kiwipat,
elund doesn’t say hi or wave to his neighbor when his neighbor waves or says hi to him either. Its just elund’s neighborly way of communicating that he prefers to ignore his neighbor’s existance rather than recognize it.
BFD Get over it.
Actually I wave at my neighbors, and I wave at total strangers on bikes and even motorcycles. I just dont get my feelings hurt when they dont wave back. I just continue on. I dont wonder why.
I agree with Elund, however, unfortunately, either wave or prepare to suffer.
Case in point: “Sparky.”
I am referring to the dog in one of Vonnegut’s novels, I think his named was “Sparky,” who constantly was attacked by the other dogs, because Sparky didn’t wag his tail around other dogs. This wasn’t a matter of choice, though because poor, old Sparky’s tail had been mangled in a car wreck, so he couldn’t express his friendliness by wagging it to the other dogs, even if he had wanted to.
So, the other dogs, got the wrong impression, from his tucked in tail, that he was waging all out war.
I say hi or wave to almost everyone I pass. I actually get a lower response rate from people on tri bikes but for either group I am almost always the first one to speak or wave. I get a response about 60% of the time. I chaulk it up to the fact that we are on bikes which at any given time may make even speaking much less taking a hand of the bars difficult and we are speeding past each other at a closing speed of over 40 mph, on a road with cars and other hazzards and we are all presumably tired.
I attribute most of the roadie non responses to the fact that the roadie community in most places is usually pretty tight. I seem to get a lot of looks like they are trying to place my face and they don’t want to blow off a friend with just a quick lift of the hand. By the time they figure out they don’t know me but that I am just some peppy goof ball, we have already passed and it is too late.
I wave at everyone, running, walking, skating, biking, sitting, I don’t care if you don’t wave back I just want to be friendly to everyone. I allways make sure that I wave and smile at a car that waits for me to get by. I feel that the people that don’t wave back are probably uptight about something and I risk getting maced or spit on if I solicit a wave back by running them down.
jaretj
Regarding not saying “on your left”. On a multi-use trail, I’ll shout out to people but I’m also going more near the 15 mph speed limit and speaking is not impeded. I don’t ride these trails much due to the traffic.
On the road at speed, yelling out is pointless. If I yelled soon enough for you to recognize what I said, I’d be too far back to be heard and if I wait until I’m close enough for you to hear, I’ll be past you before you comprehend.
I’ve found that while at speed (23-28 mph) yelling out is difficult and dangerous. I’ve had too many people look over their shoulder and drift into my line. I give a wide pass and a nod. That’s the best I can do and is much better than what most of us get from cars and trucks passing by.
or do the finger thing at least.
Uuuum, Kiwipat, is this what you do? Maybe think about using more than one finger, or a different one 
Not that one finger in NZ means the same as it does here, there you’d do the two finger V salute, I guess. Me, I just just wave to anyone, and if they acknowledge it, bonus, if not, ‘up yours too’. I guess I just don’t take this stuff personally. It’s often the same running, say ‘hi’ and get a stony look (or no look) in return. Mind you, that’s the response from the young foxes - maybe they don’t appreciate the ‘age and experience’ factor when they see who’s talking to them. hah.
Cheers
Barry(equal opportunity greeter)
or do the finger thing at least.
Uuuum, Kiwipat, is this what you do? Maybe think about using more than one finger, or a different one Not that one finger in NZ means the same as it does here, there you’d do the two finger V salute, I guess. Me, I just just wave to anyone, and if they acknowledge it, bonus, if not, ‘up yours too’. I guess I just don’t take this stuff personally. It’s often the same running, say ‘hi’ and get a stony look (or no look) in return. Mind you, that’s the response from the young foxes - maybe they don’t appreciate the ‘age and experience’ factor when they see who’s talking to them. hah.
Cheers
Barry(equal opportunity greeter)
I’m not sure this has a lot to do with the tri v. rodies/Hattfields v. McCoys battle that has been raging for years.
I think it more the shitty-unfriendly people v. happy-firendly people battle that goes on every place.
Disagree. In every other recreational activity I’ve ever been involved in, other folks involved in the activity have seemed happy to wave, smile, chat, etc. They recognize that our shared interest gives us common ground. A lot of roadies seem more interested in establishing a pecking order of some sort- “I’m so much cooler than you that I won’t even acknowledge your existence.” It isn’t good for the sport, and it reflects badly on the roadies who engage in it.
And it isn’t a big-town, small-town thing, either. I live in a small town where people are pretty friendly. Not the roadies.
elund has hit the nail on the head.
I could care less about waving but what irritates me is the road weenies whom you pass as they creep along and they instantly sprint to suck wheel but never want to pull and if you can get them to pass will instantly let up if they feel you on their wheel and take a drink or something.
Why is it so important that people wave to you? I see this same complaint over and over on these boards and I guess I dont get it. BFD people. Get over it.
Well, it isn’t really. But I just assumed that the friendly response you get in the tri world would be duplicated with roadies. Not so, in my experience.
Perhaps they are feeling superior because they are able to hold 35ks for a 3 hr ride tucked in the back of a 150 strong pack of riders. That might be it.