The thing might be more "respect" than "relate to." There's no question a guy purposefully riding a racing bike with full kit might be taken for a racer out training for a competition, and that a guy wearing a reflective vest on a street bike could be going from the local homeless shelter to a job interview. Everyone loves a winner. If you look like a winner, you get respect.

Nonetheless, no matter what bike you're on, if you ride respecting the other traffic on the road, generally it will be repaid many times over. This has gotten truer over the years, as cycling grows in popularity and is seen by more and more people, even those who don't ride, as healthful and ecologically responsible.