kcham16

I'm a nice guy. honestly. when i'm driving and see a girl with a flat tire, i stop to help. if i see a GI in a restaurant, i'll pick up the tab. and when i'm out doing the one thing on earth that i love to do, riding a bike, i wave or nod to other cyclists to let them know i see what they're doing, and i appreciate them. i don't bring all of that up to brag, but lately, i see this going away in the cycling community. especially mountain biking.

i used to hate road riders because they always seemed like such snobs- they wouldn't dare to lift a finger to wave, or to ask if your bike was ok if you were broken down- that might destroy their cadence, and dangit- they'd be forced to go home and reshave their arms.

unfortunately i am beginning to see this more and more in mountain biking. people blasting past me on a trail, face contorted, acting as if they're in a huge hurry, and unable to acknowledge a fellow cyclist. cycling, like so many other sports, tends to follow trends. as soon as people begin doing one thing, others follow suit, and it becomes a part of the sport. i say let's nip this thing in the bud before it goes too far.

please, if you see other riders out there, say what's up. ask 'em questions. i've found a lot of sick trails i would have missed out on had i snubbed some guys just because they were riding a Trek (Bring the flames...).

this is our community- let's keep it ours. Be Awesome. if we start become a bunch of roadies, you better start wearing a cup with your spandex 'kit'- cuz my foot'll be aimin' for the nutz.

XOXO


PS- nothing against roadies... sort of. and nothing against treks... sort of. just kidding... sort of.

yellowjeep

Hmmm, roadies turned XC racers perhaps. Kidding...sort of.
Really, the people I run in to on the trails are pretty cool. I stop to offer help to people fairly often and I have been asked if I need help as well. The times I feel like people are snubbing me I figured its because they don't like the way I look or they think I might steal their skewers or something, so I'll strike up the conversation. Some people are just dicks but most will stop to talk.

PS YJ-Awesome since '88

scrublover

You have way, way too many false assumptions going on there.

Why do people get all butt hurt when someone doesn't wave or nod back? Big deal. Get over it.
Do you let some person not responding to you ruin your ride/day/whatever? If so, why? Some sort of insecurity thing?
Just because you are doing the same sport means every other participant has to acknowledge and validate that? Get real, and just enjoy riding your bike, not wringing your hands over little stuff like this. Hey, better yet, why not just be nice and courteous to everyone you meet on trail? MTBers deserve some special treatment just because they "grok" the same sport?

(fwiw, i'm pretty damn friendly when riding, and under normal circumstances great and return greatings, and have helped many an unknown rider/hiker/equestrian on trail.)

ca7erham

Yeah, maybe its just California MTBers who are snobs, because around here and everywhere else I've ridden, I've always had friendly encounters.

mystolenbikes

I am from California...I am friendly!

Darth_Firebolt

if i had to stop and say hi to every person i saw on the trail, my heart rate would never get over 60! i'll say "hey" or "watch out for the jerk with the german shepherd not on the leash!" but actually stop? maybe we can chat if i see you in the parking lot...
you get this same crap in the motorcycle world. what it boils down to there is people riding motorcycles for the "brotherhood" and getting upset because people don't "respect" the fact that they're riding a motorcycle. i don't wave at everyone i see driving a car somewhere. but if i see someone on the side of the road, yeah i'll stop. BFD

127.0.0.1

get over yourself...'pay attention to me...on my terms...'

not everyone has to acknowledge you. sheesh.

if I am out time trialing on the trail GTFO my way.

I will go around you... please don't wet yourself in fear

PS: I will go past you and never think of you again.
you do the same. to dwell on suspicion and speculation
about my riding and intent (or anyone elses) only hurts yourself. have fun with that.

ca7erham

If you're in this forum, then you're lier

caelric

gee, I'm from Cali, I'm a roadie, and I wave to just about everyone. Oh, and I also ride MTB, and I bike commute, and I do tris.

Guess that throws your roadies (or insert bicycle type here) are jerks theory on it's ear.

kenhill3

I like Scrub's suggestion. Be outwardly friendly and hey, you may help spread the disease of brother/sisterhood. It won't hurt. Kill 'em with kindness, as they say.

Yup. There are *******s out there. Let them reap what they sow. In all walks of life there are those who think they are just too friggin' cool for themselves, let them revel in their own self-absorption.

mystolenbikes

Dang you got me!

