Roady Etiquette

Quoted message said:

How many times do we read on here that MTBeers take
pleasure in burning off road bike riders ? Never the other
way though. Today no MTBeers acknowledged my gestures
wheras all road bike riders did. Makes me wonder why I
bother nodding at MTBeers.

Ride with panniers in the middle of nowhere and its likely
that motorcyclists will acknowledge you. Happened to me
yesterday.

I had a pleasant afternoon's cycling and acknowledging the
various cyclists of differing ages, sizes and also of
differing bike types- passing the time of day.

Indeed, this week's cycling has been quite vocal. On Good
Friday, Vernon & I were out for a cycle ride, when on the
opposite side of the road to us, a couple of the local yoof
went by on BMX things - the kind where their backsides are
about 18" off the ground and they have to be pedalled at a
vast cadence. As they went by, one of the yoof shouted over
to me "Keep at it, you're doing great." Obviously he felt
sympathy towards the middle-aged fatbirdonabike in
fluorescent yellow top and decided he should offer me
encouragement. But as I said to Vernon, life's a bit of a
bummer if I look as if I need encouragement to make it along
the flat... The next day, I was cycling into Dereham, and
was going up the hill by the George Hotel. At the junction
on the left near the top, a car pulled up to the give way
line, waiting for me to cycle by (as I had right of way).
The driver wound his window down and called out "Go on,
girl! You can do it!" Once again I got the sympathy vote of
encouragement. All I can say is I must look *really bad* on
a bike at the minute ;-)

Cheers, helen s

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MSeries said:

Ride with panniers in the middle of nowhere and its likely
that motorcyclists will acknowledge you. Happened to me
yesterday.

Drive sideways and bikers sometimes give you a thumbs up as
they pass too 😉. They don't like someone keeping up with
them in an underpowered shopping trolley quite as much.

dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers said:

BMX things

Those'll be bikes.

Quoted message said:

Drop bars say "cyclist" not "bloke on bike" :-)

Not as emphatically as shaved legs.

Now that the weather is improving, this is a concern - if I
ditch the leggings and go out in just my shorts, will my
hairy legs lose me what little credibility I had among the
cycling fraternity?

d.

On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 17:10:16 +0100, "MSeries"
<[email hidden]> ("MSeries" <[email hidden]>😉

Quoted message said:

Ride with panniers in the middle of nowhere and its likely
that motorcyclists will acknowledge you. Happened to me
yesterday.

Ride a recumbent and many people acknowledge you. :-)
Strangely enough, I get a lot of waves, "cool bike"s, honks
etc. from the local boy-racer[1] types round here. Makes a
nice change.

[1]That's body-skirts, drug-dealer wheels and chrome
boy racers rather than bib-shorts, radial spokes and
carbon-fibre.

--
Matt K Dunedin, NZ

Peter Clinch <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Vic. wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

- One piece of *real* cycling ettiquette is that you
don't draft without the permission of the geezer in
front.

A custom more honoured in the breach than the observance, in
my experience.

Quoted message said:

Though with the way they labour past me honking along in a
silly gear with "must pass that silly small wheel bike,
I'm on a Real Bike!" written all over them, they're just
inviting etiquette breaches, really.

If they labour past you they really should not be surprised
to find you firmly latched to the rear wheel. Sound like
beginners who don't understand drafting and have not yet
learned to distinguish between a bike and its engine.

--
Dave...

Dave Kahn said:

If they labour past you they really should not be
surprised to find you firmly latched to the rear wheel.
Sound like beginners who don't understand drafting and
have not yet learned to distinguish between a bike and
its engine.

Pretty much my take on it, really. Problem with a mucho-hot
bike is one has to do it some justice or look rather silly.
I don't mind being overtaken on anything in my collection
that much!

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

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Spencer Bullen
Greetings,

after far too long commuting on a slicked up MTB whilst my
knees recovered from surgery, I'm back to riding my Dawes
Audax, racking up about 150 miles a week at the moment.
After the initial ar*e, back and wrist battering that comes
with switching from 1.5 inch tyres with front suspension to
riding on 26mm with a flat back, I'm now enjoying better
times, easier speed, and less road dirt thanks to full
length SKS guards.

The biggest change, however, that I've noticed is the change
in attitude from people on road bikes. Whereas before I
could at most expect to be ignored on an MTB, I've now been
readmitted to a club reserved for those with drop
handlebars. Stops at lights now have chats and kit
comparisons, and even passing in opposite directions at
least a nod or a wave is the norm.

