Other cyclists waving, or saying Hi!??

[Arsen Gere]

I think you can judge how long someone has been cycling by the response you get. I use part of the c2c route for training and you get loads of people who ignore you, the 'one off' riders. The regulars and bikies usually acknowledge a nod of the head.

I guess it comes down to the times you've been stuck by the road and someone else stops to help, or you have stopped to help other people. They remember that more and it builds a sense of community and belonging.

 

[wiggydiggy]

..........

I guess it comes down to the times you've been stuck by the road and someone else stops to help, or you have stopped to help other people. They remember that more and it builds a sense of community and belonging.

I've always stopped and asked if people need help when I'm out in the wilderness e.g. do you have the tools etc In towns/civilization I tend to work to the assumption that if they dont have the right tool/whatever they are capable of making their own way to a shop

Although once I stopped for a man/woman who had stopped at the side of the towpath, upon asking if there was a problem the man replied "Only with her!" which heralded a tirade of abuse (at him!) from her. I beat a hasty retreat

 

[guitarpete247]

I, too, wave or nod or say hi (if I have enough breath) to every cyclist I meet. I have an old (early 80's) road bike. I usually get a nod back from most folks. But not today. I past a roadie coming towards me who seemed to do all he could to avoid eye contact .

How about a CC wave, so we can recognise other chatters. How about holding your hand to form the letter c with your index finger and thumb and shake it twice to indicate CC .



Or am I just being a saddo .

 

[calibanzwei]

My success rate is running about 80% of other road users nodding/waving/smiling back... the failing 20% are either of the MTB or full-on road racer racer varieties...

 

[gaz]

I normally only say hi or wave if I know the otter person or if it's out of town, otherwise I would doing it all the time.

 

[coffeejo]

How about a CC wave, so we can recognise other chatters. How about holding your hand to form the letter c with your index finger and thumb and shake it twice to indicate CC .

I'd fall off

 

[_aD]

If you really want people to say hello, equip two, preferably four panniers and look like you're wrestling against the road ;-)

 

[Cyclopathic]

It happens a lot with singlespeed riders too, they tend to great one another.

Well they would wouldn't they.

 

[Cyclopathic]

I, too, wave or nod or say hi (if I have enough breath) to every cyclist I meet. I have an old (early 80's) road bike. I usually get a nod back from most folks. But not today. I past a roadie coming towards me who seemed to do all he could to avoid eye contact .

How about a CC wave, so we can recognise other chatters. How about holding your hand to form the letter c with your index finger and thumb and shake it twice to indicate CC .



Or am I just being a saddo .

I see what you did there.

I'm in favour of promoting a sense of friendliness and camerarderie amoungst all cyclists and will try a wave or hello to any that i feel confident enough to try it with. (Not fully grown men often in tracksiuts riding a mobile shock absorber that is obviously ment for a ten year old because they frighten me) We have surely got enough problems with the state of the roads, the lack of any decent provision for cyclists and the homicidal nature of many motorists without adding to our own woes by being grumpy with one another. I'm not saying we should put on a huge display for every other cyclist who we pass but a nod of the head and some human aknowledgment of each other and our common situation could go a long way to making cycling more pleasant.

 

[MontyVeda]

why don't we start waving at cars which are the same colour as my/your bike?

 

[Sittingduck]

Or am I just being a saddo .

Do you really want me to answer that?


As for waving... I apply the 'inside the M25 rule' that dictates I never even look for a wave from any passing cyclist or make eye contact. Of course if I am outside it, I generally glance over and wave or say hello, providing the other party initiates it If people don't wave or greet me I certainly wouldn't lose sleep over it. Just because we are both on bikes, it doesn't mean we have to be best pals! A strange concept that folk actually get wound up by people not saying hi or waving everytime a bike goes by...

 

[User16625]

Iv had a hybrid for about 6 months, iv traveled around 1000 miles on it and not a single other cyclist has ever said hi as we passed on the road. Last week I bought my first road bike, went out and did 30 miles on Saturday and 3 cyclists (all using road bikes) said hi, or at the very least raised a hand and smiled as they passed me on the other side of the road.

Not that I'm complaining, I think it's great! I used to own a VW and a similar thing happens, I know is also common in the moterbike culture, but is it common in cycling, is it simply because that now I have a road bike I'm regarded as a slightly more serious cyclist than before when I owned a hybrid?

Also (and this is the real reason I'm asking) I don't really want to be out nodding/waving/smiling at other people who don't know me from Adam, dont want to seem too weird

Dont bother, I dont unless I respond to someone else nodding etc. I know motorcyclists do it often and truckers seem to acknowledge other truckers, but I never noticed VW drivers doing it tho. Its not something I even think about doing and so couldnt care less. Each to their own I guess.

 

[Broughtonblue]

I always acknowledge other cyclists, the only time it peeves me is when I'm struggling going up a hill and some fit smart arse goes flying past and almost mockingly says 'alright?'

 

[snorri]

I found it quite amusing on a recent tour in Germany where there are a lot of touring cyclists on the main routes. The vast majority of tourers were on one or two week tours and appeared to have new bikes clothing and panniers, looking as if they had just rolled out of a cycle shop window display. Now and again a longer distance tourer would hove into into view with four well worn panniers, a bar bag and miscellaneous items strapped on the rear rack, often with some item of clothing drying off in the slipstream, invariably these guys gave a slightly weary understated acknowledgement in the passing.

If you ever wonder what you look like as you cycle along, just look at the people who wave to you.

 

[Sara_H]

I always acknowledge other cyclists, the only time it peeves me is when I'm struggling going up a hill and some fit smart arse goes flying past and almost mockingly says 'alright?'

I usually get in first by shouting "show off!" at those types