To say hello....or not bother?

Robi55

A road riding point of ettiqute. I've been road riding for 10 years, mainly in the central Bedfordshire region. When I started out, I would estimate 9/10 riders would say hello or good morning, or at least wave. It was polite and friendly and engendered a feeling of togetherness which surprised me but was welcome. Out on my ride yesterday, after I was completely ignored even after calling out "Morning" enthusiastically to the first three riders - including one who was passing me! - I gave up. Which is a shame. I live in an area of the county that has had a massive influx of new folk many of whom have moved out from London and surrounds, which means there are more bikes on the road (good) but ridden by folk a whole lot less friendly than used to be case (bad). I commute 18 miles a day by bike as well as doing Sat or Sunday morning rides, (commuting is a whole lot tougher btw) and have never understood the aloof or snotty attitude of some of the folk out on a Sunday morning. What's the general opinion here? Should I "just get over myself" about something that doesn't really matter, or is friendliness and etiquette among cyclists on the road still important?

RedClip

I mainly ride on country lanes, so I say hello or wave to cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders.
The only time I don't, is when the other cyclist is about to be overtaken by a vehicle(s).
I don't want to distract them.

Some people are grumpy bastards by nature, and will never reply.
Just keep saying hello and spreading the positivity

amrushton

I always say hello or just raise a hand but some riders are just to cool for school. Aeroed up and looking ahead they seem to have a 100m stare straight ahead.

de_sisti

Don't let the fact that other riders acknowledge you be a cause of ire. Perhaps you're not as interesting as you think (don't rule it out). Let it go and move on to more important things in your life (if there are any).

webboo

I find that lady riders always give you a cheery hello and a big smile. However most blokes who say hello, or wave are a little bit grumpy, especially if they are riding with a smiley lady.

fenix

Might be new riders who aren't used to people saying hello. And it's possible you didn't hear them reply.

I'll always say hello or nod or wave unless I'm distracted.

Cargobike

amrushton said:

I always say hello or just raise a hand but some riders are just to cool for school. Aeroed up and looking ahead they seem to have a 100m stare straight ahead.

Strava fanboys taking themselves far too seriously.

Far too many have all the gear, but no idea.

Newbies are usually pretty easy to spot and all you can do is try to encourage a bit of like minded camaraderie, but there is definitely a large number of wannabe KOM slayers who think they are far too good to nod, wave or say "hi" to a pleb like me.

I like being sociable with anyone I meet, a thumbs up for the driver who is considerate around me, a big grin for the young kids just starting out on their two-wheeled adventures, a bashful smile for the pretty young ladies, an "ay up" for the seasoned rider.

Conversely, I have been known to be a bit of a grump to the motorists who try to be a PITA and those cyclists who go out of their way to not see or acknowledge me, I'm pretty hard to miss at 6'4", quite often to be found riding a huge cargobike.

Like manners, it costs nothing to be pleasant, especially in these odd times. Keep on being open and generous with your greetings, perhaps more fellow riders will, with time take notice.

pblakeney

Must say that cycling has become a much more pleasant social experience with the onset of exiled gym bunnies counter acting the Strava warriors.
Lockdown has had it's share of plus points.

MTB_Roadtripper

I love Strava and a wave. Strange breed.

shirley_basso

Depends where you ride, some places busier than others where waving at everyone may make you lose control of your bike.

Some people are riding hard and focused on something else and don't want to break their rhythm or just didn't see you.

Some people are pottering and not taking their ride too seriously.

Some people take cycling like long distance lorry driving who have to flash their headlights at every other lorry.

Live and let live.

Personally, I mix it up, depending if I'm wearing Rapha or not

pinno

A nod, a wave, a hello - not hard is it ffs.

If someone doesn't reply to me, I often say sarcastic things loudly like "pleased to meet you too". F*ck em, miserable baskets.

webboo

I do my best to nod at least even when I’m in the middle of an interval.

joe2019

shirley_basso said:

Depends where you ride, some places busier than others where waving at everyone may make you lose control of your bike.

Hope they don't get thirsty.

Cargobike

pinno said:

A nod, a wave, a hello - not hard is it ffs.

If someone doesn't reply to me, I often say sarcastic things loudly like "pleased to meet you too". F*ck em, miserable baskets.

Thank god it's not just me!

cruff

This again? Why are people obsessed with whether someone waves at you or not?

Generally I let on. I don't do it if I'm in the middle of an interval or a dodgy descent. The fact that I let on makes no difference to my life or anyone else's life, and the fact that people sometimes acknowledge it and sometimes don't similarly makes no difference.

I don't wave to every driver I pass when I'm in my car, or every pedestrian I pass when I'm walking, and don't expect them to do so in return.

God, this obsession with it drives me mental - local Facebook riding groups have a post like this seemingly every week - usually filled with comments from people moaning about 'fast' cyclists, or 'Rapha louts', or people wearing dark clothing, or having expensive bikes but still being passed by a girl, or some other whinge.

Get on with your life FFS - stop obsessing about what other people are doing!

There's nobody who hates cyclists more than other cyclists 😒

pblakeney

cruff said:

There's nobody who hates cyclists more than other cyclists 😒

One for the irony thread?

joe2019

cruff said:

This again? Why are people obsessed with whether someone waves at you or not?

Generally I let on. I don't do it if I'm in the middle of an interval or a dodgy descent. The fact that I let on makes no difference to my life or anyone else's life, and the fact that people sometimes acknowledge it and sometimes don't similarly makes no difference.

