Nod and smile ratio

[Cubist]

I do similar to gbb, as with other things, a lot is about context. To give an example, the other day me and the missus took a walk along the canal near home. Without fail every person we passed said hello, sometimes they were first to speak, sometimes we were but it felt normal to do so. I wouldn't dream of saying hello to everybody in central Manchester during rush hour whilst walking to the office.

That doesn't count in Marsden though............ aren't you related to most of them anyway?

 

[summerdays]

I'd say the people least likely to nod/wave are female cyclists, in my experience anyway.

Oi I smile at loads of people but there are too many to smile at all the time... and it can depend on whether you are deep in thought about the traffic conditions etc. I even smile at nice motorists ... apart from anything it sometimes seems to put them in a good mood and they let you out of a side road etc - then the smile turns into a beam of thanks!

 

[david k]

I'd say the people least likely to nod/wave are female cyclists, in my experience anyway.

is this your usual response from females, regardless of being on a bike?

 

[WychwoodTrev]

I say good morning or hello to all cyclists,walkers,horse riders and joggers and about 95% of the time get a response so manly good in the cotswold area

except one instance please see my thread I cant believe it

 

[david k]

can u link the thread

 

[WychwoodTrev]

https://www.cyclechat.net/

hope this works

 

[BentMikey]

Those who don't wave or respond are generally over-serious wannabes.

 

[Bluebell72]

I'd say the people least likely to nod/wave are female cyclists, in my experience anyway.

Maybe some are female and you dont know? A guy overtook me yesterday, and said, 'whatcher mate, keep going!' A cycle helmet makes it difficult to tell, but I've got waist length hair in a plait!!!

I shout out a cheery 'morning' or 'hi' as appropriate when passing a fellow cyclist (in either direction) and also to people walking (not many people on foot where I ride, so it's not the Crocodile Dundee experience you might imagine!)

The super lycra devotees tend to purse their lips in disdain, on my hybrid I must be the underclass, but so what, it's great to say hello and smile.

 

[potsy]

Just to clarify- I see very few cyclists on my commutes, silly times of day that I'm on the road doesn't help.
Of the few I do see there is probably a ratio of 10:1 in favour of males to females, so the oppertunity to nod or wave to a lady cyclist is very rare anyway.

I shall make it my mission next week to get a nod or two and report back

 

[ramses]

I got a nod from practically every roadie out on my ride this morning, but virtually none from ignorant gits on MTBs

I always wave, say hello or nod.

I use both MTB and road bike, and I always nod/wave when on either, and I have to say I disagree with the ignorant MTB riders.
The snobbery of riding is more biased on the roadie side, or so I find. If I'm on my road bike I can nod at all roadies and MTB's and I would say that of the small percentage that don't nod back, most are roadies.

If I am on my MTB then definitely the biased is on the roadies, who look at you on a MTB and think, huh.. not a serious rider then!
Thing is I use my MTB as a good training tool as it builds endurance. I love both my bikes and I respect all other riders regardless of what they are on.

 

[gbb]

I use both MTB and road bike, and I always nod/wave when on either, and I have to say I disagree with the ignorant MTB riders.
The snobbery of riding is more biased on the roadie side, or so I find. If I'm on my road bike I can nod at all roadies and MTB's and I would say that of the small percentage that don't nod back, most are roadies.

If I am on my MTB then definitely the biased is on the roadies, who look at you on a MTB and think, huh.. not a serious rider then!
Thing is I use my MTB as a good training tool as it builds endurance. I love both my bikes and I respect all other riders regardless of what they are on.

'Proper' MTBers are just as likely to nod IME. I remember a couple of years ago i was riding my roadie in the countryside when about 20 or 30 MTBers were coming towards me...going at quite a lick and surprisingly were chatting away like a gaggle of geese. They must have been having a really good time. As they passed i lifted a hand and was greeted with a chorus of...morning, morning, morning, hiya, morning, morning, nod, nod, morning, morning.....and so on .

It made my day for some silly reason, i still smile thinking about it now. They were so chipper.

I like to think 'commited' cyclists can recognise others with the same interest, whatever their type of bike.

 

[Mawsley]

I don't wear a helmet, lycra or bike shoes - no one acknowledges me while I fly around waving and grinning like a demented air traffic controller on two wheels.

Everyone seems to be pig ignorant around these here parts.

 

[Hacienda71]

I nodded at a fat guy in full HTC Columbia kit today. He didn't even smile back just stared. His loss not mine

 

[BirdOnnaBike]

My son and I (both about as casual as casual can get) had a theory on this so we tested it on our local cycle track. the week before last, on a 30 odd mile round trip to town and back. I reckoned we'd get no smiles or nods from Lycras, and way more from casual as that's my usual experience (or how I perceive it). But when we counted - the friendly Lycras actually outweighed the friendly casuals - forget the exact numbers but the margin was impressive. It broke all my stereotypes.

We also experimented along the way with catching their eye/not catching their eye prior to smile/acknowledgement, and found no real difference.

 

[david k]

I nodded at a fat guy in full HTC Columbia kit today. He didn't even smile back just stared. His loss not mine

think i saw him aswell