Originally Posted by
staehpj1
Maybe wandering off of the original topic a bit, but...
I am pretty tuned in to how people react to me when on tour and I have found that how you smell is way less of a big deal than other factors, like:
- Do you have a warm and genuine for smile them. I find that if you do they return the same attitude. A cheesy fake smile does not suffice and may be worse than nothing.
- Do you have respect them or have a condescending, disapproving, or otherwise bad attitude toward them. People can sense this and will react to you accordingly. You can disagree with their politics or religion or whatever and it is OK, but if you think of them as dumb hicks they will know and will treat you accordingly.
- Do you take off your sunglasses and make eye contact when speaking to people. This makes a huge difference. I was amazed at the difference I observed on this one and it is a simple thing to do.
There should be a way of stickying this post so touring cyclists can take a look at it from time to time and remind themselves of this.
Even as a touring cyclist myself, I have been disappointed more often than not by the off-handed attitude I've got from other touring cyclists that I have come across, whether I've been on or off my own bike.
Having said that, one of the most enjoyable interactions we had on this trip was with a guy who bailed us up in Mallaig, Scotland, for half an hour talking bikes, cycling, touring, the local area and B&Bs. And we've had other interactions which linger. But that may be as much to do with following Pete's list above as much as anything else.
And we have had great relationships with just about every person behind booking counters in airlines, train stations, and ferry terminals, and with security personnel in airports. A smile and a positive attitude are wondrous things.