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Should I?

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UK and Europe
Published
4 June 2004
Last activity
5 July 2004
Original author
Wild Wind
Posts
26
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  1. I have a habit of sometimes waving 'thanks' to motorists who
    give way to me when I'm on a roundabout, or desist from
    squeezing past me on a narrow section of road.

    Is this right, because it will encourage them to do the same
    the next time they encounter another cyclist in the same
    situation?

    Or is this wrong because it will make them think that they
    are somehow doing me a 'favour' instead of obeying the HC,
    and that they would be justified in not doing the same if
    they were in a hurry next time? (Remember that not every
    motorist believes - albeit wrongly - that cyclists have
    quite the same status on the roads as other vehicles.)

    --
    Akin

    aknak at aksoto dot idps dot co dot uk

  2. "Wild Wind" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    I have a habit of sometimes waving 'thanks' to motorists
    who give way to me when I'm on a roundabout....

    On a roundabout I'd rather keep my hands on the bars rather
    than start "thanking" people for obeying the highway code!

    One day you will need your hands on the bars when you
    suddenly need to brake after someone "gives way" to you then
    promptly drives straight into your path becasue they "did
    not see you".......

  3. "Wild Wind" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    I have a habit of sometimes waving 'thanks' to motorists
    who give way to me when I'm on a roundabout, or desist
    from squeezing past me on a narrow section of road.

    Is this right, because it will encourage them to do the
    same the next time they encounter another cyclist in the
    same situation?

    Or is this wrong because it will make them think that they
    are somehow doing me a 'favour' instead of obeying the HC,
    and that they would be justified in not doing the same if
    they were in a hurry next time? (Remember that not every
    motorist believes - albeit wrongly - that cyclists have
    quite the same status on the roads as other vehicles.)

    --

    Sure when its safe to do, when driving if someone gives way
    I'll acknowledge them with a small raused hand, they will do
    the same, a little courtesy helps the world go round, or
    something.

    BTW, and this isn't necessarily directed at you, people
    arent 'drivers' or 'cyclists' etc, they drive ride or walk.
    That driver who gave way to you might also be a cyclist
    sometimes. Maybe it was me :-)

    --
    Tumbleweed

    Remove my socks for email address

  4. "Wild Wind" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    I have a habit of sometimes waving 'thanks' to motorists
    who give way to me when I'm on a roundabout, or desist
    from squeezing past me on a narrow section of road.

    Is this right, because it will encourage them to do the
    same the next time they encounter another cyclist in the
    same situation?

    Or is this wrong because it will make them think that they
    are somehow doing me a 'favour' instead of obeying the HC,
    and that they would be justified in not doing the same if
    they were in a hurry next time? (Remember that not every
    motorist believes - albeit wrongly - that cyclists have
    quite the same status on the roads as other vehicles.)

    --
    Akin

    aknak at aksoto dot idps dot co dot uk


    I don't believe there can ever be too much politeness out on
    the roads. As a driver, I don't sit there thinking I've done
    that cyclist a favour when one waves. I tend to believe that
    they're just grateful that they haven't had another git
    trying to get to the next jam faster than them. As a cyclist
    I always wave. Anything to help get them out of the trance
    they normally drive around in. Dave.

  5. "(t'other) Dave" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:


    "Wild Wind" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:2i9idqFkcoi2U1@uni-
    berlin.de...

    Quoted message said:

    I have a habit of sometimes waving 'thanks' to motorists
    who give way to me when I'm on a roundabout, or desist
    from squeezing past me on a narrow section of road.

    Is this right, because it will encourage them to do the
    same the next time they encounter another cyclist in the
    same situation?

    Or is this wrong because it will make them think that
    they are somehow doing me a 'favour' instead of obeying
    the HC, and that they would be justified in not doing
    the same if they were in a hurry next time? (Remember
    that not every motorist believes - albeit wrongly - that
    cyclists have quite the same status on the roads as
    other vehicles.)

    --
    Akin

    aknak at aksoto dot idps dot co dot uk


    I don't believe there can ever be too much politeness out
    on the roads.

    So long as it doesn't lead to "After you, Claude" "No, after
    *you*" "No, after *you*"

    Then both decide to go at the same time.

