foehn

OK, 'fess up.

Why can't you guys AT LEAST tell me "Left!" or "On your left!" or even hello when you pass me? Damn, that drives me nuts--sometimes I am very startled by someone passing me especially when I am concentrating.

Hey, I may not look like a hard-core bicycle dude, but I am to the point where I can knock out 30+ miles a ride, my average speed is climbing and am going up hills faster at higher cadence. Maybe it's my cheapazoid Giant hybrid I am riding, maybe it's the fact that I look like a big yellow bumblebee perched on the saddle (I wear bike shorts and big yellow or orange t-shirts for visibility), maybe it's because I am not so fast. Maybe it's because I don't look like I ride regularly.

But maybe it's cuz there are a lot of guys who are jerks out there--and it's mostly guys, because I see very few, if any women riding in my area.

And it's not just me. My husband commutes 50 miles a day, three days a week, dark and light (but not in full rain--I tease him about being a wuss. . .) and he says that very few of the "hard core bicycle dudes" speak to him or announce their passing either. He gets even by passing them when they think they've left him in the dust.

Cough it up. And don't give me the lame excuse that you were working too hard to say anything.

FreeRider69

i think its cause people dont give a crap, i could be wrong but i hear what ur saying, maybe get rid of the bumble bee suit and get a sign saying holla if u can read this, i dunno

Skullder

well theres never anyone else riding when i ride, but if there are others, the only reason i wont call out would be the same reason i dont honk before i pass someone on the highway.

Portent

I know where your coming from, I always raise a hand to oncoming cyclists or say hello when I overtake. I generally get a positive response, but from time to time I get ignored or get stared at as if I am mad.

However it doesn't bother in the slightest. Don't get me wrong its nice when cyclists wave back or say hello, but if ignored its their lose.

pinerider

I use my mirror and usually see obnoxious riders before they overtake me. I know before i got the helmet mirror I would be focused on what I was doing and it would scare the crap out of me if someone approaching shouted anything! And since I was so intent on what I was doing, I wouldn't comprehend what they were shouting anyways!

SteveE

Are you sure they're "hard core bicycle dudes" and not just triathletes?

Ebbtide

If I did a study I would bet there is a direct corrolation between the cost of the bike, clothes, and gear and how smug/rude/introverted the rider appears.

You could always try catching up to him really quick and ask "do you want me to pull for a while" to deflate his ego a bit (my favorite when atop my clunky flat bar hybrid).

TriDevil

I always swing real wide if possible before I pass. If the speed difference is too great by the time I would pass and get my hand up I would be a little ways away. I dont signal I think because it seems a little insulting to me to just wave a hand as I go by. If Im heading towards another rider I always wave, even if they are on the other side of the road.

Prosody

Some people are rude, some are self-absorbed, some are so focused on what they are doing they fail to notice others. Rather than notice the cyclists you think are rude, notice the nice ones. I bet you find a lot more nice ones than rude ones.

SamDaBikinMan

This is a sport where "elitism" is a wide problem. Many good or even moderate riders get to the point they think they are above the crowd. Snobs to the bone.

I love it when I se other riders. Makes me feel good about being a biker. If I fail to say something I will make a hand or head gesture.

mascardr

I agree...when I firsted started cycling, I thought it was proper to wave or at least acknowledge other riders. But I'm so tired of being ignored. Also I was riding up a hill the other day and all of a sudden a "hard core" rider is right next to me. Never said a word. Just passed and kept going. Scared the crap out of me.

Resident

I honestly try to acknowledge every cyclist on the road, but most of the time I'm too busy navigating our cratered roads.

The Terminator

I like to say greet people when I pass them. They usually respond. I called out as I passed (looking to see if Denver is reading this ) a senior citizen last weekend, and as soon as I had said "On your left", she cut the wheel right into the passing lane and ran me off the path and down into the grass. Somehow, I kept it up and made it back onto the path. I can understand when children, who are learning to ride, do this. But, adults? The courtesy rules of the trail are posted extremely often, and they are very easy to read.

mechBgon

I remember one guy who passed me in his hot-shot gear on his hot-shot Italian road bike, and was too good to reply to my friendly hello. Ooooooo... ignore ME, will ya... :irritated

So much for my "easy-day" ride He got skunked on a nice long climb as payback. Oh, to be 20 again... (I should add that my old bike was equipped with fenders, front & rear racks, and TWO dynamo light systems... MAJOR ego damage going on there )

As for passing, I try to say "hello" but more importantly, I try to pull waaaay out to pass, situation permitting. Ditto for pedestrians. I'm not usually surprised by people overtaking me, thanks to my helmet mirror.

pnj

I think some of you forget that just because someone is on a bicycle they have the same mind set as you.

I too smile or give a nod of the head to on-coming traffic. I don't ride fast enough to ever have to say "on your left" so I don't worry about that one.

as for people passing me, I rarely ride where others ride and can pass.


but, as I mentioned at the top, not everyone knows all the etiquete(sp?).

