Not sure if it is something personal, but I thought I’d scribe a piece regarding why nobody seems to say hello to me when I’m out on my bike.
I’ve recently come back from a cycling odyssey through three countries in Europe.
My trip took me from Barcelona to Rome and it was a given that whenever you saw a fellow cyclist on the road you would acknowledge each other – be it heading in opposite directions or overtaking each other.
Be it a pro team coming past or just a couple of riders you’d experience in the countryside, it was almost expected that you made some kind of acknowledgement of each other.
Having become tuned into that vibe I have subsequently been a bit taken aback at the lack of camaraderie that seems to exist on the roads in Australia.
My normal routes are in and around Sydney, but I have also ridden extensively in both Victoria and South Australia. I would say that it is an exception rather than a rule to share a wave when out and about.
This has proved a bit embarrassing at times as I have been left hanging, having made the first move to say hi to then get blanked. To be honest I’m now falling back into the usual apathy of just ignoring all the other riders around me.
I think this is a shame.
Perhaps it is a city thing, but I tend to think of it more as a cultural thing linked to a weird sense of competitiveness that exists between riders.
A similar vibe seems to exist in the UK where there simply seems to be a lot more ostensible ego involved than you find in Europe.
I’ve been cycling in Australia for six years now and one of my regular spots for a ride is Centennial Park which is a bit of a mecca for cyclists in Sydney.
It is also a bit of a sanctuary. Sydney drivers are not renowned for their love of cyclists and the park allows cyclists to get away from the worst of the traffic.
With respect for cyclists among a lot of drivers not particularly high, it always strikes me as odd that we don’t at least show some love to each other.
Yet unless you know someone there rarely seems to be any acknowledgement. To the contrary there is generally a series of (secret) races going on that nobody wants to acknowledge as they try to catch up to or stay ahead of fellow riders!
Part of me wonders if the reason lies with the bike culture over here. Most of my cycling has been in France and Italy where cycling is very much a part of life.
I think the respect shown between cars and cyclists that is so much more prevalent is due to the fact most people either ride themselves or have friends/family that do. A lot of the time it feels more like a pastime than a sport when you are out and about.
In Australia on the other hand there seems to be more of a competitive vibe. This doesn’t just relate to the riding itself but also the equipment that people tend to use.
I often hear people describing cycling as the new golf and the executive classes certainly appear to have embraced it. Perhaps the competitiveness that they need at work is brought out on the bike with them too and the notion of bike camaraderie is simply a foreign concept.
Perhaps it is just a cultural thing in that Australians don’t feel comfortable saying hello to strangers. Originally being from the UK I certainly think this is part of the reason why people are reticent to say hi.
It might also be because most of the riding I do is in urban areas and there is a different city vibe pretty much everywhere you go in the world.
I’m hopeful that if I rode more in the country the vibe would be a lot friendlier. That said, in France and Italy be it country or city it is still normal custom to acknowledge each other.
As I said at the start of this article it might just be a personal thing and that everyone else is always saying hello to each other! I’m down at the Tour Down Under next week and hope to get some riding in so if you do see a guy wearing a burgundy Ride and Seek jersey please don’t blank him if he smiles or waves at you.
I will persevere with trying to make a connection with fellow cyclists when out and about, as it is what I’m used to from cycling in Europe.
Hopefully the cultural shift that has led to more and more people embracing cycling as a sport since I’ve been here will also manifest itself with those same people giving each other a wave every now and then.
Ryback
Guest
It must be a professional cycling team thing - I got the imperial point from one in northern Spain. The only difference was I was pushing a pram not riding a bike!
LukeC
Roar Rookie
Whenever I'm passing other cyclists, I try to no or say hi every time but I don't think the 'secret races' are such a bad thing. I was out on the bike today and secretly raced a guy for a few km. Our journeys only linked up for those few kilometres and my body is appreciating the fast 'race' as opposed to the other option of a friendly chat at a slow speed. Good article though.
LukeC
Roar Rookie
If it wasn't illegal to have a horn like that, I'd install one in every car I could!
GD
Guest
I've recently got a (motor) bike again, after about a 10 year break, and I was very pleased to find out it's still fairly common for riders (of the same "culture", at least - road bikes, Harleys, trail bikes, etc) to acknowledge each other. So, I don't think you can say it's something to do with being Australian or Australian culture and attitudes in general. I think your problem is confined to the bicycling fraternity!
Sam
Guest
Have you experience the Imperial Point? A few years ago we were riding in Germany and learnt this move. We are a fairly ragtag bunch of riders and a large group of cyclists was coming towards us and as they got closer we realised they were a huge professional cycling team. The leading cyclist sat up in his saddle and slowly and arrogantly pointed towards our side of the road - meaning "stay over there you peasants". It was one of the best things that has happened to me and we all use it regularly - mostly on cars! Maybe you should try this when someone isn't as friendly as you hoped?
