Cycle snobbery



Originally posted by FranklynMint
I have always cycled, but have only recently (12 months) taken up regular recreational cycling for health reasons (dodgy knee means I can't jog or play footy, and swimming lengths is tedious). I have a 35 quid mountain bike, bought 2nd hand because i am not well-paid, and couldn't afford to splash out.
I usualy road-cycle, occasionally going off-road when the fancy takes me. I wear cheap but functional proper cycling gear. All mountain-bikers will give a cheery wave and hello, but I have noticed that people on road bikes will often totally ignore you as you pass in opposite directions in the middle of the countryside miles from anywhere. I don't understand it. I have no wish to harbour negative thoughts about other people, or spoil anyone's enjoyment of a wonderfully fulfilling and healthy pastime, but why would anyone want to ignore another cyclist, especially if there is nobody else around! I have started to grow a chip on my own shoulder, and now get enormous enjoyment from overtaking road-bikers in all the latest gear, on the latest, flashiest bikes, who are not as fast as me. Hur hur. Can anyone explain or help me get rid of the shoulder chip?
Click to expand...
I don't think you can say it's roadies who don't acknowledge you.
I find that when I'm out on my mtb, some cyclists wave/ nod/ speak, others don't.
I always try to do so myself, but as someone posted above, if you're really going for it, or on a hard climb, it can be difficult.
I find that the worst offenders are the riders wearing jeans & T shirt, with saddle set far too low, and cadence of about 30 (so they're hardly going flat out)
 
Zog The Undeniable <[email protected]> wrote:

: Seriously, I ride near 100% if I'm commuting and it's an
: effort to speak.

I used to do this. Now I just content myself with the
knowledge that the guy that has just gone streaming
past me is actually slower than me and I could catch
them if I want :)

I find I go much faster now I don't batter myself commuting
but go really hard when I go hard.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org "Technolibertarians make a
philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook
 
"Richard Corfield" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On 2004-06-07, Simon Mason
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > I have to descend from Mount Olympus now and again and
> > mix with the
common
> > people and don't want to look a total prat (meat and two
> > veg wise)
walking
> > around WH Smiths ;-)
>
> But surely thats what the padding in the shorts is for ;-)

Some of us need a bit of extra padding in that area ;-)

--
Simon M.
 
On Mon, 7 Jun 2004 19:08:07 +0100 someone who may be MSA
<[email protected]> wrote this:-

>> Simply tell yourself that they are idiots and continue to
>> be yourself.
>
>Just out of interest, why idiots?

If one wants to feel superior to the person who does
not wave back then it is best to think of them in
derogatory terms.

As I implied later on in my posting it doesn't bother me
either way. Some people commit random acts of kindness,
others do not.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number
F566DA0E I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK
government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.
 
On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 13:04:52 GMT, FranklynMint
<[email protected]> wrote:

>All mountain-bikers will give a cheery wave and hello, but
>I have noticed that people on road bikes will often totally
>ignore you as you pass in opposite directions in the middle
>of the countryside miles from anywhere.

Hi Franklyn

When on my road bike I have my "Hi's" returned by others on
similar bikes. When I'm on my tatty MTB no-one replies.

Unless I'm in "eeek, traffic" mode, I always say "hello",
grin or gesture in some way towards other cyclists. Of
course, I have more time to both notice and wave to other
bike riders when on quiet roads than I do when circling busy
roundabouts, for example.

James
 
Hi there: I only ever cycle in rural northumberland these days (though I cycled in London for years), and I was just interested in whether or not there was some unwritten code I wasn't aware of. I guess its a case of some people want to say hello, others don't. Thanks to all for your replies, and for making me chuckle along the way!
Cheers
FM (no padding required)



>>Hi Franklyn

When on my road bike I have my "Hi's" returned by others on
similar bikes. When I'm on my tatty MTB no-one replies.

Unless I'm in "eeek, traffic" mode, I always say "hello",
grin or gesture in some way towards other cyclists. Of
course, I have more time to both notice and wave to other
bike riders when on quiet roads than I do when circling busy
roundabouts, for example.

James [/B][/QUOTE]
 
On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 15:32:33 GMT, FranklynMint
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi there: I only ever cycle in rural northumberland these
> days (though I cycled in London for years), and I was just
> interested in whether or not there was some unwritten code
> I wasn't aware of. I guess its a case of some people want
> to say hello, others don't. Thanks to all for your
> replies, and for making me chuckle along the way! Cheers
> FM (no padding required)

I've spent the last couple of days cycling between Durham
and the dales and I've met a mixture of friendly waves and
nods and complete ignorance. The funniest, on Sunday, was a
road over the top of the moors, real middle-of-nowhere
stuff. I had stopped to check my map and GPS as I was trying
to locate the edge of a 1km grid square---you'd think the OS
would paint them on the landscape! My bike was clearly in
view, propped against a snow pole, and I was stood in the
middle of the narrow road. A cyclist was climbing the hill.
It is a fair drag and I appreciate the head down effort
required, but he just went straight past me. His eyes never
left the road in front of his wheel. I had started to say
something before I realised that he really didn't know I was
there despite the fact that we were the only two human
beings for miles around.

