new bike yesterday, some tips on etiquette please

[glen101]

i came to this board for the first time a couple of months asking for advice on buying my first bike for about 30 years. thanks to all who helped out. i'm pleased to say my new bike, a trek fx7.5, arrived yesterday and i'm chuffed to bits. thanks to the very helpful staff at the bike doctor in rusholme who sorted me out.

been out yesterday and today and thoroughly enjoyed it. but i have a couple of questions on cycling etiquette:

1. acknowledging other cyclists - with a background in running, runners would always nod and acknowledge each other as we passed on the road. well today, as i was out about 1 and 1/2 hours, i passed a number of other cyclists, i duly nodded, but received nothing in return other than blank stares. is it the done thing or frowned upon? maybe it was the fact i was grinning like a cheshire cat that may have put people off

2. red traffic lights - do you stop. i'm not talking about busy city junctions, but fairly quiet surburban or country roads. at first i'd stop at a red light, even though there was no traffic in sight. as a motorist i'd dutifully stop, but as a cyclist do i stop or jump?

3. acknowledging motorists - i was quite pleased with the number of considerate motorists who would wait for an appropriate time to pass and would give me a wide berth. i would give a polite thumbs up to these considerate drivers. although it didn't happen today, i was wondering what is the accepted acknowledgement to inconsiderate drivers? i had a mate years ago who drove a very fast motorbike. if motorists cut him up, he would speed past them and boot off their wing mirror. is it acceptable to do this when you catch motorists up at traffic lights?

i think i will get a bug for this and will no doubt be back in the near future asking many more questions

 

[The Jogger]

Hi and welcome to cc. I also run and cycle and have noticed not all other cyclists nod. Saying that, when I was out today most other cyclists did, including roadies.
I think it depends a lot on where you live, I notice when I run along the thames at Putney, even runners don't say hello to each other.
Red lights, I always stop at them.

 

[Norm]

My take:

1. Always acknowledge other cyclists. Just because they are distracted, you might make their day (and they will make yours when someone nods back )
2. Always stop at red lights. Once you start breaking the law, who defines where the grey area ends? Any excuses for RLJing (red light jumping) will sound the same as the excuses used by people who speed or use a mobile whilst driving.
3. Thank the nice ones (a wave of the hand if possible) and ignore the twats. Booting off mirrors is pretty silly when you're perched on a bike and the "opponent" is someone with a top speed at least five times yours and driving 1.5 tonnes of metal which you have just criminally damaged. There's threads on here already on the consequences of that one. Besides, why let their pathetic lives impinge on you for more than the few seconds they took to pass you?

But, that's just me. Others will feel differently.

Enjoy the bug. Spring is (almost) here.

 

[Fab Foodie]

OK, some quick answers.

Some cyclist will acknowledge you some wont, some people are nice and some are not, bike riders are mad-up of all kinds. Secondly there is a bizarre snobbishness amomngst many bikers,, roadies look down on everybody else, i.e hybrid and flat-bar riders, city bike riders etc. Wanky but true. Personally I'll acknowledge anybody who rides a bike. Do what makes YOU feel good.

Again, my own view is always stop at reds. I'm a road user, I'll obey the rules, if I don't why should I expect others to do the same. Take the higher moral ground... always.

I always acknowledge other careful road users... it's good Karma. Getting violent with a car is plain stupid. That's not to say that I don't take the opportunity to remonstrate with idiots, just do it nicely... Moral high ground again.

Be nice out there.

 

[gaz]

1. On my commute i don't both acknowledging other cyclists, as i'm going past hundreds of cyclists each way. But on weekend rides i'll give nods and get a few back. Sometimes they just don't see you, and sometimes they are just ungrateful sods.

2. Always stop at red lights, they are there for your safety.

3. I give good drivers a wave and a thumbs up. bad drivers a loud OI or HEY with a palm..

I would never touch someones car, unless it was a body work slap (that makes one hell of a noise and they notice it, but no damage at all) as people are very protective and there car could hurt you a lot more than you could hurt it. Best not to confront people as you don't know what they are packing or on.

 

[glen101]

the "booting the wing mirror off" was a bit tongue in cheek. he drove one of those yamaha R - silly speed things, he also rode like a lunatic and would easily get away from an irate motorist. i'm a big softie really and wouldn't look for confrontation.

i was only supposed to be out for a short spin today, but kept going on another detour every time i got close to home

 

[on the road]

1. It's up to you whether you want to acknowledge other cyclists or not, most do but a few don't. Some nod their heads very slowly and it's very easy to miss, so you might think they've not acknowledge you when in fact they have. Some might lift a finger, again very easy to miss. And some just ride with tunnel vision (in a manor of speaking) and only see the road ahead.

2. You're part of the traffic so you have to follow the highway code, it might be a good idea to get a copy of the highway code.

3. I will acknowledge motorists if they've let me through on a narrow road or given way for some other reason.

 

[Debian]

I find that I rarely get acknowledged, or acknowledge other cyclists on a commute run but generally do at weekends on pleasure rides. Yesterday I did a 26 mile bridleway / minor road run and I got a cheery "mornin'" from every other cyclist I met, even from the two lycra'd young roadies as they passed me whilst rubbernecking at my very muddy MTB and clothing

I always acknowledge back if acknowledged.

