What's a Fred?

[Eden]

I just think that you are putting a lot of burden on this person that he may or may not deserve. He may think you are a dork, then again he may not at all and I think it rather unfair of you to assign negative thoughts to him just because of how he looks and the fact that he did not greet you.

More plays into this than a bicycle. Where you grew up east coast, west coast, south - large or small town will all influence the way you interact with others. I was not particularly raised to talk to strangers... I grew up and still live in a large city and people will think you are pretty strange and forward to greet everyone.... Call me uppity if you like, just remember that not everyone's social norms are the same as yours.

If I'm greeted while riding I will certainly try to return the greeting, but there are probably plenty of times that I'm sure someone thought uppity road rider, when I probably was just not paying any attention to them. I think its great to see people out on their bikes and I certainly prefer to see them riding than driving- no matter what they ride or why they ride. That will never make me outgoing, and I still don't feel the urge to wave at all of them...

[lph]

I live in a country where pretending your fellow beings don't exist is the pinnacle of polite behaviour. You don't say hi to people on the street unless you're drunk, have ingested something illegal, or are slightly mad. So if somebody tried to say hi on the road to me while I was biking I'd probably be too busy wondering why and whether I should be worried about it to respond...

I'm being a bit facetious here, but not only. I would try to respond I guess, but I'd be mighty surprised and might just stare. But it sure wouldn't be because I thought the person looked like a Fred or a dork or whatever, when I pass people I'm usually deep inside my own brain and the only thing I'm thinking about is "which is the safest side to pass on?" I guess it is a training thing.

FWIW I'm having a blast, even though I'm not grinning. And sometimes I am

[TrekTheKaty]

Funny that we've slid off onto this topic. I frequent a Missouri Katy Trail Forum that discusses this topic frequently. Two different threads develop: bikers are either unfriendly or overfriendly AND should you say hello to fellow bike riders.

My sister is the one that says hello to every single person at our local bike path. We usually do 5 laps or 19 miles--so that is a lot of hellos. When I first started riding with her, she said hello to a "serious" bike rider (full team uniform--in the drops, looking very intense) that I recognized from a local bike race--couldn't miss his blonde ponytail. After he breezed by without acknowledgement, I told her he was a racer and probably concentrating on a workout--quit saying "hello." She became more determined, and after 3 "hello's" he smiled and waved to the two silly girls on hybrids. He always waves to us now :-)

Another serious rider explained that he didn't mind waving, but his rides could quickly become an upper-body workout on busy trail days.

OK, I'll accept that.

[Aggie_Ama]

Eden- I sure didn't mean for my comment to be taken as far as it was and you are right it is unfair of me to be judgmental while accusing the guy of being judgmental. Do I have my days where I feel overly sensitive to it? Most of them, that is me. I have I met the ugliest of the ugly riders who talk bad about slow riders even when they are present? Yup, my husband raced with that jerk in college. Have I met really, really nice racers? The majority of them I know are. Do I still wish the ones I wave/smile/say hi to would return the greeting back? Yup and that is me. I went to a college where you said "Howdy" to strangers to make them feel welcome on a large campus, that should say something about me and strangers. Are they jerks for not? Nope it is what it is.

And you are right, I am born and raised in the south. We are friendly to a fault. My grandparents (all three I was able be raised knowing) will/would talk to anyone that stood still. I grew up that way, I am not used to reserved people. They are as normal as a seven foot tall martian the way I was raised. I guess I expect people who live here to be like me but I forget many of the people here are not from here.

[wildhawk]

I say hi to fellow bikers on trail, and most respond in kind. Unfortunately, the issues I am running into are people who do not know proper trail etiquette - and the other day when my DH and I gave an audible “on your left” to pass a jogger she actually cussed at us. And for the past two weekends we have had a racer barrelling through a 10mph trail in our local park with earbuds on and he does not even bother giving an audible - just flies up on you quick and darts in and around walkers and other riders at a high rate of speed. He has frightened seniors walking and he nearly hit my bike in his haste last weekend. I guess he was “in his training zone” but that particular trail is a family trail with lots of small kids and seniors on it as well as bikers and rollerbladers. I say its o.k. to greet who you want and if they respond in kind, fine. If they ignore you, fine. But if they ride recklessly and almost run you off the trail, then that is another matter altogether. I was also raised in the south, so I am the friendly type. Just today we met a very nice fellow biker who told us about two more paved bike trails we did not know about. Our conversation was started with a “Hi, how are doing?” It takes all kinds to make up the world and everyone has their particular comfort zone when it comes to greeting others, but I have seldom seen someone not return at least a smile.

