Cycle path greetings?

Finally a cycling debate that doesn't involve helmets, RLJing, collective responsibility, hi-viz etc........:

Perhaps this is irrelevant to cyclists in England but here in France while using an out of town cycle path (or are cycling out of town generally), around half the people say a bonjour as they pass and half of them don't. As a naturally anti social bastard I started off just keeping myself to myself but then started to feel bad and so experimented with the whole bonjour thing. The problem is that there are also only a few seconds to work out whether you think an approaching cyclist will bonjour you or not and if they do and you weren't expecting it then you miss that microsecond of opportunity to bonjour back then you feel bad but if you bonjour someone and they don't bonjour you back then one can only feel slightly irked, this must lead to a lot of unnecessary irksomeness in the world and something must be done!

I've noticed some old dudes with a permanent half smile/grimace which may have evolved as a kind of permanent 'was he saying bonjour?' expression which causes no offence (although I could be projecting, it could be from some kind of trauma or stroke). I've evolved a kind of half wave of the hand while leaving it on the handlebar and a quiet bonjour but I still get pissy if I get no response. I have to say I think if everyone just kept themselves to themselves it would probably be better. Saying that, it is good for the soul to give and receive a warm smile to someone who is sharing a similar experience to you (albeit in the opposite direction). Also where do you end? when you pass walkers? dogs? cows? although I do usually say hello to cows..........

So do you bonjour/hello? or do you just think fuck everyone else? obviously there would be a lot less general rejection/resentment if there was a general consensus, so what is it to be cyclists of the world? hello? or get the bloody motherfuck out of my face?

I tend to give a wave/ thumbs up to any approaching cyclist, and say hello to any I overtake

i just smile :)

I usually look them up and down and think "too high a gear and saddle needs adjustment" then I consider whether to give them an upward nod or an "oright". By which time the moment has gone.

Depends on the gradient of the road, if climbing hard it's a nods or flock of the fingers off the bars, if passing close by I say howdo, hey or y'right. And if I know them I shout abuse ;)

Inside London obviously just ignore everyone but in the country I'll normally nod or wave to passing cyclists.

Over taking on an incline I'll try to muster my chirpiest "Hello".

I almost killed another cyclist today on the bypass near elephant and castle. Guy was in full head to toe carbon, I'm sure he had carbon woven into his jersey and stuff too and the most awesome carbon(maybe effect) glasses, he also had a massive square bag/suitcase on his back so I went with "you need a cargo bike with that thing" to which he gave a gurn and red light jumped into the road.

Das

I almost killed another cyclist today on the bypass near elephant and castle. Guy was in full head to toe carbon, I'm sure he had carbon woven into his jersey and stuff too and the most awesome carbon(maybe effect) glasses, he also had a massive square bag/suitcase on his back so I went with "you need a cargo bike with that thing" to which he gave a gurn and red light jumped into the road.

There's a bypass?

Always bonjour to cyclists passing me in the opposite direction unless there are a million of them where a nod and a smile suffices. Anybody who overtakes me gets a bonjour if they say something to me as they pass. NB I am fairly deaf so that means some quiet people inadvertently get ignored and go away thinking I am a rude twat, and also presumably means that some people get a bonjour right after they've levelled an outrageous insult against my person. Horse riders always get a bonjour in good time from any direction but especially from behind, those hooves look like they'd hurt if they kicked me. Walkers get a bonjour if they're walking in the road in any direction and I have to give way to them, otherwise it depends on how grumpy I'm feeling. Fixie skidders get a solitary middle finger regardless of placement and direction.

I say hello to everyone and everything when I'm out riding. Pretty much anything that walks, crawls or flies.

Even roadies.

Depends who it is.

Strangers always get at least a nod, regardless of whether the have initiated the exchange or not.

Approaching riders in (local) club kit, get blanked or the finger; if I'm feeling playful I reply with a smile, a wave and a cheery "cunt".

If passing (local) club riders don't do so immediately, but try and strike-up a conversation, I tell them to "fuck off". Invariably this doesn't work first time, so I'm forced to expand: "If I wanted to ride with cunts like you, I would be. I'm not, so fuck off".

:)

EDIT
Adding a ":)": I'm not really that arsey... or am I?

I tell everybody to ''fuck off''

Do you venture into Norfolk much?

A quick game of cock or ball to anyone I see.

I tend to give a wave/ thumbs up to any approaching cyclist, and say hello to any I overtake

ParryMan, do most of those you greet answer back with hello or a nod?

I am always friendly to every path user and most do not answer back to m.

Do you venture into Norfolk much?

Not as much as I'd like to!

This has got to be the most bizarre/pointless/ridiculous thread I've come across on here - but I like it.

I couldn't care less how I am perceived on the road but will always return salutations if they're presented to me. However, I was wearing my La Vie Claire jersey on my ride today, saw a guy coming the other way in the same shirt, thumbed my chest and then gave him the thumbs up. I can't decide whether I came across as genially cool or like some prize burk.

I give a tentative nod and a bleated 'hi' if they said something as we past. The nod is some kind of gesture of solidarity. It's half-hearted because I tend to think they're thinking, 'I'm not like you.' On my usual journey I encounter one whom regularly says hello and one whom doesn't. Awkward when their in quick succession. Hello, not you, him.

Pretty much anything that walks, crawls or flies.

Unless of course, it's on CS7 :-/

Then it can >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Always say hello to anything that moves, on my rides through Dorset to work that includes cattle, sheep, deer, hens, and the odd human being. contemplating actually saying 'bonjour' now due to the above posts...think I like the sound of it.

A bit OT but whereabouts in Suffolk are you from?

Depends who it is.

Strangers always get at least a nod, regardless of whether the have initiated the exchange or not.

Approaching riders in (local) club kit, get blanked or the finger; if I'm feeling playful I reply with a smile, a wave and a cheery "cunt".

If passing (local) club riders don't do so immediately, but try and strike-up a conversation, I tell them to "fuck off". Invariably this doesn't work first time, so I'm forced to expand: "If I wanted to ride with cunts like you, I would be. I'm not, so fuck off".

If I'm on one of my 80's bikes and kitted out in the real gear and come across riders who are on modern shit with stupid rapha clothing they tend to blank me, despite me saying 'owdo guys' [CUNTS!]

A bit OT but whereabouts in Suffolk are you from?

If passing (local) club riders don't do so immediately, but try and strike-up a conversation, I tell them to "fuck off". Invariably this doesn't work first time, so I'm forced to expand: "If I wanted to ride with cunts like you, I would be. I'm not, so fuck off".

The friendly part :-)

I had a "there goes f*cking Nibali" the other week when I passed the local club's Sunday re-grouping after a hill. I was genuinely confused.
Anyway, people heading my way I'll either nod or say hello if they look a bit quirky rather than crabon mamil. If I'm passing people I feel really awkward and just stare at my stem.

If I'm on one of my 80's bikes and kitted out in the real gear and come across riders who are on modern shit with stupid rapha clothing they tend to blank me, despite me saying 'owdo guys' [CUNTS!]

Ill say hey and hi to anyhing but sometimes i do feel like shouting abuse at the dismissive glances the aero rapha roadie elitist throw, never do but its annoying