Why so rude roadies - why so rude?

nitesight
nitesight Posts: 119
edited September 2009 in Road beginners
Today was only the second time I'd ridden 20 miles. The last was Friday so only a few days ago. It was lovely, really enjoyed myself but the ride home was a bit of a slog as was mostly up gentle hills with heavy legs.

So there I am nearing home and spinning away in a higher gear to try and clear my heavy legs when I'm passed by two roadies.

Me - cheap jersey and cycling shorts, old Raleigh Airlite, 15st 10lbs and on the tail end of the longest distance I've done averaging 16 MPH with a max of 30mph at one point and very chuffed with myself.

Them - drafting so no doubt doing 40% less work, fresh as daisies and wearing what looked like rather pricey gear and bikes. Either not very hairy or shaved legs. (perhaps women? :wink: )

Why am I annoyed? They pass me but not at any great pace - going no faster than I had for the last 18 miles so as they pass I give a cheery "Good Morning!" & they BOTH blank me as if I didn't exist. :evil: They weren't working hard - no iPods or reasons beyond being a couple of elitist tw@ts. Not so much as a raised hand or look back and nod - absolute blank. You could almost imagine the thinking - "Oh Gregory, look at that puffy chap there, my shorts probably cost more than his bike! Who does he think he is being on the road with the likes of us?"

At least that's what was going on in my head - made me so mad that I had an adrenaline dump and could have probably caught the meandering pompous plonkers and reminded them that manners cost us nothing. Instead I fumed for a few minutes until a rather attractive young lady on a shopper said good morning and got a cheery reply in return - thus resetting the nob/nice balance to neutral. :D
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Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Welcome to road riding.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Welcome to road riding.

    +1,

    surprised they didn't toy with you, must have been adhering to euro cycling rules. :wink:
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    Is your ego so fragile that the opinion of others who you obviously dispise
    affects you so much?

    God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • nitesight
    nitesight Posts: 119
    I didn't despise them until the second they acted like that and then I had an emotional response to the stimulus they provided thus proving I'm human and flawed.

    Whatcanaguydo?

    In caveman times I'd not have had to worry. They may be really fit riders but they'd have been skinny and died in the winter cause they weren't strong enough to throw a spear and carbon fiber spears weren't available.

    I was built for other (perhaps more destructive) things but I can't help enjoying a ride out. I do however expect people to be polite and civil to each other.

    Is that really too much to ask? :roll:

    I'm bloody English by jove - if you say Good morning to a chap you expect him to say it back dangnammit! :D
  • It's not becauese they're "roadies" it's because they're ignorant.

    I will speak to anyone, whether they're riding a £10,000 superbike or £79 Tesco special. I speak to runners/joggers, if I have to stop to ask directions etc I'll have a chat it's called being sociable.

    The other week this old feller trimming his hedgerow called me over (as I'd stopped at a junction) and enquired as to how fast good club cyclists were doing a "25" in as he used to ride and used to hold his club record with a time of just over the hour.

    Being civil costs nowt. Riding a road bike has no more effect on you being ignorant/anti-social as it can make you gregarious/sociable. You are what you are.

    Don't let it wind you up nitesight.
    Tail end Charlie

    The above post may contain traces of sarcasm or/and bullsh*t.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Give it a month and another 100 of these encounters and you will sink into apathy about the matter.

    Just like me.

    I say hello to everyone I pass on a bike, no matter what the bike and whether I'm with anyone or not.

    I get a response about 50% of the time.

    Around 50% of those that respond don't insult me.
  • NapoleonD wrote:
    Give it a month and another 100 of these encounters and you will sink into apathy about the matter.

    Just like me.

    I say hello to everyone I pass on a bike, no matter what the bike and whether I'm with anyone or not.

    I get a response about 50% of the time.

    Around 50% of those that respond don't insult me.

    Bloomin' 'eck so about 50% of your respondees insult you. :? Why :?:
    Tail end Charlie

    The above post may contain traces of sarcasm or/and bullsh*t.
  • Avoneer
    Avoneer Posts: 525
    Nob/Nice balance - lol.

    What he said above though - it's not roadies, just a pair of ignorant people.

    I've spoke to a few nice roadies on my uphill commute whilst on my MTB in my baggies and t-shirt before now (and before they disapeared).

    Pat...
    "Campagnolo has soul, Shimano has ruthless efficiency and SRAM has yet to acquire mystique. Differentiating between them is a matter of taste"
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Give it a month and another 100 of these encounters and you will sink into apathy about the matter.

    Just like me.

    I say hello to everyone I pass on a bike, no matter what the bike and whether I'm with anyone or not.

    I get a response about 50% of the time.

    Around 50% of those that respond don't insult me.

