The demise of the cyclist's wave
Comments
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Chris Bass wrote:In fairness, if he had tried to stop he would probably have slipped on the very same bit of ice and you should have bowed to his more advanced riding skills in not falling off if the ice really was that bad!
Hang on, he just didn't dare take the same aggressive line as me
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mikeyj28 wrote:I may well get hammered for this but I couldn't agree more!!! I am so glad I am not the only one experiencing this when out on the bike.
I find this weird. When I ride down in Wales visiting the family everyone waves in my experience. Out for 6 hours on Bwlch and Rhigos last Saturday and everyone waved/nodded/even had chats (except for one person who was head down out the saddle going up Rhigos, so he's forgiven :P )
Now, where I live now is a different story...0 -
I think Brett has something here. I have been getting around to this post for a few days - I dont think this is really a 'cycling thing' but actually a 'rural/countryside thing'. I grew up in the country and people say hello and/or wave to fellow dog walkers, hikers, bikers, people in the high street in fact often everyone they meet! In the city this just doesnt happen.
And on my commute around the city I dont find many people wave and dont feel the urge to do it myself.
But my leisure cycling is on the rural roads outside the city and most there wave and/or say hello, even in Berkshire.
I think with the rise in cycling there are more cyclists in these rural areas that didnt grow up there and are not wise in the ways of the country - its not that they are being rude, its just that the concept is alien to them.
As for not stopping when someone has fallen or broken down, that is just downright rude wherever you come from and whatever form of transport you are using...0 -
apreading wrote:And on my commute around the city I dont find many people wave and dont feel the urge to do it myself.
But my leisure cycling is on the rural roads outside the city and most there wave and/or say hello, even in Berkshire.
I think the biggest difference there is commuting vs leisure, I bet you'd find people are generally less happy about everything on their way to or from work.www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes0 -
I've found it's got worse since I started 10 years ago. But then again there have always been miserable cyclist about. And the miserable ***nts invariably are over 40.0
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Ever ridden in Italy? They just do not wave. Well not at me anyway.Live to ski
Ski to live0 -
Overlord2 wrote:I've found it's got worse since I started 10 years ago. But then again there have always been miserable cyclist about. And the miserable ***nts invariably are over 40.
Is it safe to assume from your rather sweeping generalisation of the over 40s cycling fraternity, that you are under 40? Because personally as an over 50 cyclist I find the complete opposite to be the case!
In the digital, Facebook, Twitter online era the younger element of society (not just cyclists I must add) appear to have lost the art of simple vocal communication…if its not on their phone/tablet, then it simply isn't worth bothering with!
I also firmly lay some blame at the door of Strava, you see weekend warriors of ALL ages, chasing segments..head down, snorting like mad things to be KOM on a downhill section of road!! How really does that work!!
All in all I agree with the OP, but would not put the issue just at the door of the cyclist..it's society overall…it seems if it's not online then its simply not worth bothering with/about!! OK Rant over!!!
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I'm reasonably young, definitely part of the social media age being 24, but I always acknowledge other riders. Normally a nod in their direction or a quick lift of my right hand off the bars and I always feel put out a little when others completely ignore you.
When I'm on the more rural lanes I'll normally smile at walkers too, or say good morning/afternoon if it's a climb or going a bit slower.2012 Cube Agree GTC0 -
VinnyMarsden wrote:Overlord2 wrote:I've found it's got worse since I started 10 years ago. But then again there have always been miserable cyclist about. And the miserable ***nts invariably are over 40.
Is it safe to assume from your rather sweeping generalisation of the over 40s cycling fraternity, that you are under 40? Because personally as an over 50 cyclist I find the complete opposite to be the case!
In the digital, Facebook, Twitter online era the younger element of society (not just cyclists I must add) appear to have lost the art of simple vocal communication…if its not on their phone/tablet, then it simply isn't worth bothering with!
I also firmly lay some blame at the door of Strava, you see weekend warriors of ALL ages, chasing segments..head down, snorting like mad things to be KOM on a downhill section of road!! How really does that work!!
