Bicycling etiquette

[HarmsWay]

Way off topic, but Le Tour (in spite of a couple of low points) has been inspiring me to ride more often (than never). I ride a full suspension mountain bike on the roads. I raced triathlons for many years until an encounter made the full suspension MTB my only option. I'm a friendly guy and if I pass by someone - riding, walking, whatever - I will say hello or at least give them a nod. Most other people seem to be the same. However, I'm finding that people (guys anyway) on road bikes NEVER acknowledge me if they pass by me. That just seems rude to me - especially when I'm out in the middle of nowhere.

Did the etiquette rules get changed somewhere and I missed the update?

Bob

[JR]

Did the etiquette rules get changed somewhere and I missed the update?

No, they didn't.

I'm not sure why this happens. I have several bikes, each configured a bit differently, (road, FS mountain, city commuter). I get a variety of reactions, based on the bike I'm riding at that moment.

In defense of roadies, I think they sometimes they don't get a reaction from others, leading them to give up acknowleding other riders. And, of course, some of them/us, are just jerks.

FWIW - I always have a wave or a grunt when I pass someone on any kind of bike. Now that I think about it, though, that may have been quite a while ago! (Screw those people passing me... )

JR

[LarryG]

A frequent topic of discussion on cycling forums.

I've seen a variety of explanations floated. The rider is hammering out his workout and hasn't got time. He's lost in thought. He's waved at the last 50 riders and didn't get any response so he's given up on waving, himself. People in cars don't wave at each other so why should people on bikes. And then there's the one JR offered: some of them/us are just jerks. There's even an acronym to describe the worst of them/us ... ARP, for Arrogant Roadie Prick. This is typically reserved for the self-absorbed types wearing full team kits and riding $8000 bicycles, but not always.

I always wave. Probably half the time or more, the other rider doesn't wave back. But I still wave.

[HarmsWay]

Well, it's inspired me to work harder so they can't pass.

My wife reminded me of a lady she used to train with. Very strong on the bike and she commuted on a mountain bike complete with big fenders and a child carrying seat. She told us that if the ARPs rode by without an acknowledgement she'd get on their wheel and force them to ride faster and faster. When she sensed they'd had enough she'd pull out, pass them, say hello then ride ahead. At that point it's a no-win situation for them so they never even tried to pursue.

I'll probably never be able to ride like that but I can at least annoy them for a short while by hanging on their wheels.

Bob

[eddy merckx]

As a former bike racer, I can tell you that competative cyclists tend to take themselves very seriously. There is a culture of arrogance which pervades road racing. Cyclists who go from mountain bike racing to road racing can't believe how everybody acts at a road race. It's like a coolness contest. They also literally believe that they are better than someone riding a mountain bike, recumbent, etc. Not everyone does it, but I can tell you it's pretty common. They are often the same guys who blow through stop signs, flip off drivers,etc.

They usually grow out of it over time, as they get some perspective and realize that they aren't Lance Armstrong. They also get married, have kids, take on more responsibility,etc until they eventually become the guy on the mountain bike.

Eddy

[cabinetman]

People in cars don't wave at each other so why should people on bikes.

I'll disagree with you. Back in my Porsche and BMW days, there was a "flashing of lights". Also in motorcycling, there was waving "on the road", usually by the guys touring. It was an enthusiast's way of saying "hi". It reminds me of the courtesy used with truckers to "flash their lights" to pass around another semi. I haven't paid attention to the current trends, to know if any of that is still going on. It's too bad if it isn't. When I'm biking (cycling) I do recognize other bikers. It doesn't hurt to be nice. Besides, they may be armed.

[TheRic]

I live in a village in the middle of farm county. Everyone around here waves at each other, rather you know the person or not. I can tell you that the bike riders that are all suited up, fancy head gear, probably expensive bikes (I have no clue), etc do not wave at you. I don't think they would give you the time of day. The ones that are not all decked out will wave. It seems like the more special gear / stuff they have the worst they are.

[JR]

. They also get married, have kids, take on more responsibility,etc ...

LOL! I used to ride with a former racer. He was fun to ride with, but he blasted through every intersection at mach speed.

Then one day he saw his five year old blow through the stop sign at the bottom of their street. Boy, did he get religion after that!

