Greeting fellow cyclists.

[De Sisti]

I have hated in the past when out on my bike, a fellow cyclist will ride up alongside and ask either of the following questions:

* Where are you from?
* Where are you going?
* How many miles have you done?

When I answered, they never automatically, without hesitation or prompting, told me where they were from, or going to, or how many miles they have ridden.

So now, when someone rides up alongside and ask those questions, I ask them the same question. It does not go down well. They tend to ask again (a bit more assertively), and if I don't reply they tend to become passively aggressive, and on one ocassion verbally abusive.

My go-to response to any of the above questions (if there is no preamble, monolouge, small-talk, chit-chat or breaking-the-ice) is to ask the rider (always a bloke) to tell me all about himself and his family. That usually gets rid of 'em. Other than that, I am will to talk with other riders.

 

[Gillstay]

I said hello to a cyclist puffing up the lane outside my house and he went passed very slowly but would not let on.
I can only think he did not like the rifle I had tucked under my arm.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

If you stop at a bench - or whatever - and someone else comes along or is already there

Then I feel there is some pressure to talk to them

at least to say hello

otherwise you are ignoring them


If they are also on a bike it seems normal to ask if they have come far or something

ignoring them would seem rude

anyone else feel like that

 

[Binky]

These first world problems eh, they never end.

 

[Moodyman]

I recognise I made a joke of only waving at pretty female cyclists. So don’t wish to appear as a genderist.

But, this is a true story involving a pretty female cyclist. I was camping touring in the Highlands, the weekend before Etape Loch Ness. Suffering up the fecker of a climb out of Fort Augustus (if you know, you know). About three quarters of the way up, a female cyclist catches up with me, and noticing my luggage, starts a friendly chat. Where you going? Where you come from? Where you staying? Yadda,yadda, whilst spinning for fun and being in total control of her breathing.

Me, I was at my limit and then some. Huffin n puffin out of every hole. I almost wanted to say ‘FO b…’ but that wouldn’t be game.

Anyway, she rode on, turned around at the summit and back down to repeat. She was exceptionally fit and likely doing final prep for the following week.

So, I kinda empathise with those people who say they want be to left alone in their suffering.

 

[Dogtrousers]

If you stop at a bench - or whatever - and someone else comes along or is already there

Then I feel there is some pressure to talk to them

at least to say hello

otherwise you are ignoring them


If they are also on a bike it seems normal to ask if they have come far or something

ignoring them would seem rude

anyone else feel like that

If you arrive at a bench and there's someone there, and instead of going and finding an unoccupied bench you proceed to sit on the bench, then you are some kind of weirdo. Quite probably a serial killer.

 

[ColinJ]

If you arrive at a bench and there's someone there, and instead of going and finding an unoccupied bench you proceed to sit on the bench, then you are some kind of weirdo. Quite probably a serial killer.

I was just strolling along the pavement on a backstreet in Todmorden. I spotted a woman coming round a corner in the distance, then starting to walk towards me. I thought that she might worry that I was a potential serial killer so I was about to get off the pavement and walk down the middle of the road to reduce her stress but she beat me to it!

Perfectly logical, but then I started worrying that perhaps I give off a serial killer vibe!

 

[Dogtrousers]

In the village of Upchurch in Kent there is a really splendid wooden bus shelter with a bench. Its quite new. Or it was quite new a few years ago.

I was sitting on the bench eating my pork pie, with my bike leaning against it, when a lady approached me and asked me "do you like our new bench?". I replied that I thought it was splendid.

At first I thought it was civic pride that made her ask. She was happy that people were enjoying the village facilities. But on reflection I thought there was an edge to her question and what she was really saying was "this is a local bench for local people. There's nothing for you here"

 

[Moodyman]

Perfectly logical, but then I started worrying that perhaps I give off a serial killer vibe!

Having seen you in person Colin, I certainly thought you had a hitman aura about you. It’s why I’ve avoided your forum rides.

Not to mention that they’re bloomin hilly.😁

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Supposing you pop into a public loo and someone is already in there, should you use the urinal next to them and strike up a conversation or stand as far away as possible and ignore them?

