Bob Dopolina 

I started racing bikes in 1982. I was 3rd in my first race because I helped a team mate win. I won my next two races. The rest is a blurr.

But, before I could race I had to go to a “Learn to Race Clinic” where they taught me basic rules about riding in a group, how to corner in a group and a lot of other things that ALL riders in MANY countries learn before they are allowed to race.

I continued racing and became an Elite level racer. Then a crash broke my arm in 30 places and I spent a week in the hospital. I missed the rest of the season and lost my spot on the Elite Team I raced for.

The good thing was that I took that time to become a Certified Cycling Coach. This required sevral courses, some tests, and coaching for a few years at each level until I was final given accreditation by my Cycling Association and the UCI. I did this while I was still racing so the knowledge was very helpful to me.

A few years after my crash (and while studying to be a coach) I had a good team, good sponsorship and was ready to have a great season. Then a crappy old Toyota ran me over and I was done for 18 months. This time it was VERY serious.

I came back to racing, got very fit and won a National Championship in 1998 but, by this time, I knew I was too old. I had been training with guys who would later become World Champions, win Olympic medals and be good professional riders so I understood what real talent was and that that would never be me.

The next year I moved to Taiwan.

When I first came to Taiwan all teams were given money by the government. They were city or county teams. I wanted to make a new team but, as a foreigner, I had to do it a different way. I had to do it the same way it is done in almost EVERY other country. I had to find sponsors and build a team. I was the FIRST person in Taiwan to do this. This was 1998.

Since that time I have made many teams, worked with many riders and sponsors. I have taught MANY riders how to train and race and I have taught many other people how to find sponsors, make a team and run a team. I did it because it is what I love to do.

Many of these people have now gone on to make their own teams and develop their own riders. Even though I now compete with them it makes me very happy to see how cycling in Taiwan has evolved to be like the rest of the world. Even though my role in this was very small I do feel like I had something to do with it and it makes me feel proud.

One of the things I have always tried to make my riders understand is that cycling in the rest of the world has been around for a while and that there are rules, or customs that ALL riders in ALL countries know. I have always hoped that any of our riders could go to any country in the world and ride with any group because they understand THE UNWRITTEN RULES OF CYCLING.

This has proven to be much harder than it seems.

As a foreigner, very often, people will listen to what I am saying and then ignore me because I am just some crazy foreigner who doesn’t understand how we do things in Taiwan. This is very frustrating for me. I may be crazy but I do know what I am talking about.

Something that is missing in Taiwan is MENTORS. These are older riders with many, many years of experience. In most countries these riders will ride with younger riders to teach them all the ‘unwritten rules’ of cycling as well as the basic ideas about riding, training and racing. Because racing in Taiwan is new (in many ways) there really aren’t a lot of MENTORS and new riders aren’t used to listening to the MENTORS that are here.

This is a problem.

Here is the point of my post.

Recently, I have had a few bad experiences where I have tried to help people and it has gone badly. This isn’t just about riding but other things as well. It has really bothered me.

Tonight I watched a friend crash his bike during a training race. It happens but it is never good to see.

Later, a rider made a slightly dangerous mistake. It was a mistake I have been trying to tell people about for a while but, as a crazy foreigner, no-one wants to listen. It wasn’t that big a problem (I was expecting it) but it meant I had to use my brakes through a corner when I really wanted to attack instead. It just pissed me off.

I got a little angrier with the rider than I should have (and I feel sorry) but I have been trying to teach people about this corner for more than a year and NO-ONE will listen to me. The thing is I am right.

The UNWRITTEN RULES of CYCLING tell me that I am right.

All of my coaches and PROFESSIONAL RIDERS I have known in my life tell me I am right.

The years I spent learning how to be a COACH and the years I spent coaching other riders tells me I am right.

But I am just some loudmouthed, crazy foreigner that doesn’t understand how things are done in Taiwan.

I got angry. Really angry.

Then, some of the riders on teams I have helped, some of the riders on teams I have sponsored, coached and taught how to make and run their own teams laughed at me. They made fun of me. They mocked me and talked to me like I was an idiot. They made me even angrier.

And sad.

All the years and all the things I have done for so many riders were pissed on in that moment.

And then they kept laughing at me and mocking me.

And I got even angrier and more upset. I was told I was being rude, that I should calm down.

I know I was rude to the first rider I yelled at (and do feel sorry) but now it was far too late for me to calm down. All of the things like this that had happened in the last few weeks came together and I was far too angry, far too frustrated to calm down.

But now I am calm. Now I can look back and see my mistakes. I can also see the mistakes of others. I can also see the lack of respect for a MENTOR.

Right now I find it hard to imagine that I will ever coach, train or sponsor another team or rider in Taiwan. I have worked hard for 13 years and tonight I was rewarded with laughter and mocking.

Maybe I am a crazy foreigner after all.

RT

Bob, genius is never realized until after you have passed on. As we get older, our wisdom becomes sharper, and we realize our greatness in the present, but our kids and grandkids do not.

Bobby Knight didn't get where he was by being nice or orthodox.

Bob Dopolina 

^^^Great, Now I have to die, too.

Crappy day.

TrojanHorse

Bobby Knight had buy-in.

It's hard to be Chinese if you're not Chinese. It just is.

Bob Dopolina 

That is exactly what my Taiwanese friends make clear to me from time to time. Tonight was no exception.

Homebrew01

Perhaps they were not laughing & mocking your ideas & thoughts, but the way that you acted .... and perhaps future actions can undo some of that ?

Gluteus

Cut your loses.
Move on.
Eff them.

Bob Dopolina 

I wish that were the case but what got it started was the question about chopping a corner, "What rule? What Rule book?"

The implication being, "That's how we do it in Taiwan."