"on your left" we all know means someone is passing on the left so move to the right or hold your line. but to someone who doesn't know this (and why would they, if they ride alone and aren't part of the cycling world?) might take it to mean ,"go to your left".
or they may have only heard, "...left" and turned left as a result.

remember, you don't need anything to get and ride a bike. so ANYONE can ride one.

I agree with the post that says to look for the positive riders and ignore the as$es. those kinds of jerks are everywhere not just in bike riding.

lincoln

There is a relation between the type of bike and attire and whether someone will say hello to you. I ride road bikes only and am only ever greeted by other roadies, whilst hybrids and MTBers, never really seem to look up or go out of their way to say hello to me. Anyway, I don't really get upset by it, more upset when you say hello and they don't respond, but there's nothing you can do about people like that, ces la vie.

I wave or nod to oncoming cyclists, mostly other roadies, and I very rarely say anything as I ride past another cyclist. Only time I say anything is when I'm after a chat, or we're going about the same pace. If I'm straining and can barely talk, I'm not going to say hello, it's too hard to ride, let alone let words out of your mouth! Oh, and here, we're on the right down here

When I'm driving in the country, I'll pass a cyclist, and I do this mainly to touring cyclists, I'll pass them, honk a cheery honk and wave. This mostly gets a response and nearly alwas gets a response from our pannier packed buddies.

iamlucky13

I always wait for a good (safe) time to pass and then give a friendly nod of recognition. And of course, a polite "on the left" if they don't appear to see me approaching.

PNJ - Your sig says a lot for how short it is.

John E

I am sure some joggers have perceived me as a rude member of the lycra set, but they need to hear my side of the story. (For the record, I jog the cumulative equivalent of a marathon a week.) When there is a wide sidewalk, they are simply not supposed to be running three abreast in the bike lane on a busy 45mph street.

Cyclist education is a genuine challenge, as evidenced by the number of casual cyclists who do not understand the etiquette which allows us to coexist safely and effectively in a tight space.

Raiyn

I say hello to cyclists / folks approaching me and I now ring my (newly procured) bell at them. Most people seem to get the idea. However, if there ends up being too many that don't get with the program I've got my eye on an Air Zound.

shokhead

I always nod or smile at oncoming riders and a on your left when no headphones are used.To bad here in the long beach/lakewood area others dont.Heck when a couple of riders are coming towards me and ride side by side and are over the divided line coming towards me do you think they can let up to pull back over on there side,nope.I almost always go as far over to the right as i can.When i ride,most do do anything.I do a lot of ^&&%$# under my breath.

Chris L

I wave at oncoming riders when I can be bothered (and I generally try to answer a wave with a wave). Having said that, if I'm riding home from a 220km ride into a monster headwind, I mightn't feel like waving, so unless one is forthcoming from the other side, I mightn't bother.

Re: passing. I have been both the passer and the passee on many occasions. When I'm the passer I generally wait until I get the opportunity and run wide of them on the right (the left for those in the US). I don't bother shouting at them because I'd prefer not to see people do that to me. I might say a quick "G'day" or ride with them for a while if our speed is compatible, but otherwise I'll just be on my way quietly.

naisme

This is interesting cause when I do get behind someone I usually try to get their attention and let them know before I pass that I am there, too often I come up on cyclists riding two a breast on our two lane bike paths. I come up, slow, announce like "behind ya." Then the pass and an "on your left." Often times all that gets me is nothing. I'm not heard, I'm ignored or I'm treated like I'm a bike snob.
Sorry, it does work both ways.

Swimjim

Some people are just jerks and/or are too absorbed in what they are doing to acknowledge anyone else on the road.
I used to ride motorcycles. You can tell someone who has rode a long time. He or she always waves. I do the same thing on my road bike when I meet some one on the road. I always wave. When I pass someone I always let them know I am passing them with a "on your left" or whatever. Its just common courtesy.
Therer are alot of putzes out there, but thats life. Too bad.

Jim

Dutchy

I give a brief wave as an acknowledgment of riders coming toward me, I usually get a reply but not always, it doesn't bother me though. My waves are very brief so there is always the possibility they didn't see it.
When approaching another rider I don't say anything as this could startle them, so I sit back a few metres until safe to pass, give a wide berth, say hello and keep riding.
If we are going a similar pace I might have a chat for a few minutes, if they are receptive, and then go separate ways.
I mainly ride in the country so riders are few and far. If I lived in the city I probably wouldn't bother waving as there are too many bikes.

BTW, Since I started racing I don't bother trying to catch someone ahead or drop someone I have passed. Someone going slow is not necessarily a slow rider, they are probably have a recovery ride or training ride. There are no laws saying you can't use your race (expensive) bike for those days.


CHEERS.

Mark

psycholist

I don't know which would be more shocking and unexpected to me...another rider passing me and giving a courtesy call or just seeing another rider at all. All in all I'd say I come across other cyclists about once a year...but I've never been passed. GIven the numbers, this isn't that impressive a claim, is it?
I did come across the area's first recumbent rider last year. When I first spotted him approaching from a distance I thought the heat was getting to me because it appeared to be a guy riding a cow or something. There were the usual thumbs up and atta boys in passing, nothing rude. Oh yes, and that quick glance that tells the other rider that you are quietly assessing their componentry.