Why is there always one jerk in the group ride, and why is he always behind me?

and as I turn 62 I am less and less uninhibited about telling someone to get lost or shut the hell up. Assholes deserve no manners or politeness. I'm always sorry when I encounter one because then I have to say something which ruins my reputation as a friendly rather absent minded nice little old lady, but if and whn I do, I feel no compunction about stating my opinion. I am there for my enjoyment not to gratify any little desires or warped ideas someone else has about how my ride should go.

marni

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Originally Posted by marni

and as I turn 62 I am less and less uninhibited about telling someone to get lost or shut the hell up. Assholes deserve no manners or politeness. I'm always sorry when I encounter one because then I have to say something which ruins my reputation as a friendly rather absent minded nice little old lady, but if and whn I do, I feel no compunction about stating my opinion. I am there for my enjoyment not to gratify any little desires or warped ideas someone else has about how my ride should go.

marni

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Beautiful.

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Originally Posted by marni

and as I turn 62 I am less and less uninhibited about telling someone to get lost or shut the hell up. ... I feel no compunction about stating my opinion. I am there for my enjoyment not to gratify any little desires or warped ideas someone else has about how my ride should go.

marni

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I came to this point in my early 40s, probably because the high number of azzholes in the DC area! :) ;) Having been raised by old fashioned parents, I try to be polite but depending on the degree of rude behavior on the part of the azzhole, I have no qualms about very clearly speaking my mind. It's important that these people know that they don't intimidate me (most of the time, they are bullies who are really cowards). I cannot abide by rude people, know-it-alls, or the self-centered.

I don't know why but I encounter very few rude mtb'ers. I guess it's a different culture altogether and with everyone battling it out on the trails and with Mother Nature perhaps it humbles one even more.

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Originally Posted by sundial

I don't know why but I encounter very few rude mtb'ers. I guess it's a different culture altogether and with everyone battling it out on the trails and with Mother Nature perhaps it humbles one even more.

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This parallels road/trail running. Trail runners are generally a really laid-back, friendly bunch. There are relatively more elitist arseholes in road running, IME.

Happy to say there were no jerks on my group ride this morning :).

The guy behind me was either
a) my considerate DH
or b) the random rider who caught up with our group, going the same way. He was the antithesis of a jerk, slowed his pace to match ours, and chatted politely, instead of displaying attitude and impatience with his encounter with large, slower paced group. When we we stopped for RR break, he waved goodbye, picked up his pace and headed on toward his destination- a serious climb into the mountains.