Originally Posted by
chasm54
This isn't a safe conclusion, Rowan. There are many people who have developed strategies for coping with beng bullied, including ingratiating themselves with the bully. It's easier to appear to laugh stuff off than be permanently confrontational, or be the guy with "no sense of humour". That doesn't necessarily mean they're enjoying the joke.
Perhaps. But I also would like to know if the OP was participating in this group ride for the first time. And whether he spoke to the people who were targets of the comments to see what their attitude was.
I also come from a country where the term "bastard" has virtually lost all connotations of being born out of wedlock. In most contexts, it is an endearing term ("you lucky bastard", or even "ahhh, you fat bastard"); in some others it can be derisive ("you are a sneaky, conniving bastard"); and in some cases offensive ("you bicyclists are all bastards" -- although there are other words that are more in vogue these days).
FBinNY has made several excellent points in his posts about context, in particular.