How polite are groups to each when on the road?

ezra_

Came up this morning on a spin.

If I see a cyclist or a group, I'll either shout (well splutter) a greeting or wave.
I would have thought that most clubs do the same, but the general feedback was that not many do, so I thought I'd check here.

What do people think / experience when out for spins? Any clubs that are known for being good/bad at this?

dunworth1

pretty much anytime i see someone either in a club spin or solo i'll give a wave and the majority of times i get a response

Danbo!

Always give a wave or a nod and 99% I'll get a response. Oddly enough, I had no cycling shorts ready one sunday and just wore the cargo shorts I usually commute in, and there were far less responses when I wasn't head to toe in lycra. Could have been a coincidence, but found it kinda funny.

barrier86

dunworth1 wrote: »

pretty much anytime i see someone either in a club spin or solo i'll give a wave and the majority of times i get a response

Solo rider myself. I always give a wave and say I get one back 90% of the time

68 lost souls

More people need to watch this video apparently

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKMR39pbCfE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKMR39pbCfE

dunworth1

and then theres this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72bdKuAZy2o

godtabh

dunworth1 wrote: »

pretty much anytime i see someone either in a club spin or solo i'll give a wave and the majority of times i get a response

I'm exactly the same. Some times you get a wave back sometimes you don't. Sometimes people don't see you or just ignore you.

Manners cost nothing so I'll keep doing it

easygoing39

Unless the rider is in a club jersey/club group I won't wave/nod.Too many Freds out there now that don't respond back.

terrydel

I tend to acknowledge or greet most people coming the opposite way, I guess it comes from my motorcycling time as its very much a part of ethos of motorcycling.
Only time I dont is if the sun is in my eyes, Im concentrating on hazards/staying safe, that type of thing.
Usually get a response, I tend to find the lads/lasses on fancier machinery and shall we say, more pro in appearance, are less inclined to acknowledge a greeting, but thats just purely personal experience.
Who cares really, as godtabh says, manners costs nothing, thats a really important ethic for me and if its not reciprocated youve done your bit

Redfence74

I am a fred ..I always wave....

magicbastarder

And you've become one of them, though.

I always say hello/give a wave. The notion that someone won't reciprocate because I'm on my own is kinda funny.

Edit: that was in response to easygoing39.

ED E

"410"

ford2600

easygoing39 wrote: »

Unless the rider is in a club jersey/club group I won't wave/nod.Too many Freds out there now that don't respond back.

A friend of mine has 3 LEL's, 4 PBP's, a solo LEJOG into a roaring headwind, WAWA done and countless other stuff. He has averaged 20k km a year for about 20 years.

He does most of his riding solo and I've rarely seen him in his Audax Ireland club jersey.

I'm wondering how to break it to him that he is a Fred

easygoing39

magicbastarder wrote: »

And you've become one of them, though.

I always say hello/give a wave. The notion that someone won't reciprocate because I'm on my own is kinda funny.

Edit: that was in response to easygoing39.

Maybe I have,but to be honest I'm fed up with waving/nodding at riders in Sky jerseys/Altura night vision yellow jackets who just ignore you.At least a club rider will have the manners to nod back.

ps. 1 rider in a Sky jersey did wave back at me once,but it was Nico Roche on a spin towards Howth!!!

Wishbone Ash

ezra_ wrote: »

.....If I see a cyclist or a group, I'll either shout (well splutter) a greeting or wave...

You'd come across as a bit odd if commuting in Dublin City Centre!

I'll usually give a salutation of some sort if in a rural or suburban environment. It doesn't particularly bother me if I don't get a response.

(In saying that, I've waved at fellow club members when we are both wearing club gear and haven't got a response which does seem a bit odd. The most recent time was last week.)

OleRodrigo

I agree - outside an urban/ suburban area I'd be inclined to nod/ raise a finger and don't mind if its not returned. Why would it bother you? I've often passed by riders with my mind elsewhere.

Perhaps getting over oneself should be tagged on with HTFU Or maybe its included ?

magicbastarder

Generally I meet other lone warriors out on the roads and get a nod or hello about 75% of the time at a rough guess.

eeeee

Really don't give a shyte whether people say hello or nod or not.
I actually feel it's a tyranny at times, when I'm on my own, I'm in my own world doing my own thing and I'm not in the humour of humoring other people.