Zan

I did my first race on saturday. I dropped my chain off my chain ring a couple times, and would have to hop off to redo it. There were something like 800 riders at the race, 300 being on the 10km track at any time - so of course people passed me as i redid the chain. I think every one of them shouted out if I was okay as they passed. Of course I wouldn't expect them to stop, as it was a race, but they always checked

When I ride out on the trails... NOT racing, people will usually stop if I have a breakdown, or if a buddy of mine has a break down (and of course I'm there helping 'em!).

mtnbiker66

Everyone I pass on the trail gets off their bikes,cleans the leaves from my path and they bow down as I pass.

ca7erham

Hmm, guess the California theory is out, but the roadie thing should just be changed to majority rather than all.

kcham16

i will cry myself to sleep tonight on my big pink pillow thinking of how mean you all are.

you gotta admit, this sure was a hell of a lot more interesting than answering why a trek 6000 is better than a rockhopper or vise-versa.

xoxo

kenhill3

Hey, man, be awesome to each other!

Love and kisses,
Ken

ed 

It's actually:

"Be Excellent to eachother".

kenhill3

I knew that.

never

It's true...I've seen it happen first-hand.

born2bahick

After reading this, I'm gonna give hugs to everyone I see on the trail.

ed 

Liar...(his nickname is clothes-line)

mtnbiker66

I'm gonna carry a pack full of kisses........

surreal

I can see where the OP is going here...

I try to wave to everyone i see on a bike, whether on the trail or on the road. I find that most ppl wave back. (Even roadies, in kit, sometime wave back.) To be sure, folks on the trail are friendlier than ppl on the tarmac. But, as many ppl said in some less friendly ways, it's not the end of the world if some DBs fail to wave back. And, really, if they're that type of person, you're better off getting snubbed, anyway.

The dude above who was talking about his heartrate and the effects that being friendly would have on it was probably being sarcastic. (I hope so) Still, many ppl do feel that way, basically. And you know what? I'm super-glad that DBs who worry about their heartrate on the trail seldom talk to me. (And, ya know what? talking whilst riding might actually increase your heartrate.)

But, yes, when you ride a motorcycle, most other riders will wave to you, regardless of what you're on versus what they're on. And, while most cagers don't wave to one another, jeep wrangler ppl will wave to one another quite often, as will most ppl in older VWs. It's a community thing, and it's totally dorky, but it's snobby and hateful to snub ppl doing it.

My policy? I wave or give "the nod" to other riders. If other riders say hi or wanna chat, i return the favor (unless I'm late for work). If there's a rider down from a crash or a mechaniocal, i will stop and offer assistance. Even if it's a heartrate guy. We're in this thing together, and we need to act as one. That sort of community can help protect our rights on the road, or our rights to trail access, etc.

-rob

Village Idiot

I almost got hit head on on Sunday by a girl that was looking at her front tire. I bet "Watch where you're ****ing going!", probably wasn't the best response. I should have played hurt and asked for her number. Too bad she looked like she was only 16.

Ed: And I ride a motorcycle as well. Some times when you're doing your thing, you're in your own world and it's better to pay attention to what you're doing when you're pushing your limits or yourself rather than worrying about waving to other people.

kcham16

I love how quickly some of you got defensive over a post simply requesting people stop being dic*s on the trail, and hoping that they nod or wave at other riders. grow a pair and start being nice, you thin-skinned prisses.

'if i had to stop and say hi to every person i saw on the trail, my heart rate would never get over 60! i'll say "hey" or "watch out for the jerk with the german shepherd not on the leash!" but actually stop?'

'get over yourself...'pay attention to me...on my terms...'

not everyone has to acknowledge you. sheesh.'

yeah, i was asking you to stop each and every time and pay attention to me. right. it's just a nod, but apparently you are too good of a rider to be bothered by actually acknowledging others on the trail. in your leg-pumping, jaw-clenching smorgasbord of awesomeness you should hope that you never have to require the help or friendliness of others, as you just might find yourself the victim of the karma you produce.

anyway, alls i'm saying is it would be cool to return to some sort of semblance of looking out for each other. from some posts, looks like it's not dead.

and by the way, i'm the guy on the trails who rides in front of you with the rake, smattering rose pedals before you as you go by. XOXO