Acknowledging other riders....

jamlala

Now I've only been cycling for about 2 years and only bought my 1st road bike in January, but I was brought up properly and I acknowledge every other cyclist that passes me in the opposite direction with either a wave, a 'hello', or a nod of the head, or even a mix of all 3. But I reckon that I get a response back from around 10% of people, and thats being generous.

Now some questions:-

1) Are cyclists rude?
2) Do cyclists not pay attention?
3) Is it that Essex people are rude? (I'm from Bath so no allegiance here!)
4) Any suggestions?!

All the above is tongue in cheek cos i'm not really that bothered, but interesting nonetheless. Also I can name some of the cycling clubs these people belong to as they advertise themselves readily on what they are wearing! Do I want to join that club?!!

Teach

Not rude in Yorkshire. Unless of course you meet me cycling up a hill where I am not being rude I am just trying to to get as much oxygen in my lungs. I have an inability to breath pedal and wave when going up hills.

anto164

if i'm pushing hard on a climb, i don't acknowledge other riders, because i need my concentration and both hands on the bars..

But normally i try to give a nod and a 'wave, but keep the hand on the bars' kind of action.

As for people who don't acknowledge me, it's normally people in full team kit, or some snobby local club members..

For instance, the only person who didn't acknowledge me yesterday, he was wearing FULL Team HTC Columbia kit (Socks and all).. Made me giggle really..

Philby

Find a majority acknowledge me, though there seems to be a game to see who can acknowledge another rider with a minimum amount of bodily or facial movement.

jamlala

anto164 wrote:

if i'm pushing hard on a climb, i don't acknowledge other riders, because i need my concentration and both hands on the bars..

But normally i try to give a nod and a 'wave, but keep the hand on the bars' kind of action.

As for people who don't acknowledge me, it's normally people in full team kit, or some snobby local club members..

For instance, the only person who didn't acknowledge me yesterday, he was wearing FULL Team HTC Columbia kit (Socks and all).. Made me giggle really..

I think the full team kit or snobby local club thing is a very valid point. As for the pushing hard on a climb, well, there ain't many serious hills round here to use THAT as an excuse!!

squigs

anto164 wrote:

if i'm pushing hard on a climb, i don't acknowledge other riders, because i need my concentration and both hands on the bars..

But normally i try to give a nod and a 'wave, but keep the hand on the bars' kind of action.

As for people who don't acknowledge me, it's normally people in full team kit, or some snobby local club members..

For instance, the only person who didn't acknowledge me yesterday, he was wearing FULL Team HTC Columbia kit (Socks and all).. Made me giggle really..

They are the ones that I like ove taking, they f**king hate it! tee hee. They soon overtake me again but the damage is done.

shmo

Some people think it's odd to wave to people that they don't know.

Shocking but true.

If you wave at me and I see you then you'll get a wave back. If I'm busy or don't see you then you won't get anything and no amount of posting on here will change that.

sparkins1972

I can vouch for the friendliness of the South Notts / Leicestershire / Rutland cycling fraternity - I always give a nod or a small wave and a smile if it's a fit looking female rider :-) i reckon I get about 80% response rate. the 20% being the 'serious' riders with full carbon, Dura Ace specced bikes with full team colours, cycling at about 0.2mph quicker than me, but with a full on race face. They are in the zone dont ya know.

thistle_

Around here it's probably about 50% who respond to a wave or a hello on my commute. It's normally the ones in club kits and spandex generally who are the friendly ones.

I find if you're out in the countryside and meet people out for a ride rather than riding to get somewhere (like work) then you've got more chance of a greeting.

I guess commuters aren't that friendly around here, but the leisure cyclists are.

canaryv

There's definitey 'one up manship' or plain snobbery involved here. When I ride my Trek road bike I'm acknowledged by almost everyone (except the real 'too cool for school' types, who to be honest are pretty much going to look down their noses at people in any walk of life). On the other hand, if I ride my flat barred bike I'm snubbed by 90% of exactly the same people.

