Southern California - Biking Etiquette

Iam just a old guy trying to get in better shape and ride in the Menifee, CA area.
I always wave and say "HI" to other cyclists on the road.
I frequently come accross the Cal Spas group of riders...I always say "HI"
and Everytime they ingnore me???
Is this the norm for "group riders" ? because they are obviously faster than me...
but don't we all just enjoy cycling?

Some people are snobs no matter where they are.
66 y/o here. I get a good response from about 90 % of those I see riding.
I have been told that the club riders have attitudes?
Ride Safe.

I often say "Hi"
I also get folks that say Hi to me, but by the time I know they said it, I'm 20 ft way.

What I dis-like is the "cone of silence". That's the MP3 player in folks ears. Say what you like, they'll just ignore you cause they can't hear you.

Tooooooohoooooohooohoohoo many jerkface riders out there! Out of every 100, I'd say maybe 6 will return a greet! I on the other hand, am a very sweet sensitive friendly guy that says hello, a nod at the least to everyone. Heck, I'll even stop and take your pic if you like. Don't believe me? Just ask the homeless guys!:D



http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/gulpxtreme/Denny.jpg

<Rhetoric>
Do you wave and say "Hi" to all the people driving by on the freeway? I do! Man, I think I have a return rate of like 0.01%!! Just 'cause they were in the middle of a conversation w/the person next to them & I interrupted them... That's no reason to be rude. And here, me being the most important person in the universe. They should have listened to me!! D*mn!!
</Rhetoric>

I always wave or say hi to riders...I agree...lots of snobs out there....

Like mkadam, I also wave to the drivers on the freeway......hmmm...maybe I need to wave with a different finger:p

Who cares if they return the greeting or not? Are you saying Hi just to get the return greeting? Just be friendly and if someone is friendly in return that's great, if not then it's their problem. I see the same faces on my regular routes all the time. I always give them the same greeting no matter what their past response or lack of response was. I figure one day they'll crack and say Hi back. :)

Something to remember... sometimes I do social rides and sometimes I ride hard. If riding hard, I am seldom distracted enough to hear someone yell "hi"... don't assume they are ignoring you - they just may be in a rider's zone... not justifying bad behavior but sometimes we are all too quick to be upset.

BTW I seldom say "hi" - because of car traffic or just wind, it's hard to hear. I generally do a head nod or finger wave. I usually get a response back. I believe most riders are cordial but I know it only takes one bad apple...

Every bike forum I've looked at has a thread on this subject every few months. Personally I'm a "hi" kind of guy but everyone's got their own reason for riding and maybe saying "hi" isn't part of that reason. Take the "hi"s when you can get them and don't take it personally when you don't get them.

Who cares if they return the greeting or not? Are you saying Hi just to get the return greeting? Just be friendly and if someone is friendly in return that's great, if not then it's their problem. I see the same faces on my regular routes all the time. I always give them the same greeting no matter what their past response or lack of response was. I figure one day they'll crack and say Hi back. :)

No, I say hi or wave because I want to....

I'm usually too focused on riding to Hi everybody. If they make eye contact or wave I will sometimes give a slight nod, but I'm not taking my hands off the bars.

No, I say hi or wave because I want to....

That was exactly my point.. in a round-a-bout sorta way. Say Hi with no expectation of reciprocation.

I'm usually too focused on riding to Hi everybody. If they make eye contact or wave I will sometimes give a slight nod, but I'm not taking my hands off the bars.

And I am with you. I am generally a head nod person if I notice you...:rolleyes: Usually my head is down watching the road and I'm concentrating on not going anaerobic!

Hi!

Hi!

Hi, nice bike, How far are you riding?

I only waive to others riding titanium. I look down on those of you riding weaker material.

A few years ago I was commuting on a very busy section of the south bay bike path. At first I wondered why people weren't returning my greetings until I realized that I passed about a bazillion riders and it seems most riders don't want to spend all their time exchanging greetings.

Also, if the group is riding tight, the other riders in the group may not take too kindly to a lead rider that took his eyes off the road and his hands off the handlebars to return your hello.

If everybody in a community keeps to themselves, well, that is pretty much how it is. Nothing personal.

In sparsely populated areas, I generally wave but sometimes I miss someone if I am in a conversation or something. If I ignored you, I am sorry.

Everyone keeps to themselves here...
It a So Cal thing. very paranoid...
I lived next door to the same people for 6 years and seldom got more than a nod form them.

Just go up to some random person in the mall and say hi, start chatting and see what ahppens.
"AHHHH SECURITY..., SERIAL KILLER HERE...AAHHHHHH"

Now go up to a cyclist, when your cycling. Lets take the Meaner Beaner for example. He'll
say hi, take your mug shot..er. picture, and post it on the net for everyone to see!
Now if that doesn't prove Love of cycling, nothing does.

( I think the photos are for proof he was riding though. "Gina, ya I was riding, ya that's it.
No no, the girl was just a cyclist...")

Try Mountain Biking. Everyone will talk as long as you care to listen...extreemly social.
No packs to worry about, no need to point out objects. If you did, you'd never get your hands on the bars.
I'm 90% mtb, 10% road..when the trail are wet...

I only waive to others riding titanium. I look down on those of you riding weaker material.

+10000
You da man!!!:thumb:

It's southern California... who knows if the person you're "Hi"ing even speaks English? I tend to wave rather than say Hi. I don't get bent out of shape if someone is too into it to wave back... been there myself.