Lee Rodgers
Expert
haha that'd be awesome...
Tim Renowden
Expert
Yes I was discussing this on a ride last week - there's no such thing as a "friendly toot" on a car horn, they all sound like "Get off the effing road!". I had a toot from a passing BMW driver which I interpreted as angry, but my mate thought was friendly. Maybe we need to find a way to play this as you drive past: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjwbblAvnDQ
plippy
Roar Rookie
Im all for the nod or striking up a conversation at lights with fellow riders, but I agree that there seems to be some resistance and reluctance for riders around Sydney to acknowledge one another. However, I feel that when in need fellow riders are helpful and willing to lend a hand at the sight of a flat or bike trouble, or unite together to give some road rage to a driver on the road. I.m not sure if we can have both, but the primary requires a lot less effort but seems harder to come by. Tristan I agree partly with your comment. it does seems built into the biker code of ethics, but if I had to spot a fellow azzuri rider, I might be waiting a while for the resipricated nod.
Lee Rodgers
Expert
I know that when I was training and racing in Holland my Dutch teammate thought I was an idiot for waving at everyone. I asked him why he didn't and he looked at me incredulously and said 'Dood! There are thousands of riders here! I can't say hello to all of them!' It's a common theme on the bike forums this topic, and I have to say I am firmly in favor of the nod or the wave. I'm not gonna chase someone down for not responding but I do often think 'You miserable git!'. It's funny but when I'm driving and I see a cyclist I wish there was some way I could signal that I'm a biker too - maybe we need some sort of horn code? One long, two short maybe? You'd probably get a middle finger back though...!
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Look, I'm a hack pedeller, but I do ride a motorbike. While there's an hierarchy in place (for example, Harley riders don't nod to anyone but Harleys. I ride a sports bike and don't nod at scooters, etc), there's a clear culture of head nods, couple of finger waves or even the head swoosh from left to right. I imagine some of these people are making the 'chk' noise in their cheek as well. This is what cyclists should aspire to ;)
Deanox
Guest
Hello there - get off the road and onto the trails I say. The fellow MTBers I've met around and about seem a very jolly bunch :)
Dylan Reynolds
Roar Rookie
Funny you should mention the Beach Road as I cycled along it just after Christmas. It really is a cyclist mecca and I can appreciate why saying hello to everyone that passed would soon become very tedious. On a positive note I got chatting to a guy as I rode along and we happily whiled away half an hour chewing the fat. Made for a far more pleasurable ride since I was riding on my own. I guess the crux of my point doesn't necessarily relate to contriving hellos out of everyone you pass on a bike, just those that you come into direct contact with. This relates more when you are way from the crowds and overtake someone or are overtaken yourself. It always strikes me as odd that a lot of folk just pretend that you are not there. The joy of being on a bike as opposed to in a car is that you are out of the cage and interaction is so much easier.
Tim Renowden
Expert
Yes, a good sentiment and while it would be nice if everyone was nicer to each other - Solidarity! - the problem here in Melbourne is that if I waved or nodded at every cyclist I passed on the bike path commuting to work or along Beach Road I'd have a sore neck and my right hand would never touch the bars. I exaggerate a bit, but it's the same as in the outback drivers wave at each other, whereas in the city they don't. If I'm riding somewhere a bit more remote I'll usually give (and receive) some acknowledgement. Agree totally on the respect shown to cyclists comments, too.
apaway
Roar Guru
Dylan, I'd happily wave to you if I could but my hands are soldered to the handle bars in fear after negotiating Sydney's traffic!
Al
Guest
Agree with Jay. I had an issue with my chain at Akuna Bay the other day and some kind gent stopped half way up the hill - on the steep bit - to offer to help. I 'mended' it temporarily only for the link to seize at the top again and, lo and behold, same kind gent was there to help me. He even took the link out of the chain on my behalf. Maybe it's just that it's not really a big cultural thing to give a wave and a nod of the head, rather than anything macho and alpha about our local cycling brethren. I'd just keep waving and maybe it'll catch on......
Megs
Guest
I agree that cyclists in Sydney do seem to have a competitive element to their commute. I try to be friendly on the bike but also shy away from the wave or acknowledgment in case I'm blanked. Perhaps it's the car vs bike mentality in Syndey that has cyclists on edge, always needing to be ready to defend their right to be on the road. I won't be at the Tour down under, but if I see a guy in a ride and seek jersey in Sydney, I'll be sure to give you a wave Dylan!
Jay
Guest
I'll be down at the Tour Down Under as well, so if I see you I'll give you a wave. But if I don't it's probably because I'm struggling! I don't necessarily find other cyclists unfriendly. I agree about not really being a thing that we wave to each other, but I regularly have pleasant chats with other cyclists at lights, or grabbing a coffee, and the last time I had a puncture there were plenty of people asking if I was ok. Maybe here it's just not so overt, but I wouldn't say it's not friendly.