All in all I agree with the OP, but would not put the issue just at the door of the cyclist..it's society overall…it seems if it's not online then its simply not worth bothering with/about!! OK Rant over!!!
Nope 43. If someone has their head down going full guns they are hardly going to slow down and start a conversation. That I don't have a problem with. I do have a problem passing people who are out riding and cant be bothered to just acknowledge you are there. And yes I still maintain it is the senior end of the population.0 -
Do you lose sleep over it? Feel angry after the event? Sweat profusely? Do you turn round and chase said non-waving cyclist in order to find out why they didn't acknowledge you?Overlord2 wrote:I do have a problem passing people who are out riding and cant be bothered to just acknowledge you are there. And yes I still maintain it is the senior end of the population.
You and many others who seek attention whe out cycling need help, maybe a hug 8)And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.0 -
NeXXus wrote:
Do you lose sleep over it? Feel angry after the event? Sweat profusely? Do you turn round and chase said non-waving cyclist in order to find out why they didn't acknowledge you?Overlord2 wrote:I do have a problem passing people who are out riding and cant be bothered to just acknowledge you are there. And yes I still maintain it is the senior end of the population.
You and many others who seek attention whe out cycling need help, maybe a hug 8)
Exactly. I'm amazed people are so precious over this. So precious in fact it still upsets them several hours later and they need to share it on the internet.0 -
You can tell it is supposed to be summer.. a month ongoing this nonsense of a thread that you dont get in the wintertime, when people are less precious... well couldnt be bothered searching for sure.0
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I drive a car and ride a motorcycle periodically also. I don't nod at other drivers or riders nor expect to be nodded at by others.Overlord2 wrote:
I don't get where this arrogant ignorant thing comes from. I go about my own business when out on the roads, never felt the need for acceptance, acknowledgement or share a faux high five with someone on/in a similar mode of transport.And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.0 -
Well, 20 or 30 years ago it was pretty normal if you had a slightly unusual car (say a VW beetle or a triumph spitfire) to wave at other drivers in the same type of car. You'd probably think they were being miserable gits if they didn't wave back, simply because most people /did/ wave, so that was the default thing to do (no idea if slightly-unusual-car drivers still do that or not, I have a Ford Escort!)NeXXus wrote:I drive a car and ride a motorcycle periodically also. I don't nod at other drivers or riders nor expect to be nodded at by others.
It all depends on what the accepted convention is in a given situation. At least out of town, on quiet roads, in most parts of the UK, most road cyclists still acknowledge each other. That's the convention, so if you don't follow it some people are going to think you are being a bit of a miserable git. You could say that you don't agree with the convention and therefore don't follow it, but unless you have some particularly good reason for doing so that's just another way of being a miserable git.. ;-)
What's quite revealing in these debates about the merits or otherwise of waving is that you hardly ever (never?) see anyone say "well, I think waving is a bit stupid and pointless. Of course I do it anyway just because it's the done thing". That would be the non-miserable-git way of arguing from the anti-waving camp.0 -
It's a nonsensical cry for attention/acceptance from a stranger who happens who be using the same mode of transport.neeb wrote:
It all depends on what the accepted convention is in a given situation. At least out of town, on quiet roads, in most parts of the UK, most road cyclists still acknowledge each other. That's the convention, so if you don't follow it some people are going to think you are being a bit of a miserable git. You could say that you don't agree with the convention and therefore don't follow it, but unless you have some particularly good reason for doing so that's just another way of being a miserable git.. ;-)NeXXus wrote:I drive a car and ride a motorcycle periodically also. I don't nod at other drivers or riders nor expect to be nodded at by others.
A portion of these people also quote the velominati as some sort of fact. That's a discussion for another day
I will say it. It's stupid and pointless.What's quite revealing in these debates about the merits or otherwise of waving is that you hardly ever (never?) see anyone say "well, I think waving is a bit stupid and pointless. Of course I do it anyway just because it's the done thing". That would be the non-miserable-git way of arguing from the anti-waving camp.And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.0 -
You really believe that? That a friendly wave to a fellow enthusiast can be entirely summed up in those terms? That's horribly socially disfunctional (not saying that you are disfunctional, just that the culture that encourages that interpretation is).NeXXus wrote:It's a nonsensical cry for attention/acceptance from a stranger who happens who be using the same mode of transport.