It can be a real dilemma, Do they want to P in peace or will they think I am stuck up and unfriendly? I often lie awake at night worrying the correct procedure.

 

[presta]

If you want to be left in peace while cycling, wear a bobble hat, baggy clothes and ride a flat bar bike. You instantly become invisible to other cyclists.

I've found that when I wear Lycra I only get acknowledged by riders in Lycra, and when I'm in civvies, only by those in civvies.

I recognise I made a joke of only waving at pretty female cyclists. So don’t wish to appear as a genderist.

But, this is a true story involving a pretty female cyclist. I was camping touring in the Highlands, the weekend before Etape Loch Ness. Suffering up the fecker of a climb out of Fort Augustus (if you know, you know). About three quarters of the way up, a female cyclist catches up with me, and noticing my luggage, starts a friendly chat. Where you going? Where you come from? Where you staying? Yadda,yadda, whilst spinning for fun and being in total control of her breathing.

Me, I was at my limit and then some. Huffin n puffin out of every hole. I almost wanted to say ‘FO b…’ but that wouldn’t be game.

Anyway, she rode on, turned around at the summit and back down to repeat. She was exceptionally fit and likely doing final prep for the following week.

So, I kinda empathise with those people who say they want be to left alone in their suffering.

Riding along Sandsend seafront at my usual sedate pace, I was overtaken with a cheery hello by a lass doing about twice my speed on a Dutch upright. Half way up Lythe Bank at the end of the beach her chain came off, and she kept glancing back at me as she frantically fumbled to get it back on before I caught up.

on reflection I thought there was an edge to her question and what she was really saying was "this is a local bench for local people. There's nothing for you here"

The Bank Tavern in Keswick gets ram packed with tourists, but there's a bench and table in the bay window at the front which is the refuge for the locals. Anyhow, one day by the time the barman called my dinner, there was nowhere left to sit and eat it...except for one seat on the bench in the window. You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife, never mind my pasty.

 

[Shearwater Missile]

Cyclists greeting cyclists is a nice thing in a cruel world, but not a disaster if it doesn't happen.

What is a disaster is when you've been cycling for miles against the wind, stop to sit on a bench, rest and eat your cheese sandwich and along comes Mr or Mrs Chatty. I know this may be their only human interaction of the day but, FFS I'm here to get away from people, I'm tired and hungry and I don't care about your grandchildren!

Overtones of Shirley Valentine I think. I am quite happy to be alone ( restaurant scene).

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

If you arrive at a bench and there's someone there, and instead of going and finding an unoccupied bench you proceed to sit on the bench, then you are some kind of weirdo. Quite probably a serial killer.

Well yes - but on some routes near here there are 2 small benches next to each other

and I often stop near a bench but don;t sit down as my legs complain if I stop riding and then sit down - then ask them to start again

and sometimes someone will come and sit down on the empty bench

so the problem does arise at time

and - despite rumours - I have never murdered a box of CornFlakes!!!!

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Overtones of Shirley Valentine I think. I am quite happy to be alone ( restaurant scene).

I prefer to be alone in restaurents!!

Except for my wife if she is with me
otherwise I like to be alone

which is why I ride alone and don;t look for group rides!!

 

[Shearwater Missile]

Supposing you pop into a public loo and someone is already in there, should you use the urinal next to them and strike up a conversation or stand as far away as possible and ignore them?

It can be a real dilemma, Do they want to P in peace or will they think I am stuck up and unfriendly? I often lie awake at night worrying the correct procedure.

True story this. In 2008 the wife and I were in Sydney and enjoying the surroundings around the opera house. I went into the toilets there, they were the ones outside the opera house and below pavement level. I walked up to the urinal, as you do and there was just one other person in there, at the urinal. I casually glanced across and recognised this fellow. I casually said " Lars ? ", whereby he turned and looked at me and replied " shoot !". It really was a chance encounter, he and his wife were on the way to NZ to visit their son and we were on our way back home. I lived next door to Lars for a few years and we used to run and cycle together.
As you see, we did strike up a conversation and we had a drink in the cafe near Sydney opera house. Priceless.