Why don't road cyclists say hello anymore?

[CyclingMike75]

So pleased the thread has had some good responses, and some completely pointless and inane ones... For clarity:

1) I live in deepest Kent in the South East (awaits comments about how people in the South East aren't friendly blah blah blah... yawn)
2) I'm not trying to label 'roadies' but clearly you can tell someone who is out on a road bike for road cycling purposes. I don't really care whether they are in full team replica kit riding ridiculous deep rim carbon wheels or on a bike put together from second hand bits.
3) I tend to ride mostly rural country lanes. LImited traffic and noise. If you see a cyclist you are likely to be the only two people on that stretch of road.
4) I'm not a needy narcissist demanding attention. This is pure observation. Cyclists used to greet each other, now they tend not to.

The point was, has the growth of cycling removed the sense of camaraderie?

[De Sisti]

The point was, has the growth of the activity removed the sense of camaraderie?

FTFY. Not everyone cycles for sport.

[CyclingMike75]

The point was, has the growth of the activity removed the sense of camaraderie?

FTFY. Not everyone cycles for sport.

I concede the point! Activity, not sport...

[francovendee]

I can't comment about the UK but here in France most other cyclists nod or wave. There are exceptions and I find that young road bike riders are more unlikely to respond, Cycling clubs will always have one or two riders that say 'bonjour' and the rest nod to you.
France is a very polite country and even when passing strangers when out walking you exchange a bonjour.
I walked with some friends around the countryside near the Alton area and the walk was busy in places. I started off saying hello but gave up after a while as there was no reply or acknowledgement.

[whoof]

I find that it's a generational and gender divide.
The least likely person to give a wave is an old man, they are a miserable bunch. Often the only acknowledgement I get back from a good morning is a scowl.

Someone up thread suggested saying where you were as there might be regional differences. It also might be considering what 'group' you are in. I'm not an old man, perhaps if I was more old men would say hello.

[PH]

4) I'm not a needy narcissist demanding attention. This is pure observation. Cyclists used to greet each other, now they tend not to.

It's pure anecdote, look at how often this observation has been made over the years.

The point was, has the growth of cycling removed the sense of camaraderie?

First - establish that it has. I've seen no evidence and you're not offering any. There's plenty of evidence for the position I've laid out - that we acknowledge those we see as sharing similarities.

completely pointless and inane...........
ridiculous deep rim carbon wheels........

That sort of sums it up, you join a forum to complain about the lack of respect, consider some of the responses inane and are judgemental about the kit choices of other riders - It never used to be like that in the good old days.

[Tangled Metal]

Is there any evidence to back up the theory that cyclists waved or said hello in the old days? How long ago was the old days? I'm 46 and don't recall the waving and greeting cyclists. I don't think it's any worse now than then.

BTW, without giving any geographical information, I would say that where I live you get plenty of nods and greetings whether walking or cycling. Occasionally just a smile acknowledgement. I still have a chat with complete strangers in shops or cafes. I still spend some time chatting to shop staff if it's quiet.

It's a kind of friendliness that I find a lot. It could be a family trait picked up from my gran. If you ever sat next to her in a cafe you'd end up giving your family history to her before you left. Uncanny but not completely about being nosey. The strangers certainly never felt it was being nosey just social.

Anyway this thread could probably be merged with a few similar discussions to create a rather large thread. It's one of those topics you see repeated I think. I also think there's probably a psychological term explaining the way people always end up saying the old days were better for this out that feature. It's possibly related to how we remember things. Short vs long term memory.

[Vantage]

I'm only 43 but even I can remember a time when cyclists generally greeted cyclists. It wasn't expected, it was just manners and acknowledgement that we were a niche group.
The same thing happened among motor caravanners. My dad would flash the lights on seeing other caravette drivers and they would flash theirs. No more.
All the idiots lacking manners joined the club and all civilised behaviour went out the window. Just like cycling these days.
Rapha wearing health freaks with stupid blacked out wraparound shades and plastic bikes are the worst though I have to admit.

[Oldjohnw]

I suspect that this, as ever, is about people not really cyclists. If we are cyclists it is with that activity that we will notice.

In the far north there is a long history of standing at a bus stop and getting the whole life story of your hitherto unknown neighbour. People have often said that it is not like that where they come from.

We could consider how well people today know their neighbours. Is our community the one in which we live or is it based around something else? I suspect that work has been done on this and that it is complex.

[PH]

Thanks for your in-depth analysis, which missed the point... No complaints about a "lack of respect", I joined a forum to get a sense of what other cyclists thought about a minor subject. I also wasn't judegemental about peoples kit choices.

Calling someones wheels ridiculous isn't judgemental? People can read your posts and decide for themselves.

I merely raised the question about whether cyclists seem to say hello less often.

No you didn't, it's your thread title "Why don't road cyclists say hello anymore?" it includes and assumption that they do and asks why. The same assumption has been repeated for decades

[PH]

I'm only 43 but even I can remember a time when cyclists generally greeted cyclists. It wasn't expected, it was just manners and acknowledgement that we were a niche group.

When was this time? I've linked to people making the same point a decade ago, so sometime before that?

Rapha wearing health freaks with stupid blacked out wraparound shades and plastic bikes are the worst though I have to admit.

Why does it matter to you what others do? What their bikes are made of what they wear or the reason they're out enjoying them? If they don't feel they have anything in common with you I'm not surprised.
I mostly ride a flat bar hybrid bike, I don't fit any of the profiles portrayed in this thread, apart from maybe Oldjohnw's "people not really cyclists"

[Psamathe]

I suspect that this, as ever, is about people not really cyclists. If we are cyclists it is with that activity that we will notice.
.....

I walk through my village or around my local countryside and exchange hellos with everybody I pass (everybody does). I walk through my local city High Street and I exchange greetings with nobody. Maybe to do with numbers? Out cycling I'll pull-in on a single track road to allow a car to pass; but do it once, then again 30 secs later then again 1 min later and again 45 secs later and after a bit I'll give-up and they have to wait behind me.

Ian

[Vantage]

I'm only 43 but even I can remember a time when cyclists generally greeted cyclists. It wasn't expected, it was just manners and acknowledgement that we were a niche group.

When was this time? I've linked to people making the same point a decade ago, so sometime before that?

80's and 90's.
I've not read every post here so missed you links.

Rapha wearing health freaks with stupid blacked out wraparound shades and plastic bikes are the worst though I have to admit.

Why does it matter to you what others do?

It matters to me no more than it matters to any other forum member here making a similar statement.
Why does it matter to you what matters to me?

If they don't feel they have anything in common with you I'm not surprised.

Ooooooooooooooooooh insults time!

I mostly ride a flat bar hybrid bike, I don't fit any of the profiles portrayed in this thread, apart from maybe Oldjohnw's "people not really cyclists"

I'm happy for you.

[roubaixtuesday]

I'm only 43 but even I can remember a time when cyclists generally greeted cyclists. It wasn't expected, it was just manners and acknowledgement that we were a niche group.
The same thing happened among motor caravanners. My dad would flash the lights on seeing other caravette drivers and they would flash theirs. No more.
All the idiots lacking manners joined the club and all civilised behaviour went out the window. Just like cycling these days.
Rapha wearing health freaks with stupid blacked out wraparound shades and plastic bikes are the worst though I have to admit.

Regarding manners, I can think of little more ill-mannered than your prejudiced stereotyping.

And I do not at all recognise your description of the behaviour of other cyclists, who are almost universally friendly and offer a wave or nod to me out on the road.

[PH]

It matters to me no more than it matters to any other forum member here making a similar statement.
Why does it matter to you what matters to me?

Wavers or non wavers, Lycra or jeans, carbon or steel, sport or leisure or utility, we all face some similar objectives and obstacles. When I hear people on bikes not appreciating what they have in common with other people on bikes, I believe it's divisive and unhelpful to what should be our common aims.