JR

[prlundberg]

It may just be because they grow tired of it. When you spend a lot of time on the bike, you see alot of people, and eventually, you stop caring.

I'll return waves on the road, but I rarely initiate them anymore.

Mountain biking is another matter. I think that has to do with the reasons people are out there in the first place.

I've done a couple XC races, didn't really care for it. I now stick to rides and running races, which are much more fun.

[Tom Slick]

My philoshophy is that I wave or say hi to everyone, if they don't do anything in return that's fine, I'm not the jerk of this interaction.

Motorcyclists will often wave at each other, dirt or street. very often harley riders will only wave to other harley riders. once again I wave at everyone, if they are on a bike then that is good enough for me. If they don't want to return the gesture, I'm not the jerk.

side note:
I have a friend that is a professional cyclist, and a nice guy. he is even amazed at how serious the very serious amateur cyclists take themselves and the gear they ride.

[LarryG]

Ric: What you just described is the textbook example of an ARP. Even most of us cyclists dislike guys like that.

Motorcyclists will often wave at each other, dirt or street. very often harley riders will only wave to other harley riders.

When I'm riding my bicycle, I also wave at motorcyclists (I figure we're both on two wheels, thus we're kindred spirits) and, perhaps oddly, at least 90% of them will wave back -- a far higher percentage than other cyclists, fershure. Sport bike riders, which are fairly thin on the ground around here, usually don't; but I understand that since the ergonomics of those motorcycles makes lifting a hand to wave more difficult. Cruiser riders almost always wave, though. In fact, many times, they'll wave first.

[leehljp]

Taking this in another direction without intending to hijack it. I remember reading a bicycle mag back in the mid '70s that dealt with rude drivers. In it was something that one young woman did to stop a problem that happened with a particular car.

She biked to work everyday on the street of course and over near the curb. One car and would slow down every day as it got near her and the passenger would slap her on the butt as they drove past. She got wise. One morning, she put tacks in her pants with the points sticking outward.

The car drove up, slowed down and the passenger slapped her on the butt, - and pulled his had back all shredded, screaming, cursing and yelling. It didn't happen anymore.

[atgcpaul]

Taking this in another direction without intending to hijack it. I remember reading a bicycle mag back in the mid '70s that dealt with rude drivers. In it was something that one young woman did to stop a problem that happened with a particular car.

I've lost count the number of times people in cars have harassed me or the
group I've been with. Make no mistake there are plenty of cyclists who give
us a bad name but these drivers sure love to take it up that extra notch.
Just in the past 2 weeks, I was nearly run off the road by a car who refused
to pass our group on a quiet country road with no bike lane or shoulder. He
passed me, completely consuming the right side of the road as we approached
a narrow bridge and then slammed on his brakes.

Then last week an on-coming pickup refused to yield on a one-lane road
forcing our group to scramble for the gravel shoulder. He didn't forget to tell
us to "get off the F***ing road" as he zoomed past. And having the random
teenagers yell out the car window just as they pass by never gets old.

Maybe they should have "Golden Rule" classes as part of getting a driver's
license or buying a bicycle.

I make it a point to acknowledge other cyclists and around here they're
pretty good about getting to it before me. And I'll always stop if a see a lone
cyclist on the side of the road. I can only hope that the favor will be returned.

Paul

[Tom Slick]

Sport bike riders, which are fairly thin on the ground around here, usually don't; but I understand that since the ergonomics of those motorcycles makes lifting a hand to wave more difficult. Cruiser riders almost always wave, though. In fact, many times, they'll wave first.

maybe it's a regional thing, I'll get the small sideways hand gesture from the sportbikes most of the time and get a wave from metric cruisers, rarely anything from harleys. I ride a dual sport so I'm always the oddball on the road.

[HarmsWay]

Now that we're including motorcycles as well, I should probably clarify that my original complaint was with roadies passing me - as in going the same direction, close to the same speed and only a metre away. My experience with roadies going the opposite direction is different - especially on the narrow roads. I'd say about half of them wave. So maybe I look like one of "them" from the front.

And many cruisers will wave as well. Not sport bikes. Not Harleys.

Don't get me started about bike/car interaction.

Bob