[Crankin]

I have found a difference in how people greet me while I am riding, depending on which bike I am riding. I have an unusual brand road bike (Kuota) so most roadies notice me and wave, even if I have a triple and may not be worthy of such a nice bike. I admit I don't always wave to everyone, but I do always nod my head or do something to acknowledge a rider.
When I am on my Jamis Coda, it's different. The cars give me a wider berth and are generally more polite. About half of the roadies wave and half don't. Now, when I am on this bike, it looks like I am commuting, with a pannier, lights, a rack, although I am usually doing an errand, going to an appointment, or meeting a friend. And, I am going much slower. But, I do have clipless pedals, a nice helmet, and gloves that sort of show I am a serious rider. On the other hand, I am dressed differently. When I ride this bike, I dress in my "fun" cycling clothes: skorts, capris like the Scooters, board shorts, or mtb shorts. I might have wool on the top in the cold weather and mtb tops with no pockets in the warm weather. Perfectly acceptable riding attire, but not roadie stuff. I feel perfectly fine either way; there's different purposes for riding. I always acknowledge people on hybrids and call out when I pass them. Last week one woman thanked me profusely for doing so, as she was riding down a busy street with her child. So, yes, there are a lot of snobs in cycling, but not all. When my son raced in high school, he couldn't stand more than half of the kids on his team, as they were already acting like a$$holes. But there were always very kind adults who took the time to mentor him. After almost ten years they are all still really friendly to me when I see them around town.

[bikerchic]

Well interesting thread but I'm not going to get into the "to greet or not to greet" aspect of it since basically it's a personal choice IMHO and for myself some days I'm more friendlier than others.....

I just thought I would share this with you if you missed it on google because it's rather informative:

http://www.bicyclesource.com/bicycling_glossary#poser

Enjoy and just ride I rather suspect if any of yous needed help on the road/trail or path a fellow cyclist or two would stop and make sure you're okay at least that's what I choose to believe but then again I believe I will win the lottery SOON too.

Ride on and keep the rubber side down!

[Ana]

I just thought I would share this with you if you missed it on google because it's rather informative:

http://www.bicyclesource.com/bicycling_glossary#poser

Strange how the definition of "fred" is both people who have nice gear without skill and people who don't have nice gear, regardless of whether or not they have skill...

It seems as though they are trying to define an acceptable cyclist into a very narrow category.

I, too, dislike the elitist attitude of some cyclists. I used to think about why people don't wave back a lot but I have just decided that I am the kind of person who likes to wave to others, regardless of whether or not they wave back Sometimes I wonder if guys wave back (or don't) because I'm a woman. I like my bike and I like cycling so I'm probably just going to do what I always do: do what I love and not worry about what other people think

[wildhawk]

I like my bike and I like cycling so I'm probably just going to do what I always do: do what I love and not worry about what other people think

Well said Ana!

[lph]

I like my bike and I like cycling so I'm probably just going to do what I always do: do what I love and not worry about what other people think

Well said! I'm honestly not trying to be snarky here - but this is what I intend to do too, cycle the way I love, and not worry that other people may think me elitist or unfriendly.

Re Norwegians ignoring their fellow men: I passed a guy obviously fixing his bike yesterday morning, slowed down and called out "got everything you need?" Well, in norwegian, of course.

He stared at me like I was barking mad.

[Geonz]

I've skimmed these posts noting it's the same "are they uppity or not?" argument ... ah, perceptions!!!

Let me at least suggest that assuming that somebody is thinking uppity thoughts is every bit as judgmental as what the other party is being accused of.... and ... it seems to me it's built-in self-negativity... which shouldn't be blamed on others.

Now, my perception's tinged by dealing with a student or two today who have a pervasive habit of perceiving *everything* as a negative view of them, ... but even if it's true, then, the best revenge is *not* to let it bug you!

[Trek420]

Re Norwegians ignoring their fellow men: I passed a guy obviously fixing his bike yesterday morning, slowed down and called out "got everything you need?" Well, in norwegian, of course.

He stared at me like I was barking mad.

Norwegians are very friendly. I was there was during the winter Olympics. They were always rushing up to me asking "Are du ok?" as I lay there in the snow on my back waving my feet in the air like a turtle turned upside down.

I kept slipping, sliding and then flipping over backwards in the snow even with the metal grippy things on my feet.

[beccaB]

as far as greetings, I get a little wave or a nod from the other cyclists, but not usually anything verbal. The young guys riding the fast motorcycles(rice rockets, my husband calls them, which is probably politically incorrect)usually wave to me, and I'm not unfriendly at all, but it is a little weird because they are so fast they're not really there if I blink!

[gingerale]

I'm so definitely a Fred. lol

As for saying hello, I usually do a small wave or say hello. I've had a few act like I wasn't even around but most always say hello back. But you know who I've noticed ALWAYS wave at me? The motorcycle guys! LOL

[VeloVT]

I don't always wave, nor do I always, in every situation, say something when passing (but I'm VERY conservative about passing on my bike, and will sit behind someone for a long time until the perfect passing conditions come along, maybe more than I should).

But I always, always, aways slow and ask someone if they are OK if it looks like they might be having a mechanical problem. I have fixed flats for strangers with my own tubes on more than one occasion, and if they ask if they can buy the tube, or whatever, I say no. I figure it's good karma. Sometime I might get caught without a tube. Amazing how many people who ride bikes can't fix flats though. It's really worth learning.