 miles of the Cairngorm sportive where myself and another chap shared the front with a group of around 10 riders) and/or they're chasing a time they know they can't get on their own merit. Either way, they should be pitied, not scorned

Alain Quay wrote:

- blokes who won't say a simple greeting

I'll speak when spoken to or if I've been riding with someone for a while, but I don't feel the need to say hello to every cyclist I meet.

Alain Quay wrote:

- blokes who won't acknowledge applauding spectators

I never know what to do when folk applaud - I mean its not as if its a race and I'm winning or anything. People don't applaud me when I go for a 100 mile ride by myself at the weekend.

Alain Quay wrote:

- blokes who won't communicate e.g. with someone who has broken down, taken a wrong turn, etc.

I probably would point out if someone had missed a turn, but I wouldn't stop to help someone with a puncture. I wouldn't expect anyone to stop for me though.

Alain Quay wrote:

These are sportives I'm talking about, not races.

Yep, but if I set out wanting to ride as quickly as I can (within reason - I'm not going to ride recklessly) then I'm not going to stop to help some random fix a puncture. They may not be races, but they are events that people train specifically for. Why should I add 10 minutes to my ride time to help someone I don't know fix something they should know how to fix for themselves? :?

Alain Quay wrote:

I wonder if cycling breeds a certain self-obessiveness. :roll:

Maybe organisers need to remind these people they are not in the TdF,
and they are average joes.

I don't think anyone riding these thinks they're anything but an average/good amateur cyclist. Maybe you think that someone riding an expensive bike thinks they're something special but they don't?

STEFANOS4784

Alain Quay wrote:

- blokes who will sit on your wheel but not say anything, let alone do their turn
- blokes who won't say a simple greeting
- blokes who won't acknowledge applauding spectators
- blokes who won't communicate e.g. with someone who has broken down,
taken a wrong turn, etc. .

Fine for burds to do it though eh?

shockedsoshocked

cougie wrote:

You do see some right to$$ers on these rides. My pet hates are the nobs that throw their gel wrappers and energy bars away on the roads, and the teams that think its some kind of death or glory race and will hurtle past your elbow with an inches space cos they're that close to dropping the wheel in front. If you want to race - go do a race.

There's a few of those types round our way, they need to get a grip in a massive fashion.

secretsqizz

Have any dour blokes replied yet?

rake

cougie wrote:

You do see some right to$$ers on these rides.

why go out of your way to speak to to$$ers. i prefere dour to a gobsh1t.

Chip \'oyler

Problem is most Sportive riders haven't come through the 'cycling club' system, so haven't done social Sunday club rides. Which means they haven't learnt etiquette etc

verylonglegs

It's just life isn't it? There are rude ignorant types in all situations, whether it's a sportive ride, in the queue at the bar or the noisy chair kicking feckers in the cinema. Don't let it get you down and be grateful you aren't as stupid as them.

term1te

I always smile at any spectators who give encouragement. I rarely talk to people whilst riding on sportives, so I guess that makes me somewhat dour. I do talk to the people I've been riding with at the end. I had a really nice chat with a guy I'd been working with in a small group for the previous two hours at a recent event.

Had one guy at a small local event talk to me for ages. He was clearly faster than me, but hung back so that he could tell me that whilst he was 10 years older than me he was fitter and faster, whilst I was unable to string 3 words together between breaths.

Can I add another sign of dourness:

Blokes who don't thank the marshals and those handing out drinks and food. Seen some real rude people demanding their bottle be filled next, or just grabbing a banana without even looking at the volunteer providing them.

rajMAN

Chip \'oyler wrote:

Problem is most Sportive riders haven't come through the 'cycling club' system, so haven't done social Sunday club rides. Which means they haven't learnt etiquette etc

Absolutely Spot on!!

LittleB0b

STEFANOS4784 wrote:

Fine for burds to do it though eh?

i know - we get away with murder eh? <adopts winning smile>

GiantMike

secretsqizz wrote:

Have any dour blokes replied yet?

F*ck off

holmeboy

rajMAN wrote:

Chip \'oyler wrote:

Problem is most Sportive riders haven't come through the 'cycling club' system, so haven't done social Sunday club rides. Which means they haven't learnt etiquette etc

Absolutely Spot on!!

I havent come through the club system, but I'll speak to anyone on a sportive. Like to take my shot on the front although I'll admit I'm not fully comfertable cycling in a bunch for long periods. I love it when spectators applaud and usually respond with witty banter. Have never stopped to help anyone with a puncture but will ask if there alright? Don't drop any litter on sportives or just out cycling. A few years ago on the Cairngorm 100 I did sit on somebody's wheel into the wind, never had the stregnth to pass and take a shot but did drop off after about the 4th Glare.

pneumatic

I'm not sure the club system is a cure for rudeness.