Rich Hcp

There are miserable gits and rude people in all walks of life.

Most people nod or whatever.

It makes no difference which bike, road or MTB, I'm on



The only one slightly annoying is the guy (git) who lives opposite me and never says a word, got daggerswhen I'm on the MTB

We call him "serious bike man" takes himself far too seriously. Puts his serious face on and stands on the pedals when he sees me :roll:

I don't worry too much about it.

Easyriding

This "who waves/nods/says hello to who" is probably worthy of a psychologists study but I've found this; when I rode a hybrid, was generally ignored by everyone except other hybrid riders, even on narrow lanes where you can't fail to be seen by other people Got a road bike and was astonished to be shouted a greeting from another roadie 100 yards up a side road I was passing. Now get acknowledged by other roadies and ignored by most MTBers, including a young guy I see every morning on my commute.

On the occasions I ride the hybrid I get ignored by the same people who might have greeted me the day before.

But what the hell - if I make eye contact I'll say hi to anyone (did that sound slightly sad?). My philosophy, right or wrong, is that it doesn't matter what you ride as long as you're enjoying it, although I do agree that around here it's generally the team clones who are worthy of being ignored because they seem to have this superior attitude to us mere mortals.

ScottieP

I like to think that I'm pretty friendly - so I do try to acknowledge most cyclists on the road - the only ones I don't are generally trying so hard not to acknowledge me that they look like they could crash at any moment. I think most people are pretty friendly and I'll say hello to walkers, runners, horse riders as well as cyclists - but you do get those odd rides where virtually no one on a bike acknowledges you. On the whole I find at least half say hello or give you a nod or a wave. Perhaps it's the nicer weather - but more people seem happier and friendlier on their bikes to me in the last month or so.

Ultimately I don't mind whether people do or don't but I kind of feel it's a good example as a cyclist to be friendly - so I keep doing it and I'll leave it to others to decide if they're going to acknowledge or not.

Ben6899

I say hello or nod the head to everyone I pass. Roadies, MTBers, commuters, runners, people walking the dog/to the pub. I'm that kind of bloke.

Got talking to another Roadie today in Darrington - he passed me as I was getting up to speed out of a junction and then I caught him as the stupid traffic lights (if you're from round my way, you'll know which ones!) meant I had more momentum. We had a good natter about where we'd been, where we were going and what we thought of The Tour.

The social element is always nice when you've been burying yourself for 50miles!

rake

what if its a milk float or a postbike. there must be a line somewhere.

woodywmb

In Scotland, we stop on long tours and share a dram from our bidons. But only with brother bikers who are also wearing tartan lycra.

Bunneh

Vast majorit of cyclists I meet tend to wave or nod. Some are just eyes fixed ahead then there are those, like the brain dead morons who screamed past me at 30, inches from my right hand side. Not a word they were coming through. I call them types 'cocks'.

Teach

I also acknowledge other road users, especially if they give me a safe overtaking width or stop/slow down so as not to try and drive through traffic calming islands at the same time. Hopefully by saying thank you they'll continue to be kind to other cyclists.

Hals1967

Most other roadies I encounter nod or say hi and I always acknowledge others where practicable.

Must be a sale on full HTC-Columbia kits somewhere, I passed guy coming the other way in one the other evening - no snobbery there he gave me a wave through his Highroad mitts !

red dragon

Most in North Yorkshire acknowledge, but there is the odd one who does not. That`s life I guess.

rake

penugent

JamLala wrote:

, but I was brought up properly and I acknowledge every other cyclist that passes me in the opposite direction with either a wave, a 'hello', or a nod of the head, or even a mix of all 3. quote]

What sort of statement is that? Do you wave at other peds that you pass when out walking? Do you wave at other drivers when you are out driving?

