Drive-By Encouragement

[Meg McKilty]

Ok everyone: I was wondering the other day as I passed by several bikers, "How do I effectively say hello as a biker and give encouragement but not seem rude?"

I hate it when people honk behind me (usually not cyclists), but one morning SouthernBelle and I were riding and a couple came up in front of us; they were yelling and whistling, giving us the "rock-out" hand signals and just having a good time making a racket in encouragement. Susan did not look up in time and said, "Well, that was certainly rude!" I had to explain.

People yelling at me seems odd and frightening, and a hand signal I don't usually see from behind me.

Help a cyclist out.

[Aint Doody]

I've often thought it would be good if we had a certain "honk" that could say "Hey! Good going!" to other cyclists. Maybe we could make one up here--like medium, short-short-short, long--or something.

[Kimmyt]

Put a share the road sticker on the back of your car. The best encouragement you can give is to drive smart and safe around a cyclist. I do notice when people that pass me are rocking the share the road stickers, it makes me grin and think, 'bet they wish they were riding right now...'

K.

[silver]

Put a share the road sticker on the back of your car. The best encouragement you can give is to drive smart and safe around a cyclist. I do notice when people that pass me are rocking the share the road stickers, it makes me grin and think, 'bet they wish they were riding right now...'

K.

ditto this! I don't like people to honk near me. I have not one Share the Road sticker, but 4 plus my triathlon team sticker.

Sometimes, I'll stick my arm out the window and wave after I've passed.

[oxysback]

My daughter and I were driving along the MS150 route as it rolled through our little part of Oregon a few weeks ago. We had a great time giving a 'thumbs-up' to riders as we passed them. She would roll down her window, do the 'thumbs-up', and then look back to see some big smiles and a few people returning the gesture. Hopefully it was a good mood boost for them, too!! I know we had a blast. :D

[Trek420]

On ALC we'd encounter lots of suportive drivers (and only 1 or 2 idiots) and you can tell the difference. Encouraging honking is a light tap on the horn, like "beep beep beep beep beep beep" :)

If they are yelling riders can't hear what they say but the "cheerful style beep" we know.

That's as opposed to laying on the horn right behind or anywhere near a rider. We all know and hate that. :mad: Even in a large group, century or charity ride you can't assume that sudden noise is not going to freak someone out.

Decorating your car with "Go MS 150 riders" or posting a sign is alright too.

[Meg McKilty]

I've often thought it would be good if we had a certain "honk" that could say "Hey! Good going!" to other cyclists. Maybe we could make one up here--like medium, short-short-short, long--or something.

This makes me think of Morse Code, only for cyclist.

I tried waving but some are just too focused to see it (plus I own a Jeep with plastic zip windows), and also, I have a Jeep with plastic windows and try not to decorate it with stickers.

Maybe I should get a spare tire cover with tri or share the road on it...

[Zen]

It took me a few to realize you were talking about people in cars:o

[ehirsch83]

I have a share the road license plate, many states have them! Along with it saying you are a cyclist, it gives a little bit of money to go towards road maintenance(at least that is what the money goes for in florida). I also, for some odd reason, stuck a speedplay sticker on my car(couldn't get a very religious,but small, sticker off from the previous owner, and this covered it up).

[Starfish]

I have a bike rack on my car, and I do what I really like when others do:

1) I drive as respectfully as I can...a wide margin out and around, or if I am in the oncoming lane, I get way over to my side to give oncoming traffic lots of room to go around the cyclist, etc.

2) If I have time, I stick my arm out the window with a thumbs up sign.

I know that when I'm riding, I hate any kind of honk...the cheerful kind, too, really. When I see a car give me a LOT of room, especially a car that has a bike rack, and especially a car that will just get the heck around me (not go super slow just behind me forever), I know they are sympathetic without any special wave or honk.

[ATL Laura]

Just last week I was slowly making my way up one of my nemesis hills when a car came by and the passenger yelled, "You're awesome, keep pushing!" At first it scared me so much because I was in a zone and was not expecting to be yelled at, but then I realized that they meant well.

I agree with the others who mentioned the Share the Road stickers and licence plates. Also, I think its nice to chat and give some encouragement when both the car and the cyclist are stopped at a traffic light.

[Ladyrunner]

What a great thread!

I always wonder what to do when I see a cyclist. I considered honking or yelling, but they would most likely not know it was a good kind. Besides, I wouldn't want to startle them and they fall, etc, etc.

I really like the bumper sticker idea. Now, I need to go and get one.

[Thorn]

Best encouragement I ever got from a car...it passed me with room to spare and then the 7 year old daughter leaned out the window and shouted, "Allez! Allez! Allez!"

