Antisocial cyclists

[al_yrpal]

We were in Murrays Fish Restaurant in Cowes one evening. There was a commotion outside and several armed Police sprinted past. Apparently someone tried to get into the Royal Yacht Squadron not wearing a tie!

Al

[Tangled Metal]

Is it only posh yotties that follow traditions?

I think that some like to display their special ensigns. Others take pleasure in such minutiae.
One rule I have never noticed being observed is for all the yachts in an anchorage to drop their ensigns at sunset, taking their cue from any naval vessel.
If you want to know more this may help.

https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge-advice/regulations/Pages/flag-etiquette.aspx

I looked at a Northumberland yacht club etiquette page. It seemed that their club rules kind of enforces the traditions. Lots of according to club regulations comments through the page. Can't imagine where they sail from. What's a good anchorage on the Northumberland coast?

[Oldjohnw]

Is it only posh yotties that follow traditions?

I think that some like to display their special ensigns. Others take pleasure in such minutiae.
One rule I have never noticed being observed is for all the yachts in an anchorage to drop their ensigns at sunset, taking their cue from any naval vessel.
If you want to know more this may help.

https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge-advice/regulations/Pages/flag-etiquette.aspx

I looked at a Northumberland yacht club etiquette page. It seemed that their club rules kind of enforces the traditions. Lots of according to club regulations comments through the page. Can't imagine where they sail from. What's a good anchorage on the Northumberland coast?

There are several: Amble, Alnmouth, Holy Island, Embleton, Berwick. Not that I sail.

[Mike Sales]

I looked at a Northumberland yacht club etiquette page. It seemed that their club rules kind of enforces the traditions. Lots of according to club regulations comments through the page. Can't imagine where they sail from. What's a good anchorage on the Northumberland coast?

Royal Northumberland, if you please.
Their HQ is in Blyth, which is far from the grubby coal loading port it used to be.

[Tangled Metal]

People don't walk down the street saying hello to everyone they pass unless they know them.

Yes, we do, out in the villages, at least where I've lived. You get funny looks trying it in town, though

Same here. When I lived in Lochaline (West highlands) we would automatically wave to any car that passed while walking along the road, unless the ferry had just docked.

I always greet fellow cyclists with at least a nod.

Not everyone then only the locals who you've seen a few times and likely know to say hello to as they say. Not complete strangers. There is a difference. I pass the same people walking the dog. I often learn their dogs names but not the owners. I've talked to them and when passing I say hi. I don't say hi to everyone. Same on the road in car, van or riding my bike.

Imho selective greetings isn't what the OP seemed to be moaning about not seeing but the unselective where everyone greets everyone else. Unless I'm mistaken. If he was talking about greeting people he knew even just those he had met riding out before and had a chat with before. Well in that case it's different.

If you live on an island and greeted the visitors too then you're probably not normal representative of society.

[Tangled Metal]

I looked at a Northumberland yacht club etiquette page. It seemed that their club rules kind of enforces the traditions. Lots of according to club regulations comments through the page. Can't imagine where they sail from. What's a good anchorage on the Northumberland coast?

Royal Northumberland, if you please.
Their HQ is in Blyth, which is far from the grubby coal loading port it used to be.

Is that blyth where the biggest employers are NHS, jobcentre and JSA or the latest incarnation? Basically most inhabitants are state employees one way or another? Strange place for a posh yottie to hail from. I think it was them. I take it my impression of them is correct, they're strict adherents to traditions?

[al_yrpal]

Flag etiquette is just good manners. We always furled our ensign at sunset, flew a courtesy abroad, Q flag for customs etc. But, we did have a Beer Oclock flag and the Bracknell Socialist Yacht Club flag which had a crossed bottle opener and sickle on it. The guy who played Onslow in keeping up appearances used to love that flag. He seemed to live in the cockpit of his boat in Cowes marina along with other actors and copious amounts of lager.

Al

[The utility cyclist]

I always acknowledge when overtaking, if someone overtakes me doesn't bother me if they say nothing, so long as they give a safe overtaking zones with regards 'wobble' room et al then everything's fine, I don't need an 'on your right' or whatever, as the overtaker if it's not safe don't overtake, a warning is superfluous and can be startling.
As for people on bikes/foot going the opposite direction, I'll give a nod if there's time, sometimes a 'morning' or 'ey up', if it's a faster day a raised finger might be all you'll get, but if the other person is clearly on a fast day then I'm really not bothered in the slightest if they say nothing.

I think you get to know which types simply want to ride their bike and if they don't want to exchange pleasantries, it really doesn't matter and is nothing to get irate about.
Slipstreaming/tailgating a stranger, in 'retaliation' or just because you can however it's not poor form, it's damn rude and potentially dangerous, it's most definitely anti social, I would tell a stranger to do one if they tried that with me, I don't know you, you don't me and the way we interpret hazards, what our riding styles are like and what we like/don't appreciate could be completely different.

I would never tailgate another rider unless I knew them or they invited me, say in an event, however I'd still be very wary of doing so unless it was slower pace like into a headwind/uphill.

[Mike Sales]

Is that blyth where the biggest employers are NHS, jobcentre and JSA or the latest incarnation? Basically most inhabitants are state employees one way or another? Strange place for a posh yottie to hail from. I think it was them. I take it my impression of them is correct, they're strict adherents to traditions?

