Greeting fellow bicyclers (bikers)

[TyronLab]

Interestingly, there seems to be a trend towards off road specific vehicles being friendlier and more open to greeting. Landies (restricted to old Defenders though), mountain bikers, and proper adventure riders (i.e. non-GS's) generally greet and are lekker.

Roadies, crotch rockets etc. generally won't greet back.

I'm a firm believer in greeting whoever else is on two wheels. Bikers, cyclists, commuters, almal. No harm in putting some positivity into the universe. If they don't greet back, they just get a muffled "drolgesig" comment and I move on none the sadder.

[Danger Dassie]

11 hours ago, 117 said:

This is promoted, on signboards, by the folks that manage the trails and routes. People follow these suggestions to the T. In Saffer land we have no idea about courtesy regardless of what bike we ride

 

 

Seems to a prime example of virtue signalling. The greeting thing is a universal point of debate around the world, it’s entirely nonsensical to say that Saffers have no idea of courtesy. Guessing that is a generalisation designed to gaslight people more than anything. 

Greeting is great, even better when it’s sincere. There’s no entitlement to be had either way. @dexterdent and @W Smith nailed it.

[Bub Marley]

90% of people greet back. 

 

Again people just moaning for the sake of moaning. I can’t believe that 10% of people that don’t greet back affected you so much that you felt the need to start a new topic on Bikehub.

 

[The Ouzo]

[love2fly]

21 hours ago, WaynejG said:

Same with motorbikes. Crotch rocket dudes won't greet the stof donkies and don't get me started on the cruiser guys. Don't sweat the small things in life. Enjoy your ride and you do you and let them be.

On that, I've found if I move over to give a lane splitting biker more space, BMW GS riders seem to expect it, while most superbike riders will tilt their head or wave a foot ...

[WaynejG]

1 hour ago, love2fly said:

On that, I've found if I move over to give a lane splitting biker more space, BMW GS riders seem to expect it, while most superbike riders will tilt their head or wave a foot ...

BMW GS riders expect it because it's the only way they can fit their bikes between the cars with those sideways engines of theirs

[love2fly]

12 minutes ago, WaynejG said:

BMW GS riders expect it because it's the only way they can fit their bikes between the cars with those sideways engines of theirs

Plus a bit of ego atop each cylinder.....🙂

[Eugene]

Except for one unfriendly chap that I used to see almost daily, everyone here in PE always greets back on ride. 

 

Then again, we are the friendly city 

[The Ouzo]

13 hours ago, WaynejG said:

BMW GS riders expect it because it's the only way they can fit their bikes between the cars with those sideways engines of theirs

and those bloody side boxes that hold the chips from their shoulders. The GS guys are stereotypically chops. I see them when they come to the bike guy in the showroom here.

[Frosty]

Did you know, that when a short person waves at you, it’s a…

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxWn-v3Keut/?igshid=NzZhOTFlYzFmZQ==

[Jewbacca]

I don't greet people every time. Just like I don't greet other car drivers while driving, other shoppers while shopping, other runners while running etc

I owned a Land Rover Defender for 20 odd years and stopped waving at those other poor idiots who owned one too.

Call me what you will, but waving, blowing kisses and nodding at everyone seems excessive. 

 

[splat]

14 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

I don't greet people every time. Just like I don't greet other car drivers while driving, other shoppers while shopping, other runners while running etc

I owned a Land Rover Defender for 20 odd years and stopped waving at those other poor idiots who owned one too.

Call me what you will, but waving, blowing kisses and nodding at everyone seems excessive. 

 

It also depends on where you are - long open quiet road with hardly anyone around may deserve acknowledgment of the other cyclist.
Main Rd between Lakeside and Fish Hoek on a Saturday morning ? I would get carpal tunnel syndrome if I was to wave at everyone I saw.

But if you are mountain biking and come across other bikes where your bars are so close, you have to be careful not to crash into each other - a howzit just seems polite. If you want to meet unfriendly MTB'ers, ride the Constantia greenbelts!

[swingTOpeddle]

On 9/22/2023 at 2:53 PM, Bub Marley said:

90% of people greet back. 

 

Again people just moaning for the sake of moaning. I can’t believe that 10% of people that don’t greet back affected you so much that you felt the need to start a new topic on Bikehub.

 

Or it’s just friendly banter. 

[swingTOpeddle]

On 9/22/2023 at 10:59 AM, TyronLab said:

Interestingly, there seems to be a trend towards off road specific vehicles being friendlier and more open to greeting. Landies (restricted to old Defenders though), mountain bikers, and proper adventure riders (i.e. non-GS's) generally greet and are lekker.

Roadies, crotch rockets etc. generally won't greet back.

I'm a firm believer in greeting whoever else is on two wheels. Bikers, cyclists, commuters, almal. No harm in putting some positivity into the universe. If they don't greet back, they just get a muffled "drolgesig" comment and I move on none the sadder.

This is absolutely what my experience has been. When i’m out riding I have experienced this exact phenomenon. 
 

Just as a note. I find the KTM people now being so anti establishment they are the ones now almost acting leftist in their ways. I think the BMW people are like the right now. 😂 Fair disclosure. I’m a GSA guy 

[Lynskey]

2 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

I don't greet people every time. Just like I don't greet other car drivers while driving, other shoppers while shopping, other runners while running etc

I owned a Land Rover Defender for 20 odd years and stopped waving at those other poor idiots who owned one too.

Call me what you will, but waving, blowing kisses and nodding at everyone seems excessive. 

 

Unless they ride a single speed, right? 😄

[Mamil]

If I overtake someone on a hill I put in a special effort to keep my breathing calm and my greeting as cheery as I can  because I want to demoralise them.