    Which is why (generally) :

    If it's your right-of-way - take it (provided doing so
    isn't going to cause a problem) If it's NOT your right-of-
    way - give it.

    Sometimes, there are occasions when it would have been
    nice to stop and, say, let someone cross. Great - until
    motorbike man thunders up the outside ("Wot's 'ee bloody
    well 'angin' around for"😉 .... and ploughs into the people
    who are crossing in front of your vehicle. Who *caused*
    the accident?

    Better - safer - for *everyone* to *know* the rules, and
    *abide by them.*. Then we all might have some chance of
    knowing what other people are doing ....

    Quoted message said:

    As a driver, I don't sit there thinking I've done that
    cyclist a favour


    when

    Quoted message said:

    one waves. I tend to believe that they're just grateful
    that they haven't had another git trying to get to the
    next jam faster than them. As a cyclist I always wave.
    Anything to help get them out of the trance


    they

    Quoted message said:

    normally drive around in. Dave.

  6. In general I hate these people who reverse the rules of the
    road in the hope of collecting a wave. It leads to
    confusion. It is particularly annoying when the car 'giving
    way' would be better getting out of the way and leaving you
    to make your own decisions instead of 'waving you out' to
    get a little wave.

    Why do some drivers show more consideration to rat runners
    on side roads than the 20 cars behind them. Will they let me
    in to the check-out queue at the supermarket???

    --

    Regards

    John

    "Trevor Barton" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:
    Wild Wind said:

    I have a habit of sometimes waving 'thanks' to motorists
    who give way to me when I'm on a roundabout, or desist
    from squeezing past me on a narrow section of road.

    Is this right, because it will encourage them to do the
    same the next time they encounter another cyclist in the
    same situation?

    Or is this wrong because it will make them think that
    they are somehow doing me a 'favour' instead of obeying
    the HC, and that they would be justified in not doing
    the same if they were in a hurry next time? (Remember
    that not every motorist believes - albeit wrongly - that
    cyclists have quite the same status on the roads as
    other vehicles.)

    (Posted from urc) Yes, I think you should. Not because it
    makes them feel good because they are doing you a favour,
    but because it reinforces their awareness of cyclists, and
    that they appreciate being treated as proper road users
    when so often they are not. It's more likely that they'll
    do it again, and also the the person behind will notice
    and do it next time.

    --
    Trevor Barton

    ---
    All of my outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by
    AVG anti-virus system (grisoft.comgrisoft.com). Version:
    6.0.692 / Virus Database: 453 - Release Date: 28/05/2004

  7. In news:1EOvc.1262$iN6.232@newsfe2-win,
    John <[email hidden]> typed:

    Quoted message said:

    In general I hate these people who reverse the rules of
    the road in the hope of collecting a wave. It leads to
    confusion. It is particularly annoying when the car
    'giving way' would be better getting out of the way and
    leaving you to make your own decisions instead of 'waving
    you out' to get a little wave.


    Yes, it's very annoying when the car inquestion has a huge
    gap behind them and you're just ready to go once they're out
    of the way, and then suddenly they throw your timing out by
    stopping. Happens when cycling, walking or driving in my
    experience.

    A

  8. Wild Wind said:

    I have a habit of sometimes waving 'thanks' to motorists
    who give way to me when I'm on a roundabout, or desist
    from squeezing past me on a narrow section of road.

    Quoted message said:

    Is this right, because it will encourage them to do the
    same the next time they encounter another cyclist in the
    same situation?

    I would say that it is right.

    Exactly that (the holding back at a deliberately-narrowed
    part of the road) happened today, and the cyclist
    acknowledged it.

    Courtesy costs nowt.

    Quoted message said:

    Or is this wrong because it will make them think that they
    are somehow doing me a 'favour' instead of obeying the HC,
    and that they would be justified in not doing the same if
    they were in a hurry next time? (Remember that not every
    motorist believes - albeit wrongly - that cyclists have
    quite the same status on the roads as other vehicles.)

    Well, that depends on the situation.

    In the absence of lane-lines, for instance, there is nothing
    (except space) to stop a driver squeezing past at a
    restriction. That he does not do so is a courtesy (as well
    as common sense). It is a good idea to acknowledge courtesy.

    ---
    Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-
    virus system (grisoft.comgrisoft.com). Version: 6.0.693 /
    Virus Database: 454 - Release Date: 01/06/04

  9. Reply to Trevor Barton

    Quoted message said:

    (Posted from urc) Yes, I think you should. Not because it
    makes them feel good because they are doing you a favour,
    but because it reinforces their awareness of cyclists, and
    that they appreciate being treated as proper road users
    when so often they are not. It's more likely that they'll
    do it again, and also the the person behind will notice
    and do it next time.

    Absolutely. The thread is going in two slightly different
    directions: the "giving up right of way" thing, which should
    only be offered or accepted with caution, and the "thanks
    for a small favour" thing, which helps the world go round,
    and (to me, at least) gives the impression that we'll all
    get where we're going a bit more easily.

    What I like about waves of thanks is that sudden little
    shock of perception that the other person in the transaction
    is *not* an anonymous "driver", or a "cyclist" or whatever,
    but another human being. Or maybe I'm just having an old
    hippie moment. :-)

    --
    Mark, UK. We hope to hear him swear, we love to hear him
    squeak, We like to see him biting fingers in his horny beak.

  10. John said:

    In general I hate these people who reverse the rules of
    the road in the hope of collecting a wave. It leads to
    confusion. It is particularly annoying when the car
    'giving way' would be better getting out of the way and
    leaving you to make your own decisions instead of 'waving
    you out' to get a little wave.

    Quoted message said:

    Why do some drivers show more consideration to rat runners
    on side roads than the 20 cars behind them. Will they let
    me in to the check-out queue at the supermarket???

    How do you know they are rat-runners?

    How do you expect the driver of the car in front to know
    they are rat-runners?

    Couldn't they live in that road or another one running off
    it?

    ---
    Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-
    virus system (grisoft.comgrisoft.com). Version: 6.0.693 /
    Virus Database: 454 - Release Date: 01/06/04

  11. Wild Wind said:

    I have a habit of sometimes waving 'thanks' to motorists
    who give way to me when I'm on a roundabout, or desist
    from squeezing past me on a narrow section of road.

    Is this right, because it will encourage them to do the
    same the next time they encounter another cyclist in the
    same situation?

    Or is this wrong because it will make them think that they
    are somehow doing me a 'favour' instead of obeying the HC,
    and that they would be justified in not doing the same if
    they were in a hurry next time? (Remember that not every
    motorist believes - albeit wrongly - that cyclists have
    quite the same status on the roads as other vehicles.)

    Think about your children. Do you reward them for good
    behaviour or ignore them because otherwise they might think
    good behaviour is something special?

    Tony

  12. Wild Wind said:

    I have a habit of sometimes waving 'thanks' to motorists
    who give way to me when I'm on a roundabout, or desist
    from squeezing past me on a narrow section of road.

    Is this right, because it will encourage them to do the
    same the next time they encounter another cyclist in the
    same situation?

    It's what I do. Behaving in a polite manner just helps
    oil the gears on which society runs. And IME motorists do
    it back to me as well. It just makes me feel that
    everyone is making an effort to look after one other,
    which is a Good Thing.

    Quoted message said:

    Or is this wrong because it will make them think that they
    are somehow doing me a 'favour' instead of obeying the HC,
    and that they would be justified in not doing the same if
    they were in a hurry next time?

    I don't think so. I see it as acknowledging good,
    considerate driving. Otherwise doing the right thing isn't
    seen as anything special, which I think it should be.

    Pete.
    --
    Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111
    ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382
    640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net
    [email hidden] dundee.ac.uk~pjclinch

  13. John said:

    In general I hate these people who reverse the rules of
    the road in the hope of collecting a wave.

    Bit of a sweeping assumption. Last time I gave up a right of
    way was going up a steep hill with the cars parked on the
    other side, so the car coming down technically had to cede
    RoW to me. It was a steep hill and I had a heavy load, I'd
    have taken ages on the bike, so I pulled in and waved him
    down. Delayed me a few seconds, saved delaying him a couple
    of minutes. It was just the most obviously fair thing to do.

