What is it with some riders?

[Kirstie]

I've never had a problem with getting waves and hellos from people - just the odd one ignores me but it doesn't bother me cos I've been friendly to them. Sometimes I only have enough energy to nod my head and lift a finger from my bars.

Best thing I did recently was pass an entire sportive field (going the opposite direction to them, obviously) riding an Airnimal. The freakish looks of the bike made each and every one of them chuckle - in 'a WTF was that thing?!?' manner...

 

[wafflycat]

err . . Waffles, the offending word is still in your post

Altered. Why thank you, young man, it's this modern technology you know.

 

[Fnaar]

I s'pose it is a bit odd, but people have reasons, whatever they may be (head down going for a time, don't like strangers/roadies/commuters) or no reason, just didn't see you in time...
I make an effort to say hi/wave to all cyclists I see, that's just what I do. If they ignore me, I generally mutter "tw@t" under my breath and carry on. (Edit: I generally cycle in rural Northumbelrand, I can imagine it's different steaming down Park Lane or Vauxhall Bridge Rd)
Strangest was a runner I saw in Cumbria, recently. Me cycling, him running, long empty straight road, he would have seen me ages away, nobody else about... any sign that we were the same species, in a remote area, just to acknowledge our common humanity and similar endeavour? Nowt, bugger all, just a stony stare straight ahead... and he wasn't even tanking it or anything, just jogging quite slowly along... his loss.... I might have offered him a jaffa cake.

 

[swee'pea99]

No-one ever says hello or waves or anything in London. There's just too many. The first time someone hello'd me at the lights (after I'd been commuting daily for five or six months) I was so surprised I almost fell off me bike.

 

[Wigsie]

Total opposite on my rides, out in the sticks, occassionally see the odd POB on a £75 ASDA special in Jeans and t shirt on the pavement in town but they never even acknowledge my existance.

When you do see a fellow cyclist out of town most of the time I think they are so shocked someone that appears to be a Roadie is saying hello to them so they just stare at me!

 

[johnnyh]

have to say most say hello or give a small wave in this area.

I always nod and such to anyone riding sensibly on the roads, whatever the bike.
(with the exception of kids on and off the pavement etc...) I figure even if someone is on a BSO, if they get a cheery hello it will make them feel better about cycling in general and might make them stick at it more.

 

[tyred]

I was out with a few others on a "small wheel" ride on Saturday. I had my Raleigh Twenty, there were a few other Twenties, a few Moultons and a Brompton and I was genuinely suprised by how many people from proper roadies to people on Argos specials waved and when we stopped in a cafe, an unbelieveable amount of people came and asked questions about the bikes and took photos. I didn't think any of these bikes were that rare. Twenties in particular were a common sight not so long ago.

 

[Dan B]

Yeah, some riders are just pricks. I was out in Suffolk this morning enjoying the solitude when some git on a recumbent trike coming the other way started waving at me and interrupted my train of thought by trying to start a conversation. Had we been introduced? No. Did he know me from Adam? No. I bet he's the kind of guy who'll go on some online cycling web site and post about it, too

 

[Wheeledweenie]

I'm a quite/very chatty girly so quite often strike up a conversation with fellow cyclists at long light stops. They always look surprised but, generally, are quite receptive. In fact I've even made a couple of 'cycle buddy' acquaintances who go the same route as me and it's come in handy. I nearly got hit by a BMW a while ago and one of the regulars who was nearby saw it pulled up next to me at the lights to check I was ok. We then cycled together for a bit til I felt less shaky. My general freindliness with others also means I often get good samaritans stopping and offering to help when I've got a problem (normally roadies actually).

It does mean I get a bit piqued when people aren't friendly back though, after all, it costs nothing.

 

[Aperitif]

I'm a quite/very chatty girly so quite often strike up a conversation with fellow cyclists at long light stops. They always look surprised but, generally, are quite receptive. In fact I've even made a couple of 'cycle buddy' acquaintances who go the same route as me and it's come in handy. I nearly got hit by a BMW a while ago and one of the regulars who was nearby saw it pulled up next to me at the lights to check I was ok. We then cycled together for a bit til I felt less shaky. My general freindliness with others also means I often get good samaritans stopping and offering to help when I've got a problem (normally roadies actually).

It does mean I get a bit piqued when people aren't friendly back though, after all, it costs nothing.

Good post

I always try and think nice things - I don't really care if people don't acknowledge...their loss At lights I might say something if it is appropriate - but not wanting to compromise people's attention to traffic etc.
Only if I'm then blanked does it perturb me! The silly blankers try and ride off into the distance - the commuting superheroes with red and green lights of Kryptonite not standing in their way - their quest to win diluting their politeness.
Then it's time to sit on their tail (Tip: Get clicky hubs and whistle loudly too )
Hello Lee BTW (Get one in the bank in case I bump into him en route... )
Be safe.

 

[Ben M]

I swear that around 10% of the threads on this forum are on this very topic. Does it really matter than much? No, it doesn't.

 

[Wigsie]

I swear that around 10% of the threads on this forum are on this very topic. Does it really matter than much? No, it doesn't.

What have I told you about being Negative and dismissive while using SC as an Avatar?

Its a popular and realistic topic, thats why...

 

[Ben M]

Its a popular and realistic topic, thats why...

All of these threads go in the same direction:

OP: I waved at a roadie and he ignored me
replies:
yeah, some people are snobs
I'm a roadie who waves at everyone
roadies are gay!
hey, he was busy doing what he enjoys doing, riding a bike, maybe he was too in the zone to notice you

Who gives a damn that a complete stranger didn't wave at you?

 

[Wigsie]

All of these threads go in the same direction:

OP: I waved at a roadie and he ignored me
replies:
yeah, some people are snobs
I'm a roadie who waves at everyone
roadies are gay!
hey, he was busy doing what he enjoys doing, riding a bike, maybe he was too in the zone to notice you

Who gives a damn that a complete stranger didn't wave at you?

Ha ha thats better, thank you!

Its like the 'she's fit/look at her arse' conversation you have with your mates in a pub, its a different situation each time but it still takes 15 minutes at least to discuss the same things every time... but it doesnt make it any less interesting for those involved!

I don't ever recall saying, "jesus lads, lets stop talking about how fit that lady is... I reckon around 10% of our conversations involve women, we have done it to death now, lets talk about handbags instead"

 

[Wheeledweenie]

All of these threads go in the same direction:

OP: I waved at a roadie and he ignored me
replies:
yeah, some people are snobs
I'm a roadie who waves at everyone
roadies are gay!
hey, he was busy doing what he enjoys doing, riding a bike, maybe he was too in the zone to notice you

Who gives a damn that a complete stranger didn't wave at you?

Point taken but as a relative newbie I've not seen this thread before and, frankly, the wider issue of cycling etiquette is what I'm interested in. I get treated like crap by a lot of cyclists and the refusal to acknowledge your presence is part of that. Those who don't bother are more likely to cut you up, overtake too closely and generally act like a w-word about people who play with themselves.