I rarely get a nod or hello on my own though, hardly ever, maybe it's more of a man to man thing! I always return it though when I get it.

I do do the finger raise always, instinctually, then realise you can't really see that on a bike.

Always say hello when in a group though going by others, or if they go by us (rare occasion ). Not saying hi in a passing group is wanky imo.

I get annoyed by people who draft you and don't say a word. That's plain rude in fairness.

CrowdedHouse

magicbastarder wrote: »

Generally I meet other lone warriors out on the roads and get a nod or hello about 75% of the time at a rough guess.

Same here, don't meet too many in my neck of the woods, I always signal some way and doesn't bother me if they don't. (Although I wish multiple punctures on them )

OleRodrigo

Also, never wave at a tri-athlete or you'll get hand cancer straightway. True story.

JK.BMC

I always wave; regardless. It's just a simple thing to do.

Like this morning- we waved at a club group heading the opposite direction. They waved back. A few minutes later I believe that one of the group was fatally injured in a crash.

That's about all I will say on the matter.

Boscoirl

when I see anyone cycling towards me, I normally drop to a smaller gear and quicken the pace, then wave or nod to them mostly I get a nod back, don't mind if I don't get a response, especially if they are ascending or heading into a wind.

Once they pass I slow down again

g2020

Danbo! wrote: »

Always give a wave or a nod and 99% I'll get a response. Oddly enough, I had no cycling shorts ready one sunday and just wore the cargo shorts I usually commute in, and there were far less responses when I wasn't head to toe in lycra. Could have been a coincidence, but found it kinda funny.

There is much less homoerotica involved with the cargo shorts. They don't want to waste their time, I suppose.

Weepsie

I give a wave when ever I can, most of the time I get one back. Sometimes I'm lost in my own thoughts and realise too late, I expect the same happens to others.

When I don't get one back I assume they're in fact Triathletes

magicbastarder

i'm reminded of a probably apocryphal tale my old (and somewhat old fashioned) english teacher once told us, about the time he held the door open for a woman and she said to him 'you don't have to hold the door open for me just because i am a lady' and his response was 'i don't hold the door for you because you are a lady, but because i am a gentleman'.

i'm sure i could try to shoehorn some moral from that into the debate.

Deagol

I give a wave or nod to anyone on two wheels I come across. Mostly get nods or waves back.

I notice, in my area at least, the ones that don't respond tend to be the super kitted up types (team jersey's head to toe). I guess some people take themselves way too seriously

The other people I notice always give a wave are the lads on the tractors, and I always wave back. Nice to be nice

jimm

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S2ixJRwnbjU

After watching this, you will always return even the slightest nod. :-)

Mercian Pro

My experience of getting a return acknowledgement or not:

Club gear and the good bike: 80%

Other gear and the good bike: 65%

Other gear and the commuter (flat-bar): 15%

I do think there is a fair bit of bike snobbery about where someone will size you and your frame up before deciding on a nod or a wave. Roll on the sportif season when (nearly) everyone is happy to chat. I suppose the fact that we are all heading the same direction helps

magicbastarder

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Other gear and the commuter (flat-bar): 15%

yeah, probably broadly similar for me. that's a cohort who probably don't self-identify as cyclists, so don't see themselves as part of a tribe, i guess.

ezra_

Mercian Pro wrote: »

My experience of getting a return acknowledgement or not:

Club gear and the good bike: 80%

Other gear and the good bike: 65%

Other gear and the commuter (flat-bar): 15%

I do think there is a fair bit of bike snobbery about where someone will size you and your frame up before deciding on a nod or a wave. Roll on the sportif season when (nearly) everyone is happy to chat. I suppose the fact that we are all heading the same direction helps

I wonder what would happen if you went out with club gear and the flat bar bike? Probably get people stopping, asking what happened to your real bike!

Wishbone Ash

Mercian Pro wrote: »

My experience of getting a return acknowledgement or not:

Club gear and the good bike: 80%

Other gear and the good bike: 65%

Other gear and the commuter (flat-bar): 15%

I do think there is a fair bit of bike snobbery about where someone will size you and your frame up before deciding on a nod or a wave. Roll on the sportif season when (nearly) everyone is happy to chat. I suppose the fact that we are all heading the same direction helps

Now the real question is what about when you are out piloting on the tandem?