Rude Cyclists

[Gasping]

To all our TALENTED riders of any age - enjoy your talent, develop it and extend it. Please remember that everyone has a talent and when it is taken for granted (get cocky about it) or abused (no patience with those less talented) should remember a couple of things:

 

(i) Let people enjoy their efforts especially those "less talented" than you are. I am talented at football. How would you feel if I ran rings around you, then belittled you because you are "not good enough" for me?

 

(ii) The sport and it's equipment are developed because of money that us untalented people spend. There are far more of journeymen than there are talented winners. Enjoy the technology that helps your talent - I helped pay for it with my spending on cycling products.

 

(iii) Be humble in victory and magnanimous in defeat.

 

Just be a nice person. No one that I know likes an arrogant, full-of-himself person no matter what the field of expertise is.

 

< climbs off soapbox, exits left>

[Tumbleweed]

To all our TALENTED riders of any age - enjoy your talent' date=' develop it and extend it. Please remember that everyone has a talent and when it is taken for granted (get cocky about it) or abused (no patience with those less talented) should remember a couple of things:

 

(i) Let people enjoy their efforts especially those "less talented" than you are. I am talented at football. How would you feel if I ran rings around you, then belittled you because you are "not good enough" for me?

 

(ii) The sport and it's equipment are developed because of money that us untalented people spend. There are far more of journeymen than there are talented winners. Enjoy the technology that helps your talent - I helped pay for it with my spending on cycling products.

 

(iii) Be humble in victory and magnanimous in defeat.

 

Just be a nice person. No one that I know likes an arrogant, full-of-himself person no matter what the field of expertise is.

 

< climbs off soapbox, exits left>

[/quote']

 

and the audience rises to its feet?

[WorcesterWheelers]

I'm pretty sure most of us have stories from both sides of the fence....

(Taking and handing out abuse)

 

In the heat of the moment one sometimes gets carried away, but most of the time a friendly / patient attitude will get you much better results than shouting abuse. Fortunately for me, most of the time my wife is just behind me on the tandem to keep me calm when somebody does / says something wrong.

 

One thing  race organisers should also try and avoid unless there is no alternative, is for long/medium & or short routes not to join up close to the finish.

 

By that stage the front guys are racing for results, and the social riders are tired and battling to survive. Thats when tempers flare, riders loose concentration and cause accidents or people shout stupid comments.

 

But yes guys & girls, unless you are racing for HUGE prize money or for a BIG title, take a deap breath, and rather try shouting something encouraging to the slower riders. You'll win many more fan's that way.   

[HappyMartin]

 

To all our TALENTED riders of any age - enjoy your talent' date=' develop it and extend it. Please remember that everyone has a talent and when it is taken for granted (get cocky about it) or abused (no patience with those less talented) should remember a couple of things:

 

(i) Let people enjoy their efforts especially those "less talented" than you are. I am talented at football. How would you feel if I ran rings around you, then belittled you because you are "not good enough" for me?

 

(ii) The sport and it's equipment are developed because of money that us untalented people spend. There are far more of journeymen than there are talented winners. Enjoy the technology that helps your talent - I helped pay for it with my spending on cycling products.

 

(iii) Be humble in victory and magnanimous in defeat.

 

Just be a nice person. No one that I know likes an arrogant, full-of-himself person no matter what the field of expertise is.

 

< climbs off soapbox, exits left>

[/quote']

 

Very well said and if only.

 

Got my wife into cycling years ago by buying her a bike on a Wednesday, fitting spd peddles on the Saturday and entering her in a MTB race on a Sunday. Just a little short fun spring ride, loads of unskilled unfit people in our chatty group. Unfortunately the super heroes route overtook us at one point. Lots of swearing and shouting. My favorite was a chap who overtook a long string of slower people, he was swearing and yelling like a nutter when he lost it and went arse over tea kettle. He had to spend a little time straighteniing his saddle before setting off again.

 

We did a lot of mtb'ing after that including some very hard African touring but she would never enter another mtb race. We rode for years with the JMBC and now she does mostly road and finished the 150km Jock in a credible time. Pitty about that first MTB race.

 

[Gasping]

.... and they say that Roadies are unfriendly? Do you get sworn at in road races as well, or is this endemic to the mud children?

[Tumbleweed]

My favorite was a chap who overtook a long string of slower people' date=' he was swearing and yelling like a nutter when he lost it and went arse over tea kettle. He had to spend a little time straighteniing his saddle before setting off again.
[/quote']

woulda paid money to see that

[HappyMartin]

 

.... and they say that Roadies are unfriendly? Do you get sworn at in road races as well' date=' or is this endemic to the mud children? [/quote']

 

I think roadies and the mud folk are the same. You can meet very obnoxious people in road races as well but on the road you have more space in races so you can get around or faster people can get past you. On the big races you can get more people with "issues".

 

[Gasping]

Next question from me (and there was an anwer to this in an earlier post but would love diffferent opinions) - what is the accpeted protocol when someone screams/shouts/swears at you? Tell the person to "go away" or smile and blow them a kiss?

[Dirt*girl™]

Next question from me (and there was an anwer to this in an earlier post but would love diffferent opinions) - what is the accpeted protocol when someone screams/shouts/swears at you? Tell the person to "go away" or smile and blow them a kiss?

 

 

I find it sooo much more rewarding/amusing to blow them a kiss! The looks they give you...priceless!

[Gasping]

By all accounts you are an attractive lady - what would happen if I blew a man a kiss?

[Dirt*girl™]

By all accounts you are an attractive lady - what would happen if I blew a man a kiss?

 

what..ermmm, thanx...ermm..

 

maybe you could just say.'.I love you too man'?

[1hill@aTime]

 

By all accounts you are an attractive lady - what would happen if I blew a man a kiss?

 

you will have to post a pic so that i can be the judge

 

[Gasping]

Just not too sure it would have the desired effect - if you said that, the person would get a sheepish look and then disappear. I will probably wind up with a welt in the shape of a bicycle pump across my face.

 

[droo]

I have shouted before, only once, and because after finding a gap and calling 'passing right' I was unceremoniously switched into the bushes by an oke who decided THEN was a good time to hop the middelmannetjie.

 

 

 

I understand traffic, inexperience and nerves are a factor and respect that, but there's no excuse for blatant stupidity or bloody mindedness, and unfortunately it's something I see quite a lot of.

 

 

 

Much the same as folk who hog the passing lane on the N1 when there's plenty of space elswhere...

[Dirt*girl™]

Just not too sure it would have the desired effect - if you said that' date=' the person would get a sheepish look and then disappear. I will probably wind up with a welt in the shape of a bicycle pump across my face.

 

[/quote']

 

well, then I guess I can't help you my friend. what works for me, might not work for you...sorry

 

 

[HappyMartin]

I have not actually had anyone yell at me. I have observed it on many occasions but have been fortunate to not get in the way of any temper tantrums. Not sure how I would behave.

 

 On the Kremetart I had a person tell me it would be nice if I would stop slip streaming and take my turn on the front. I had just spent 5 minutes killing myself up front and was dropping back for a break when he said this. I said nothing but on my next turn up front simply nailed it and rode off to another group with a better attitude.

 

Some people get tense in races and don't think, best to keep calm and enjoy the race. Getting into a row with some stress bunny will just ruin your day.