    Bloomin' 'eck so about 50% of your respondees insult you. :? Why :?:

    They just have so much ammunition...

    :o
  • galaxyboy
    galaxyboy Posts: 168
    They were probably working so hard to pass you that they never had the breath to speak. :wink: Hopefully they got a shock that you had the breath to speak.

    Some will speak, some will wave, some will totally ignore you, it's just people.
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Ignorant folk, goes without saying, but sounds to me like you nitesight have got a bit of a chip (or chips even) on your shoulder. Do you resent all people that are thinner/fitter than you?
    More problems but still living....
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Maybe they aren't ignorant and are just concentrating on what they are doing.

    Maybe they are too out of breath from catching you up?

    Maybe they were too surprised that you said hello to respond?

    Maybe they were embarrassed at over taking you?

    Maybe they just couldn't be bothered because when being a pedestrian they don't say hello to every other pedestrian they see?

    Just playing Dick Advocaat BTW :o
  • LittleB0b
    LittleB0b Posts: 416
    nitesight wrote:
    Either not very hairy or shaved legs. (perhaps women? :wink: )

    and now what's going on in my head is - "this guys a sexist prick - who thinks calling someone a woman is a derogatory remark - and hence thinks men are better than women"

    Of course maybe they were women - and you didn't hear there hello because of there soft feminine voices
  • BoboGib
    BoboGib Posts: 73
    Being a relative newbie to the road game i've been quite supprised at how many have been friendly. I don't have and proper road clothing, wear my baggies and a gym top. If i'm pootling along i'll say hello and had a Hello back vitually every time. Even from too old ladies on their way back from the post office said hello. If i'm workig hard then i'll always try to give a nod of the head or wave in response.

    You still get some ignorant people though.
    exercise.png
  • softlad
    softlad Posts: 3,513
    there are c0cks everywhere - some ride road bikes, some ride mountain bikes. It has nothing to do with the mode of transport - it only has to do them being c0cks.

    I will say hello to anyone I see on two wheels...I suspect many will....
  • nitesight wrote:
    In caveman times I'd not have had to worry. They may be really fit riders but they'd have been skinny and died in the winter cause they weren't strong enough to throw a spear and carbon fiber spears weren't available.

    What a stupid thing to say.

    Do you get a cob on every time someone ignores you?

    Do you feel inadequate?
  • hoolio
    hoolio Posts: 139
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Maybe they aren't ignorant and are just concentrating on what they are doing.

    Maybe they are too out of breath from catching you up?

    Maybe they were too surprised that you said hello to respond?

    Maybe they were embarrassed at over taking you?

    Maybe they just couldn't be bothered because when being a pedestrian they don't say hello to every other pedestrian they see?

    Just playing Dick Advocaat BTW :o

    +1
  • nitesight
    nitesight Posts: 119
    Inadequate?

    What kind of an idiotic statement is that. No. I'm bigger round the middle than they are but why would that make me inadequate? Or feel so.

    The thing I love about forums is the many ways people read into something. If you write more than three words then everyone reads into things differently. It really is fascinating.

    Example. Why would LittleBob assume that the female comment was derogatory. Your own issues coming through there I'm afraid. simply that skinny guys with shaved legs could well be female from behind. Hard to tell as the were in front you see and most of the distinguishing factors were on the other side. God forbid Littlebob should assume that I'd have problems being overtaken by a woman. I imagine most women who ride regularly would kick my arse without much effort at all.

    As for the chip (or chips which was quite funny) on my shoulder. Again, your issue not mine, So what that they are thinner/faster/richer that had bugger all to do with it. I felt that it may have been a contributing factor for their attitude as what other reason could there be for such disdain against someone you've never met other than a shallow opinion on appearance etc.

    For those that read too much into things I'll simplify to avoid any misunderstanding.

    I was polite. They were rude. Wondered if anyyoune had experienced similar from what appears to be riders higher up the experience chain?

    Nap D Your dick advocate reply was the only thing that made me feel inadequate - you always make me smile using far less words!

    I do love chips tho....
  • toshmund
    toshmund Posts: 390
    Maybe the 2 blokes in question had more important things going on in their lives, than to be concentrating on other (on your fragile, in this case) people's sensitivities. Just because we do the same activity. We don't have to do group hugs. It is nice to get out and have some fresh air/time away from outside pressures, without having to worry about the frailties of others. If that comes across as ignorant...maybe it is? It is possibly a bit sad - but is also a good safety mechanism to be able to get on with life in this day and age. Worry about the people you do know...for the rest, put it down to a "bad day" eh!?