I only wave at cyclists I know, in the same way that I only wave at people I know when walking or driving - to do otherwise is a bit strange in my opinion. I must admit that I always return a wave from other cyclists, whether I know them or not, as I think think that this is polite. However, I don't believe in anything like a 'brotherhood of the wheel' or whatever.

jamlala

penugent wrote:

JamLala wrote:

, but I was brought up properly and I acknowledge every other cyclist that passes me in the opposite direction with either a wave, a 'hello', or a nod of the head, or even a mix of all 3. quote]

What sort of statement is that? Do you wave at other peds that you pass when out walking? Do you wave at other drivers when you are out driving?

I only wave at cyclists I know, in the same way that I only wave at people I know when walking or driving - to do otherwise is a bit strange in my opinion. I must admit that I always return a wave from other cyclists, whether I know them or not, as I think think that this is polite. However, I don't believe in anything like a 'brotherhood of the wheel' or whatever.

I think you take what I wrote far too literally, I certainly don't believe in a brotherhood of the wheel either so your patronising tone is not necessary!! Ever heard of tongue in cheek?!

neeb

I wave at other roadies, and although I don't wave first at commuters or MTBers (too many of them!), if they wave I wave back. In the same way I don't wave at other drivers when I pass them, but I remember when my dad had a soft-top MGB in the late 70s he would always wave or toot when he passed another MG, and always get the same back. It's just basic camaraderie with people you have something in common with, surely a normal human trait.

lukasran

yes wave and nod but when im out scalping of a weekend or commute i would prefer a small set of signals to tell me if there is a cyclist ahead and how far. i would of course do the same, then we both benefit from the exchange and insecure people dont need to rant on here.

TwistedSpirit

red dragon wrote:

Most in North Yorkshire acknowledge, but there is the odd one who does not. That`s life I guess.

I found that yesterday. Everyone around Pickering waved/said hello back except one person.
He was wearing a yellow jersey... Connection maybe?

Bunneh

Ignore everyone, especially filthy MTBers! Make sure you pass other cyclists 2 inches from their handlebars with no prior warning and try to throw your waterbottle so that it gets stuck in their spokes.

:shock:

jamlala

lukasran wrote:

yes wave and nod but when im out scalping of a weekend or commute i would prefer a small set of signals to tell me if there is a cyclist ahead and how far. i would have course do the same, then we both benefit from the exchange and insecure people dont need to rant on here.

Insecure people can get over themselves, and people who think they're far more important can carry on doing the same.....

DCowling

I've only been into the riding for just over a month, I currently ride a FSB as it is all I have to use.
wk 1= trainers shorts and T or vest, only person to wave, Mrs Goggins on her shopper

Wk 2= Bike shorts under baggies, got a friendly nod of other MTB,s

Wk 3 = Gloves, now this must be serious, it's as if I have remioved my invisbility cloak, and more people are aknowledging me

Wk 4 = all Lycra and helmet and gloves. nearly all pass by with a nod, wave , knowing smile ( each of us laughing because we think the hill behind us is harder than the one in front). I now even get the occasional hello or some other nicety
But i still get ignored by some of the more... erm....... " dedicated" types, never mind that I have just done that hill on a bike twice the weight of theirs complete with 2" wide knobbly tyres

gpsBRM

Totally depends on bike your riding. I have a range of bikes and consider myself a cyclist (not a roadie, MTBer, commuter etc etc). My main disapline is MTBing and commuting though. I noticed it totally depends on what bike your out on. If I'm out on any MTB off road, everyone always says hello or nods etc, sometimes even stop for a chat etc. However on an MTB on the road no one bothers, although if I'm out on my S-Works Epic I do get the occasional nod from in the know roadies.

If I'm commuting on my Kaffenback then nobody nods. However out on an evening ride you get the occasional nod, or grunt if I take a carbon'd up roadie on a hill .

On my road bike every other roadie nods or waves or says hello. Now thats not a new road bike but a 20 year old steely. But this only happens when lycra'd up. If I have baggys and a messenger bag on then nobody nods.

Now on the Brompton nobody even bats an eyelid. Not even other Brompton users

DCowling

it makes the class system look like playground petulance