Commuting - Cheerleaders

O.k., we've all had more than our fair share of "motoring primates" who shout, honk or try to run us off the road. But what about those rare "cheerleaders" who actually cheer us on, right from their car windows?

Someone else mentioned this in a post, and as I was thinking about it today, I thought I'd start a thread. Has anyone had one of those "off the wall" motorists shout at you from a car window, urging you on? Like "RAAAHH! Come on!" or "GO-GO-GO-GO-GO!" or something like that?

I've had more than one. Does this make me a "star?"
(Just kidding.)

I've had this positive experience at least three times:

(1) Riding to the grocery store in heavy traffic; a car two lanes over honks at me. We all stop for a red light; I see it's my old landlord. "Yea!" he shouts, with a thumbs up gesture, "Bike power!" He'd seen my photo in the paper a day or two before, the story about "Carless in Kansas City" people.

(2) The day the story appeared, two total strangers in a small car honked and waved and shouted something nice. I guess they must have seen it, too.

(3) Just a couple of days ago, a couple of guys in their thirties shouted something like "Right on! Go!" from the sidwalk.

Then I've also had two times when a pedestrian yelled, "Give me that bike." I'm not so sure about that reaction. It encouraged me to up my cadence, though.

I get the unique "I LOVE YOU!" yell atleast once a year, always brings a smile :)

Once i was riding down university ave, a 5mile 4 lane road, the speedlimit is 45mph, but in rush hour traffic, your lucky to hit 20mph, i stayed next to a small car for the full 5 miles, the whole time they were yelling "spin spin spin spin!" ... once they broke away, i noticed the big rock shocks sticker on the rear window, kinda spiffy :)

Originally posted by JonR
Then I've also had two times when a pedestrian yelled, "Give me that bike." I'm not so sure about that reaction. It encouraged me to up my cadence, though.
We are from the same 'burg, Jon! ;)

Peace!

Originally posted by Joe Gardner
once they broke away, i noticed the big rock shocks sticker on the rear window, kinda spiffy :)

Sounds like more possible guardian angels to me! :)

In France one evening, a car with 4 youthes passed me. They leaned out of the windows and shouted "Allez Allez Allez" (go,go,go), just like they do for the Tour de France racers who pass through their town.

I can think of a few. They stay with me.

1) I am really pushing it on the way to work. A guy hollers something loud from his window. He makes a muscle with his arm and hollers, "Yaaaaaaaahh! Come on!" Cool! He was African American, and I am not, which makes me feel REALLY great! A gap was bridged.

2) Two guys in a pickup start hollering at me. As traffic was slow, they paced along side me and kept urging me on. Again, a great feeling.

3) Almost home on my commute, their were dozens of
ladies walking through my neighborhood. I swing over
to ask some of them what's up with this. They say it's a benefit walk for cancer, 20 miles or something. After saying "hello," and "that's really great," I start heading home. A bunch of ladies in a sag wagon start hollering and whooping at me (I am never sure how to take that at first, are they for me or against me.) "Yeah!" "Whooo, Whooo!" "All Right!" (I guess that one's my favorite...) ;)

I had a "real cheerleader" encounter:

I was rocketing along one Saturday on my roadbike, when a Jeep SUV loaded with high-school-aged girls pulled alongside... They squealed, whistled, hollered "oh baby!" and the like, then cruised past, giggling.

We've all had such encounters... The "rebel yell" and "Woo-Hoo!" drive-bys... When you want to catch that loudmouth and just smack him...

Well,

Not half a block later, I saw their Jeep stopped at a traffic light... So I pulled alongside the front passenger window, and in my best Pepe Le Pew voice, said

"Yess? You have my attention, mes cheres petites... Now, what can I do for you?"

Four silent, panic stricken teenagers. Four windows went up... fast, and the driver ran the light to get away from me.

Moments like this make The Ride just that much better.

During my commutes, I don't often get cheers, but I do get unsolicited acts of consideration. I usually try to do things help car traffic get around me, too.

