Has Everyone Changed in the Last 12 Months

alistaird

All

I've been off the bike for about a year (due to ill health) and only just started riding again. Went out today and did about 20 miles and noticed that everyone I came across was rude. The other cyclists by and large ignored by 'Afternoons', Pedestrians walked in front of me with their dogs, the car drivers drove straight at me or nearly side swiped me. I don't remember it being this bad? :twisted:

Inspite of all that, enjoyed the ride...

A

denniskwok

I went past about a dozen other riders yesterday, all of them were friendly and all car drivers were courteous. Maybe you have changed?

elderone

All the other cyclists I seen today all waved and all said hello. Maybe you just picked a bad day to go out.

city_boy

elderone wrote:

All the other cyclists I seen today all waved and all said hello. Maybe you just picked a bad day to go out.

^^^this for me too.

MountainMonster

Glad you're back on the bike. I'm lucky to live in a very bike friendly town, so I get lots of hellos.

team47b

went out today and a cyclist waved to me and I was in my car :shock:

gubber12345

I was out yesterday and met a few cyclists,kinda quiet yesterday,1 spoke and the others blanked me(f**k you I said to myself and carried on)....the last guy I met was heading into the wind and I had just come round to the tailwind having suffered it for 15 miles and he looked p1ssed off so maybe that was his excuse.got cut up a couple of times as well and made the usual remarks to myself but got home safely in the end.

maybe you had one of them days. :P

awavey

I guess more folks were cheerier in the summer, but it depends on the route I take as I think one is used alot by club cyclists who are mostly friendlier, whereas the other is just used by people getting around who generally arent, and I chose the latter yesterday and not one cyclist waved, smiled or said hello back

even had one clubbie do the classic ghostrider stealth approach and extra effort overtake, who shot past with about 2inches to spare off my handlebars,without so much as by your leave, but once in front he was only pulling maybe a couple mph more than me as I was still keeping mostly up with him for the next mile till he turned off, which given I was on my clunky old hybrid and he was on his road bike, I didnt think was too bad.

For sure he was faster and for once probably didnt fancy drafting me and staring at my posterior for the rest of his ride, just been nice if he'd cheerily waved or said something whilst going past and perhaps given me a tad more space, oh and the usual cars must get in front stuff, but thats normal on that route, so yeah interesting ride from that front.

but I did get complimented on my Foska Marmite top which made me smile so it wasnt all bad.

alistaird

gubber12345 wrote:

I was out yesterday and met a few cyclists,kinda quiet yesterday,1 spoke and the others blanked me(f**k you I said to myself and carried on)....the last guy I met was heading into the wind and I had just come round to the tailwind having suffered it for 15 miles and he looked p1ssed off so maybe that was his excuse.got cut up a couple of times as well and made the usual remarks to myself but got home safely in the end.

maybe you had one of them days. :P

Indeed, but as it looks like a mixed bag of reactions, may be nothing has changed.... Some good, some bad, some indifferent..

Hope you all had a good weekend.

A

Jules Winnfield

elderone wrote:

All the other cyclists I seen today all waved and all said hello. Maybe you just picked a bad day to go out.

Same here.

But at least you are on the bike again fella after a year off. Enjoy

TakeTurns

Maybe you had your helmet on backwards?

alistaird

Jules Winnfield wrote:

elderone wrote:

All the other cyclists I seen today all waved and all said hello. Maybe you just picked a bad day to go out.

Same here.

But at least you are on the bike again fella after a year off. Enjoy

I did enjoy which was a good thing

diy

I was on my MTB yesterday and even a roadie said hello.

dsoutar

diy wrote:

I was on my MTB yesterday and even a roadie said hello.

It was probably me ! Seriously, I do think people are a bit more standoff-ish than a few years ago. I always say "'Hi" or some such and never, ever go past anyone who looks in difficulties without asking if they're OK. However two weeks ago I got a flat (bloody Surrey potholes) and 2 clubs and a handful of other lone cyclists went past without saying a peep.

Buckie2k5

I think the fact you were off the bike for that long you were dreaming off the day you would be out again.

Sun shining , chicks in miniskirts smiling at you, drivers waving at you, other cyclists coming along side and having a friendly chat.

Then reality hit, a country of unhappy impatient idiots, crap weather and lungs full off exhaust fumes.

caradale

I think you must have picked a day when all the grumpys were out. I had a puncture near Harby (notts) on Sunday
in the time it took me to fix it 2 cyclists and even 1 motorcyclist stopped to ask me if I had everything I needed and whether I needed any help. virtually all the cyclists I passed including roadies flat bars and mtbs at least nodded or waved, pedestrians and horseriders also exchanged good mornings. It does seem that the closer to city centres you get the less friendly people are though as its a completely different story on my comute into notts city centre.

kajjal

They are mostly very friendly by us with a few miserable exceptions. If you break down and stop most will ask if you are OK.

MountainMonster

madasahattersley wrote:

MountainMonster wrote:

Glad you're back on the bike. I'm lucky to live in a very bike friendly town, so I get lots of hellos.

What, in Cambridge? Probably 25% of the number of hellos you'd get back up in East Yorks

I'd be happy with that. My commute in from Hardwick is normally very friendly!

cycleclinic

Winter does make people a bit more miserable but most folk are friendly enough by British standards at least.

Baby Trek

I think you get a fair mix of friendly and grumpy as you do with walkers, horse riders, drivers etc. Generally I find people to be friendly - occasionally I will get the ones that cycle by and dont bother to say hello...usually when I have some high viz on!!! I dont care....I am out on my bike enjoying myself and never mind anyone else.

chris_bass

does it really annoy people if you say hello to a stranger and they don't say hello back? so they are riding a bike but does that mean they have to also be polite? if they aren't a polite person they are unlikely to be polite or friendly all of a sudden if you plonk them on a bike.

I say hello, give a wave or a nod to all cyclists, horse riders, runners or pretty much anyone I see out and about and I'd say my mood is affected about 0.00001% (I haven't done the relevant test to check the accuracy of this estimate mind you!) if they say hello back or not!

having said that, it did dawn on me after going to the cycle show that I probably forgot to say hello to about 10,000 cyclists!

Gazspurs

I've just moved to a little village outside Odiham & I find 90% of the cyclist very rude from where I used to live. shame really but hey-ho.

BrandonA

Were you riding on the wrong side of the road?

Or in a manner which would upset people such as too far away from the curb or passing other cyclists very closely?

MountainMonster

I had a brilliant ride in today. Fast paced, and everyone said hey that I waved to or said alright to.

I couldn't imagine it any other way. Back in Austria when I get to ride in summers everyone is over the moon to be on a bike, so you always get greeted. Lots of cycling fans, so if you are riding in a pack or going at a decent pace you sometimes get a cheer too!