RLSchell

I've been biking to work for over two years now. I rarely encounter another bike commuter on the road, but it happens now and then. Being a friendly person and thinking maybe we might need each others help out there some day, I always give a "good morning (or afternoon)" or just "hello" as I pass or am being passed. 99% of the time the other cyclist stares straight ahead and refuses to acknowledge or respond to me. Only once can I recall an occasion where the other guy actually initiated a brief, friendly verbal exchange. Is it just me, or other people notice this too, or maybe it's just us rude NJ people?

NABRXX

Or maybe they are focus on their ride and grooving to their tunes, or just keeping their eyes on the road. Just a thought....

gerv 

Consider it their loss, shrug and keep going...

SunnyFlorida

Rude NJ people. There I said it.

I was born and raised in NYC and moved to NJ after I got married. I lived there for over 15 years. I very seldom got a good morning back. I usually got a stare as if I suddenly grew two heads or a reluctant response.

Strangely enough though this would change if we were all stuck at the train station by a very late train. Then everyone would get chatty. However, once the train came in, we became strangers again.

Now in my part of Florida, people actually say good morning, smile and will tell you their whole life story while you're waiting for the bus.

Whenever I see another cyclist coming toward me I would smile at least, maybe say good morning and I usually got a smile and response back.

It's getting kind of nice really because I'm beginning to see the same group of cyclists every time. One cyclist actually warmed me of construction that he just passed that would affect my commute and suggested an alternate route. Cool!!!!

FunkyStickman

Things are different here in the deep South. The only time I don't get a response is when I'm going through the 'hood and I'm trying to get through it ASAP.

CB HI

For some, their cycling commute or recreational ride time is "their time". The time they get to themselves without having to talk to anyone else. Be polite and respect “their time”.

RonE

I try to say hello to all the bike riders and some of the pedestrians that I encounter on my commute, although the actual number of people that I see is not normally very high. Most make some sort of verbal reply or at least wave.

bengreen79

It seems to me that the people I encounter on the MUP are less likely to say hi back than those along the road.

nahh

...you're in New Jersey. what do you expect?

daredevil

I'd be irritated like you. A person, especially another rider, should acknowledge you with a nod, wave, smile or something but I live in a friendly state.

electrik

Just cuz we're on bicycles? A nice idea, but totally anachronistic, particularly in large cities. You should be happy with 1 in 100.

CbadRider

If I'm on a long ride, I tend to zone out. I'm focused on the road directly ahead of me and whatever thoughts I'm mulling through in my brain. If you rode on the opposite side of the street and waved or nodded, I would not notice you.

On the other hand, during my shorter commutes to work I'm looking around more, so I'd probably see you and nod/smile back.

My1stRoadBike

Yea Some people are Bike Snobz!!

Just remember Doesn't matter where you go in life or where you work, or Ride.... People are = Good / Nice/ Moody//****** Bag// Rude/ Evil

I do have to say Probable alot of ****** Bag'z are in NJ..... I mean come on Look at MTV Jersey shores !!!!!!
J/k........... Ride-Hard To work Brother, Smile always!!! You are Saving the Mother Earth and save your Cash for good times ahead not Blood Gas!!!

jsmonet

i keep seeing this husky maiden on a global fighting against foot traffic in full kit on the sidewalk and I keep sparing her life by not kicking her in the head, into the path of an oncoming bus.

that counts..right?

btw, dosh->******. the insult is 10x more powerful when spleled corec't'ly()

edit: except for when forums are so afraid of offense that their filter asterisks everything out.

sigh.

rex_kramer

Don't take it personal. I see a few other cyclists out there during my commutes. Do I greet them or chit chat at the lights? No. And I don't consider myself rude, antisocial or unfriendly for not striking up conversation with complete strangers. I'm simply focused on the ride and scanning for traffic. Most of the time, when another cyclist greets me, I'm completely caught off guard and they're out of range by the time I can yell back to them anyway. The same goes for motorists or little kids who wave at me. If I don't respond, it's because I'm really not expecting it.

But if someone is sitting right next to you in traffic and they don't acknowledge a friendly greeting, then I'd just call it like it is.

grolby

Rude? I would say that "rude" is a complete stranger saying "Hello" to me when I'm just trying to mind my own damn business and get to work, then getting bent out of shape when I don't feel like returning the greeting. I'm not out there to validate your existence.

I don't know you. It's unreasonable and impolite to put me on the spot and expect me to be social, then decide that I'm "rude" because I don't feel like pretending that I'm your friend. You're reading too much into it. People have all kinds of reasons for not greeting you. Most of the time, it's going to be because they're thinking their own thoughts and aren't expecting, planning or wanting to have to make a social connection with a stranger whilst on their way to work, or the store, or just riding along. It has nothing to do with what kind of company they are, whether they donate to charitable organizations, or what they think of your bike, clothes or hair.

For the record, if another rider were to greet me on my commute, I would probably return it; I'm usually up for a hello. I'm usually not up for chatting at stoplights. What bothers me is the assumption that, if I'm not feeling like interacting with someone, that it's because I'm a jerk, or rude or whatever. It's stupid, and again, it's presumptuous to think that the other riders out there are obligated to validate your existence. But you're just another guy on a bike.

So far, by the way, none of the other commuters on my route have greeted me, or vice versa. This is one of those things that is only a problem on BF, from what I can tell.

CCrew

Wow. You get today's award for prickiness.

AdamDZ

Wow... dude... I though New Yorkers are rude... BTW, can you contradict yourself a little more?

vtjim

I usually give "the nod" at least, with a smile. Often I'll say hi or something. If it's a cute woman I'll turn around and pull up along side and talk about the weather and ask if she rides there often, all the while flexing my quads. (just kidding)

snorkel

I'm conflicted about this one. I never see cyclists on the road so that's not an issue, but what to do on the MUPs? My problem is that I want to be friendly but I also do *not* want bicycling to be like driving a VW Beetle or a motorcycle where there are goofballs who feel like they must wave or honk at other people driving the same vehicle that they are. OMG! YOU BOUGHT A MOTORCYCLE TOO?!?! *WAVE* I bloody hate that non-sense.

I've found a quick head nod suffices.

Jim from Boston

I acknowledge oncoming riders with a non-committal "Yo." They can take it as a friendly greeting of camaraderie, or totally ignore it, as CbadRider might:

I am kind of surprised when I am passed by a silent upcoming rider though. Obviously I have been in their line of sight (and in their consciousness) for some time. A non-startling warning at least, seems reasonable.

BTW, Daredevil posted from “The Last Best Place”

Is that friendly state a political entity or a state of mind?

AdamDZ

During my two tours this summer I had a lot of motorcyclist wave or raise their hand to greet me and I saw a lot of them greeting each other.

CCrew

Most here have never heard of the "Jeep Wave" here either I'm sure.

MacCruiskeen

Spoken like a true New England Yankee. Where I live there's just too much bike traffic to see other cyclists as anything other than just other commuters, not really that much different from the ones in cars. Also, before I get to work = before I've had my coffee, so I really don't want to talk to you.

When I'm out for weekend recreational rides, though, it's different. It's much more laid back, especially early in the morning when there aren't a lot of others out.

AdamDZ

Oh, and yeah, I didn't mean that I expect everyone to start a chat, yeah most of us are probably not up to any chatting in the morning but I see nothing wrong with saying "hello", raising or waving a hand. A quick nod is also enough. Also, this applies usually to situations where there is fewer cyclists: you see another guy on a bike and greet him. If you're in a busy bike lane then it's simply impractical and perhaps unsafe to greet everyone