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General etiquette ??

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  • April 27, 2016 at 9:10 pm #25661
    TJMakosz

    Hi All 

    New hear and pretty new to forums, apparently it’s custom to just say a little something about myself before asking questions or responding to questions posed? I’m 34, 95kg down from 105 since starting cycling, have a Scott Speedster 10 and I’ve only been cycling on the road since February, I ride 100km a week and I’m really enjoying myself. 

    My question is this, what is the correct way to acknowledge/great fellow cyclist whist out on the road? Coming from a motorcycle back ground where it is customary to acknowledge other riders with a head tilt/nod and you 99% of the time get the same gesture back! How ever I’ve tried this with other cyclist and never received a response, only a look as to say I’m crazy. So I’ve tried raising my hand in a little wave, again met with the same response. So then I thought I’d just say Hi/Morning/Afternoon but alas I have only ever had one person say hi back!!!. To be honest I find it incredibly rude and I think I must be missing something. 

    Am I missing something or is just customary for cyclist to ignore each other as we are competing against each other ( out on my Sunday ride) 

    any thoughts  

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  • May 9, 2016 at 9:23 pm #870841
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    Anonymous

    I’ll nod or wave to anyone on

    I’ll nod or wave to anyone on anything if I’m not head down and trying for a section time or something. I’m probably a bit odd in that I still ride a BMX at 40+ so mix with a more varied crowd than most roadies.

    The MTB lot are getting a bit cliquey though IMO as I’ve noticed if you don’t turn up in VW transporter or an estate car you seem to be instantly doing something wrong. I also ride a hardtail which seems to be a sign of peasantry, even if you finish a run right behind someone on £5k of bike. 

    I just went of for a spin on the road bike tonight with t-shirt and shorts on a got blanked nearly to a man, when yesterday I’d been part of the gang , as I had the ‘right’ kit on. 

    Then again it’s always been like this since I only had a Raleigh Burner and not a Mongoose or Diamondback. The bike’s been a status symbol for ages now and you’ve got Wiggins fans similar to Rossi fans in MotoGP. 

    May 5, 2016 at 7:10 am #870839
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    Fish_n_Chips

    Some will say Hi or nod back

    Some will say Hi or nod back while others who don’t are misery guts, tired, didn’t see you, had a bad day or focuses on the road etc.

    Don’t take it personally.

    On a motorbike everyone nodded.

    Not every car driver, pedestrian says hi or nods.

    May 4, 2016 at 8:33 pm #870837
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    Kadenz
    kev-s wrote:
    Some people arent rude they are just miserable bastards like me!

    Personally i dont say hi to anyone i pass but im not really a people person so the less i have to talk/deal with people the better

    My time on the bike is to get away from people and just have me time, headphones in, head down and riding on my own, its one of the reasons im not interested in sportives etc…

    One thing that bugs me is if im stopped having a drink or enjoying a view is someone coming past and saying “are you alright?” If i wasnt alright id be waving at you to stop, not having a drink and enjoying the view!

    There is one guy on my commute to work who i pass once or twice a week, everytime he will nod and everytime i will just ignore him

    This has been going on for nearly 4 years now and neither one of us refuse to give in!

     

     

    Kev,

    You’re right, you do sound like you’re miserable – but hey, that’s your choice and you’re entitled to it – and it’s great that you know yourself well enough to be aware of that and be comfortable about it.

    And as an inveterate nod and wave type of cyclist, it’s helpful to know that some people  don’t respond because they’re miserable rather than because they’re horrible or arrogant.

    Kadenz

     

     

     

     

     

    May 2, 2016 at 5:56 pm #870835
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    PapaSmurf

    I always nod and 95% of the

    I always nod and 95% of the time it is returned with a smile. Most people overtake me and it is nice to have a quick chat and sometimes an offer of a tow which I accept willingly.

    I cycle in the New Forrest a lot and bid the horse riders, walkers and the dog walkers good day also and the vast majority return the greeting, after all we are all there for the same purpose aren’t we? Fresh air, fitness and Great ice cream.

    May 2, 2016 at 4:05 pm #870833
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    DingDongBell

     Cyclists can be an odd lot.

     Cyclists can be an odd lot. If you don’t have gossamer carbon or the latest gear there are some who treat you like something found – under their shoe – whereas others will give you a nod, a wave a “Hi there” and so on.

    All year cyclists tend to be warmer towards their fellows because they know how it is to cycle in the biting wind, driving rain and hail.

    Circumstances also tend to dictate. Once lap of Richmond Park, for example, would render you hoarse, with whiplash and RSI on a busy day.

    I’m a friendly old duffer on my proper steel Ridgeback. Always happy to greet my fellows and always happy to help a fellow cyclist in distress because one day it might be me in their situation.

    Cycling is for life and in mine I’ve met all sorts but the tendency is towards the cheerful, excepting for when it’s just plain impractical.

    May 2, 2016 at 3:50 pm #870831
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    richdirector

    Every cyclist I have ever

    Every cyclist I have ever seen on the road in 5 years in Scotland nods or waves back. An extension of the hand sometimes in the drops instead of removing it and always a head titl or wag. 

