contango 

What would those two know, they aren't even using deep section rims.

danmc

Good point. If we roadies start waving to people on hybrids, where does it stop? Next thing we'll be expected to wave to kids riding Big Wheels!

wphamilton

If it's not safe for the car to pass, what have you achieved by moving over? It's still not safe, but you're inviting them to make a pass anyway.

SirHustlerEsq

Paging "Arrogant Road Cyclist":
Yes, I'm here. How may I help a Fred in need?

wphamilton

They need to at least learn the elite roadie signs first. The basic finger twitch of the left hand, the spasmodic head dip. It's kind of arrogant to expect roadies to adapt to their signs like the big circle wave if they're not willing to put at least that much effort into it.

Geeze, now that you mention it I think the kids on Big Wheels "get" the signals better than the hybrids.

RollCNY

How do you get this look in the 1.5 seconds it takes to pass another cyclist? And even if you could make eye contact, with someone most likely in sunglasses, how does that get conveyed in a glance?

I rode a flat bar bike on group rides for three years, and had several people make comments about my bike, some positive and some negative. I never once saw a look on the face of an oncoming cyclist that said all of that. I was perfectly pleased with what I rode, and never felt diminished or exalted by someone's glance.

Perhaps you are seeing your own insecurity about your choices reflected in their mirrored glasses?

SwampDude

Would you explain what you mean by this? I'm just trying to follow the discussion.

aubiecat

If you have to ask...............

wphamilton

It's a joke, semi-in-joke. The cliches are that road bike cyclists are all contemptuous of hybrid riders, and hybrid bikes are always chasing down and dropping the road bike riders, enjoying the expressions of hopeless despair as they pass. Since the waving thread is also a cliche it's just a bit of piling on.

Pug

OP should attack and drop the roadies on a steep hill. On a hybrid bike that will surely earn their attention if not admiration and perhaps affection.

GP

Are you really that needy?

In some situations it's safer to control the entire lane rather than moving over and letting vehicles squeeze by you, especially if there's oncoming traffic.

danmc

He can be like that guy in A&S who passes roadies in kits and posts the videos as some sort of proud accomplishment.

caloso

Sometimes I wave, sometimes I don't. Sometimes my wave is returned, sometimes it's not. I try to not take it personally.

surgeonstone

Dude, I'm joking.

pvillemasher

I tried to explain this to my brother in NJ the other day after he told me about the knuckleheads taking up "the whole road."
Turns out it was a 2-lane road, no shoulder and there was oncoming traffic. I explained that the cyclists need to take the lane if they want to be safe.
His response was basically that they should not ride bikes at all then.

If it's a 2-lane road with no shoulder and no oncoming traffic, I always get over if being passed from behind if I'm riding with someone else but I guess it doesn't matter since the car will pass in the other lane anyway, no?

eja_ bottecchia

If you are focusing only on the wheel in front of you, you are doing it wrong.

wphamilton

Yeah, straddling the line or all the way to the other lane to pass shouldn't make any difference to the car. Some drivers don't see it that way though, feeling that "taking up the whole road" is somehow worse than taking up just enough that they can't pass.

eja_ bottecchia

This not funny, nor meant to be taken that way. But these "arrogant roadie did not wave at poor old me" threads are beginning to sound a lot like the young man who shot up and stabbed all those people at UCSB.

His anger was directed at people (mostly women) who were in his warped view arrogant and stuck up and routinely ignored him. Not saying that anyone here is going to go on a shooting/stabbing rampage just because their wave is not returned. But ask yourselves this, are the riders posting these "didn't wave" thread lacking so much in self-esteem that they need constant affirmation from other riders? Does it really affect your enjoyment of the ride if another rider does not return your wave, nod, or wink?

Just because we are all engaged in the same activity--riding a bike--does not mean that we must all forced to relate to each at the 'wave level."

I am a USC football fan, I don't expect everyone wearing a USC cap or tee-shirt to wave at me when I am wearing USC attire.

On the roads where I ride, there are many riders who belong to development teams and they are in training for the racing season. They are WORKING and not engaged in a leisurely Sunday stroll. I don't expect them to wave at me, in fact I don't wave at them--they are busy working.

OTOH, a few times these same "arrogant" roadies have slowed down long enough to give me a "lift" or have actually asked me if I needed help if I was stopped by the side of the road.

That gesture is worth more to me (and it should to you as well) than any stupid wave, nod, or wink.

And remember, to a blind man a wink is as good as a nod.

Yankeetowner

I'll add it to the long list of things I am doing wrong. I do glance up occasionally, but I primarily was watching to make sure I didn't hit the wheel in front of me, and to stay close enough to keep the draft. I'm not looking to wave at someone. At my age I was just working as hard as I could to keep up with much younger and stronger riders, which to me is a big part of the fun of group riding. My point was that I often don't have the energy nor elite riding skills to wave while fighting for my life to keep in the draft.

CommuteCommando

Unfortunately, one of the three main routes out from home base is just such a design.



33°11'47.45" N 117°17'30.69" W

There is an alley behind these houses that gets me through most of it.

RIRview

Isn't it amazing how some people get all torqued up over that dreaded four-letter word "wave."

If I'm hammering on and I'm completely focused on what I'm doing I won't have the time or energy to wave. However, if I'm cruising through residential areas at a moderate pace and I see another roadie, I'll wave or nod. Why not? It's an acknowledgement that him or her has a common interest with me.

Bob Dopolina 

This is how I have survived 30 years and hundreds of thousands of km of riding. DONT MOVE OVER. That is an invitation to get run off the road.

rpenmanparker 

There is no affection. It doesn't exist.

dalava

This is just asking for trouble... what a dumb design!

dalava

Good point.