Since I'm in the same clothing, most of which is MTB stuff
(peaked helmet and baggy MTB tops to contain my large
gut!) I can only assume that drop bars are the cycling
equivalent of a Masonic hand shake. I'll wait to see if
this continues in summer when I switch from my bib knicks
to cycling baggies.

T.T.F.N.

SPENNY

Interesting post. Typically I observe far more camaraderie amongst road bike riders than many other sports. When I was running (only got up to half-marathon standard) I noticed that no-one let on to their fellow runners - it was really bad. A lot of this "loneliness of the long-distance runner" is self-imposed if you ask me.

I've only been out on a mountain bike 4 times (each time borrowed my pal's "spare" MTB) and the guys have been quite approachable, although not very forgiving if the nervous new-comer doesn't go hurtling over the 2ft drop off with the same speed as them. I don't think that MTB riders though are particularly given to group riding (in light of the potential for horrendous crashes) and don't especially spend a lot of time looking out for fellow riders because they are too busy dodging tree routes, boulders and other obstacles looking to send them flying.

Roadies I think are more inclined to acknowledge one another because they have more time to look around them to spot other rides, have more respect for fellow riders, and are basically nosey buggers who want to suss out potential competion! This goes even if you are being passed by a flying chain-gang out for their evening speed work-out. At cafés most cyclists will chat with you about your bike, the [censored] back at the last set of lights, gear you are wearing, problems etc.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Spencer Bullen
Greetings,

after far too long commuting on a slicked up MTB whilst my
knees recovered from surgery, I'm back to riding my Dawes
Audax, racking up about 150 miles a week at the moment.
After the initial ar*e, back and wrist battering that comes
with switching from 1.5 inch tyres with front suspension to
riding on 26mm with a flat back, I'm now enjoying better
times, easier speed, and less road dirt thanks to full
length SKS guards.

The biggest change, however, that I've noticed is the change
in attitude from people on road bikes. Whereas before I
could at most expect to be ignored on an MTB, I've now been
readmitted to a club reserved for those with drop
handlebars. Stops at lights now have chats and kit
comparisons, and even passing in opposite directions at
least a nod or a wave is the norm.

Since I'm in the same clothing, most of which is MTB stuff
(peaked helmet and baggy MTB tops to contain my large
gut!) I can only assume that drop bars are the cycling
equivalent of a Masonic hand shake. I'll wait to see if
this continues in summer when I switch from my bib knicks
to cycling baggies.

T.T.F.N.

SPENNY

Interesting post. Typically I observe far more camaraderie amongst road bike riders than many other sports. When I was running (only got up to half-marathon standard) I noticed that no-one let on to their fellow runners - it was really bad. A lot of this "loneliness of the long-distance runner" is self-imposed if you ask me.

I've only been out on a mountain bike 4 times (each time borrowed my pal's "spare" MTB) and the guys have been quite approachable, although not very forgiving if the nervous new-comer doesn't go hurtling over the 2ft drop off with the same speed as them. I don't think that MTB riders though are particularly given to group riding (in light of the potential for horrendous crashes) and don't especially spend a lot of time looking out for fellow riders because they are too busy dodging tree roots, boulders and other obstacles looking to send them flying.

Roadies I think are more inclined to acknowledge one another because they have more time to look around them to spot other riders, have more respect for fellow riders, and are basically nosey buggers who want to suss out potential competion! This goes even if you are being passed by a flying chain-gang out for their evening speed work-out. At cafés most cyclists will chat with you about your bike, the [censored] back at the last set of lights, gear you are wearing, problems etc.

I "occasionally" (when the weather's nice) commute 18 miles each way cross country to work. Hampshire north to Berkshire.

Unfortunatley I raely see another soul on a bike and when I do the friendly wave seems to have disappeared round here.

I have done this on both slicked MTB and road bikes, mostly in Lycra.

Even in training in the evenings there appear to be few riders round my way (Fleet/Aldershot etc).

Quoted message said:

Unfortunatley I raely see another soul on a bike and
when I do the friendly wave seems to have disappeared
round here.

If I waved to everyone I see on my commute, I'd never stop
waving. Out on a leisure ride, though, I always acknowledge
other riders. Regardless of what they're riding -- unless
they're just BOBs riding on the pavement, of course.

McBain_v1 said:

Interesting post. Typically I observe far more camaraderie
amongst road bike riders than many other sports. When I
was running (only got up to half-marathon standard)

Nothing wrong with that. I personally get more satisfaction
from running faster, not further.

Quoted message said:

I noticed that no-one let on to their fellow runners - it
was really bad. A lot of this "loneliness of the long-
distance runner" is self-imposed if you ask me.

There are plenty of people in running clubs enjoying
sociable group runs. I'm in two clubs. I tend to acknowledge
runners and cyclists in equal measure.

--
Michael MacClancy Random putdown - "A modest little person,
with much to be modest about."- Winston Churchill
www.macclancy.demon.co.uk www.macclancy.co.uk

"McBain_v1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I don't think that MTB riders though are particularly
given to group riding (in light of the potential for
horrendous crashes) and don't especially spend a lot of
time looking out for fellow riders because they are too
busy dodging tree routes, boulders and other obstacles
looking to send them flying.

Mtb riding is more fun in a smallish group IME. Obviously
you need company to share the laughs with and also for
safety if undertaking difficult terrain in remoter spots but
a problem with mtb riding can be mechanicals and if groups
get too big, and particularly if including those who are
maintenance shy, then you can find yourself hanging around a
lot. Looking out for your fellows means in rare cases
picking them up and in most cases having a bloody good laugh
when they get themselves up with minor or better still no
injuries. Also, unlike road riding, there is nothing to be
gained by riding in a large group drafting-wise.

I think that's part of the popularity of enduro rides, they
allow a lot (circa 1000) of like minded people to ride a
good course in a non-competitive (for most) manner so you
can get to chat with a wide variety of people sharing the
comarardarie.

--
Regards, Pete

"trembler50" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Unfortunatley I raely see another soul on a bike and
when I do the friendly wave seems to have disappeared
round here.

Pleased to report I did a 52 mile jaunt today,
acknowledged all the other cyclists I saw, and there were
quite a few, and they all acknowledged me back. None
appeared to be "in training" types which I think explains
the high level of response.
--
Regards, Pete

trembler50 <[email hidden]> wrote:
: I "occasionally" (when the weather's nice) commute 18
: miles each way cross country to work. Hampshire north to
: Berkshire.

That'd be your problem there then...

: Unfortunatley I raely see another soul on a bike and
: when I do the friendly wave seems to have disappeared
: round here.

You want to move oop north 🙂

--
Arthur Clune clune.orgclune.orgOpen ↗ "Technolibertarians make a
philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Arthur Clune
You want to move oop north 🙂

Ahh yes, "oop north" where people are friendlier by s-miles 😉

One lass I got close to a Birmingham University during my first student days was from Reading and thought that B'ham was "oop North".

Coming from the North East I could hardly stop laughing!

Southerners, you gotta laugh at 'em 😄

Arthur Clune said:

trembler50 <[email hidden]> wrote:
: I "occasionally" (when the weather's nice) commute 18
: miles each way cross country to work. Hampshire north to
: Berkshire.

That'd be your problem there then...

: Unfortunatley I raely see another soul on a bike and
: when I do the friendly wave seems to have disappeared
: round here.

You want to move oop north 🙂

What? To all those grimy mills and [censored] heaps and sub-Artic
temperatures?

Not likely! ;-)

--
Michael MacClancy Random putdown - "I've had a perfectly
wonderful evening. But this wasn't
it." -Groucho Marx www.macclancy.demon.co.uk
www.macclancy.co.uk

Quoted message said:

Coming from the North East I could hardly stop laughing!

Southerners, you gotta laugh at 'em 😄

My father-in-law (deceased) was from London - London born &
bred. He used to make comment, *a lot*, about me being from
the north-east. Some of his comments were less than
humorous in intent. One comment he said one day was about
Geordies eating their children in winter as there was no
food. I just looked straight at him and said it was a good
job he was a softie southerner as in the NE he'd have been
first on the menu, as pains in the rear were always the
first to be eaten ;-)

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam-- to get
correct one remove fame & fortune
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is switched off--

Quoted message said:

One lass I got close to a Birmingham University during my
first student days was from Reading and thought that B'ham
was "oop North".

Coming from the North East I could hardly stop laughing!

Hey! Where I grew up (Daaarzet), we considered Reading to be
"oop North"!

McBain_v1 said:

Arthur Clune said:

You want to move oop north 🙂

Ahh yes, "oop north" where people are friendlier by s-
miles 😉

One lass I got close to a Birmingham University during my
first student days was from Reading and thought that B'ham
was "oop North".

Coming from the North East I could hardly stop laughing!

Southerners, you gotta laugh at 'em 😄

Northerners, you have to feel sorry for them, poor people.

:-)
--
Michael MacClancy Random putdown - "I've just learned about
his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial." - Irvin S.
Cobb www.macclancy.demon.co.uk www.macclancy.co.uk