    If you are getting nothing in ways of a greeting I can only assume you are in full leather motorbike gear, dressed as margaret thatcher or jimmy saville, or wearing a flouro mankini at that weight

    May 2, 2016 at 12:19 pm #870829
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    Awavey

    Im always reminded of this
    Im always reminded of this Robot Chicken sketch with the whole waving at other riders thing https://youtu.be/LowVhCfLm68?t=34s it at least makes you smile remembering it if some people ignore you out on the road and they will you get the whole range of people with cheery greetings,nods,waves, right through to people staring blankly through you.

    but I always nod,or raise my hand, say hi if I can,just have to recognise its not always possible if you are distracted by traffic or hazards in front of you

    May 2, 2016 at 11:21 am #870827
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    Kapelmuur

    I must admit to a Pavlovian

    I must admit to a Pavlovian reaction to cyclits, I say ‘Hi’ to all of them, I can’t help myself.

    This is despite knowing that some riders I see regularly will never respond and that groups from certain clubs ride as though all other road users are invisible.   Another rule of thumb is that clubs with ‘Clarion’ in their name are friendly.

    I ride on roads that are used by riders from British Cycling and Sky (before they moved) and those riders always returned a greeting, I used to wonder whether they were instructed to by their PR dept.   So it amused me to be blanked by a club hack when when I’d had a wave from an Olympic medalist or a Grand Tour rider.

    Also, I must admire the knowledge and powers of observation of those people who know what brand of clothing another rider is wearing and/or how much their bike cost.

     

     

    May 1, 2016 at 9:03 pm #870825
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    robertoegg

    I always say “morning” or

    I always say “morning” or “evening” when passing people on my commute. But I see very few people on my route sadly (farnham to guildford). If they are coming the other way, I always raise a hand.

    People, I think, get a little too hung about it, I am very happy to see other people commuting on a bike; I wish for more.

    Also, you must ask if anyone not riding their steed is ok. Them’s the rules! A tube costs peanuts and could get someone home….

    It goes without saying that I did this a lot less when in London mainly cod there’s hundreds of “us”!

     

     

    btw – isn’t it great seeing the weight drop off when you start regularly riding! Chapeau! 🙂

    May 1, 2016 at 6:22 pm #870823
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    Mungecrundle

    Maybe I just live in a

    Maybe I just live in a friendlier part of the country, but on account of this thread I made a specific note of nods, acknowledgements and brief chats made with other cyclists whilst out on our club run this morning and every single cyclist or group of cyclists responded, gave a nod, returned pleasantries or engaged in a short conversation.

    On top of this we got a thankyou beep for waving a car past after he had waited patiently for some time to pass, and whilst on ‘lookout’ as another rider fixed a technical issue at the roadside down a narrow country lane, all 3 drivers who I waved at to warn, slowed down and returned a friendly wave as they did so. Also every single walker / runner returned a ‘good morning’ and 2 sets of horse riders who thanked us for our patience and courtesy when passing.

    Not all good though, we also got one old boy who pulled out of his driveway as we descended a hill at 30+ mph and then slowed down to turn left without indicating whilst 5 cyclists were frantically braking hard to prevent going into the back of him (very narrow road). Although I suspect he wasn’t being unfriendly, just didn’t have a clue that we were there. Also 1 van who just had to push past through a village into oncoming traffic, and a completely uneccessary high speed pass with under 1m clearance.

    Weather was nice though.

    May 1, 2016 at 2:48 pm #870821
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    HalfWheeler

    I always acknowledge other

    I always acknowledge other cyclists. about 1/3 will ignore you. And they will be a mixture of the serious and committed racers to people with a basket on their handlebars with the daily shopping. Some peope are too caught up in their own wee world.

    The counterpoint to that is that the majority of people do respond.

     

    May 1, 2016 at 12:46 pm #870819
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    Ti-Buron

    On the flat and downhill I
    On the flat and downhill I hulloo, up drags I wave, or nod, up serious hills I can’t see them through my tears. On the very rate occasions I overtake I’ll offer a spportive sound bite, or inane idiom.

    May 1, 2016 at 12:46 pm #870817
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    Ti-Buron

    On the flat and downhill I
    On the flat and downhill I hulloo, up drags I wave, or nod, up serious hills I can’t see them through my tears. On the very rate occasions I overtake I’ll offer a spportive sound bite, or inane idiom.

    May 1, 2016 at 12:44 pm #870815
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    theloafer

    i always Nod and/or wave

    i always Nod and/or wave depending on state of suffering/ to all cyclists regardless of type of bicycle they ride smiley

    May 1, 2016 at 11:54 am #870813
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    Petethepump

    I think its nice to do/say

    I think its nice to do/say something. I always try to nod, wave or if I’m busy just splaying my fingers on my right hand. It costs nothing but I do agree that if your busy a “real” rider will understand if you dont do much. Also, I waved to a guy one day on a ride only to happen upon him again on my return loop only this time he was walking along with a broken chain. Two minutes with my chain splitter and a quick link and he was on his way again. A couple of weeks later we bumped into each other again in one of the local Costa’s. He bought me a coffee and a bisquit and replaced the quick link which he had been carrying in his saddle pack. He didnt really reconise me but he reconised the bike. He has since become a mate and we’ve ridden a few good miles together. So wave, nod,whatever,  you might get a free coffee and a mate to ride with. Politeness costs us nothing but buys us loads. 

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