Sue Rogers said:It's roadies' indifference to anything else which isn't a roadie.
FSVO "roadie"! This might be true of the more competitive riders, but
despite being a lycra-clad roadie (Some of the time) I tend to at least
acknowledge other cyclists. Riding in a city makes the "hello"s a little
too frequent, but I tend to smile and make eye contact when possible.
Quoted message said:I get this all the time on my commute when roadies (always men) pass me.
I ride a bespoke touring bike but horror of horrors I wear a flappy
cotton teeshirt (not a lycra top) and trainers (not cycle shoes). Very
rarely do any passing roadies say hello to me.
I actually tend not to say hello to someone I pass (in town) for the
simple reason that to do so always strikes me as a little patronising.
It smacks of "I can not only go faster than you, but I've got enough
breath left to be friendly". Out of town, on the country roads, I'm far
more likely to say hello to a rider, oncoming or being passed.
Quoted message said:Depending on my mood, I content myself by either:
1. Sitting on their back wheel for a mile or two just to wind them up
that "OhMyGod a girlie in trainers and flappy tshirt can keep up with
me", or
If a "girlie in trainers and flappy tshirt" sat on my rear wheel for a
while, I'd probably slow down and chat. If someone could bear to stare
at my back end for any period of time without trying to overtake or
replan their route, they might make for interesting company! ;-)
Quoted message said:2. Smiling to myself because in my racing days I know I was a lot lot
faster than most of them put together.
Mmmm. The thing about smugness is that it (sadly) proves nothing. It's
very easy to say "If I'd really wanted I could have had him", but the
only way to have an effect on the roadie in question would be to do take
them! Preferably on a climb.
Jon