I just ring my bell and smile. Even if they are on a training ride for time trials, that usually at least gets a nod, if only to acknowledge they realize you're staying the helloutof their way. If they respond with a "hi" then I give them a "hi" back.

Hi, nice bike, How far are you riding?

Oh this squeaky old thing? Thanks. It's dependable.

I'm heading to the marina then back out to the valley. How about you?

<Rhetoric>
Do you wave and say "Hi" to all the people driving by on the freeway? I do! Man, I think I have a return rate of like 0.01%!! Just 'cause they were in the middle of a conversation w/the person next to them & I interrupted them... That's no reason to be rude. And here, me being the most important person in the universe. They should have listened to me!! D*mn!!
</Rhetoric>
+1 Group riders are often in a specific workout, involved in their own conversations, or otherwise focussing on other important matters (like not chopping the wheel next to them). I never take it personally if someone doesn't wave back. Heck, I've failed to return waves before because I was navigating some bumpy pavement, putting a bottle away, or just too tired to do anything but pedal! I sure hope those people don't think I'm rude! :eek:

Doesn't this topic belong in the Racing sub-forum?

:p

I try to return greetings but if I'm occupied swerving around glass and potholes or trying to hang on to the back of a group I won't bother.

These posts about waving always remind me of the scene from Curb Your Enthusiasm where Larry David spots a fellow Prius driver:
Larry: See that! I waved to a guy in a Prius and he didn't wave back.
Jeff: I don't wave to people in the same car as me.
Larry: Well we're Prius drivers. We're a special breed.
:)
http://i41.tinypic.com/2vtdqjb.jpg

I always wave. I wave at other motorcyclists too when I'm on mine. My wife thinks I'm a dork, but I don't care. Some others probably also think I'm a dork, but I still don't care. I have a little squeeze horn on my handlebars (in the shape of an orca - pretty cool, huh?) Sometimes I'll honk at people. Huge dork.

I've noticed that the "serious" cyclists - the ones riding much faster than me in serious kits, or in pacelines - often don't wave back, or just give the slightest nod of the head (Did that guy really nod, or was it just a twitch?) I don't care, and I doubt if I'll stop waving. Lots of people do wave back, and smile, and some even smile when I honk my orca. They're why I keep waving and honking.

I've also noticed that most motorcyclists will wave back, except for guys on Harleys - especially the ones that are trying to look all badass. That's okay. I'll keep waving at them too. I don't honk my motorcycle horn though. That would probably constitute a moving violation - improper honking.

My experiences over the years have been that most group riders don't wave back...don't really care about it since I wouldn't be waving at anyone either with a person on each side of me two inches away and going 30mph. It would be a short wave followed by a long painful falling.

Since I'm part Japanese I usually sit straight up and give them single banzais when waved at. That means taking both hands off the bars....not a problem. :D

It bothers me more that society insists on a "happy all the time" , overly perky attitude. Makes folks look like car salespersons, like bad actors, or like they're constantly "stoned." Maybe the other person is concentrating on the road ahead, on their own problems or dilemas, or on the future. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Someone questioning why everyone is not uber-friendly reminds me of the Steve Martin gag:

"I'd like to personally thank each and every one of you for coming tonight; thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, . . . . . . . "

Tooooooohoooooohooohoohoo many jerkface riders out there! Out of every 100, I'd say maybe 6 will return a greet! I on the other hand, am a very sweet sensitive friendly guy that says hello, a nod at the least to everyone. Heck, I'll even stop and take your pic if you like. Don't believe me? Just ask the homeless guys!:D



http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/gulpxtreme/Denny.jpg

How long did it take each of you to figure out which one was the homeless guy?

I never claimed to have fancy jerseys!:p

Wow, Thanks for all the responses....It really wasn't that big of deal.

But, just to clarify Iam not talking about verbally saying "HI" and a BIG wave.

I also keep both hands on my bars, and usually just nod.

Iam talking about riding by the group while they are stopped on a break and they all still ignore me, which is fine.

Yes, this topic has run it's course.

It is what it is...

Maybe, I'll get a bell. Iam kinda of a dork anyways.

I'll do the handlebar wave to other roadies to tri ppl going the other way, I'll say hi to people who pass me or who I pass. Over the years people are figuring out who I am and I'm getting a repoire with alot of riders. If they don't wave back it bugs me at times for a sec but then I blow it off. If I'm trying to set a pr I dont acknowledge people either.

I figure in about a year or so I'll have Mr. Beanz status and can introduce myself to people in San Bernardino SART as, "I'm kinda a big deal around here..."




It bothers me more that society insists on a "happy all the time" , overly perky attitude. Makes folks look like car salespersons, like bad actors, or like they're constantly "stoned." Maybe the other person is concentrating on the road ahead, on their own problems or dilemas, or on the future.

I understand where you are coming from but there is something to having a positive outlook. To be honest I'm naturally a negative guy but when I do positive things it does lower my stress and enhances my general outlook on things, but yeah, people should be genuine about it.

Iam talking about riding by the group while they are stopped on a break and they all still ignore me, which is fine.

I ride with CA Pools & Spas and it's a very friendly group. But, like every group of people, some are more outgoing then others.

If you see us at a stop just ride on up and say hi. Ask some questions: Where are you headed? are you going out or coming back? etc... Someone will talk to you.

You're also welcome to ride with the group. Just understand that many group rides are training rides and they most likely won't wait if you can't keep up the pace.

On a personal note... I say hi to everyone when I'm riding alone as long as I'm going at a pace where I'll actually notice people.