As a determined but rather talentless amateur, I get plenty of identikit chaingangs passing me, testosterone-fuelled obsessives cutting in agressively without so much as a "how do you do?" I even had one fart in my face this weekend.

Some people are pleasant and sociable, some people choose not to be, some people just don't know where to begin.

BMX Bear

Never throw wrappers away, you carried them here, carry them home.
Always smile or wave at any clapping spectators. It's great that they even bothered to come out and cheer & clap.

If you're going to wheel suck, be prepared to be sucked yourself!!
I sat in behind a guy for about 5 miles of so into the second feed station of the Dragon, I thanked him when we pulled in and remarked how nice his rear hub was as I'd been staring at it for the last 5 miles!

It's true, sportives aren't races, they are usually full of want to be's and has been's - if you rally want to race theyn go enter a race.

Fcuk don't we do this for the enjoyment...?

gbs

@chip: The club apprenticeship theory seems plausible but I guess I have had contrary experience.

I have only done two sportives but on both the number of objectionables was greatly outweighted by chatty types/co-operators whereas on two club runs I have been undertaken whilst riding in secondary; I was a guest so may be I don't count.

On the second sportive I was vastly unamused when a team train of 4 young riders overtook me at speed at the bottom of a 17% slope but I was on the wheel of their leader at the top.

RichN95.

Chip \'oyler wrote:

Problem is most Sportive riders haven't come through the 'cycling club' system, so haven't done social Sunday club rides. Which means they haven't learnt etiquette etc

Conversely though, some club riders seem to have acquired a sense of superiority over the 'part-timers', seeing them as something of an irritation.

(They're in the minority, though. And I'm definitely suggesting that you're one of them)

peanut

amaferanga wrote:

[

I'll speak when spoken to or if I've been riding with someone for a while, but I don't feel the need to say hello to every cyclist I meet.

I probably would point out if someone had missed a turn, but I wouldn't stop to help someone with a puncture. I wouldn't expect anyone to stop for me though.

Why should I add 10 minutes to my ride time to help someone I don't know fix something they should know how to fix for themselves? :?

blimey :shock: Amaf is a dour bloke and no mistake

gbs

earlier post edited for clarity

amaferanga

peanut wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

[

I'll speak when spoken to or if I've been riding with someone for a while, but I don't feel the need to say hello to every cyclist I meet.

I probably would point out if someone had missed a turn, but I wouldn't stop to help someone with a puncture. I wouldn't expect anyone to stop for me though.

Why should I add 10 minutes to my ride time to help someone I don't know fix something they should know how to fix for themselves? :?

blimey :shock: Amaf is a dour bloke and no mistake

I guess I must be. I didn't realise sportives were all about making friends....

Bunneh

peanut wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

[

I'll speak when spoken to or if I've been riding with someone for a while, but I don't feel the need to say hello to every cyclist I meet.

I probably would point out if someone had missed a turn, but I wouldn't stop to help someone with a puncture. I wouldn't expect anyone to stop for me though.

Why should I add 10 minutes to my ride time to help someone I don't know fix something they should know how to fix for themselves? :?

blimey :shock: Amaf is a dour bloke and no mistake

He probably kicks homeless people too :P

I always stop to see if someone needs help if they're repairing, it's common courtesy but I wouldn't expect the same having seen some of the cyclists out there. Had a huge group scream past me at a good 30mph without any warning on a bend, not even a nod of acknowledgement from any of them. I'm afraid if anyone ignores me I follow them and talk to them all the way up steeps hills until they either smile or shoot themselves, either is fine with me

Gazzaputt

Another that hasn't come through the club system but I always do my turn on the front, offer help and love a chat and a laugh in the group.

In my experience in several different sportives I've found the club riders in a group to be the most obnoxious.

peanut

amaferanga wrote:

[

I didn't realise sportives were all about making friends....

its might not be about making friends but surely a large part of a group sporting event is socializing l isn't it ?
Strewth otherwise you might as well just ride by yourself .........oh you do lol

shmo

Hmm gotta say that you might onto a bit of a lost cause expecting everyone to acknowledge riders, spectators and people broken down.

Just think about the poor cyclist spending 10 minutes fixing his puncture at the side of the road in the first kilometre.

"You ok?"
"Yes."
8) "Need a hand?"
"No."
"Need some help?"
"No."
"Got a spare tube?"
"Yes."
8) "Need my pump?"
"No."
:P "You alright?"
"Yes."
5 minutes later....
"You ok?"
:evil: "SHUTUP SHUTUP SHUTUP."