Respect on the Road

[chicagogal]

Thinking about this more, I think that those of you who said that people (probably myself included) are just more likely to acknowledge those who we consider to be one of us.

I guess it was just a different experience for me to nod to cyclists and be ignored, when I am used to getting a response. Basically, out of habit, I was acknowledging those who I considered to be like me (roadies, and especially roadies wearing team kits that I recognize and personally know their teammates), but given my equipment that day, they didn't equate me with their group.

Hmm, wonder how I would be treated if I were wearing my team kit while on a beater bike. That might confuse some fellow roadies out there :-)

[Tri Girl]

Hmm, wonder how I would be treated if I were wearing my team kit while on a beater bike.

That made me laugh out loud. I can just see the confused faces now...
Maybe I'll try that on my commute home from work. Take a spin around the lake with my panniers, folding bike, handlebar bag and a team kit. Man- I'd look like a poser (or just a loon).

[Dogmama]

I just try to remember that life isn't all about me. If I wave & don't get a wave back, maybe they didn't see me, are engrossed in thought or just a jerk. I prefer to consider the first two possibilities.

I'm a consummate waver. I wave to cyclists, peds, etc. Maybe I need a 12 step group. WA - Waver's Anonymous.

[Jo-n-NY]

I wave to cyclists, walkers, runners as when I am on the bike I am in that "so happy" feeling. However, it is most gratifying that when I see someone on a comfort, hybrid etc (I ride a road bike) and I wave/acknowledge them, they get such a grin on their face. I feel like a just made their day.

I have to say when I do this when riding with my husband he is like "there she goes again, waving to everyone"

~ JoAnn

[marni]

when I am out on my road bike during the week training, and riding solo I try to at least a finger to every other bike rider I see, regardless of what they are riding, The funny thing is that male riders rarely if ever acknowledge me, even when there are only two us out in the boonies, 60 miles from Houston, obviously doing distance training whereas if a woman or women they willunfailinng acknowledge me.

On weekends is I ride with my husband even the pace linen riders will acknowledge if he is riding in front, but that same group will ignore us if I am riding in front.

When I ride with a group of women we average about 50% acknowledgements whether riding out in the boonies on a distance ride, or in the burbs on a local ride.

Being as it is around Houston, I was beginning to suspect it was a Texas good old boy thing, but maybe not.

marni
sa

[cylegoddess]

Here in Oz( Canberra) out in the edges of the suburbs, its mixed. Lots of rider, mostly commuters, roadies and joy riders.
I just smile at everyone, and usually get smiles or nods( roadies) in return.
I do wear full racing kits( tight black stuff) and am on my racing bike( not a great one but isnt a hybrid). I am more apt to get nods from roadies when not using panniers. I think its more like, hey ! your one of us! sort of thing.
A lot of people seem to be surprised that I smile at them, in racing kit( or whatever it is!) when they ride so called normal bikes!

[IvonaDestroi]

ummm ALL the time. yup. I ride an awesome 70's lightweight lugged steel motobecane super mirage, a rare type of mixte where the top tupe doesn't split until the seat stays, converted to a single speed. She's super scratched up, all black , and her logos have faded. A friend of mine found her in a dumpster with bent front forks and a missing wheel and I hammered her back into shape and cleaned her up. She's my main squeeze at the moment.

A couple weeks ago I was heading out of work onto my usual uphill upwind 30 minute battle home, and I was just about to roll off the sidewalk in front of my store when 2 *ahem* adult women rolled by on their fancy carbon frames that I could never, ever, EVER afford and one of them yelled 'hey, where are your training wheels?!' or something to that effect.

I think they may have assumed I was riding on the sidewalk or something. Irritating. I would have yelled back something brutal but I still had my work ID on and I was right in front of my workplace. They sure will feel like idiots when they figure out I work there, right there in the new store that just opened up in their nieghborhood that everybody loves.

But seriously, who does that? There could have been a million valid reasons for me to be on that sidewalk... and these ladies looked twice my age...

They probably don't even know how to tune those fancy carbon frames... Shoot, I'd be surprised if they knew how to change a tire with thier level of street smarts...

But yes. some people are bike-ists. It's true. I'm looking forward to seeing the difference in reaction with my 'fancy' new 80's aluminum cannondale that I have spent ALL of my money replacing parts on (pics up soon when she's done) If I could ever afford a carbon bike like that I would have one in a heartbeat. And I would probably kick a whole lot of butt on it too. Most people's butt. not to mention the level of appreciation I'd have that many take for granted. But I am happy with what I do have and I love my motobecane just the same.

According to my roomate, who's univega was found in similar shape in the same dumpster, there is a big difference in how people respond to the 'look' of your bike. He made his look like one of those hipster trendy bikes and now all the fixie kids in our building are jealous. I guess their parents can buy them all the parts in the world but their ride will never have the stamp of true passion.

Quite the opposite reaction before he put all those fancy matching colors on it. Same bike, different colors. hmmm....

and by the way we work twice as hard to go half as far most of the time, and don't you forget it

[Ritamarie]

I greet everyone with a wave, nod and/or a hello.... kids, roadies, trail riders, people unloading groceries on the side of the road, men waxing their cars in the driveway.... I'm like the little kid in the child's seat of the grocery cart greeting every shopper that walks by. The majority of the time I get greeted back. I think I just feel lucky and happy to be away from my responsibilities and on my bike.

[Selkie]

I didn't grow up here.... I'm from Pittsburgh. I'm not talking about being unkind. I'm the type of person that if you ask me directions, I'm more likely to take you there if I can. I always ask people folks with flats if they are OK. Still I have a fair amount of personal space and I'm not much of an idle chit chatter even with people I know. So I guess I don't find it to be sucky here at all.

You are from Pittsburgh (as am I) so that sort of courtesy is bred in you. When I moved to Philly, I realized how much I took those simple acts of kindness for granted.

Sorry to drift this thread....

[Biciclista]

Seattle freeze out? hmmm I don't think so.
I notice cyclists are more apt to be friendly when we are out at 8am on a sunday and we run into one; they are happy to see that there are other cyclists on the road.
My Dh and I make a point of being friendly to everyone we see on a bike, including the guy who rides a bike because he can't afford a car.
Now it's also true that he'll probably yell at the guy dressed in black w/o a helmet or a bike light going the wrong way down the street in the dark, but it's out of concern.

So anyway; i have been riding in my expensive bike gear on my DH's 1988 raleigh MTB and i get friendliness from all the other fancy bike riders. IF we happen to stop and talk the Raleigh bike is admired.