FBinNY 

The name conjured up an image of a large, lumbering Abominable Snowman kind of a guy. I had an uncle like that in Paris. A monster of a man, such that people who saw him at night would cross the street, though he was the sweetest gentlest man I knew (until you crossed him).

Andy_K 

My wife is very sensitive to things like this. Even a hand on the back might have elicited a violent reaction from her and it definitely would have wrecked her mental state for the rest of the day. It's easy for men to dismiss a thing like this. As much as many of us might hate the condescension, the whole interaction just wouldn't have the same associations. I'm sorry you have to deal with this kind of thing.

Walter S

Based on popular usage, it is 9.837 times more common for Doofus to be a boy's name.

Baby Name Guesser - the first name Doofus - analysis of first names, popular boy and girl names, male names, female names

RubeRad

?!?!?!

I know of Goofus and Gallant, but I've never met somebody actually named Doofus (although plenty that were called that)

noglider 

People actually name their kids Doofus? Wow, truth is stranger than fiction. Well maybe we get the nickname because it was originally a name. I just had no idea.

AlmostTrick

Not much to do with the OP's story, but the thread title reminded me of this most excellent tune from years ago. Guaranteed laugh near the end of the video.

canklecat

Uninvited touching of a woman you don't know while exercising in public is a good way to get clobbered.

Years ago I was riding home and as I passed a woman jogging she veered left to dodge an obstruction. I reached out to tap her shoulder as I also moved left, hoping to avoid a collision or startling her.

Backfired badly. She was lightning quick. Grabbed my arm, spun and nearly dragged me off the bike.

In retrospect my instinctive gesture was condescending, like a parent trying to restrain a stumbling child. It would have made better sense to keep my hands on my handlebar and veer around without reaching out.

So. Don't do that.

And HTFU is as useless and condescending in this context as it is unfunny anywhere. You have no idea what that other person has been through.

wphamilton

I think that there's something wrong with the scaling on that site.
The popularity of Doofus is: 4.103 (where 0 = extremely rare, 6 = super popular)

which seems like Doofus is fairly common, but :

The popularity of Dumbass is: 3.584 , which I'm pretty sure is uncommon

and they think that the Devil is pretty popular The popularity of Satan is: 5.040

While I'm commenting, I'll weigh in that the unwanted touching is never acceptable unless it's incidental or necessary for some immediate reason. And the condescending advice "relax, relax" is almost as bad.

Walter S

The average doofus is also a dumbass. But just because you a dumbass doesn't mean you're a doofus too.

wphamilton

Present company excepted of course. I've wondered where the Giant Doofus handle came from and I'm glad she explained it now.

Giant Doofus

This thread has become unexpectedly humorous and uplifting. Thanks!

Darth Lefty 

recent experience has taught me moms get on the Internet and research baby names and don't want them to be too common. There was a rash of Aiden-Brayden-Jayden-Caiden but other than that, even "super popular" names are counted per thousand not per hundred.

jon c. 

I can't imagine anyone naming their child Doofus and also can't imagine ever touching another rider with whom you were not well acquainted. What kind of moron would think that might be acceptable?

Cyclist01012

If you don’t understand the definition of half wheeling, it is the action by an individual, when he or she rides beside you, when you are riding two by two, and is always just enough ahead of you that you feel like you are always trying to catch up or get back even with them. If a rider is a true half wheeler, they don’t have a clue that they are doing it.

What has been described as half wheeling where some one is riding behind you with their front wheel over lapping your real wheel is not half wheeling, it is simpley over lapping. Half wheeling in its true form is an insult.

Giant Doofus

1. I meant that his front wheel was overlapping my rear wheel. This post is a a bit pedantic though. I suspect that you knew what I meant, and in any case and the difference is not relevant to the point I was making, which was simply that he did not announce his presence until he was way, way too close. Nevertheless, I'll change my usage in the future.

2. Unless you are Steve Tilford, you plagiarized the first paragraph of your post: Half Wheeling | Steve Tilford.

nfmisso

+++

Kindaslow

I am with this guy!

PatrickGSR94

Whoa what the hell, I'm a little late to this thread. Greenline? Sounded like a Grade-A D-bag.

I was on the Greenline once and saw a huge patch of broken glass that some dumb kids had purposely thrown all over the path. Me and several other cyclists and runners stopped to try to sweep the glass off the path with our shoes as best as possible.

the sci guy 

would have been great if you could have pepper sprayed him after he touched you while he was next to you. Probably would have made a great crash video.