Weekend effect

[JohnE]

I really only do 2 sports: snowboarding & bicycling. 

I've noticed that there is something in common with both of these sports: When I am out during the week (lunchtime bike riding, playing hooky for some mid-week boarding) other participants are much friendlier than they are on the weekends. 

When I'm riding during the week, I see other riders (both road & off-road), I say hello and they wave back. If I'm boarding mid-week I see other boarders & skiers in the lodge & on the lifts and most everyone is pleasant and respectful. 

Conversely, on the weekends, other cyclists tend to have their heads down and often don't reply to a "good morning". Ski areas on weekends are filled with a bunch of rude, self-absorbed people. 

Have others noticed this in boarding, cycling and possibly other sports? 

Is it a "rats in a cage" phenomenon? 

For this reason, I have pretty much given up on weekend boarding. 

[Corey]

Locally, it doesn't seem to matter much on the very few weekdays I've been out.  This is Canada, and even more, 'Friendly Manitoba', after all.  People say sorry even when it's your fault!  

At Nakiska in Alberta, weekends suck just due to the traffic.  More traffic = more stress = sucky experience.  

[jburk]

Maybe some (or most) of the weekend participants feel that they can’t come out to play during the week due to time constraints and responsibilities (which leads to stress), and so are grimly determined to have fun on the weekends.  They could be carrying all that baggage accumulated during the week around with them. Which would make anyone cranky. 

[Mig]

"Weekend warriors"... LOL

[Dan]

Yeah, certainly for snow sports, the midweek riders (at least on Mt. Hood where we don't have destination resorts) are the people who really get it. Midweek riders have generally been at it a good long while, know how their skills compare to other riders, and are just out there to have fun. Weekend riders are much more likely to feel they have something to prove..also, it's crowded!

[davekempmeister]

Compare any given Wednesday to any given Saturday at one of the hills accessible (90 minutes) to the D.C. market.  Like two different planets, for all the reasons stated in prior posts.  I managed about a 15 year run without a single Weekend day until my kids talked me into it, just a couple of years ago.  The arrangement is that I agree to take them if we are in line at the start of lift operations and I get to do three runs with them.  They agree to this because they actually like to arrive early and when they are riding with me, none of their friends are there yet anyway.  

Strangely, I kind of enjoy the whole circus atmosphere.  Stressed out parents in the parking lot or the shop always make for a laugh ( yes, i am mean when i should empathize).  It's the first world problem type of situation, usually.  Pass, Coupon, Googles, boots or jacket left at home, etc. 

Dan's comment about "destination" resorts is key, I think.   The vibe in the lodge mid-week at Arapahoe, Loveland, Wolf Creek (no lodging) as compared to Breck, Vail,  Copper is very different.  There is something about coming in on equal footing.

[JohnE]

I think the thing that makes weekend snow-sliders cranked up is the traffic mess up to the areas and then all of the crowds trying to get up the mountain. I hate the traffic more than anything. Add to that a powder day and the road conditions are bad and everybody is trying to get up for fresh tracks. 

When I'm mountain biking at lunchtime during the week, other trail users (cyclists & hikers) are friendly and courteous. If I'm road cycling and pass another rider with a wave or a "good morning" I usually get a response in-kind. 

Road cycling on the weekend often when I pass another rider (especially a tri-biker) and say "good morning" the usual response is head-down silence. Weekend mountain bikers are often "get out of my way" rude. 

Just wondered if others see this in other parts of the country or with other sports.

Weekday season pass is for me.