Colin
 
On Mon, 07 Jun 2004 14:11:13 +0100, David Martin
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On 7/6/04 2:04 pm, in article
>[email protected], "FranklynMint"
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> All mountain-bikers will give a cheery wave and hello,
>> but I have noticed that people on road bikes will often
>> totally ignore you as you pass in opposite directions in
>> the middle of the countryside miles from anywhere. I
>> don't understand it.
>
>The problem is that all those road bikers who COULD explain
>why they ignore you will just, well, ignore you so you
>won't get a helpful response.
>
>It's an us and them situation. When I am on the road
>bike the roadies say hello and the MTB'ers ignore me.
>And vice versa.
>
>..d

I don't wave to people wearing helmets. Motorist-running-
dogs.
 
"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:
>
> > Floral dress on old clunker or shopper's quite effective
> > too...
>
> In my case it might attract the wrong kind of attention,
> thobut...

Perhaps you have to shave your legs ;-)

BTW it's the same in France, Les roadies faisent le wave,
les VTT ne le faisent pas a une autre roadie
 
On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 10:50:01 GMT, Graeme
<[email protected]> () wrote:

>Whingin' Pom <[email protected]> wrote in
>news:[email protected]:
>
>> Or a recumbent. Everybody waves. :)
>>
>
>No, that's the sign of the cross as they try to scare away
>the evil wheeled monster ;-)

I look forward to the peasant mobs gathering on the front
lawn, attempting to persuade me back to the light side and
UCI-sanctioned redemption.

I shall brook none of their nonsense, however and leap onto
my trusty Rolls Canardly, B&M headlight blazing and utter
my best maniacal laugh as they scatter in the face of my
mighty chainring, hurtling downhill into the night at
Ludicrous Speed, beard and CAMRA membership card flapping
in the breeze...

...until the next climb where the pursuing mob catch
up with me.

--
Matt K Dunedin, NZ
 
David Martin <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<BCEA2801.17089%[email protected]>...
> On 7/6/04 2:04 pm, in article
> [email protected],
> "FranklynMint" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > All mountain-bikers will give a cheery wave and hello,
> > but I have noticed that people on road bikes will often
> > totally ignore you as you pass in opposite directions
> > in the middle of the countryside miles from anywhere. I
> > don't understand it.
>
> The problem is that all those road bikers who COULD
> explain why they ignore you will just, well, ignore you so
> you won't get a helpful response.

Not guilty. I always try to not and wave hello to riders
passing in the other direction. I thought the attitude of
the national squad riders mentioned in a recent u.r.c post
was a bit off, especially considering the fact that not so
long ago, I would often encounter Stuart Dangerfield
training on the back roads around Wolverhampton; despite
being a time triallst of considerable reputation, it clearly
wasn't beneath him to say a quick 'hello' to cyclists
passing by. Indeed, he did offer to help me out with a
puncture once, and on another occasion Dad and I had a chat
with him in the beer garden of the New Inns at Kiddemore
Green (between Brewood and Bishops Wood). Needless to say,
being a dedicate athlete he opted for a soft drink, whilst
we were on pints of Burtonwood! Also, his supposed
'training' bike had a top-notch TTing wheel in, which put us
to shame....

David E. Belcher
 
David Martin <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<BCEA2801.17089%[email protected]>...
> On 7/6/04 2:04 pm, in article
> [email protected],
> "FranklynMint" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > All mountain-bikers will give a cheery wave and hello,
> > but I have noticed that people on road bikes will often
> > totally ignore you as you pass in opposite directions
> > in the middle of the countryside miles from anywhere. I
> > don't understand it.
>
> The problem is that all those road bikers who COULD
> explain why they ignore you will just, well, ignore you so
> you won't get a helpful response.
>
> Not guilty. I always try to not and wave hello to riders
> passing in the other direction

Oops; for 'not' read 'nod'; didn't wish to convey a
negative attitude!

David E. Belcher
 
> "David Hansen" <[email protected]> wrote
> > someone who may be FranklynMint wrote:
> >
> > I would continue to get enormous enjoyment.
>
> Best is to be focused on your own improvement. The only
> flawless victory you can achieve is over yourself, over
> your own limitations.

Nope. Best is to enjoy. If you ever do achieve flawless
victory over yourself (whatever that means), does that make
you a loser too?

Vince.
 
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