My point being, "Listen, you stupid ****, that's not how it's done in the rest of the world and there's nothing special about Taiwan to make it otherwise!"

Bob Dopolina 

13 years are some pretty big losses.

renton

Sad story indeed and I'm sorry to hear.
But what can you do when you explain these things to people and they don't understand or don't want to understand?
What can you do?

pallen

I have no advice for you, but I'm sorry. That just plain sucks.

ColinL

No doubt. But you need to do one of three things:

1. move and keep coaching and riding. this may not be possible because of your business.
2. stay in taiwan and stop coaching <-- note that stopping riding is not an option. get real.
3. stay in taiwan and keep coaching and riding, but find a way to let stuff go that you've adequately proven you can't control.

I assume you've tried many different tactics to try to motivate and convince taiwanese riders. Once you've exhausted your playbook, you need to remove the stress in one way or another. You either keep trying but STOP giving a **** when you fail (and to be more accurate, it's when OTHERS fail but you were trying to coach them), or you simply have to stop coaching.

Bob Dopolina 

Fracked if I know at this point.

I came up thinking that the olde farts were all a bit crazy but I kept an ear open too because they weren't that crazy and they could just do stuff I could never pull off.

Again, it's the whole idea of mentors. It's what I should be now instead of a laughing stock. It caught me off guard over the last few weeks and it's really bumming me out.

milkbaby

It's all fun and games until somebody punctures their nut sack... People only laugh until the school of hard knocks kicks their teeth in!

abstractform20

if possible, i would only take in riders that agreed to do what you say. if they dont follow the rules, warning once, then cut from the team/program.

Bob Dopolina 

The thing is I don't have a real program at the moment, only a loose club thing (I'm FAR too busy with work stuff). This was during the Weekly Worlds but I've been involved with a large percent of the riders present over the years.

One good thing was that a solid rider (now National Team) who rode for us two years ago rolled up beside me when I was angriest, said a few words to me and told others to shut the **** up. They listen to him because he kicks their asses on a daily basis but it made me feel both closer to him (I really like him) and reinforced the fact that I will always be an outsider.

Maybe this ****'s too deep for the 41 and I should pay somebody to listen to me whine...

mmmdonuts

What happens when you play by their "rules"? Can you capitalize on that? I'm going to guess that the vast majority of these guys are never going to experience cycling in the rest of the world. And that they'll never witness first hand those rules over there. I think you're stuck until they do because only then will you make any sense to them.

gettingold

Pissants. You can teach but you can't make them learn. Just enjoy it when they have to learn their lessons the hard way.

Gluteus

If they don't want to listen, there is really not much you can do.

You cannot make people respect you or like you.
If you don't make your living doing this (i.e. you really don't have to do it), why to expose yourself to the fustration and agravation?
If somebody seeks your guidance and advise, give it to them, but otherwise, move on.

rousseau

I used to live in Taiwan, so I know exactly what you're talking about. Not being racially/ethnically Taiwanese means that your opinions and suggestions can only go so far. If people don't feel like listening to you they can always use the xenophobic gambit: you're not from here, you're not one of us, so you don't understand. I loved living in Taiwan while I was there, but I knew I had to leave eventually, as the small irritations were accumulating. Some people thrive in that type of environment, though.

The stereotype about "social harmony" in Confucian societies is true. It doesn't matter if you blow through a red light in your BMW and graze me on my bicycle: my getting angry and pointing out your misconduct is "rude." If no one's hurt (though often, sadly, even if someone is) it's best to let it slide so that nobody's feathers get ruffled.

Another problem is that there are no half measures in Taiwan: there's no such thing as blowing your stack followed by a handshake and a beer at the pub. That's due to the concept of "face"; or, rather, the supreme fear of losing it. If you challenge my driving skills you are breaking social harmony and holding me up to ridicule. My "face," meaning my reputation and very being, is threatened. This is unconscionable. Taiwanese people are extremely prickly about lots of things that we Westerners joke about. You don't take the piss unless you're on intimate terms and the object of your piss-taking is fully in on the joke. Though they don't really have that tradition there. Serious conflicts tend to go nuclear. The laughing, as Bob knows, was mockery mixed with embarrassment, and was an indication that the conflict had gone too far. This normally means you've damaged a relationship permanently, but since Bob's a foreigner, they'll probably let it go. He doesn't understand, you see.

eduardo76

a. show them the video of the end of stage 2 of the giro a couple of days ago and what can happen when the unwritten rules of cornering are not obeyed -

b. from what i hear from my friends who have moved to asia, it sounds like it is a cultural thing than personal disrespect...either way, you are not in the wrong here, and you should not be feeling bad...

c. maybe a long solo tour might help you put it all into perspective!!! you, the bike, and the road...that's what really matters, no?

either way, nothing but respect and admiration from me!

ColinL

oh. then it sounds to me like you're doing #2 that I mentioned in my first reply.. but yet you had to yell anyway.

don't yell. when you see stupid crap, keep riding. forget about coaching and mentoring, and trying to teach the unteachable.

unless the stupid crap causes you actual bodily harm. then you're justified in yelling, but after you vent you need to move on.

Bob Dopolina 

Yes.

You have lived here.

I don't think this one will be let go because I got very angry in Chinese as well as English.

**** got said.

escarpment

if it makes you feel any better, In the last year or so that I have been frequenting these forums. I have always found your feedback to be very informative and productive.

When I started to race, corners were the biggest challenge for me. What did this fellow do wrong. Did he cut out then in or slow down too much?

I think therapy is legit, your not going to get much sympathy from ze 41

celticfrost

If they need it spelled out and written for them, then just write down these unwritten rules for these Asian xenophobes and document your sources. Also remind them of how many Taiwanese cyclists have ever accomplished anything on a global scale.

Personally, I wouldn't have the patience for them.