I have never visited their clubhouse, so I wouldn't know anything about their formality. Most of the clubs I have visited are relaxed, informal places and not snooty. One or two, though, had the atmosphere of a gentleman's club, and even a club boatman to ferry you out to your yacht. I imagine that the members of the RNYC are drawn from a much wider hinterland than Blyth itself. As you know, the county has much beautiful countryside, and many people these days have cars.
Like many towns where the original industries have gone, Blyth has been cleaned up and beautified to some extent. The coal dust has been washed away by the rain.
There are very few secure harbours in Northumberland to choose from, especially ones accessible at all states of the tide.

[Cyril Haearn]

Blyth is probably popular with people who have too much money, from the nearby metropolis
Are there still golf, sailing, tennis clubs that do not admit female members?

[Oldjohnw]

Blyth is still pretty down at heel. But they are one of the northern constituencies which elected a Tory for the first time last December.

[pete75]

And, if its raining and very windy and you spot a Naval Vessel, do a bit of Ensign Dipping The Crew will love it..

Al

My ensign dipping salute has been ignored by naval vessels.
On one occasion my companion pointed out that this might be because we were flying the Ddraig Goch.

Bad form! You should be flying the red or blue ensign not that flag. You could fly it in a less senior position but not as the main, senior ensign. You could technically be committing an offence to not fly the correct ensign.

It's more likely operational reasons why they didn't salute back. It's tradition but can be ignored for operational reasons. At least you kind of showed respect albeit with the wrong ensign.

The RYA say
The Union Jack, Welsh Dragon, the Crosses of St Andrew, St George and St Patrick and the EU flag are primarily land flags and must not be flown at sea as an Ensign by cruising yachtsmen. At sea the cross of St George is the flag of an Admiral and it should therefore not be flown by anyone else, without special dispensation. A vessel flying the St Andrew’s Cross could be mistaken as saying "my vessel is stopped and making no way through the water" as this is the meaning of code flag M which has the same design and the St Patrick s Cross could be misinterpreted as code flag V "I require assistance".

[Mike Sales]

My ensign dipping salute has been ignored by naval vessels.
On one occasion my companion pointed out that this might be because we were flying the Ddraig Goch.

Bad form! You should be flying the red or blue ensign not that flag. You could fly it in a less senior position but not as the main, senior ensign. You could technically be committing an offence to not fly the correct ensign.

It's more likely operational reasons why they didn't salute back. It's tradition but can be ignored for operational reasons. At least you kind of showed respect albeit with the wrong ensign.

The RYA say
The Union Jack, Welsh Dragon, the Crosses of St Andrew, St George and St Patrick and the EU flag are primarily land flags and must not be flown at sea as an Ensign by cruising yachtsmen. At sea the cross of St George is the flag of an Admiral and it should therefore not be flown by anyone else, without special dispensation. A vessel flying the St Andrew’s Cross could be mistaken as saying "my vessel is stopped and making no way through the water" as this is the meaning of code flag M which has the same design and the St Patrick s Cross could be misinterpreted as code flag V "I require assistance".

Thank you, but I require no encouragement to flout these rules, which I do know.
Most of the times I failed to produce an ensign dip from a naval vessel I was flying the correct red ensign.

I was once boarded by an armed youth from the ship anchored in the entrance to Carlingford Loch. He must have been searching our 17 foot yacht for guns. We were no Conor O'Brien or Erskine Childers though.

[ossie]

I've noticed a fair bit of cooling off. When the lockdown started and every man and his dog was on his bike it was all smiles and nods.

The roads are still busy but people are now just getting on with their cycling . There's no requirement to acknowledge people on a commute, I really don't see the requirement on a leisure cycle and certainly don't hold it against people. Some do, some don't. just don't get offended if I ignore you because I've already nodded or smiled to 150 people in the last hour, have been on the bike for 4 hours and just want to get home.

[Tangled Metal]

My ensign dipping salute has been ignored by naval vessels.
On one occasion my companion pointed out that this might be because we were flying the Ddraig Goch.

Bad form! You should be flying the red or blue ensign not that flag. You could fly it in a less senior position but not as the main, senior ensign. You could technically be committing an offence to not fly the correct ensign.

It's more likely operational reasons why they didn't salute back. It's tradition but can be ignored for operational reasons. At least you kind of showed respect albeit with the wrong ensign.

The RYA say
The Union Jack, Welsh Dragon, the Crosses of St Andrew, St George and St Patrick and the EU flag are primarily land flags and must not be flown at sea as an Ensign by cruising yachtsmen. At sea the cross of St George is the flag of an Admiral and it should therefore not be flown by anyone else, without special dispensation. A vessel flying the St Andrew’s Cross could be mistaken as saying "my vessel is stopped and making no way through the water" as this is the meaning of code flag M which has the same design and the St Patrick s Cross could be misinterpreted as code flag V "I require assistance".

Too much Guinness might make the st Patrick's cross appropriate if out to sea.

How can you be sure there isn't an admiral onboard? Isn't admiral one of those military ranks you keep in retirement like Colonel and above? How many admirals are alive both working and retired?

So what code flag is the Welsh flag and what is its meaning? There be monsters warning perhaps?