Greetings whilst riding

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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pedalsheep
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Joined: 11 Aug 2009, 7:57pm

Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by pedalsheep »

Grumpy-Grandad wrote: 18 May 2021, 11:38am I forgot to say ..... I don't acknowledge dustbin wagons and I don't move over to let them pass, in fact I ride slower to hold them up ..... getting my own back on the scourge of the road :twisted:
The bin men I encounter regularly in my local lanes always give me a big smile and a cheery wave whenever they see me, which I, of course, return. They also recently pointed out to a motorist that he was the one in the wrong not me when he stopped to have a go at me!
'Why cycling for joy is not the most popular pastime on earth is still a mystery to me.'
Frank J Urry, Salute to Cycling, 1956.
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[XAP]Bob
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by [XAP]Bob »

pedalsheep wrote: 18 May 2021, 2:10pm
Grumpy-Grandad wrote: 18 May 2021, 11:38am I forgot to say ..... I don't acknowledge dustbin wagons and I don't move over to let them pass, in fact I ride slower to hold them up ..... getting my own back on the scourge of the road :twisted:
The bin men I encounter regularly in my local lanes always give me a big smile and a cheery wave whenever they see me, which I, of course, return. They also recently pointed out to a motorist that he was the one in the wrong not me when he stopped to have a go at me!
Binmen don't have the easiest of tasks, I usually take time out to thank them when I can, and various of them recognise me as a result. That's a good thing, as evidenced above.
Any job which involves working along the edge of a road, and regularly crossing it, is particularly hazardous.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
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VinceLedge
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by VinceLedge »

Cycling up a hill on a tiny local road, guy had stopped in his car to let us past and said a cheery 'Well Done!' as we cycled past :D
Jon Lucas
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by Jon Lucas »

Mike Sales wrote: 16 May 2021, 11:32am This is a hardy perrenial of forum topics.
I incline towards a friendly greeting myself.
Greetings may be related to density of cyclists but I remember riding along a straight, lonely fenland road and seeing a dot in the distance that my cyclist's eye recognised as another rider. When we finally passed each other there was not even the suggestion of a twitch of a finger on the bars.
I had a similar experience in the Scottish highlands. Having not seen anyone cycling for a day or two, I saw two cyclists on a high moorland road a mile or more away, and as they neared I felt sure they were friends of mine from England. Getting closer, I became certain it was them, and waved a very cheery greeting to them. They completely blanked me, and I decided after they had passed that they couldn't have been them. :(
recumbentpanda
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by recumbentpanda »

To greet is nice if you like to do it, but some people seem to get quite passive aggressive about being responded to. Some of us remember, may be types, -and there are many- who find even simple social interactions challenging. If you don’t get a response, don’t worry, it isn’t necessarily personal! :)
rareposter
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by rareposter »

peetee wrote: 17 May 2021, 7:03pm I greet and if it isn’t returned I follow it with a loud raspberry as they pass.
Well, if they are going to be rude, I can do rude too.
Might not be "rude".
Maybe they didn't notice you. Maybe they're concentrating on riding/controlling the bike, avoiding a pothole. operating the brakes or gears, looking ahead to the next junction. Maybe they're looking at or adjusting the cycle computer. Out the saddle climbing a hill, reaching into a barbag or jersey pocket to get a snack, chatting to their riding mate...

Honestly, it's a constant source of amazement to me that some people (a) feel the need to wave at randomers just because they're using the same mode of transport and (b) get so worked up if they don't get a response.
Red Kite
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Location: Hertfordshire, UK

Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by Red Kite »

Perhaps a friendly greeting from someone they don't know is just too much for some, and makes them fearful that the greeter might be some sort of psychopath (or possibly cycle path) trying to engage with them.

I'm a greeter, and I usually venture an abrupt "Ay up!" as we pass, or respond with it if they have got their retaliation in first. I nearly always get some sort of attempt at an acknowledgement when I am the initiator.

I occasionally try a "Nar then!" instead but it doesn't work as well.
Cube Touring Hybrid One e-bike, Brompton P6R with Swytch conversion
francovendee
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Joined: 5 May 2009, 6:32am

Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by francovendee »

We usually nod and say bonjour to other cyclists and walkers.
The number of replies we get has dropped since C19 arrived.
I think it's a shame as even a returned nod would be nice .
Jdsk
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by Jdsk »

rareposter wrote: 18 May 2021, 8:35pm Might not be "rude".
Maybe they didn't notice you. Maybe they're concentrating on riding/controlling the bike, avoiding a pothole. operating the brakes or gears, looking ahead to the next junction. Maybe they're looking at or adjusting the cycle computer. Out the saddle climbing a hill, reaching into a barbag or jersey pocket to get a snack, chatting to their riding mate...
Agreed.

But I've come to the conclusion that the variation reported in this forum isn't always caused by variation in the behaviour of the other person, or regional, or anything similar, but by the sensitivity of the reporter.

Jonathan
eileithyia
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by eileithyia »

yay welcome to the annual lament.
I started as a touring cyclist, some racers ignored me.....
I started to do some racing, when on stripped down bike many tourists ignored me, when back on saddle bagged tourer many racers ignored me.... then came MTBers who were a world apart.

As a commuter many people I saw regularly on my commute either said hello or not, these ranged from other commuters, dog walkers, people at bus stops, postmen, bin men, runners, MTBers, racers, saddle bagged touring types, shopper bike potterers......
Try not to let it upset you. Carry on being pleasant to all
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Jdsk
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by Jdsk »

francovendee wrote: 19 May 2021, 7:29am We usually nod and say bonjour to other cyclists and walkers.
The number of replies we get has dropped since C19 arrived.
I think it's a shame as even a returned nod would be nice .
With walkers it's felt like the opposite to me. Especially during the more isolated times... people are adding a few more words to greetings and generally expressing a bit more interest in others.

Jonathan
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tykeboy2003
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by tykeboy2003 »

I always raise a hand and get a response 70% of the time round here (South Derbyshire/NW Leicestershire).
jb
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by jb »

Sorry. but I can't possibly acknowledge your pitiful existence unless your on a steel frame (with lugs) and have a primus stove bracket on the top tube.
An AW hub may invite a slight nod of the head.
Cheers
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rmurphy195
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by rmurphy195 »

Grumpy-Grandad wrote: 16 May 2021, 11:01am Out on my ride this morning I encountered many cyclists both in groups and solo.
All the riders on hybrid type bikes returned my wave and/or “Good Morning” as did some of the group riders on bikes with dropped handlebars.

BUT

Some of those who were riding with their nose down and bum touching the clouds just looked at me as though I was from the planet Zod and ignored me :(
I could understand if they were racing along but they were going at quite a relaxed pace.

I will continue to wave or shout a cheery greeting ….. makes me feel better :D :D :D
+1
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xerxes
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Re: Greetings whilst riding

Post by xerxes »

rareposter wrote: 18 May 2021, 8:35pm
Honestly, it's a constant source of amazement to me that some people (a) feel the need to wave at randomers just because they're using the same mode of transport
Yes, rather like VW Beetle drivers who feel the urge to wave at other VW Beetle drivers. A classic example of what Kurt Vonnegut would call a 'granfalloon'.
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