Cyclists, get more friendly will ya

dnme

Over the past few years, I have gotten into cycling in a very small way. I did a few runs up and down the country and do a few km of an evening etc. Whenever I come across another cyclist, I always look, wave, smile and say hello. I notice that in some cases it is not reciprocated. When I say some cases, I guess more than half.

I was out for a spin on summer solstice, I was headed N4 south between Boyle and Lough Key. Met another cyclist heading north. Did my usual, he looked at me as if I was about to mug him.

Maybe it's me, I am a pretty scary looking entity I'll give ya that. Also my gear is nothing to write home about so maybe I bring shame to the fraternity:cool:

As a general thing, a smile and a hello are worth so much more than the sum of their parts. They improve the quality of the day for everyone. Get off your high hors / bikes bitches and say hello godammit!

Caroline_ie

... triathletes, no doubts.

Cookie_Monster

cycling is kinda like hiking, the further away from Dublin you get the friendlier people become.

Dermot Illogical

dnme wrote: »

Also my gear is nothing to write home about so maybe I bring shame to the fraternity:cool:!

No Lycra, no nod :rolleyes:

mfdc

I agree, I always wave and it annoys me when I don't get one back. I gotta ask though - how much of it is snobbery? I've been doing some trail running on Howth lately, and when cycling over in my running gear with toeclips I almost never get a nod or wave from the multitude of cyclists.

Admittedly it's been a while since I've done a spin up Howth for training, but I never recall having that problem when in full lycra... snobbish bastards

kenmc

I dunno about all this. Do you all go around waving to everyone when you get on the bus or train? How about when you're driving down the M50, do you wave at the other drivers and expect them all to wave back? Or when you're walking down the aisle in the supermarket do you wave to the other shoppers?
If not, why not? Same thing.

petethedrummer

If you want to be smiled and waved at all day, there are places you can go.

kennyb3

How much did your bike cost?*

* If under 2k please refer to rule 23

dnme

petethedrummer wrote: »

If you want to be smiled and waved at all day, there are places you can go.

kenmc wrote: »

I dunno about all this. Do you all go around waving to everyone when you get on the bus or train? How about when you're driving down the M50, do you wave at the other drivers and expect them all to wave back? Or when you're walking down the aisle in the supermarket do you wave to the other shoppers?
If not, why not? Same thing.

Years ago, when people walked or cycled around, everyone waved, said hello and in a lot of cases stopped for a chat. The car put pay to a lot of that but in rural Ireland even in cars, people still wave when they pass each other. As tech advances, there are even more ways for us to ignore each other these days such as people with headphones. Everyone wants to plug out of the world around them, especially women and young people in my observation anwyays.

My point is that the bike to a great extent overrides all these technological diversions and provides a terrific opportunity for us to get back to the way we were.

Being a rural lad, I love knowing my neighbours. I get to meet a few of them most nights as either I or they are out walking. We still visit each others houses and look after one another.
I love the warmth and friendliness. When it disappears I really miss it.

Raam

I hug other cyclists that I meet.

Chips Lovell

I'm a waver and a nodder. Having said that, I can't comprehend getting offended when a total stranger, on the other side of the road fails to acknowledge me.

kincsem

As mentioned above if your bike cost less that €2,000 you are an untouchable. If the other cyclist is riding a bike costing €5k+ then hide in a ditch.

Seriously, some people are just up themselves.

on_the_nickel

el tonto wrote: »

I'm a waver and a nodder. Having said that, I can't comprehend getting offended when a total stranger, on the other side of the road fails to acknowledge me.

unless they've tri bars on.

Malari

dnme wrote: »

Years ago, when people walked or cycled around, everyone waved, said hello and in a lot of cases stopped for a chat. The car put pay to a lot of that but in rural Ireland even in cars, people still wave when they pass each other. As tech advances, there are even more ways for us to ignore each other these days such as people with headphones. Everyone wants to plug out of the world around them, especially women and young people in my observation anwyays.

My point is that the bike to a great extent overrides all these technological diversions and provides a terrific opportunity for us to get back to the way we were.

Being a rural lad, I love knowing my neighbours. I get to meet a few of them most nights as either I or they are out walking. We still visit each others houses and look after one another.
I love the warmth and friendliness. When it disappears I really miss it.

You remind me of a religion teacher who once told us we shouldn't wear headphones because it is antisocial.

I cycle, I sometimes wave, sometimes don't bother. If you are out on a training spin do you wave at the old boy cycling down to the shop for a newspaper? Or the teenagers on BMXs? Do you often get people mistaking you for a bloke called Fred?

Most cyclists are horrified at people (like me) who go out in any old gear. Most guys I know personally off the bike wouldn't wave at me for this reason. My boyfriend is even a little embarrassed, so I do try to make an effort to wear my leg-warmers OVER my shorts, NOT pull up my bibs over my shoulders, try to mismatch gear and generally make use of my non-cycling specific training gear or Aldi clothes when I go out with them.

Oink

Maybe they were just too surprised to react?

aquanaut

on_the_nickel wrote: »

unless they've tri bars on.