Red lights - always, always stop at them! You are a road user and subject to traffic laws. There is no excuse for jumping red lights.

Acknowledging car drivers? Only if they specifically give way to me when they didn't have to. I don't come across many idiot drivers to be honest, maybe I'm just lucky.

I would never damage anyone else's property on purpose, what would be the point?

 

[PK99]

Hi and welcome to cc. I also run and cycle and have noticed not all other cyclists nod. Saying that, when I was out today most other cyclists did, including roadies.
.

i find:

me on mtb in any old gear = most roadies ignore me

me on mtb in club kit = most roadies nod

 

[John the Monkey]

been out yesterday and today and thoroughly enjoyed it. but i have a couple of questions on cycling etiquette:

1. acknowledging other cyclists - with a background in running, runners would always nod and acknowledge each other as we passed on the road. well today, as i was out about 1 and 1/2 hours, i passed a number of other cyclists, i duly nodded, but received nothing in return other than blank stares. is it the done thing or frowned upon? maybe it was the fact i was grinning like a cheshire cat that may have put people off

I always nod or wave, personally - they might have been engrossed in their own ride, watching for road hazards, or just ignorant, don't let it bother you.

2. red traffic lights - do you stop. i'm not talking about busy city junctions, but fairly quiet surburban or country roads. at first i'd stop at a red light, even though there was no traffic in sight. as a motorist i'd dutifully stop, but as a cyclist do i stop or jump?

I stop.

3. acknowledging motorists - i was quite pleased with the number of considerate motorists who would wait for an appropriate time to pass and would give me a wide berth. i would give a polite thumbs up to these considerate drivers. although it didn't happen today, i was wondering what is the accepted acknowledgement to inconsiderate drivers? i had a mate years ago who drove a very fast motorbike. if motorists cut him up, he would speed past them and boot off their wing mirror. is it acceptable to do this when you catch motorists up at traffic lights?

you are on (maybe) 11kg of bike that you can move at speeds between 15mph and 30 mph (maybe more downhill, but I digress). They are in a half tonne or so of metal that they can move at speeds in excess of the national speed limit, and well in excess of your maxima. Be VERY sure you want to escalate a confrontation before doing so - you don't have the escape options a motorcyclist does.

Having been on the receiving end of a drivers' road rage (I mouthed "Thank you" to him for not pulling out of a side road, he lip read it as "F* you" and proceeded to chase me in his car, then stop in front of me and square up to me) I try to let things wash over me these days. At most I might motion for more room after a close overtake.

Incidentally, a wave of thanks to a considerate drive is less likely to be misinterpreted, imo. A thumb can look like a finger being raised in an impolite way...

i think i will get a bug for this and will no doubt be back in the near future asking many more questions

That's why we're here, innit, ask away!

 

[Norm]

...(I mouthed "Thank you" to him for not pulling out of a side road, he lip read it as "F* you" and proceeded to chase me in his car, then stop in front of me and square up to me)...

I had something similar but with a ped on a shared path. I said thank you as I passed, he called after me that there's no need for that sort of language so I stopped and asked what he thought I said. We laughed when we realised the error and I always say just "thanks" or "cheers" now.

I also always wave rather than extend a digit, to avoid the same misinterpretations.

 

[gbb]

Nod or wave at other cyclists...
On roadbikes, always. Sometimes you wont get anything in return, don't lose any sleep over it. Also, i know when people have nodded, i've uttered something in reply but it gets lost in the moment with concentrating or breathing, so some are replying, but your'e not neccessarily going to see or hear it.
I nod to any other cyclist, irrespective of what hes on..IF it looks like he's what i call an enthusiast. It's not about snobbery, it's recocnising (hopefully) that someones interested in what they're on.
Blokes on BSO's...don't bother because a bike is just a tool to get to work...there's no affinity between us.

Traffic lights ?...always stop. If ive just missed green, i will step off the bike and walk on the path.

Acknowledging good motorists ? always...its just manners and why not spread a little good feeling between motorists and cyclists when you get the chance.

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

i nod to all cyclist even if they do ignore me most of them anyway! Especially the twat who passes me everyday and fails to acknowledge my existance. Ignorant ass. I still nod to him occasionaly in hope :-(

 

[on the road]

There is no written law that says you have to acknowledge other cyclists, get over it and move on.

 

[StuartG]

WAVING:

Only acknowledge if it is safe to do so. If it is busy or you need to think through a manoeuvre - don't distract yourself. But if you are relaxed and have time - wave, smile or both. But not just to cyclists. Its the motorist who you want to be your friend. Be nice to them, you never know it might just work ...

RED LIGHTS:

STOP! The only exceptions are when there is absolutely nobody about to see because this is one easy and sure way to alienate motorists. Alienated motorists are not good news. The other exception is when they are changing and you have a possible amber gambler on your tail. They will be looking at the lights not you. Best to shoot the lights (being very careful there isn't another amber gambler crossing) than have him up your backside.