[superdave2]

I am a newbie to road cycling, so you'll have to excuse me if the following is a dumb question.

Two months ago, I bought my first road bike and started into cycling with my new girlfriend, who's a competitive road cyclist. I usually ride early in the morning, before work. It's a great way to start the day, every thing is so peaceful, I'm outdoors, exercising, etc. Moreover, I usually have a smile on my face, I'm waving at people and saying good morning or hello. However, most (I'm guessing at least 75%) of the people I pass or meet (going the other direction) do not wave, nor do they say hello, good morning, nothing, just a blank stare! So, my question is: why are bicyclist so damned unfriendly? Is it because they are so focused on cycling they can't wave, or say hello?

I've ridden motorcycles for years and there people almost always wave and are, some times, too friendly. It doesn't matter if you're riding a Harley and sport bike, what ever, most people wave. This is because there is a strong sense of camaraderie and people are just plane happy to be ridding!

Thanks.

 

[MerlinAma]

Not to sound unfriendly, but this exact topic has been covered a thousand times.

Do a search and you'll find more than enough opinions as to why roadies don't always wave.

 

[VaughnA]

And Awaaaayyyy we go...

 

[CleavesF]

Everyone hates you Dave...

Cycling allows us to read inside you and see you for what you really are... AND WE KNOW WHAT YOU REAALLY AREEEE.

 

[Dinosaur]

I think it depend on where you live and how many cyclists you encounter. I can go a whole ride and not see one. I usually wave, but sometimes I don't. Most often when I don't, it's because I'm too damn tired.....

 

[Treker]

I don't know. I have wondered the same thing myself. Most of the time all you get from other cyclists is a quick nod of the head or a small wave of the fingers off the handelbars, if anything at all. I don't let it bother me personally. If they want to be all serious, that is up to them. I still try to be friendly myself, but I have toned back my enthusiam a bit from when I first started.

However, this is not the case with the people I ride with regularly in my weekly group rides. There I have started to develop some friendships and people are friendlier overall. I guess even that depends on what group you ride with though. Our group is pretty casual and is a mix of men and women, young and old, singles and tandems. We still ride pretty fast (18mph) , and usually go for between 20 and 25 miles, but we don't take ourselves too seriously. We are just out to have some fun, excersize, and enjoy the great outdoors. That doesn't mean there isn't any competition going on, but nothing gets too serious.

I would suggest trying out a few different group rides in your area and see if you can find one that fits with your personality and goals. Check with your local bike shops for suggestions. They should have a pretty good idea of what the local cycling scene is in your area.

Good luck, and welcome to RBR!

Later,

Jay B.

 

[FatTireFred]

because roadies are arrogant elitist pricks

 

[MerlinAma]

because roadies are arrogant elitist pricks

So why would we possibly care what anyone using "FatTireFred" thinks, you subterrainian, baggy shorts, flappy jerseyed, camelbacked, off roader!

 

[Marc]

Is it because they are so focused on cycling they can't wave, or say hello?

It is because you are a jerk, only slightly less so than Flatbar, and every roadie with 500m of your can sense your disruptions in their ambiance.

 

[immerle]

vertical society

If someone makes eye contact with you in an urban environment, they want something.
Be prepared to gouge their eyes with your car keys.

Hell, I'd be happy if I could get the cashier at the gas station, grocery store or coffee shop to acknowledge my existence when they ring me up.

 

[Dave Hickey]

So why would we possibly care what anyone using "FatTireFred" thinks, you subterrainian, baggy shorts, flappy jerseyed, camelbacked, off roader!

yep...and all that money I spent sending Fred to sensitivity class was wasted....

 

[cpark]

Superdave2,

I consider myself very nice and easy going guy with 2 kids.
I have a lot of friends and have no enemies (as far as I know).
I also do a lot of volunteer work and donate quite a bit of money to the variety of charities.
When I go to the gym. I go to the gym to work out not to say hi or socialize with others.
I listen to a mp3 player and get a workout in as quick as possible. So if someone says hi, I probably can't hear them.
Why? I have a job and 2 kids and there isn't enough time of the day.
When I go ride, I focus on the road/vehicles around me and try to ride at the descent pace.
I maybe aware of other cyclist being around me but 99% of time I'm not looking at them.
Why? Same reason I stated above and I have to get a ride in and get home for other obligations.
Have I said Hi to other cyclist? Yes. Do I say Hi to every cyclist I pass by? No.
Do I get irritated when someone doesn't say Hi back? No.

Stop looking/worring about what other cyclists say Hi or not and just ride....

I apologize if I'm being rude....

By the way, most of the cyclist ride with shades. How do you know they are looking at you when you wave?

 

[MerlinAma]

I've been attending remedial " arrogant elitist prick" class but since I'm from Texas, I just can't stop that little two finger "wave" that I learned driving the Ford pickup in my youth.

Dang!

 

[slupo]

/shrug

Sometimes I wave at riders. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes riders wave at me. Sometimes they don't.

Don't read too much into it. Being a biker doesn't make you a different person. If you walked around the street and waved at everyone else who was walking, how many would wave back?

 

[kykr13]

If you're looking to live around people that nice, the only option is Michigan's UP. Of course, it's only above freezing one month out of the year so everyone's in a great mood during the week of summer. (I kid, I'd move there in a second!)

I'm more of the smile and nod type if anything. Usually I just want to ride, and I ride alone so the social thing while riding isn't what I'm really after to begin with. OTOH, some of my friends are getting more interested in riding and those will no doubt be much more social (less intense) rides. A lot of people ride for different reasons.

 

[FatTireFred]

So why would we possibly care what anyone using "FatTireFred" thinks, you subterrainian, baggy shorts, flappy jerseyed, camelbacked, off roader!

ha... don't forget about the helmet visor!

 

[Pbrink]

Maybe it's just because I'm down in South Carolina, but I rarely find any unfriendly bikers. I almost always get at least a nod or a 2-finger wave, but that's what it's like for the most part here anyway, whether you're biking, walking, or driving...

 

[Creakyknees]

Superdave, I'll wave back atcha.

All those other guys are jerks. Especially Flatbar.

 

[onrhodes]

Ahh, this age old topic, just remove the word "Roadie" and insert Jew, black, Honky, ****, etc and you'll really see how stupid this topic really is. You're falling into stereotypes. Just because they don't wave doesn't mean they are an a$$. I would bet it depends a lot on what part of the country you are from. I live in the Northeast, and apparently we're considered quite rude and unfriendly by most of the country, but again, that is a stereotype, not everyone is that way.
Mtn bikers aren't nicer, road bikers aren't a-holes, I'd say it has a lot more to do with society as a whole and a lot of people just don't extend that common courtesty anymore to be polite (and look at me....now I am generalizing)

Frankie Andreu once wrote an article about how he could tell it was Philly week because when you would wave to some rider coming down the road towards you and they didn't wave back, it was a Euro over here for the races.............

 

[mohair_chair]

I swore never to wave until the war in Iraq is over.