Not much to do with shared mode of transport, incidentally. I doubt many of us wave at every commuter on an MTB on city streets.
If you were hiking up a mountain, would you blank someone passing in the other direction if they said hello?0 -
You sounded bitter in your opening post.....fuzzdog wrote:Right. I'm starting to think it's just my area then and thinking it's because it's the stockbroker, merchant banker effect. They get the whim to take up cycling and their first bike is a Dogma. They are all the same on the train in the morning. I don't have to wear a suit to work and they wouldn't give me time of day.
Oh dear, I'm sounding quite bitter aren't I.
But yes, you sure do now.....fuzz dog wrote:A year or so back my employer decided to change the pay date to the end of the month to be in line with everyone else. People were paid twice monthly to help with the transition. However because of my hefty train fair that meant that one of my pay packets was actually minus money. On the day I got a minus money pay packet I sat next to a guy on the train who decided to check his pay slip for the month. I was given an insight into how the other half live. He was earning more in a month than would normally get in a year. He had a deduction for a car that was more than my normal monthly payment. So I suppose if I were him I would go out and buy a Dogma too. Oh well, I think I digress.
I would still wave though. Perhaps even more heartily.
And still more now :roll:
I think you are making a lot of unfair assumptions about people.
Am sure some have acknowledged you (hand and/or voice) but you just did not notice.
Maybe they waved/said something first without you noticing, so your wave was the reply, and end of it as far as they were concerned.
I certainly do not wave/say hi all the time, and when I do its not (and nor should it be) always a very noticeable gesturing.0 -
What else could it be?neeb wrote:
You really believe that? That a friendly wave to a fellow enthusiast can be entirely summed up in those terms? That's horribly socially disfunctional (not saying that you are disfunctional, just that the culture that encourages that interpretation is).NeXXus wrote:It's a nonsensical cry for attention/acceptance from a stranger who happens who be using the same mode of transport.
But hiking up mountains, not much to do with that either. Why the disdain for commuters on MTB's????Not much to do with shared mode of transport, incidentally. I doubt many of us wave at every commuter on an MTB on city streets.
If you were hiking up a mountain, would you blank someone passing in the other direction if they said hello?
Arrogant of you to not want to wave/nod at them, they may well be fond of a " nonsensical cry for attention/acceptance from a stranger who happens who be using the same mode of transport."And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.0 -
Now you're just trolling, if you haven't been doing so all along...NeXXus wrote:
What else could it be?neeb wrote:
You really believe that? That a friendly wave to a fellow enthusiast can be entirely summed up in those terms? That's horribly socially disfunctional (not saying that you are disfunctional, just that the culture that encourages that interpretation is).NeXXus wrote:It's a nonsensical cry for attention/acceptance from a stranger who happens who be using the same mode of transport.
But hiking up mountains, not much to do with that either. Why the disdain for commuters on MTB's????Not much to do with shared mode of transport, inckidentally. I doubt many of us wave at every commuter on an MTB on city streets.
If you were hiking up a mountain, would you blank someone passing in the other direction if they said hello?
Arrogant of you to not want to wave/nod at them, they may well be fond of a " nonsensical cry for attention/acceptance from a stranger who happens who be using the same mode of transport."0 -
Ahh the troll cry, the easy way out And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.0
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Where I live there is a moderately large club of about 400 riders who all try to get into this clubs 12 member team, I must say firstly that I always make a point of acknowledging other cyclists regardless of if they're overtaking me or i'm overtaking them, I always acknowledge them either with a hearty wave, a serious nod of the head or a joyous vocal communication (as joyous as you can be when madly out of breath)
If ever I encounter a member of this club (always proudly clad in the team kit) I make sure that they see me acknowledge them, however I find that regardless of if I see one of they're cyclists taking it easy up a hill (yet I still cant catch them) or a large pack of these animals tearing up the quite country roads, I only get a response from about 1 in 20 , compared to other cyclists in various other local teams who I get a response from about 13 in every 20.
