Some Riders are Snobby

[GLC1968]

I have one of these unfortunate faces that looks intensely angry/upset when I'm perfectly happy and relaxed. (so does my mom)

It's frustrating, because I get crap about it all the time.

I wonder how many bikers think I'm scowling at them as I cruise along happy as a lark and at peace with the universe?

Me too! I have actually been verbally/physically attacked because of it (at a party by a drunk girl...but still!)...she thought I was scowling at her and I'd never even noticed her! She wanted to beat me up and I was just tired from a long day at work!

I've wondered if other bikers have thought poorly of me as well. I think that's why I try to hard to be the first one to wave...so that it doesn't matter what my face looks like!

[Geonz]

I consciously retrained my face (because my default scowl sunburned the heck out of my lower lip one ride)... and now people think I'm simply joyful and ecstatic in the nastiest weather (when obviously, sometimes I'm not...)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I consciously retrained my face (because my default scowl sunburned the heck out of my lower lip one ride)... and now people think I'm simply joyful and ecstatic in the nastiest weather (when obviously, sometimes I'm not...)

I had to do that when playing music. Musicians tend to concentrate on playing so much that they get the most awful peculiar facial expressions going. Performers learn to retrain this. I retrained my face to stop scowling and look relaxed and happy too when I play.
But oddly, when I'm biking I always catch myself naturally smiling even when there is no real reason. Biking does that for me.
Runners, on the other hand, ALWAYS seem to look like they are miserable.

[Bad JuJu]

I, too, have a "problem face" or maybe it's more of a problem default expression. But it's not angry, it's apparently more of a pensive/unhappy expression--I mean, according to the responses I get from it, when I'm just going about my life as usual. I've actually had a person say to me, "You look like you just lost your last friend," when my day was really going pretty well. The funny thing is that I'm generally pretty happy-go-lucky, so it's odd that I have such a face. Hereditary, I guess, as Squeaky said.

But it does keep me alert to the possibility of reading people's expressions wrong.

[Cassandra_Cain]

Ok, so I definitely do not have the angry face mentioned. Is this a good thing? I think so.

Ironically, last weekend I came across plenty of bike snobs but actually got some very enthusiastic encouragement from several motorists - yikes!

They probably felt sorry for me,, climbing up the mountain in the cold but it was 'allez allez' and 'wooo hooo, go girl' - from a car full of women. That was fun

[SouthernBelle]

There have been a couple of occasions where cars with one or more women have been obviously fascinated with me. Slowing down and following, stopping, etc. Very cool.

[pooks]

I've actually had a person say to me, "You look like you just lost your last friend," when my day was really going pretty well.

Same here. I finally figured out it's because when relaxed, the corners of my mouth turn down. Sigh. I remind myself constantly to turn them up, hoping I can train them in a new direction, but I think that's a lost cause. It also means that the only decent pictures taken of me are when I'm smiling. When I'm not smiling, I look like I need a rolling pin in my hand.

Fortunately I smile a lot.

[snapdragen]

When I was in West Marin riding the Holstein, I was on the only big downhill approaching a curve. I'm not the best decender, so I was concentrating, "relax the shoulders, relax the grip...NOT TOO LOOSE!, look where you want the bike to go". I suddenly realized I had the most intense scowl on my face. I'm talking a teeth bearing, wrinkled nose, squinty eyed scowl! I almost fell off the bike laughing.....

[GLC1968]

Runners, on the other hand, ALWAYS seem to look like they are miserable.

Thats normally very true!

Three days ago, I was driving somewhere and I noticed this runner coming towards me. He had a HUGE grin on his face...as if he was having the time of his life on his run! I immedately snickered and I found myself smiling the whole rest of the way to my destination. He'd totally made my day!

I need to do the same thing...smile as big on the outside as I feel on the inside when I am on my bike! (the threat of bugs in my teeth doesn't scare me, damn it! )

[jobob]

Same here. I finally figured out it's because when relaxed, the corners of my mouth turn down. Sigh. I remind myself constantly to turn them up, hoping I can train them in a new direction, but I think that's a lost cause. It also means that the only decent pictures taken of me are when I'm smiling. When I'm not smiling, I look like I need a rolling pin in my hand.

LOL! Mee too. My mom was that way also, she'd be walking down the street thinking about nothing in particular and someone would come up to her and ask "what's wrong??".

And I can't tell you how many times perfect strangers would come up to me and go "smile, honey, it can't be that bad". gahhhh.

So yeah, I too try to remind myself to turn up the corners of my mouth, but it's hard to counteract my natural expression.

People who have naturally "happy" faces are so fortunate !

[Bicyclette]

I think I always ride with a funny look on my face - my husband pointed it out last week - he thought I was suffering - but I was just totally focused - which is what I tend to do - and I try to say hello to everybody - but sometimes I just can't get it out!! and when others say hello first - by the time I realize they've greeted me and I go to respond - they're long gone

[Brandi]

This is funny cause I have thought about this myself. I didn't have clipless peddles for sometime (to scared) and I am not a fredweina And my bike is a highbread with street tires. It was strange cause when i got my clipless peddles it seemed the bikers on my route noticed me all of sudden. maybe I am wronge but that is what I noticed. I am still not a fredwiena though! Very mix match bike clothes.

[eclectic]

2 things

first of all people could think I am a snob because I don't wave a lot of times. the main reason is I have a hard time quickly taking a hand off the handlebars and eyes off the road - I have a tendancy to turn where I am looking

I do give a smile and say something like - its a great day for a ride or Hi there in a cheery voice but too often they are long gone and probably don't hear me

I've been wanting to tell this club ride story so here is my opportunity.

The official rides ended about a month ago but people are still getting together and going. A couple of Wed ago I showed up had a quick visit with a few great people that were meeting but not riding that night and waited for other riders to show, one other person was there and I thought "Whoooa we won't be riding together long - He was cruising in and had legs like tree trunks (and not saplings if you catch my drift.)

He looked at me like "who is this granny, she probably can't even make it up the easy hills" I didn't really want to ride with anyone with an attitude so just said "which way should we go but we will most likely be doing our own rides anyway" He said I should go ahead and he would catch up because he was going to wait a bit to see if anyone else was going to show (I thought this was lame because we were already 10 min past regular start time.) I said fine. I knew he had no intention of even starting out with me so because of the wind I switched routes and had a great 23 mile ride. I just thought he's a hammerhead jerk who can't even be kind (most of the other good riders are very kind and will soft pedal while the slower ones catch up)

Now for the surprising part. On the local club website this guy made a public apology for ditching the unknown rider that night. He said he made a lame excuse about waiting for others then just went home. His route home was on the route chosen and he didn't catch me like he thought he would and figured I just went home too. (the wind was pretty strong that night)

He didn't have to make this public apology because the only people who would have known was me and him. The other members assigned him penance such as riding for 60 miles with a slower rider in granny gear all the way

One person wondered if the ditched person read the site. That was my opening and I said "yes she does and apology accepted". The other members thought it was a hoot when they found out it was me. Because although I am not as fast as they are for the distance I can keep up for quite awhile now, a good friend (and star hammerhead himself) was going to post " good thing you didn't ride with her she would have smoked you!" (not true but the thought was nice)

So the old lesson learned once again on both our parts "never judge a book by its cover"

[7rider]

... geez, who put sand in *my* chamois this morning?

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

I love that line! I'm going to have to remember that one!!!

[Trek420]

snapdragen "I suddenly realized I had the most intense scowl on my face. I'm talking a teeth bearing, wrinkled nose, squinty eyed scowl!"

now THAT'S when you round the corner and there's the event photographer!