OK - After following this thread for seemingly days & days, I am now prepared to add my own 2¢ worth of useless vitriol. It is entirely possible that my feelings are a direct result of my ride today. I have been monitoring my own behavior & have tried my best to step out of my Sidi's for a moment to think about how others might perceive me while riding. I have come to the conclusion that many may look upon me as a snob. I don't normally wave or nod at other riders. I try my best to maintain my own personal focus while riding & in all honesty, probably rarely even notice other riders out there unless they are somehow inside my space. I guess I ride with blinders on.

That said, today I decided to take a different approach directly inspired by this thread. I took off the blinders. Heck, it was a beautiful Sunday - what better time to try & spread some cheer and roadie goodwill. I really wanted to take it all in. The roads, bike paths, downtown streets. See the whole bloody mess. I was nodding & waving. All smiles to the other bikers that I would see & got a few back as well. My biggest impression was "what a wild cast of characters there are out here". Guys (and girls) on hot-lit road bikes, couples (Always on Trek's it seems), Kids on BMX bikes, Grans & Gramps - you name it. Some with helmets, some without. Some in full bike kits (myself included) and many without.

It occurs to me that they are ALL OK. I think back to some of the bickering that I have read on this (and other) forums about what looks good & what doesn't. Helmet or no helmet. Campy or Shimano. Draft or don't Draft. It's suddenly all seeming really silly.

It was right about then that a woman on a recumbent pulled right out into the street in front of me without looking & blocks the entire lane. She just stops. Like it's a gas powered vehicle that won't start or something. I am forced off the road & into the ditch. Suddenly all that "goodwill" stuff goes out the window. I recall yelling something about her girth & referring to the circus.

Once my ride is over, I reach the following conclusions: All people out there doing it on your basic 2-wheel bike are GOOD. Wanna wear your Saeco Kit? Cool.... Wanna draft me? No problem. 300 pounds, but working to get there? Keep it up. Hammering it on your Schwinn Continental? No wave? That's cool,too. You have my utmost respect & support. On the other hand, if you are out there on anything that resembles a "contraption", anything that I would call a "mid-life cricycle" forget it. If you are walking your monkey while learning how to rollerskate, forget it. If you insist on riding the wrong way, forget it. If you insist on hauling 8 kids down the side of the road in a trailer attached to your tandem, forget it. If you are so in LOVE with your honey that you have to ride side by side at all costs, forget it.

Tomorrow I will try to approach the ride a bit friendlier. I may continue to throw out the occasional wave or smile. Rest assured that I will still be keeping my "blinders" close enough to grab if needed....