Originally Posted by
FBinNY
Like they say in the old westerns, "Smile when you say that". It's all in the delivery and circumstances. What may seem offensive can equally be good natured banter among friends. I wouldn't worry about this kind of "insult" unless it was directed at me, then it would depend on who said it an under which circumstances.
Everything is contextual. When I'm struggling up a climb and a friend goes past me saying "come on, move, you fat bastard" that is fine. If I didn't know him, however, I'd beat him to death with my frame pump. And of course, if he were a friend of mine he'd know that I'm not sensitive about being too fat for this sport. A stranger would have no such awareness.
People with real weight problems mostly don't need telling that they're fat. Making a joke of it may seem harmless, but it ain't funny to them. People in leadership positions, even positions as informal as that of ride leader, absolutely shouldn't do it.