ianrodger Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Well it does say rant'n rave, so: which ning-nong cognitively-challenged individual came up with the singularly pointless and dangerous idea of shoving your bottle up your neaest bunch-mate's nostril when you intend taking a drink? How this could ever remotely make the bunch a safer place escapes me - apart from being completely unnecessary in the first place, all it does is spook the ride who's vision is suddenly filled with a waterbottle, increase the likelihood of the bottle being dropped, and extend the time that the bottle-waver's hand is off the bars, none of which can be said to be contributing to safety. The best part is, some people do it again after drinking - "caution: inserting bottle into cage"... lordy lordy lordy.. When i ask people why they need to do this, I'm stunned to hear the majority answer is so that other riders can be warned that they are drinking. And the point being?? Hey, if we need to be warned that you're about to drink, then you need to go practice some basic bottle-handling skills on your own before riding in a bunch. Just focus on not dropping the damn thing or veering across the road when looking down and reaching for it; don't make matters worse by seeing how many people you can knock off their bike by shooting your arm out as well. What's really entertaining is how aggressive some people get about it when told in the friendliest and most non-patronising way that its unnecessary.Even appealing to the ultimate arbiter of riding practice, ie Tour telly, doesn't help the more resistant ones. They just snarl and wave. What intrigues me is that none of the wavers can tell me where they heard that this was such a brilliant idea; possibly someone got confused watching pro's raise, not stick out sideways, their empty bottles to indicate to dear mr team manager that they require another, but somewhere, someone started this, and should be bopped over the nut with 100 waterbottles for it. Either way, help stamp out this dangerous practice by reminding the well-meaning but hopelessly ill-informed that they're only making the bunch more dangerous with this trick.
Red Zone Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Wow, I always thought that they were just being friendly and offering me a drink. No wonder I get funny looks when I say No Thanks!
ridesleeprepeat Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 and sanity prevails once again... good man!
scotty Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Perhaps they are showing other riders whats in their bottles or offering others riders a sip. I usually say "no thanks i got my own" and get quite a few weird looks.
Wyatt Earp Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 We never had this type of show offish behaviour in the old days, it annoys me too.
ridesleeprepeat Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 can you imagine guys trying to do this with bite-valves on camelbaks...
Velouria Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 We have Andrew and SuperCycling to blame for this one - I remember an episode many years ago when Arnie still had his original hair, and Owen hadn't yet doped where they suggested this rather odd behaviour. Seems more prevalent the further back you go in the seeding...
javadude Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 I just thought people were showing off. "Look at me, I've still got water left."
Wyatt Earp Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 can you imagine guys trying to do this with bite-valves on camelbaks... Just trying to picture it has me in stitches
Reg Lizard Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 How about starting a new one.... like scratching your ass before you fart in the peleton
Iwan Kemp Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Yeah, you always get the "to show I'm having a drink response". To which I ask: Do you wave your energy bar or gel around to show that having a bite? Blank stares and awkward silence usually follows.
Willehond Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Something else which got me into trouble on my first group ride in Holland was the bumslap. It's a distinctly South African thing (must originate out of the Cape) and people look at you weird if you slap your butt here in Holland. You just point or make a little backwards wave to indicate obstacles. I no longer slap my own butt... Willehond2009-01-28 15:42:21
ridesleeprepeat Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 no, not subtle enough, just lift one cheek of the saddle and say 'passing right'...
AndreZA Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 We never had this type of show offish behaviour in the old days' date=' it annoys me too.[/quote'] well, you never had poncy carbon bike in the old days either. I guess it's called evolution.
Wyatt Earp Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 We never had this type of show offish behaviour in the old days' date=' it annoys me too.[/quote'] well, you never had poncy carbon bike in the old days either. I guess it's called evolution. So in order to evolve we need to show off with bottle waving and S&M behaviour on the bike, right now I understand.
caterina9 Posted January 28, 2009 Posted January 28, 2009 Hahaha oh the good old bumslap... When I first started cycling I wondered what that was about too but it really is convenient to know when there's a massive pothole coming up... doesn't anyone wonder how quickly you'd be able to dodge a pothole if you're riding right behind the guy? maybe it just causes more trouble. anyway, i agree the bottle waving thing is more of a hazard than a precaution - if someone did that to me in a big group going 50 or 60kph I'd think a bird was flying into me or something!
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