Cheers come during all out efforts. The most recent was a steep, .25 mile climb followed by some twisty road at the top, followed by a long, straight descent. After pushing myself to keep my speed in the double-digits all the way to the top, I started through the curves. A BMW came up behind me, and I'm thinking "there's no way he can pass here, without doing something stupid." So I got up on the pedals and gave it everything I had (left) through the remaining .25 mile of curves. After getting to the straight descent, I was still pumped and pushing hard. The Beemer pulls alongside, pacing me, and I'm thinking "ok... Here it comes." The driver yells out, "good job! I couldn't keep up with you through the curves!"

Great new handle!
:thumbup:

Originally posted by roadbuzz
Cheers come during all out efforts. The most recent was a steep, .25 mile climb...A BMW came up behind me...The Beemer pulls alongside, pacing me...The driver yells out, "good job!
Great! I've decided to return the favor.

Next time I'm climing that long, tall hill during rush hour, passing dozens and dozens of cars who are crawling up the hill, I'm going to encourage them.

"C'mon! You can make it! GO-GO-GO-GO-GO!!!"

;)

Originally posted by Cambronne
I had a "real cheerleader" encounter:

I was rocketing along one Saturday on my roadbike, when a Jeep SUV loaded with high-school-aged girls pulled alongside... They squealed, whistled, hollered "oh baby!" and the like, then cruised past, giggling.

We've all had such encounters... The "rebel yell" and "Woo-Hoo!" drive-bys... When you want to catch that loudmouth and just smack him...

Well,

Not half a block later, I saw their Jeep stopped at a traffic light... So I pulled alongside the front passenger window, and in my best Pepe Le Pew voice, said

"Yess? You have my attention, mes cheres petites... Now, what can I do for you?"

Four silent, panic stricken teenagers. Four windows went up... fast, and the driver ran the light to get away from me.

Moments like this make The Ride just that much better.

Cambronne,

That's so e-vil. I love it.

Jonathan

Okay, I am a new rider, and I have only had one carload of girls cheer me on, but that was kinda cool. I got to ride with one of our local road warriors recently, who is simply the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. When you ride with her, drivers wave, trucks honk their horns, and freight trains slow down so they can get a better look!! I always feel safe with her, because if there is going to be a wreck, it will be in front of her, caused by a driver paying more attention to his rear view mirror than to where he is going! The positive feedback from the motoring public is always welcome, though, and really, out here in rural Nebraska, we get a lot of that! Keep spinning!
Bill

Man, I love Cambronne's story! :D

Ahem, so I've never had any girls cheer me on, so far, so I DON'T have any interesting stories to tell there, but they neighborhood kids always cheer me on when I either ride in or out--that's quite nice.

Well, I've never had any girls cheer me on either. Why do these things never happen when you're single? The most interesting thing to happen to me was actually on an early morning ride (not a commute this time) up Springbrook Mountain.

A group of Japanese tourists drove past toward the end of the climb, and one of them gave me the "thumbs up" signal. Then when I got to the top, this guy actually had his photo taken with me (I kid you not). Oh well, that was my 4+1/2 minutes of notoriety.

Chris

Originally posted by Chris L
Well, I've never had any girls cheer me on either. Why do these things never happen when you're single?

Tell me why they always happen when you're married.

A group of Japanese tourists drove past toward the end of the climb, and one of them gave me the "thumbs up" signal. Then when I got to the top, this guy actually had his photo taken with me
Now that's a compliment! No one ever takes pictures of me! :cry:
:cool:

Chris L, with you're new avatar, you will be waiting for a long time for that super model,

Last Sunday I was riding my bike, and on a traffic light there were two leather jacketed motorcyclist, and where stop on the traffic light , as soon as the light turn green I jump on my pedal, and I was ahead for about a minute or two against these cyclist and the kid that was playing pick-up basketball stop playing and where whistling and shouting and cheering me on as I raced against the two leather jacketed cyclist and it was fun to see these kids cheer for me....