    Quoted message said:

    Why do some drivers show more consideration to rat runners
    on side roads than the 20 cars behind them. Will they let
    me in to the check-out queue at the supermarket???

    There are people living in side roads too. If nobody gives
    way to them then they could be stuck there for ages, letting
    them out doesn't cost anyone on the main road more than a
    few seconds. People can spare seconds easily as that sort of
    delay is factored in to most journeys.

    No, they won't let them in at a supermarket, as there isn't
    a RoW conflict that could cause them to be held up 10 times
    longer than anyone else joining the system.

    Pete.
    --
    Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer Tel 44 1382 660111
    ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382
    640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net
    [email hidden] dundee.ac.uk~pjclinch

  14. Trevor Barton <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

    Quoted message said:

    (Posted from urc) Yes, I think you should. Not because it
    makes them feel good because they are doing you a favour,
    but because it reinforces their awareness of cyclists, and
    that they appreciate being treated as proper road users
    when so often they are not. It's more likely that they'll
    do it again, and also the the person behind will notice
    and do it next time.

    Behavioural psychology 101. Behaviour that is positively
    reinforced,
    i.e. rewarded, is more likely to be repeated. A smile and a
    nod does this quite effectively.

    --
    Dave...

  15. "Wild Wind" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    I have a habit of sometimes waving 'thanks' to motorists
    who give way to me when I'm on a roundabout,

    I'm not sure what the detailed circumstances are when
    you wave...

    It seems obvious that you are not taking your first exit,
    and that there is no traffic behind you on the roundabout;
    so you are probably well out from the left of the road. If
    you are taking the next exit, you should be about to signal
    left; if you are going past the next (second) exit, you
    would be signalling right, and the car might be able to
    pull out anyway. Either way, how would you wave?

  16. Wild Wind:

    Quoted message said:

    Is this right, because it will encourage them to do the
    same the next time they encounter another cyclist in the
    same situation?

    It's right because it shows your gratitude for their
    courtesy. If they did it for you this time, chances are they
    are the sort of considerate person that would do the same
    for someone else on another occasion anyway.

    Quoted message said:

    Or is this wrong because it will make them think that they
    are somehow doing me a 'favour' instead of obeying the HC

    The world would be a much better place if all road users
    were more courteous to each other - cyclists, motorists,
    pedestrians, everyone. Whether they are doing it because
    they feel they have to or because they are just being
    courteous, it is always right to acknowledge the 'favour'.

    Quoted message said:

    and that they would be justified in not doing the same if
    they were in a hurry next time?

    Well, you would be justified in giving them a different hand
    signal on that occasion.

    d.

  17. "davek" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    Wild Wind:

    Quoted message said:

    Is this right, because it will encourage them to do the
    same the next time they encounter another cyclist in the
    same situation?

    It's right because it shows your gratitude for their
    courtesy. If they did it for you this time, chances are
    they are the sort of considerate person that would do the
    same for someone else on another occasion anyway.

    True.

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    Or is this wrong because it will make them think that
    they are somehow doing me a 'favour' instead of obeying
    the HC

    The world would be a much better place if all road users
    were more courteous to each other - cyclists, motorists,
    pedestrians, everyone. Whether they are doing it because
    they feel they have to or because they are just being
    courteous, it is always right to acknowledge the 'favour'.

    True.

    Quoted message said:
    Quoted message said:

    and that they would be justified in not doing the same
    if they were in a hurry next time?

    Well, you would be justified in giving them a different
    hand signal on that occasion.

    False.

  18. You SHOULD put something 'descriptive' in the SUBJECT line,
    that's what is there for !!! Martin

  19. "Martin²" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
    "]news:[email hidden]...

    Quoted message said:

    You SHOULD put something 'descriptive' in the SUBJECT
    line, that's what is there for !!!

    Don't sweat the small stuff.

  20. Martin² said:

    You SHOULD put something 'descriptive' in the SUBJECT line,
    that's what is there for !!!

    Cite please. I can't find this in any of the RFCs dealing
    with NNTP.
    <g>

    Pete Barrett

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