Is it the weather? Or are most cyclists insular?

[Jon George]

though why it is folk think total strangers should interact with each other just because they share the same mode of transport is beyond me. Should I wave to everyone I walk past in the street who is wearing brown shoes?

If that mode of transport is two wheels, then perhaps it’s a deep-seated need to be recognised as simply existing and not being invisible – we’ve all had too many zombies pull out and say after the accident ‘I’m sorry mate, I didn’t see you.’

 

[JoeyB]

I've done a bit of fell walking in the past and generally other walkers are always friendly and say hello so i just assumed it was the done thing with cycling too. I always raise a hand and nod if I manage to catch a fellow cyclists eye...although I don't bother with commuters if I'm out on an early morning blat before work lol

I'll also raise a finger to any motorist that decides to acknowledge my presence with a sound of their horn... But that's another matter.

 

[Jon George]

Do you have flat bars or drops?

Flat with bar ends - I ride a cyclo-cross frame.

 

[Boris Bajic]

I made detailed lists of cyclists I considered worthy of a wave or a smile and those I would not acknowledge under any circumstances.

The former was short and getting ever shorter while the latter grew with each new perceived slight or insult.

The current situation is that I smile and wave at only one other cyclist - and only see him in the occasional shop window when passing through a town. Usually dressed as I am and on a remarkably similar bicycle.

 

[4F]

I refuse to acknowledge

Bso's
Anyone on an Apollo
Anyone on something with full suspension
People in high vis
Wearing headphones
Wearing a helmet
Pavement cyclists
Red light jumpers
Fakerangers
Very serious cyclists
Not serious cyclists
People who wear safety boots
Anyone on a mtb
Anyone when I have had a bad day
People who look shifty
Men with pony tails
Anyone who has a glow in the dark bike

The above list is not final and I will often change at a whim. I do tend to relax my rules on cycle chat meets but only for a few hours. ;>)

 

[Hitchington]

I'll wave at you Jon George

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I wave at everyone, even when piloting an automobile.

P.s nice to see you here Jon!

 

[SS Retro]

And certainly not saying hello to the likes of you trendy fixie riders....

Its grim up north so all us rider's wave say hello even the fixie/single speed guys, mind I think I may be the only one round here.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I wave at the motorists who are being so friendly they have to pass me at close range just to share my personal space. Being a sparing kind of guy, I normally do the waving just with 1 finger .

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Flat with bar ends - I ride a cyclo-cross frame.

Did you even need to ask why right-thinking cyclists don't wave to you. Your mount is neither fish nor fowl.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Its grim up north so all us rider's wave say hello even the fixie/single speed guys, mind I think I may be the only one round here.

Come to rural sussex and ride fixed. You'll double the numbers. Even the bloke who bought my old fixed has flipped his flop and rides ss these days.

 

[snorri]

. The only people I don't always greet are chavs on BSOs those in lycra 'cos they ain't real cyclists.

 

[jazzkat]

Its grim up north so all us rider's wave say hello even the fixie/single speed guys, mind I think I may be the only one round here.

Nah, theres a couple of guys around these parts riding fixed

 

[daSmirnov]

Depends on what they're riding.

If I'm on my motorbike, I don't nod at people on mopeds unless they nod first. In my opinion they probably don't know about the nod, so would be pointless. Maybe 50% of my nods are returned from other riders, less in town riding, maybe because they're just busy on other things, more nods out on country roads.

When riding the road bike, anyone who looks like a cyclist, either commuting, club runner, or lycra clad roadie, or around-town lady doing her shopping on her sensible bike (we have a lot in Horsham) will get a nod, or a "morning". People riding junkie looking bikes that they probably just nicked won't, unless they nod or talk first. Again probably for the same reasons as moped-crew. Don't know the etiquette required for their given mode of transport.

If I'm on my junkie around-town mountain bike and any "proper" cyclist overtakes me, I always say my other bike is a roadie!!! But don't expect any greeting back - I look like a mtb peasant!!!

I also always stop if somebody looks like they might have broken down, just today a couple of guys were stopped at the side of the road, one of them spinning their front wheel in a suspicious fashion, etiquette dictates one most stop and make sure they don't need a spare tube, chain link, chain tool, allen key, patches, CO2 carts or any other help.

 

[kerndog]

I say hello to everyone i meet on the road. When I was wearing a mtb helmet, tracky bottoms and had toe clips i got a lot less hello's or nods from the spandex clad, lycra loving road worrier set than I do now, wearing some slightly more appropriate gear...

edit. I still look like a bit of a dick mind