In waterford you dont wave, you lift your right index finger about 2" - city folks might miss this as its very subtle and normally accompanied by 'well boi' and a 10mm head raise in time with the word 'well'

petethedrummer

dnme wrote: »

Being a rural lad, I love knowing my neighbours. I get to meet a few of them most nights as either I or they are out walking. I love the warmth and friendliness. When it disappears I really miss it.

I'm rural and a waver. I just don't get upset if people are busy, snobby, shy or in their own world when I pass.

I (from the country) got laughed at in secondary school (in town) for saying hello to an old woman walking down the street. So I have endured social exclusion as a result of trying to make the world a friendlier place. So I ditched the lads and me and the old lady took her meds at cuchulainn's castle and got wacked out for the afternoon*.


*this sentence is a lie.

dnme

My bike is worth about €200, my gear consists of cycle shorts only. I use t-shirts and plain old runners. Mind ya I have just bought a couple of cycle tops from crc (another thread). I love me bike, love it being big and heavy, makes me sweat and I feel great afterwards and it has been all over the land with me by now so kind of like an old friend.

So lots of snobs on bikes eh? cool, I can't wait. I am also restoring an old boat just so I can have a go at those up their own rectum boating types. Bring it on bitches

@el tonto
I dont take any offence at all, just making the point.

Joeyde

Usually keep my hands on the bars.

I will usually give a nod or smile.

If I miss your wave or nod Im too busy checking out your bike. You should be flattered.

07Lapierre

Icyseanfitz

ignore them there are plenty people up their own arses in every facet of life

Lumen

07Lapierre wrote: »

Raam

Lumen wrote: »

kenmc

dnme wrote: »

Years ago, when people walked or cycled around, everyone waved, said hello and in a lot of cases stopped for a chat. The car put pay to a lot of that but in rural Ireland even in cars, people still wave when they pass each other. As tech advances, there are even more ways for us to ignore each other these days such as people with headphones. Everyone wants to plug out of the world around them, especially women and young people in my observation anwyays.

My point is that the bike to a great extent overrides all these technological diversions and provides a terrific opportunity for us to get back to the way we were.

Being a rural lad, I love knowing my neighbours. I get to meet a few of them most nights as either I or they are out walking. We still visit each others houses and look after one another.
I love the warmth and friendliness. When it disappears I really miss it.

Ah but you see the difference is you KNOW your neighbours whereas you DON'T know every cyclist. Same was as you don't know everyone on the bus/plane/m50/shops. But if you saw someone you knew on the bus or out shopping then of course you'd say hello. But there's a hell of a difference to "I know my neighbours, so we say hi" to "Everyone a bike knows each other so we say hi"

07Lapierre

Hi Everybody!!!!

dnme

kenmc wrote: »

Ah but you see the difference is you KNOW your neighbours whereas you DON'T know every cyclist. Same was as you don't know everyone on the bus/plane/m50/shops. But if you saw someone you knew on the bus or out shopping then of course you'd say hello. But there's a hell of a difference to "I know my neighbours, so we say hi" to "Everyone a bike knows each other so we say hi"

I know my neighbours because we stopped to chat at some point and go to know each other. In the car we all wave even though we don't all know each other. Am I being wound up here by some ? fair enough if I am, probably asked for it.

kenmc

dnme wrote: »

I know my neighbours because we stopped to chat at some point and go to know each other. In the car we all wave even though we don't all know each other. Am I being wound up here by some ? fair enough if I am, probably asked for it.

You all wave in cars in case someone has got a new car you don't recognise and he gets the hump at you and won't sit beside you in mass any more cos you didn't wave at him in his new car.
Seriously, I don't know why you care if, as el tonto said, some COMPLETE STRANGER does not acknowledge your wave.
For what it's worth, I always acknowledge other cyclists if I am out for a spin in the hills or whatever.
On my commute, I often see the same people a couple days a week. When stopped at lights I chat to them. If going the other way I acknowledge them with a nod or a wave.
I certainly don't wave like a bloody loon at each and every commuter I see.
And if someone doesn't re-acknowledge me, well whoop de fcukin doo.

munsterleinster

el tonto wrote: »

I can't comprehend getting offended when a total stranger, on the other side of the road fails to acknowledge me.

Try owning a Motorbike.. by the end of a sunny Sunday you'll have severe carpal tunnel syndrome.
If you don't, you'll be bitched about on every Kawahondabeemerzaki forum

dnme

I'm not talking about commuting or urban situations where speed, crowding and time make life difficult enough.

I am talking about rural scenarios, where I might run into 2-3 cyclists in an entire evening on quiet roads where time and space are favourable.

I'm not getting upset or taking offence at all, it's not that the failure to acknowledge upsets me, it's that the act of an acknowledgment makes the world slightly better.

happytramp

Could this be relevant?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056305966

dnme

happytramp wrote: »

Could this be relevant?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056305966

That's gas actually, I sued to be in the IT sector, got the hell out of it. Too much of an individualist I guess :rolleyes:

Piercemeear

I often say hello, but generally not in urban areas.

