Re: Are MBs the Beverly Hillbillies of bicycledom?
I live in a tiny rural community, there's not much of a bike scene of any sort. We do have the weekend warriors, decked out in sponsored spendex on their billion dollar bikes & yea, they're pretty snotty, they tend to cause a bit of resentment by ignoring the shoulder & riding two abreast, blocking traffic - they seem to think that as they've spent so much to "be in the scene" they're somehow entitled to do as they please, the laws of physics need not apply as the cars stack up behind them. They're known to make assorted hand gestures - but returning a friendly wave isn't one of them... unless you're sporting at least a few thousand in carbon fiber ofc.
Whatever, to each their own - it just annoys me mostly because their aggressive indifference makes all bicyclists look bad, folks will never even notice the passive pedaler cruising along happily, the one who though not required by law - moves over as much as they can to let folks pass, be it out of courtesy, a simple sense of self preservation - or both... heck, even I was beginning to associate shrink wrap shorts with simply stunning stupidity.
For the past three years or so I've been doin' the daily commute on my motorized bikes, my '43 Rollfast in the sunny summer months, by beater Schwinn in the wicked, wicked winters... and while I've had many adventures & met more than a few people both good & bad, there is one small tale I'd like to tell.
There's a roadie I see sometimes in the morning, decked out in bright yellow gear she's always on the other side of the road, going the other direction... presumably also on her way to work, wherever that may be. I've always been mightily impressed with her determination & stamina as it's no small thing to ride year-round in Maine on a bicycle. She's got the gear, but she's no pompous poser - she's not even cheating, with panniers, packs & pedals but no motor assist of any sort. I'd smile & wave, she'd ignore the bearded freak on the stinky MB & we'd go our separate ways.
Yet after that first winter, my wave started to be returned with the slightest of nods, an almost imperceptible dip of the aerodynamically streamlined helmet... after the second winter sure enough, a few fingers would come off the bars in acknowledgement... and now, in the third winter running, interestingly - it seems we've a little competition going as to who can manage to greet the other first with a big smile & a wave or a simple thumbs up, though the bridge crossing is exempt as we'd prolly both crash, narrow and bumpy as it is.
I've never spoken to her and probably never will, we've both places to be & I'm usually late (ironic as that may be w/the motor an' all)... but I'd like to thank her for reminding me of some things I'd nearly forgotten, how much a simple smile will serve you, how far a little courtesy will carry you, that not all 'dexters are pretentious pricks just as not all MBers are weedwacker wackos... but it might take only the one to change public perception. Most importantly - it makes no nevermind at all what you wear, ride or how much you spent, it's what you do that earns real respect.