Cycle snobbery

Helen Deborah Vecht said:

Floral dress on old clunker or shopper's quite
effective too...

In my case it might attract the wrong kind of
attention, thobut...

--
Guy
===
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Victory is ours! Down with Eric the Half A Brain!

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

Quoted message said:

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.

Fear not! I have a decent road bike and wear all the lycra
gear, I find most other cyclists will acknowledge me but
the few who don't are generally hard core roadies. But to
be fair, you have to appreciate those types, as I do
myself, ride all year in all weathers and during the winter
we cyclists are few and far between outside of urban areas
but come the fair weather come the fair weather cyclists
and if you go on a 60 mile run you'll see a lot of them,
why should really keen cyclists acknowledge those people
doing a few miles on a sunny day who only have the bike in
common? They may be clocking up 200 or more miles a week,
not always for fun but as a means to an end, i.e.
competitions. To me a lot of fair weather cyclists are
people riding bikes once or twice a year as a novelty
rather than people who cycle passionately as part of their
life but I would always acknowledge them the same as I do
walkers I encounter in the sticks.

--
Regards, Pete

"Adam H" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

15 miles from the car my rear tyre decided to start
ripping along the sidewall. Cue multiple pit stops to
attempt to repair the tire using puncture repair patches.
(They only lasted a few miles). During these pit stops 6-
10 people cycled past - all on mountain bikes. Not one of
them said hello, or asked if we needed assistance.

Nah, they're just ignorant [censored]-bags.

When out in my car once I encountered a roadie with broken
chain, I nipped home, got some kit and returned to him and
we got him underway. He was extremely grateful and I had
the pleasure of having helped him and the hope that in a
similar position someone might bail me out. Independence
is fine most the time but occasionally a bit of help
doesn't go amiss.
--
Regards, Pete

Quoted message said:

They may be clocking up 200 or more miles a week,
not always for fun but as a means to an end, i.e.
competitions.

In the last year, I have usually clocked up 100+miles per week, in all weathers (I rode right through the winter, except when there was too much snow on the roads), with a means to an end (my health and enjoyment)....If I could spend the money on a more decent bike I would, but I don't see how one can tell another's distance ridden by assuming things from his/her attire or type of trusty steed....???

FranklynMint said:

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?

If they're like me, they're just focused ;-)

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

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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.

Simply tell yourself that they are idiots and continue to
be yourself.

Just out of interest, why idiots?

--
Mark (MSA) This post is packaged by intellectual weight, not
volume. Some settling of contents may have occurred during
transmission

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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.

Guess I qualify as a 'hardcore roadie'! Ride 6 days per
week, race 3 times per week during the season and clock up
on average I guess, around 500k per week, 52 weeks per year.

I wave to anyone if I see them...but only if I can. If I'm
training at full steam, on the drops at 50kph, it's as much
as I can do to nod my head. On the other side of the road,
this probably looks like a blank.

Oh, and I acknowledge runners too, that usually takes 'em
by surprise!

Personally I wouldn't worry about, life's too short. Just
make sure you enjoy yourself.

--
Mark (MSA) This post is packaged by intellectual weight, not
volume. Some settling of contents may have occurred during
transmission

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

Quoted message said:

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?

Lighten up troll.

There are all kinds of w***ers on bikes.

"Peter B" <[email hidden]> writed in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

snip

Quoted message said:

To me a lot of fair weather cyclists are people riding
bikes once or twice a year as a novelty rather than people
who cycle passionately as part of their life but I would
always acknowledge them the same as I do walkers I
encounter in the sticks.

Agreed, but doesn't a cheery wave, or a 'hi' as you pass
them not, perhaps help them to beleive that cycling may be a
freindly way of getting about, and perhaps, or just maybe,
encourage them to get out on their bikes just a little bit
more, and if we keep doing then perhaps, or just maybe,
they'll turn into 'ard core cyclists Mike - Leicester (who
will wave to *almost* anyone on a bike!)

"Mark South" <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

Basically, even if you put your floral dress on, what does
passing accomplish if you aren't in the same race?

A wolf whistle? ;-)

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden] Edgware.

Jon Senior said:

kindofnotreallyinformallyracedsortofthing

I have a similar situation with a chap on a very nice Trek
road bike some mornings. On some mornings he hares past me,
on others the opposite. One day, I'm going to put it
straight and we'll have a sprint from the line!

On Mon, 7 Jun 2004 15:41:29 +0100, Jon Senior
<jon_AT_restlesslemon_DOTco_DOT_uk> wrote in message
<[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Passing a rider on an MTB who I had seen (and
kindofnotreallyinformallyracedsortofthing!) this morning, I
felt obliged to say "morning"

Oh yes, always do that. And on the one occasion on which I
was passed by another cyclist during the last three years of
cycle commuting[1], he did the same to me :-)

[1] on a long climb and I was on the 'bent. I caught him at
the top, honest, guv.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
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"FranklynMint" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

They may be clocking up 200 or more miles a week, not
always for fun but as a means to an end, i.e.
competitions.

