This post coincides with that of my good friend Charisa. Oddly enough, even though we are not sharing the same coach, training together all that much anymore and are several hundred miles apart, we can't seem to separate our thoughts.
It seems that she has encountered the same lack of etiquette among the cycling community that I have recently. Specifically, the seeming inability of some cyclists (more often than not, the "serious roadies") to return a wave or a friendly hello. By all means, if I am in the middle of a hard interval and a wave is cast my way, I will likely not return it as the near totality my concentration will consumed in trying not to puke. However, if I am not in the midst of such an effort, I by all means try and return the gesture. It just makes cycling that much better.
The other day I came upon a guy walking his road bike with a flat. I stopped and asked him if he needed anything and ended up giving him the CO2 he needed. On no less than three occasions since that incident, I have seen this same cyclist (a roadie here training for a month), clearly not hurting himself mid-interval, and shot him a wave. In return... nothing. Not even a head bob. In one such instance I was nearing the end of a long ride and had that little bit of irritability built up that we all know. It was all I could do not to turn around and chase him down for a lecture on etiquette.
Its bad enough that we have to deal with unfriendly, angry motorists who seem bent on scaring us off the roads, lets do our part to try and make it a little brighter road for all of us. Who knows, you could cast off a few waves and one day watch as a someone rides right by when you need help, because he remembers you as "that guy." The guy in the story above is going to have to catch me on a REALLY good day for me to stop and assist him again should he need it.
Ok, there is my rant. Happy and FRIENDLY cycling.
It seems that she has encountered the same lack of etiquette among the cycling community that I have recently. Specifically, the seeming inability of some cyclists (more often than not, the "serious roadies") to return a wave or a friendly hello. By all means, if I am in the middle of a hard interval and a wave is cast my way, I will likely not return it as the near totality my concentration will consumed in trying not to puke. However, if I am not in the midst of such an effort, I by all means try and return the gesture. It just makes cycling that much better.
The other day I came upon a guy walking his road bike with a flat. I stopped and asked him if he needed anything and ended up giving him the CO2 he needed. On no less than three occasions since that incident, I have seen this same cyclist (a roadie here training for a month), clearly not hurting himself mid-interval, and shot him a wave. In return... nothing. Not even a head bob. In one such instance I was nearing the end of a long ride and had that little bit of irritability built up that we all know. It was all I could do not to turn around and chase him down for a lecture on etiquette.
Its bad enough that we have to deal with unfriendly, angry motorists who seem bent on scaring us off the roads, lets do our part to try and make it a little brighter road for all of us. Who knows, you could cast off a few waves and one day watch as a someone rides right by when you need help, because he remembers you as "that guy." The guy in the story above is going to have to catch me on a REALLY good day for me to stop and assist him again should he need it.
Ok, there is my rant. Happy and FRIENDLY cycling.
well said!
ReplyDeletebike snobs. i do not get them. at all. this makes me happy I'm just a dorky triathlete :)
ReplyDeleteI see the same guy riding EVERY Wednesday morning... and every Wed morning I wave and he won't even acknowledge me. Because I'm on a tri bike? Please.
ReplyDeleteI've definitely had my share of roadies bring the hate, but two weeks ago, I came up on a guy on a tri bike. Turns out he was a roadie practicing his time trialing, and here I am a tri-geek riding my road bike. Too funny. We got along swell and pushed each other up a 30 minute climb. A rare moment. But usually, I get a lot of snickers from roadies when I'm on the tri bike.
ReplyDeleteLife is too short to take oneself as seriously as some of these people do - I'm all about the wave and head bob if possible.
ReplyDelete