Yesterday two middle-aged men in a pickup truck, who looked like they'd just got off work (it was rush hour) pulled up beside me at a stoplight and asked how far I was going and wished me well.

Originally posted by JonR
Yesterday two middle-aged men in a pickup truck, who looked like they'd just got off work (it was rush hour) pulled up beside me at a stoplight and asked how far I was going and wished me well.
I hate to justify the prejudice of others, but this is a perfect example of the mixed reactions we get from motorists. One person wrote that they were often heckled and bombarded with flying objects when they wore their highly-functional cycling garb, but not when they cycled in the drab street clothes. I think motorists can't identify with "cool" lycra, but they quickly recognize
a middle-aged man cycling in casual attire.

I hope you were wearing lycra, Jon! (ha, ha)

Originally posted by orguasch
Chris L, with you're new avatar, you will be waiting for a long time for that super model,

Yeah, tragic isn't it?

Chris

Originally posted by Pete Clark
I hope you were wearing lycra, Jon! (ha, ha)
I was! But only Lycra shorts, with a regular T shirt. That probably helped my image.

Originally posted by Chris L


Yeah, tragic isn't it?

Chris

But look at King Kong: he got Faye Wray...

Originally posted by Chris L
The most interesting thing to happen to me was actually on an early morning ride (not a commute this time) up Springbrook Mountain.

A group of Japanese tourists drove past toward the end of the climb, and one of them gave me the "thumbs up" signal. Then when I got to the top, this guy actually had his photo taken with me (I kid you not). Oh well, that was my 4+1/2 minutes of notoriety.

Now THIS guy is for real...

Originally posted by Ba-Dg-Er


Uhm no.... who wants to date a supermodel? They're too busy freaking out about the gram they gained from the grape they just ate. I would rather have a cool cycling chick that'll live life like it's meant to be!

Right on!

Chris

I vote:

--Random motorist :thumbdn:

--Motorcycle people: :thumbup:

Two wheels rule! :)

As always! :D

Originally posted by Ba-Dg-Er
It wasn't enough to get me off my high though! :)
When all they can do is spout words, it proves they've got nothing of their own to show for it. I try to consider it a compliment that anyone would think me worthy enough to attempt to knock me off my mountain-top.

The really bad thing would be if I were so mediocre that no one cared. Ha, ha! ;)

Almost 50?!?!?!? Whew, no tail-wind either? No down hill? Daaang.

Originally posted by fubar5
Almost 50?!?!?!? Whew, no tail-wind either? No down hill? Daaang.

Yeah, ... Daaang!!! :D

I always enjoy the occational friendly honk or wave from a mororist, but my favorite experience happened a couple weeks ago. I was coming up on a freeway overpass, and there was a small pack of young boys standing on the sidewalk watching the cars below. Every so often, and cheer would rise from the group. As I approached them, I saw that they were all moving their arms up and down, like they were pulling the stop signal on the bus. Each time a trucker responded with his air horn, they cheered. I thought I'd have a little fun with them as I rode by, so I raised my arm like theirs and yelled, "Honk, honk!" as they watched me pass. I'm no truck, but they cheered for me anyway.

I ride a BMW street bike (just like the ones that are used for the media during the TDF). Without exception, wether on the bike or not I have always been able to walk up to someone else on a BMW and most other bikes and strike up a friendly conversation. There does not seem to be as many of the fashion nazis among the motorcycling crowd. I am a less friendly bicyclist due to the fact that there seems to be large population of roadies that won't even give a nod to non-team-jersey wearing public.

Originally posted by Ba-Dg-Er


It was probably a headwind knowing this heinous weather! :)
Yeah yeah, get your bragging in with the people who will listen:D :D :D :D
J/K, 50 is prett good man.

When I see fifty on MY computer, I'll know I've lived.

You da MAN!!!
:thumbup: