Cycling UK Forum

It would be considered rude here in the Borders not to wave or say Hi or respond to other cyclists as you pass each other. Sometimes a brief chat if you happen to be at a similar speed.
More conversation is only likely if you happen to stop at the same spot or it looks like a rider needs a hand with a mechanical.
We live on NCN 1 and touring riders sometimes look a bit surprised when you greet them....

in my experience the unwritten rule appears to be nod/wave/greeting when passing on country roads, but riding in or near town blank ignorance.
As it should be

That's a rule I'll only follow if I feel like it.

Imho whether or not I want to be sociable when on a bike is like in every other part of my life totally up to me. Of course I am likely to be sociable and nod back but I often don't because I am not always aware of what other ppl are communicating. I can be in my own little world yet 100% aware of everything around me in safety and road awareness terms but I'm not looking at faces or hands for a mod and/or a wave.

I play a game when cycling in/out of Cambridge, alongside the guided bus route, to find out how close to the city I can induce a response to a cheery ‘hi’. I’ve sometimes had a kind of response as close in as adjacent the Science Park. Beyond Oakington (abt 8 miles out) you can pretty much guarantee a genuinely friendly response. There’s definitely more Lycra the further you get from Cambridge…

The term mamil needs to disappear from the language. The UK is too fond of giving dogs bad names and hanging them.

^^^^
I was trying to find the right words to say exactly that.

For a nominally inclusive cycling forum, this one sometimes has a bad habit of slipping into ‘in’ and ‘out’ grouping as between cyclists of different stamps.

Should I re-title the thread "We're all different" ?

Oh, I agree with you that there are a lot of sullen gits out there from whom it's rare even to elicit a grunt, but mamil is a term that insults most of the serious cyclists in the world no matter what context it appears in.

In any case I'm a 'Pensioner In Lycra On Carbon' though I only have one bike with any carbon and that's just the forks

Audax67 wrote: ↑15 Jul 2023, 8:17am The term mamil needs to disappear from the language. The UK is too fond of giving dogs bad names and hanging them.

Really? You are what you are. So if you are a middle aged man in lyrca, then its a description which suits the statement of fact. That certain people believe it has any connotations beyond this has to be down to a percentage of that group..
You can either re-enforce the stereo type or dispell it. And that's purely down to your behaviour...

I would see "hi" as perfectly acceptable. Do you say hello to every person you pass in the street?
Just because someone is on a bike as well doesn't make them your mate.

I'm strictly a leisure cyclist these days and frequently have to stop for a rest - usually at a nicely postioned bench. While I'm there I often engage in conversations with other cyclists who stop for a chat.
However, when I'm riding a quick smile and "Hi" is all I will offer, either because I'm concentrating, enjoying the scenery or just plain out of breath!
I'm in my 70's and cycle in ordinary clothes so I'm not a Mamil. Omioc doesn't really trip off the tongue though, does it?

How about OMNIL? (Old Man Not In Lycra). Suspect that would describe me, too.

That will do nicely!

Adnepos wrote: ↑14 Jul 2023, 11:39pm I play a game when cycling in/out of Cambridge, alongside the guided bus route, to find out how close to the city I can induce a response to a cheery ‘hi’. I’ve sometimes had a kind of response as close in as adjacent the Science Park. Beyond Oakington (abt 8 miles out) you can pretty much guarantee a genuinely friendly response. There’s definitely more Lycra the further you get from Cambridge…

I'd like to think I'm one of the friendly ones. I cycle the busway or more times most weeks from St Ives and find it very similar to what you describe.