Saying hello

[tomgrrrl]

Question....when riding the trails and you pass or are passed by other riders do you say "hello" or in some way acknowledge them? I tend to do so, but this weekend, when riding a wide fire trail on Tam it seemed a lot of bikers, they happened to be men, didn't say a word. Now some of them were wearing headphones (yikes) but some just seemed cold.....seemed a generally more unfriendly bunch than usual....

I also tend to say hi to hikers (at least when going uphill)....they are generally more friendly than other riders.

When I am on the road the cyclists seem a bit friendlier to one another....

[spokewench]

Of course, you should say Hello or some other thing! We are all part of a community or at least we should be! If they don't say hi, their loss is what I always say.

Besides it makes for a better overall impression on people if bikers act like nice people. Keep up the good work:p

[Adventure Girl]

When I am on the road the cyclists seem a bit friendlier to one another....I find the opposite to be true. If I cross paths with 10 mountain bikers, I would estimate that 8 would wave or say hello (or at least grunt). With 10 roadies, the "hello" count would be more like 4 or 5. Maybe it's because when I'm on my road bike I look like a mountain biker (camelbak, Mtb shoes, helmet with visor) and they know I'm not a roadie!

I grunt, wave, nod or say, "hi" to everyone!:p

[SadieKate]

A passing roadie has never said to me "Thanks, Sweetheart." Percentage wise, I think mtnbikers talk to others more, but I've had more vocally rude encounters with mtnbikers because I think singletrack just creates more obstacles. The few that think it is appropriate to race multi-purpose singletrack on non-race days and tell you to get the F off their trail because it is a race course . . . well, I didn't axe them to be reasonable. It wasn't worth my time. Just don't axe about the bodies at the bottom of the ravine, OK?:p

[Adventure Girl]

I didn't axe them to be reasonable. It wasn't worth my time. Just don't axe about the bodies at the bottom of the ravine, OK?:pThread hijack alert!!!

You know when people use the word "axe" instead of "ask" (or "axed" instead of "asked")? Well, when these people are writing, do they also write "axe" or "axed" as SK did in the above quote?

When I hear that, I just want to scream, "Burk burk burk!!":eek:

[SadieKate]

Well, as you know, I went screamless through an entire contract negotiation with a client's attorney over use of our trademark (according to the attorney) "Axe A Nurse." Do you suppose I can put on my resume "ability to maintain great poise even in the face of repeated malapropisms"?

[Kitsune06]

I don't think they actually type 'axe' but... from what I've seen, when people who say 'axe' for 'ask' type on forums it looks like this:
"OMG! Duz sum1 no wat type a bike teh rockhopper iz? I think itz specalized, but wat do i kno???!!!1 but it RAWKS!!!!1111":eek:

*clutches head and tips over at the thought of regular mtb forums*

[Adventure Girl]

I don't think they actually type 'axe' but... from what I've seen, when people who say 'axe' for 'ask' type on forums it looks like this:
"OMG! Duz sum1 no wat type a bike teh rockhopper iz? I think itz specalized, but wat do i kno???!!!1 but it RAWKS!!!!1111":eek:

*clutches head and tips over at the thought of regular mtb forums*Kitsune06 -- U R 2 funny!:p

[yellow]

Back OT, ladies!


Maybe it's because when I'm on my road bike I look like a mountain biker (camelbak, Mtb shoes, helmet with visor) and they know I'm not a roadie!
It's the CamelBak, I'm convinced. I wore one this weekend on my 112 miler in 90+ degree heat and was uniformly snubbed by all the roadie boys. The evil yellow hoped they suffered dehydration. The sensitive yellow felt like a roadie poseur (and I'm not even really a "mountain biker"). Note that 95% of these kitted out boys DID NOT pass me on the big climb. :D The one that did was about 20 years old, I think.

[crazycanuck]

Good topic!!!

This same question was addressed in a recent Australian Moutain Biking magazine & it seems we mountain bikers are the friendliest bunch on the road/trail etc. If i can scan the article i shall post it for you.

I always say hello to folks on the trail. I don't care if you're a downhiller hucking or just a normal rider like myself. All the riders (mtn bikers) we hang round with are pretty friendly and make an effort to say howdy!