Of course, I was riding a mountain bike, the road was in horrible shape, there was a stiff headwind, it was cold and I was majorly bonked. But, boy did that cheer me up.

But, I suppose most of you would not encourage your children to hang out windows just to encourage a cyclist...sigh...but it worked!

[Meg McKilty]

Best encouragement I ever got from a car...it passed me with room to spare and then the 7 year old daughter leaned out the window and shouted, "Allez! Allez! Allez!"

Of course, I was riding a mountain bike, the road was in horrible shape, there was a stiff headwind, it was cold and I was majorly bonked. But, boy did that cheer me up.

But, I suppose most of you would not encourage your children to hang out windows just to encourage a cyclist...sigh...but it worked!

Ha! This reminds me of about a month ago when I was running the main road where I live (more traffic. faster cars, etc.). It was hot and a hard route, and I thought, "If someone I know passes me and honks, I can keep going until I get home..."

My[cool-down] jogging partner came past me to jog and honked her horn!
I'll never doubt again.

[mimitabby]

I was on my way home up a long incline (not really steep) and I passed
a contractor working on a house. he saw me and said "Enjoy the hill"

of course I said "thanks, I will"

[RoadRaven]

I always slow and drive behind a bike til its safe to pass and have no problem with other cars having to wait with me.

I have pro-bike stickers on the back of my car

I never toot from behind, but sometimes I will give two short toots after I have passed - sometimes I wave.

If its a cyclist we know, the boys will sometimes call out a hello to them as we pass.

[lph]

Riding home today I slowed waaay down coming to a pedestrian crossing, until I could see that the 2 teenage dudes in the beat-up old car approaching were going to let me over without me having to stop altogether (which I'm legally supposed to). I dipped my head at them to acknowledge the nicety, and then yelled "thanks!" as I crossed, since I noticed their windows were open.

Sure enough, the next minute I got two short toots, and I had to think of this thread :)

(Of course it MAY have been because I was wearing my shortest shorts and a tank top, plus hotshot sunglasses disguising the fact that I'm old enough to be their mom... :D One can always hope.)

[Starfish]

I'm old enough to be their mom... :D One can always hope.)

As a teenage boy said, in a recent episode of Monk, to a hot older woman when she reminded him she was old enough to be his mother, "But you're not."

You might have got the toots without the sunglasses!

:)

[Meg McKilty]

Bump.

I have come up with it: the new drive-by encouragement symbol for all cyclist.

We even have ones for MTB'ers. Ok, you twirl your finger around in a circle in the air as you drive by people one their cycles. Then they know you also cycle. ("OOOOO")

MTBing people will use a more "peaked" method of the twirling, using figures such as this with their fingers: "^^^^^".

You may all thank me tremendously.

[Zen]

Or they may think you're trying to say they're crazy :p

[Meg McKilty]

Or they may think you're trying to say they're crazy :p

That is exactly what Southern Belle said, but I disagree! If we band together and teach one another about the new symbol of cycling unity, we can give signals to one another in peace. Without honking horns. Or yelling.

[li10up]

There is definitely something to be said for not YELLING during a ride. Several times I've about jumped out of my skin when my co-ride leader yelled, "TURNING RIGHT!!" while on a ride. A simple point of the hand would have been sufficient. Sorry for the thread drift....:o

[lph]

I was thinking of this thread last time I drove our car... and passed a cyclist, and suddenly felt an urge to yell "hey, I'm not really LIKE this, you know! I ride a bike too!!" :D

But when I'm on a bike I don't really think much about the drivers around me, as long as they give me a little room and don't act aggressively I don't feel the need for any more interaction.

So I was thinking that maybe we want to give drive-by encouragement mostly for our own sakes, because we'd rather be thought of as cyclists than as drivers... :p

[li10up]

So I was thinking that maybe we want to give drive-by encouragement mostly for our own sakes, because we'd rather be thought of as cyclists than as drivers... :p

I think you hit the nail on the head with this one. I think it is more for our own benefit than the person on the bike. Kind of gives us a sense of belonging.

[RoadRaven]

I was thinking of this thread last time I drove our car... and passed a cyclist, and suddenly felt an urge to yell "hey, I'm not really LIKE this, you know! I ride a bike too!!" :D

Me Too!!

I feel a combination of feelings when I see someone cycling...
...anger and envy - why am I stuck in a car, this is sooooo unfair!

...pleasure and almost pride - yahoo, someone is out there and making us visible and having a great (I hope) ride... if I can't at least someone is

...guilt - I am soooo embarrased to be seen in a car. I feel the urge to slow right down, explain myself and make a cycling connection