In the last year, I have usually clocked up 100+miles per
week, in all weathers (I rode right through the winter,
except when there was too much snow on the roads), with a
means to an end (my health and enjoyment)....If I could
spend the money on a more decent bike I would, but I don't
see how one can tell another's distance ridden by assuming
things from his/her attire or type of trusty steed....???

Not the point I was trying to make which is that some people
may be riding their bike very hard in training and not as a
jolly and feel little in common with some other cyclists and
perhaps might not even be enjoying the ride but feel
compelled to do it nontheless. They aren't particularly
interested in communicating with everyone they meet. I'm not
excusing their ignorance but trying to look at the situation
from their perspective. Nothing to do with distance. Like I
said, the only thing you have in common is a bicycle. You
are unlikely to acknowledge every person you meet in a
supermarket but quite possibly would if walking the Pennine
Way in January but probably wouldn't in a popular car park
near the Pennine Way on a sunny Sunday afternoon in July....
--
Regards, Pete

FranklynMint said:

Quoted message said:

They may be clocking up 200 or more miles a week, not
always for fun but as a means to an end, i.e.
competitions.

In the last year, I have usually clocked up 100+miles per
week, in all weathers (I rode right through the winter,
except when there was too much snow on the roads), with a
means to an end (my health and enjoyment)....If I could
spend the money on a more decent bike I would, but I don't
see how one can tell another's distance ridden by assuming
things from his/her attire or type of trusty steed....???

--

I don't think it matters what they are wearing / riding,
I'll wave to any fellow cyclist as long as they're not
cycling on the bl**dy pavement.

Terry D.

In "]news:[email hidden], David
Martin <[email hidden]> sed

Quoted message said:

On 7/6/04 2:04 pm, in article
[email hidden],

FranklynMint said:

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

Try riding a hybrid. Nobody waves. Not true, axley. I find a
fairly equal proportion of road & mountain bikers respond,
whether I'm on my hybrid or my "proper drops". I don't have
a mtb as I don't enjoy off-road much (or is that BECAUSE I
don't have a mtb?). Forget about us & them, keep up your
cheery waves, and gradually "they" will come round. However,
the thought just occurred, peds don't wave to every other
ped they encounter, motorists likewise (unless they drive
2CVs). Why are we so keen to wave at total strangers?

--
Morton Burner

Alternative Bunsen

Simon Mason said:

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 ;-)

- Richard

--
_/_/_/ _/_/_/ _/_/_/ Richard dot Corfield at ntlworld dot
com _/ _/ _/ _/ _/_/ _/ _/ Time is a one way street, _/
_/ _/_/ _/_/_/ Except in the Twilight Zone.

Reply to Simon Mason

Quoted message said:

I don't think it's snobbery as such, it's just that you
can't sat hello to *every* cyclist, so you tend to be more
selective

With me, I think it's all down to numbers. Most days I see
only one or two cyclists at most on my short commute; I wave
or nod, and generally get it returned. Yesterday, it seemed
like every roadie was going through town, in ones and twos,
and several separate peletons. If I'd been on the bike at
the time, it would have been like the saluting traps Spike
Milligan used to set for officers.

--
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.

"Helen Deborah Vecht" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Mark South" <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

Basically, even if you put your floral dress on, what
does passing accomplish if you aren't in the same race?

A wolf whistle? ;-)

I'm tempted to challenge you to produce MP3s or retract, but
I'm not ready for the next ton of bricks yet....
--
"I would recommend Iowa or North Dakota for your dip
into reality."
- Ed Dolan in alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent

Quoted message said:

Like I said, the only thing you have in common is a bicycle. You
are unlikely to acknowledge every person you meet in a
supermarket but quite possibly would if walking the Pennine
Way in January

Fair point. Hadn't thought of it like that. I wondered why people in Safeways stared when I waved at them down the toiletries aisle ;-)
Perhaps I'll just continue on my cheery waving way, and keep in mind that not everybody's on the same trip.
Regards

David Hansen said:

FranklynMint wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

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.

Simply tell yourself that they are idiots and continue to
be yourself.

Or just acknowledge that peoples goals are often quite
divergent. Especially when they choose to signal this by
using different types of bike. I quite regularly go out on
my MTB and will usually wave or say hello to just about
anyone willing to aknowledge me. However when I'm out and
about on the road bike, it's usually a different matter. I'm
usually working so bloody hard that it's all dribble, sweat
and snot that I seem to be able get out of my face, saying
'hello' gets in the way of my next *vital* gulp of air.
Perhaps I should just get much fitter and be able to
serenely glide along, chatting and shooting the breeze with
all and sundry. However until then, please forgive me for my
apparent lack of manners, I'm only human, y'know. ;-)

--
Alex BMW R1150GS DIAABTCOD#3 MSWF#4 UKRMFBC#6 Ibw#35 BOB#8
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