    I tend to see some regular faces on my commute. Some always acknowledge/I always acknowledge. Some, I know - would drive through the puddle alongside me if they were in a car.
  • RucA
    RucA Posts: 31
    Hi

    as a commuter never got hello from anyone ! or the other way as a sunday rider i got a lot of "hello's", and "good morning's" and hand wave's...

    ...once on a long sunday ride i was coming home and 10 miles from it a had a puncture, stop on side of the road turn the bike upside down to start changing it when a cyclist stoped and ask me if i was alright..first time happen to me, i was very please :lol:

    ..another sunday ride i went with this London club for the first time i got there on my aluminum bike when all of them with carbon one's :shock: one of the guys there just keep giving me the look, all the other guys all very kind, in all that guys he was the only 1 who didn't speak to me, didn't care, f**k it :)

    do the same buddy nitesight if they say hello u say hello, if not shrink ur shoulders and keep going :lol:

    have a nice ride, coz i can't now (still sore)

    Pedro
    TREK 1.7 comp 2008
    SPECIALIZED TARMAC comp 2009
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    RucA wrote:
    Hi

    as a commuter never got hello from anyone ! or the other way as a sunday rider i got a lot of "hello's", and "good morning's" and hand wave's...

    ...once on a long sunday ride i was coming home and 10 miles from it a had a puncture, stop on side of the road turn the bike upside down to start changing it when a cyclist stoped and ask me if i was alright..first time happen to me, i was very please :lol:

    ..another sunday ride i went with this London club for the first time i got there on my aluminum bike when all of them with carbon one's :shock: one of the guys there just keep giving me the look, all the other guys all very kind, in all that guys he was the only 1 who didn't speak to me, didn't care, f**k it :)

    do the same buddy nitesight if they say hello u say hello, if not shrink ur shoulders and keep going :lol:

    have a nice ride, coz i can't now (still sore)

    Pedro

    You should have Cinzano'd him...
  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    I must say I'm constantly amazed by how upset people get over whether or not somebody said hello, especially when you don't know anything about what they've been doing.

    FWIW when I'm out on my roadie I say hi to pretty much everyone I see, on the odd occasion I don't it's just because, well, I haven't. That's it.

    Also, sorry to be a pedant but I don't think 'ignorant' means what some of you think it means.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    to counter some of the negative karma on this thread...

    a few months ago, i got greeted by some roadies, who i'd thought were going to ignore me because I was wearing rolled up jeans, a hoodie and carring a messenger bag on my singlespeed.

    They waved to me quite enthusiastically even though they were quite a serious chaingang by the looks of things...
  • Infamous
    Infamous Posts: 1,130
    A thread about rude roadies? it must be sunday. ;)
  • Jaeger
    Jaeger Posts: 439
    nitesight wrote:
    Them - drafting so no doubt doing 40% less work, fresh as daisies.

    Maybe they'd already done 100 miles.
  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    You could almost imagine the thinking - "Oh Gregory, look at that puffy chap there, my shorts probably cost more than his bike! Who does he think he is being on the road with the likes of us?"

    At least that's what was going on in my head - made me so mad that I had an adrenaline dump and could have probably caught the meandering pompous plonkers

    No offence but you have no idea what they were thinking, if they were thinking anything about you at all. Maybe I'm too generous but I really find it hard to imagine that very many people at all think that way, and it just sounds like if anyone is concerned about relative costs of bikes and kits it's you.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I insist that when stood at the start of a group ride/cafe stop/end of a ride, people hold their bikes with the drive-side showing towards me at all times, preferably against a white background. And in the big ring.

    Anything else is just dissing me and my views.
  • sturmey
    sturmey Posts: 964
    I don't bother letting on any more to wannabe ProTour riders in replica kit on (usually) Italian bikes because the very fact that their image and credibility is so important to them makes them not worthy of a second glance.
    They are usually sad tw*ts who still live at home with their parents and are out on their bikes because their girlfriends are boring or ugly or both.
  • Garz
    Garz Posts: 1,155
    I caught up with a mr astana full kit guy along my 40 miler yesterday, I tagged behind him for about half a mile and he didnt even know I was there before I branched off in another direction. That or he simply chose not to acknowlege me as he was in expensive gear!

    Taking a leaf from NapD's ideology I just wave/nod/smile to everyone, if they blank me then who cares right?
  • RucA
    RucA Posts: 31
    sturmey wrote:
    I don't bother letting on any more to wannabe ProTour riders in replica kit on (usually) Italian bikes because the very fact that their image and credibility is so important to them makes them not worthy of a second glance.
    They are usually sad tw*ts who still live at home with their parents and are out on their bikes because their girlfriends are boring or ugly or both.

    :lol: i like that :lol:
    TREK 1.7 comp 2008
    SPECIALIZED TARMAC comp 2009