Do you think it could be a matter of they're ego's and pride telling them to ignore people without this years bike?
I must say that one of the best feelings i ever get is when I get a response from a fellow cyclist... It just makes my day 0 -
mincepies wrote:Where I live there is a moderately large club of about 400 riders who all try to get into this clubs 12 member team, I must say firstly that I always make a point of acknowledging other cyclists regardless of if they're overtaking me or i'm overtaking them, I always acknowledge them either with a hearty wave, a serious nod of the head or a joyous vocal communication (as joyous as you can be when madly out of breath)
If ever I encounter a member of this club (always proudly clad in the team kit) I make sure that they see me acknowledge them, however I find that regardless of if I see one of they're cyclists taking it easy up a hill (yet I still cant catch them) or a large pack of these animals tearing up the quite country roads, I only get a response from about 1 in 20 , compared to other cyclists in various other local teams who I get a response from about 13 in every 20.
Do you think it could be a matter of they're ego's and pride telling them to ignore people without this years bike?
I must say that one of the best feelings i ever get is when I get a response from a fellow cyclist... It just makes my day
Good God almighty, just how many more idiots like you are about?
There is a limit to cycling evangalism , you know... when it teeters into fanaticism.0 -
JGSI wrote:mincepies wrote:Where I live there is a moderately large club of about 400 riders who all try to get into this clubs 12 member team, I must say firstly that I always make a point of acknowledging other cyclists regardless of if they're overtaking me or i'm overtaking them, I always acknowledge them either with a hearty wave, a serious nod of the head or a joyous vocal communication (as joyous as you can be when madly out of breath)
If ever I encounter a member of this club (always proudly clad in the team kit) I make sure that they see me acknowledge them, however I find that regardless of if I see one of they're cyclists taking it easy up a hill (yet I still cant catch them) or a large pack of these animals tearing up the quite country roads, I only get a response from about 1 in 20 , compared to other cyclists in various other local teams who I get a response from about 13 in every 20.
Do you think it could be a matter of they're ego's and pride telling them to ignore people without this years bike?
I must say that one of the best feelings i ever get is when I get a response from a fellow cyclist... It just makes my day
Good God almighty, just how many more idiots like you are about?
There is a limit to cycling evangalism , you know... when it teeters into fanaticism.
Its almost scaryI'm sorry you don't believe in miracles0 -
SloppySchleckonds wrote:JGSI wrote:mincepies wrote:Where I live there is a moderately large club of about 400 riders who all try to get into this clubs 12 member team, I must say firstly that I always make a point of acknowledging other cyclists regardless of if they're overtaking me or i'm overtaking them, I always acknowledge them either with a hearty wave, a serious nod of the head or a joyous vocal communication (as joyous as you can be when madly out of breath)
If ever I encounter a member of this club (always proudly clad in the team kit) I make sure that they see me acknowledge them, however I find that regardless of if I see one of they're cyclists taking it easy up a hill (yet I still cant catch them) or a large pack of these animals tearing up the quite country roads, I only get a response from about 1 in 20 , compared to other cyclists in various other local teams who I get a response from about 13 in every 20.
Do you think it could be a matter of they're ego's and pride telling them to ignore people without this years bike?
I must say that one of the best feelings i ever get is when I get a response from a fellow cyclist... It just makes my day
Good God almighty, just how many more idiots like you are about?
There is a limit to cycling evangalism , you know... when it teeters into fanaticism.
Its almost scary
I think that first comment has tongue very much in cheekwww.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes0 -
My guess is that it mostly comes down to where you live, the type of cycling you do and how many other cyclists there are.
I'll bet nearly all of us would wave at another cyclist if we were on a long-distance ride across Peru and hadn't seen anyone else on a bike for 600 miles. I'll also bet that hardly anyone would wave at every city commuter on a Monday morning when there's one passing every 20 seconds.
Much road cycling out of town is somewhere in-between - maybe you see 2 or 3 other riders in the course of a 40 mile evening ride, in which case for me at least it would seem a bit perverse not to acknowledge them. But I guess if you are riding somewhere/sometime when you see someone every 3 or 4 minutes it starts to become a pointless irritation.0