I don't wave to every driver I pass when I'm in my car, or every pedestrian I pass when I'm walking, and don't expect them to do so in return.

God, this obsession with it drives me mental - local Facebook riding groups have a post like this seemingly every week - usually filled with comments from people moaning about 'fast' cyclists, or 'Rapha louts', or people wearing dark clothing, or having expensive bikes but still being passed by a girl, or some other whinge.

Get on with your life FFS - stop obsessing about what other people are doing!

There's nobody who hates cyclists more than other cyclists 😒

You might be a bit happier if you stop looking at Facebook

What does 'I let on' mean?

MTB_Roadtripper

cruff said:

This again? Why are people obsessed with whether someone waves at you or not?

God, this obsession with it drives me mental - local Facebook riding groups have a post like this seemingly every week - usually filled with comments from people moaning about 'fast' cyclists, or 'Rapha louts', or people wearing dark clothing, or having expensive bikes but still being passed by a girl, or some other whinge.

Get on with your life FFS - stop obsessing about what other people are doing!

Yeah guys, stop obsessing and raging about what others do!

joe2019

MTB_Roadtripper said:

cruff said:

This again? Why are people obsessed with whether someone waves at you or not?

God, this obsession with it drives me mental - local Facebook riding groups have a post like this seemingly every week - usually filled with comments from people moaning about 'fast' cyclists, or 'Rapha louts', or people wearing dark clothing, or having expensive bikes but still being passed by a girl, or some other whinge.

Get on with your life FFS - stop obsessing about what other people are doing!

Yeah guys, stop obsessing and raging about what others do!

pinno

cruff said:

This again? Why are people obsessed with whether someone waves at you or not?

Generally I let on. I don't do it if I'm in the middle of an interval or a dodgy descent. The fact that I let on makes no difference to my life or anyone else's life, and the fact that people sometimes acknowledge it and sometimes don't similarly makes no difference.

I don't wave to every driver I pass when I'm in my car, or every pedestrian I pass when I'm walking, and don't expect them to do so in return.

God, this obsession with it drives me mental - local Facebook riding groups have a post like this seemingly every week - usually filled with comments from people moaning about 'fast' cyclists, or 'Rapha louts', or people wearing dark clothing, or having expensive bikes but still being passed by a girl, or some other whinge.

Get on with your life FFS - stop obsessing about what other people are doing!

There's nobody who hates cyclists more than other cyclists 😒

It's not about being a driver amongst other drivers or a cyclist amongst other cyclists and so on, it's simply about being friendly. You're not enclosed in a tin can and can be heard.
If you're in a tricky situation, you don't have to take your hands off the bars to shout hello.

This whole thing is so typically crusty British.

Ride in Rapha, ride on a 10k Dogma at 8mph - who gives a farq but what's so difficult about an acknowledgement?
Is there some unwritten status that we have to adhere to?

robi21

de_sisti said:

Don't let the fact that other riders acknowledge you be a cause of ire. Perhaps you're not as interesting as you think (don't rule it out). Let it go and move on to more important things in your life (if there are any).

Oooooh, ouch. I guess you're a head-down merchant, "Sis." More important things in my life? Nah. I've only got Bike Radar.

robi21

Cargobike said:

amrushton said:

I always say hello or just raise a hand but some riders are just to cool for school. Aeroed up and looking ahead they seem to have a 100m stare straight ahead.

Strava fanboys taking themselves far too seriously.

Far too many have all the gear, but no idea.

Newbies are usually pretty easy to spot and all you can do is try to encourage a bit of like minded camaraderie, but there is definitely a large number of wannabe KOM slayers who think they are far too good to nod, wave or say "hi" to a pleb like me.

I like being sociable with anyone I meet, a thumbs up for the driver who is considerate around me, a big grin for the young kids just starting out on their two-wheeled adventures, a bashful smile for the pretty young ladies, an "ay up" for the seasoned rider.

Conversely, I have been known to be a bit of a grump to the motorists who try to be a PITA and those cyclists who go out of their way to not see or acknowledge me, I'm pretty hard to miss at 6'4", quite often to be found riding a huge cargobike.

Like manners, it costs nothing to be pleasant, especially in these odd times. Keep on being open and generous with your greetings, perhaps more fellow riders will, with time take notice.

de_sisti and Cruff should hook up to share their annoyance at the post. I'm with you Cargo. Probably small minded of me, but I did enjoy sitting on the wheel to get a good draft from the guy who passed me (downhill) as soon as the road went up the other side. There's a lesson in there, too.

def_defyr

Etiquette, such as it is, here in France is as follows:

--You come up behind somebody to pass, say "bonjour" in friendly way. Normally it's returned.
--You see somebody on the other side of the road in the opposite direction: Unless you're wearing the same club jersey, ignore them, they don't exist and neither do you.
--You're leading your club's fast weekend ride and a slower cyclist doesn't move over to the right fast enough: Shout "bougez! censored censored !"

brundonbianchi

I nod or say hello in response to anyone doing likewise.

DeVlaeminck

I used to always acknowledge other riders but now so many don't I do wonder if some think why the hell is that complete stranger nodding at me - do I know him from somewhere?

I have wondered if the fact I often don't wear a helmet if out alone means others are signalling their disapproval by not acknowledging me ? I dunno - is that a thing? Anyway these days I will nod if they glance up/make eye contact and if they are clearly staring straight ahead to avoid any slight social interaction I won't.

As for riders who pass me or vice versa - I'd expect a hello .

StillGoing

Aero bike and wheels, Strava user, club kit, I wave or say hello. Don't tar everyone with the same brush.