Race entrant since 1978 here-- no elite, but likely to finish in the upper third of "typical" road races...
... I'll buy the less-edgy and more-chatty overall types further back in the pack, but so what? I've seen quiet people and jerks throughout the race, as well as ones who'll smile and shout (even if brief) encouragement as they pass or cross. Guess I'm not expecting an Up With People or Pink Ribbon gathering in the races I've entered and tend to enter.
And, recently, I'm also seeing somewhat more of the converse happening-- those further in the back too occupied by their playlists, smart phones, and smart-watch data to acknowledge you when you say something to them.