I always thought it was polite to say hello to anyone whilst jogging, biking, swimming etc

I dress like a moutain biker on my road bike & still try and say hey to anyone that passes me. Then again i act like a mtn biker on my road bike as it's just extra training.

c

[sarahkonamojo]

Funny,
I dress like a road biker on the trail. I think they snicker at me.

Saying hello just makes me feel good especially if they helloer says hello back. Many times on the road the hello is very subtle-raised fingers or head nod. Except for when I'm going downhill. I just smile...
sarah

[chickwhorips]

when i actually lived around people i always said hello/hi (some form of kindness). wasn't always returned. depended on what mountain i was on. the "to good for you people" never said much, but the other "every day" people would say hi.

now everyone waves at me from their car, and considering i'm one of two people with mtb in town, i still swear they look at me like i'm crazy or think "wow wish i was modivated to do that". i think its still more of a "crazy" look. :eek:

[Eden]

This question has come up before, if not here on other boards. I've always thought that we just have too many cyclists around here to be saying hi to all of them, so today I decided to count. I only counted cyclists coming towards me that would see a wave or nod and not the ones that I passed. Well - I counted about 190 cyclists during the hour and a half that I was on the road (and would guess the real number was more like 200 as there were times when it was crowded enough that I felt I needed to give all of my attention to traffic) and no I did not wave, nod or otherwise greet all of them.

[fatbottomedgurl]

I see so few cyclist out there on the trails that I always say hi, and tell them how many girls are behind me. I do the same for the hikers and runners. Haven't run into horses more than once but they are friendly too. We Dirtchix have a lot of stop and chat time and often someone will come along and chat too.

[mimitabby]

This question has come up before, if not here on other boards. I've always thought that we just have too many cyclists around here to be saying hi to all of them, so today I decided to count. I only counted cyclists coming towards me that would see a wave or nod and not the ones that I passed. Well - I counted about 190 cyclists during the hour and a half that I was on the road (and would guess the real number was more like 200 as there were times when it was crowded enough that I felt I needed to give all of my attention to traffic) and no I did not wave, nod or otherwise greet all of them.
Good grief, Eden
where were you riding this morning with 200 other bikes? It could only be the BG trail?!

[Eden]

Good grief, Eden
where were you riding this morning with 200 other bikes? It could only be the BG trail?!

It was last night - but yes part of my route was on the BG - I was on my way to Marymoor. At least it shows that the trail gets good usage. I wasn't even counting the folks that were going the same direction that I was.

I've found that the more out of the way and the fewer other riders about the more likely you are to get waves or nods. When there are a ton of others about (like the BG or Lake Washington Blvd and other popular routes) most are unlikely to wave unless they have another bond to a smaller group, like I find that most other team affiliated riders wave or nod- we kind of get to all know one another, bent riders usually waver to other bent riders etc. Out in the country side when you are only seeing a few riders here and there most people greet one another.

BTW - through the end of track season (last week in August) I will be riding out to Marymoor every Wednesday going one way to the velodrome. (the hubby is announcing track racing). If anyone is interested in joining me I leave my house around 5:30 / 6 which puts me on the BG about 10 or 15 min later. Spectating is free on Wednesdays and I could give you a ride home if you wanted to stay and watch the races (its dark by the time racing is over - around 10pm). Rain cancels the track racing so I don't go if is rainy.

[fatbottomedgurl]

Rode mtb 10 miles this morning- passed the HS cross country boys team running in groups of 3-4. Every boy said hi. Passed one male mtb'er who said hi and said we were crazy to go the way we were. Everyone here is friendly!

[bcipam]

In live in So Cal so I seldom if ever, do a ride without seeing another cyclist or mountain bikers. I find both groups to be equally friendly however, maybe 'cause its California they are more subtle. Typically I don't get a wave and a "HI!" I get a head nod or a finger lifted, some acknowledgment, however slight, as we pass on the road or trail. More often than not a mountain biker will be more vocal but I think that's because of the trail - if narrow singletrack, if that biker wants to get around this old, slow pokey person, he better be letting me know so I can pull over and let him pass by or if we are coming in opposite directions, its good to communicate intentions.

Usually if I'm ignored it is on the road but I don't attribute that to rudeness. When I chugging down the road, I'm thinking zen thoughts about my cadence and my breathing and my heart rate and by the time I notice another cyclist, we pass too quickly by (cause I'm usually faster on road than trail) and it's too late to say or do something. No problems, I just keep chugging.