I've been riding both road and mtn. for three and four years now. I've met my share of *******s and non-*******s, too. On a casual ride, the pack of roadies you meet will typically not be as friendly. After I rode in a group more, I understood why. Sometimes you're concentrating on staying in a paceline, sometimes you're leading and other times, you're just dying to stay up. On the trail, I've met such a variety of people, it is baffling that we share a passion for the same sport (except for the time I saw the lil' Mexican guy with his pants down around his ankles banging the white gal...now THAT was a different sport!!) I try to speak to everyone - I may not stop and chat, but I try to be friendly enough to speak and get out of the way.
Now the race scene is different, and I'm only referring to mtn. biking - I've yet to enter a road race and doubt I will, but I won't say never. So many people get their 'game face' @ 6:00 am, and don't lose it til they stop at McDonald's that evening on the way home. It turned me off to raciing in a way, but I don't go for others - I go to see what I can do. There again, I also met and made some of the coolest friends at the races.
Well, I may have to eat some words, 'cause I have attended a PRO road race and the crowd was GREAT fun! So much bullshooting, politicing and other craziness, the actual sight of Lance or Floyd or anybody on sponsored ride was just a bonus...