The demise of the cyclist's wave
fuzzdog
Posts: 196
Okay... Maybe it's just me but this is something that has been bugging me for a while now.
I have always cycled but I guess I became a "serious cyclist" in the eyes of other cyclists when I first bought myself a pair of lycra shorts some 3O years ago. From that day on I unwittingly became one of the gang because other blokes on bikes in similar attire started to wave, nod, or just generally acknowledge me when they passed in the opposite direction or heaven forbid if I was ever overtaken by someone they would probably say good morning or maybe even offer some words encouragement to ease the pain of being passed in the first place. Either way these simple acts of camaraderie would serve to lighten your mood, lift your spirits and generally make you feel that you were part of something great.
I moved to London, got married and had kids about 12 years ago and was not able to find much time for cycling at all. However a few years ago I moved back out to Surrey and took it up again. I've really enjoyed getting back into it and have taken on a few big challenges recently. There are so many more cyclists around now. Inspired I guess by the Olympic and tour de France successes. However. with the growth in numbers there seems to be a certain lack of that camaraderie that was once so prevalent when I first started out. With a few exceptions pretty much nobody ever acknowledges me back when I raise a hand in passing. And I'm not just talking about main roads here. Country lanes and the sleepy back waters of Surrey and Sussex when we are probably the only two people for several miles and yet most riders will not even bother to glance in my direction. Surely it's just common decency to acknowledge someone in that situation weather on a bike or not. Maybe because it's Surrey quite a few of them might be lycra clad, midlife crisis , £6000 Pinarello Dogma riding Bankers who have no respect anyway, but whoever they are it seems just rude and it hacks me off no end and leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. I'm not as fast as I used to be and I can't tell you how peed of it makes me when some git overtakes me without so much as a sideways glance.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that our sport has taken off in such a big way. I do think however that this lack of respect for each other is such a shame. I hope the "cyclist's nod" doesn't die out all together in years to come.
If you have been cycling for a while have you noticed this? Or if you are one of the newbie riders. Why the lack of camaraderie? Lets all be part of the gang again.
I have always cycled but I guess I became a "serious cyclist" in the eyes of other cyclists when I first bought myself a pair of lycra shorts some 3O years ago. From that day on I unwittingly became one of the gang because other blokes on bikes in similar attire started to wave, nod, or just generally acknowledge me when they passed in the opposite direction or heaven forbid if I was ever overtaken by someone they would probably say good morning or maybe even offer some words encouragement to ease the pain of being passed in the first place. Either way these simple acts of camaraderie would serve to lighten your mood, lift your spirits and generally make you feel that you were part of something great.
I moved to London, got married and had kids about 12 years ago and was not able to find much time for cycling at all. However a few years ago I moved back out to Surrey and took it up again. I've really enjoyed getting back into it and have taken on a few big challenges recently. There are so many more cyclists around now. Inspired I guess by the Olympic and tour de France successes. However. with the growth in numbers there seems to be a certain lack of that camaraderie that was once so prevalent when I first started out. With a few exceptions pretty much nobody ever acknowledges me back when I raise a hand in passing. And I'm not just talking about main roads here. Country lanes and the sleepy back waters of Surrey and Sussex when we are probably the only two people for several miles and yet most riders will not even bother to glance in my direction. Surely it's just common decency to acknowledge someone in that situation weather on a bike or not. Maybe because it's Surrey quite a few of them might be lycra clad, midlife crisis , £6000 Pinarello Dogma riding Bankers who have no respect anyway, but whoever they are it seems just rude and it hacks me off no end and leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. I'm not as fast as I used to be and I can't tell you how peed of it makes me when some git overtakes me without so much as a sideways glance.
Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that our sport has taken off in such a big way. I do think however that this lack of respect for each other is such a shame. I hope the "cyclist's nod" doesn't die out all together in years to come.
If you have been cycling for a while have you noticed this? Or if you are one of the newbie riders. Why the lack of camaraderie? Lets all be part of the gang again.
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