Cyclist greeting each other

[ebikeerwidnes]

Hi all
I have been pootling around the local area on my bike for quite a while now - well before the pandemic

When I started I noticed that it was common - even normal - for people on bikes to exchange a brief nod or whatever as they passed

Over the pandemic it was quite funny seeing the same people doing the same thing
and the "new people" who had probably just dragged a bike out of the shed to get out of the house on an approved activity - get confused about the friendliness
then gradually start doing the same

It felt like a sort of club - you and me against the world - sort of thing


Anyway - recently I have been noticing that fewer people do it
There were always dedicate "proper cyclist" that were either concentrating on their stats and effort
or just didn;t want to acknowledge some old fat bloke on a bike with a suspicious lump on the downtube
but most people did it

Is this a common thing?
was it normal all over the country?
Is it reducing in normality everywhere or just here?

or is it just me?

just wondering

 

[Punkawallah]

Nah. I make a point of saying ‘hullo’ to any that pass - even if they have the ‘Strava stare’. ‘Encourage desired behaviours’, as the men with white coats and too much free time say. Eventually I’ll get to the point where, when I ring a bell, they put a spurt on.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Nah. I make a point of saying ‘hullo’ to any that pass - even if they have the ‘Strava stare’. ‘Encourage desired behaviours’, as the men with white coats and too much free time say. Eventually I’ll get to the point where, when I ring a bell, they put a spurt on.

I do as well - it is just that I am getting fewer responses nowadays - compared to a few years ago

 

[Pblakeney]

Most wave around here.
I suspect it would be different in a congested area with dozens/hundreds passing by.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Common thread this but always a welcome one

I'm not bothered anymore, used to be, but no. I will reply to someone if they say hello but I never instigate.

The only people I purposely say something to, normally "Thank You!", is anyone I need to ring a bell at to ask them to move, thats only polite.

 

[Venod]

Always wave/acknowledge other cyclists and runners, always have always will, I'm not mister grumpy, though the wife may disagree.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Still common here - Lake District.

 

[Sixmile]

Try riding a tandem after you've dropped your child off to school if you want to have people talk, point and wave at you.

 

[VinSumRox]

It's required round here, non responding cyclists are considered grumpy!.

 

[PeteXXX]

@ianrauk 👋

 

[ianrauk]

@ianrauk 👋

Yeah, this age old CycleChat bingo question hasn't been seen for a while has it.

Say hello, don't say hello, get a greeting, don't get a greeting. It really doesn't matter.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Try riding a tandem after you've dropped your child off to school if you want to have people talk, point and wave at you.

On occasions I end up cycling the tandem solo I always pretend to have a huge panic as to where my wife has disappeared in those interactions.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Try riding a tandem after you've dropped your child off to school if you want to have people talk, point and wave at you.

Thats because you sat at the back steering by blind luck, hopes and dreams.

 

[Big John]

I'm an eighth generation tight arse who supports anything that doesn't cost money. A wave/raised hand/nod of the head or, God forbid, a "Good morning/afternoon/evening" (choose as applicable) costs nowt and you might even get a reciprocal wave/raised hand/nod of the head back. I find most will respond, even the hard-as-nails racing snakes. There's a guy I regularly encounter who really is an elite rider. He wears what appears to be some sort of GB kit and at a guess travels at around 23mph wherever I see him and he never fails to raise his hand whilst his nose is about an inch above his bars.

 

[Drago]

Try driving a VW van. I can't get out the street without experiencing the full gamut of waving, from a raised finger and a nod to a full on fascist salute, and every variety of wave jn between.