I don't think it's about cycling in particular. It's a fundamental part of the urban/rural divide. When people began moving into big cities they simply had to stop acknowledging everyone they passed, whether walking, cycling or otherwise. It'd take forever. Not only that, but if you don't distance yourself mentally from the people around you in a city you'll drown in the drama and heartache. You'll die a death for every beggar sleeping rough.

I don't think it's falseness or anything that I ignore most people in Dublin and hail most people in Dingle. I like when people nod on an empty country road. I don't resent that they don't do it on the cycle path to Howth.

Raam

Piercemeear wrote: »

I often say hello, but generally not in urban areas.

I don't think it's about cycling in particular. It's a fundamental part of the urban/rural divide. When people began moving into big cities they simply had to stop acknowledging everyone they passed, whether walking, cycling or otherwise. It'd take forever. Not only that, but if you don't distance yourself mentally from the people around you in a city you'll drown in the drama and heartache. You'll die a death for every beggar sleeping rough.

I don't think it's falseness or anything that I ignore most people in Dublin and hail most people in Dingle. I like when people nod on an empty country road. I don't resent that they don't do it on the cycle path to Howth.

What bike do you ride? I will make a specific point of finding you on the track and stopping for a cuppa with you. You better not blank me or I'll look like a sap sat there with two chairs and two cups of tea.

kenmc

Raam wrote: »

What bike do you ride? I will make a specific point of finding you on the track and stopping for a cuppa with you. You better not blank me or I'll look like a sap sat there with two chairs and two cups of tea.

Yeah but on the plus side, you'll also have a seat for your feet, and 2 cups of tea to yourself....

DirkVoodoo

dnme wrote: »

I'm not talking about commuting or urban situations where speed, crowding and time make life difficult enough.

I am talking about rural scenarios, where I might run into 2-3 cyclists in an entire evening on quiet roads where time and space are favourable.

I'm not getting upset or taking offence at all, it's not that the failure to acknowledge upsets me, it's that the act of an acknowledgment makes the world slightly better.

Your world, not THE world. Who cares, really? I'd be too afraid to stop on country roads to chat with cyclists because:

a) A cow might eat me
b) A cow might rape me, then eat me.

Raam

kenmc wrote: »

Yeah but on the plus side, you'll also have a seat for your feet, and 2 cups of tea to yourself....

Score! I'll bring some cans also.

dnme

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Your world, not THE world. Who cares, really?

Ah, there's my answer.

Raam

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Your world, not THE world. Who cares, really? I'd be too afraid to stop on country roads to chat with cyclists because:

a) A cow might eat me
b) A cow might rape me, then eat me.

Hey remember that time when we stopped on the side of the road near Mahon Falls last September? And we went into the field? One at a time?

dnme

Raam wrote: »

Hey remember that time when we stopped on the side of the road near Mahon Falls last September? And we went into the field? One at a time?

What went on in that field is your business. I'm sure people won't judge.

DirkVoodoo

dnme wrote: »

Ah, there's my answer.

Oh come off it, you started a whole thread about why no one waves to you and how it would make the world a better place if people did. Sorry, the world doesn't revolve around you and I'm sure people have all sorts of reasons for not waving back at you, it doesn't mean everyone suddenly has their heads wedged up their collective arses.

Cycling isn't about waving, it's about lycra and defeat after soul-crushing defeat.

tomasrojo

I found myself waving at a lady with a cargobike one day, merely because I was towing a trailer at the time. It was like an involuntary reflex.

Raam

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Cycling isn't about waving, it's about lycra and defeat after soul-crushing defeat.

And awesome socks.

pmcd22

i live out in the sticks so not used to seeing other cyclists but i give a shout out to anyone i pass on the road wheather is another cyclist or a runner/walker.

In saying that, being unemployed so i go out in off-peak times only meeting 4-5 people.

I am a creature in my own right, i sometimes go along the road in the car and just start given random strangers in the pasing cars a big salute. it make me feels good and thats all that matters. :P

dnme

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Oh come off it, you started a whole thread about why no one waves to you and how it would make the world a better place if people did. Sorry, the world doesn't revolve around you and I'm sure people have all sorts of reasons for not waving back at you, it doesn't mean everyone suddenly has their heads wedged up their collective arses.

Cycling isn't about waving, it's about lycra and defeat after soul-crushing defeat.

Ah, there's my answer elaborated.

Raam

dnme wrote: »

Ah, there's my answer elaborated.

What was the question?

langdang

Around Limerick, I do the grimace-and-nod. It's kinda non-committal, the other person can choose to interpret it as a greeting if they are friendly, or they can see it as a pang of muscle or bowel discomfort if they are not friendly. Everyone's a winner.;)

Cycled out to Nenagh there the other day and I have to say they are a fierce friendly bunch - waves and hi!s all round.

dnme

Raam wrote: »

What was the question?

What went on in that field?

Raam

Is it acceptable to go for a high fives?

Raam

dnme wrote: »

What went on in that field?

You know not what you ask.

dayshah

dnme wrote: »

OWhenever I come across another cyclist, I always look, wave, smile and say hello.

Yeah, you have to throw in a wink too to seal the deal.

dnme

dayshah wrote: »

Yeah, you have to throw in a wink too to seal the deal.

so, is kissing frowned upon?