How about giving riders a helmet or jersey choice that clearly identifies the rider as unable to fully communicate? I’ve been avoiding my rollers because I can’t fully communicate with the many people from around the world I have already gotten to know on Zwift. Normally I send and respond to messages and I don’t want to appear rude by not responding to messages. Hey, I just don’t have the skill level to type a message while balancing.
Something by the riders name would be more reasonable, I’m not going to see someones Jersey if they are sending a message from 1km away or whatever the upper message distance limit is.
Good point, Allan. I hadn’t thought of that. Just to be clear about your point, and please correct me if I’m wrong, it would be better if there was a symbol by my name because if I’m not in the close vicinity of the message sender s/he won’t see my jersey. Yes, this would be an improvement over my suggestion.
I posted this too a few days ago. Someone kept talking to me and I couldn’t reply because I was running the game on my Laptop on a table out in front of my bike, I had to access to the keyboard and the person kept asking me questions and I had no way to respond without stopping and getting off the bike. I think the person thinks I’m a rude jerk now, unfortunately, but I was just in a groove and didn’t want to stop and get off to say I can’t type.
Right - just a little symbol just like the lightning bolt designating they are a power meter user. Like an option you can click when starting a ride saying “DND” / “Rollers” / “Free to chat”.
I can not type on a normal trainer really, the keyboard is too far away if I am riding in a normal mode, seems odd to me how those people do it!
A few years ago I taught myself to type on the rollers. At first it’s scary but eventually it becomes about the same as typing on the trainer.
Not just rollers. My laptop is just out of reach while riding.
Could be something as simple as a mute icon next to the person’s name.