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Do you pass the same people on your commute? Do you wave to them?

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Do you pass the same people on your commute? Do you wave to them?

Old 03-03-21, 10:54 AM
  #1  
burritos
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Do you pass the same people on your commute? Do you wave to them?

Everyday that I commute, I pass the same 1-2 runners, same rotation of 5 protesters at the women's clinic, and the same pedestrian. Even though I'm pro choice( I chose biking over running), I wave to all of them. Pedestrian doesn't wave back, but he does now ride a bike from time to time(on the sidewalk).
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Old 03-03-21, 01:10 PM
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alloo
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I don't necessarily wave. I say good morning or good evening to all users on the path. It also is a warning that I'm about to pass if they don't hear the music playing on my bluetooth speaker.
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Old 03-03-21, 02:11 PM
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I verbally greet all the crossing guards when I commute in the morning. It still surprises me how cheerful and eager to talk back most of them are, even in the rain!
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Old 03-03-21, 07:22 PM
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I give a head nod and a two-finger thing on the handlebars unless I know they are a waver, then I wave. I want to be friendly but not intrusive.
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Old 03-04-21, 04:54 PM
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Not only do I acknowledge all the walkers on my route, I also try to connect with as many drivers as possible. Creating a human connection with motorists can only make them look out for you a bit more.
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Old 03-05-21, 03:16 AM
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Years ago, I used to frequently use the same route and would occasionally see many of the same people on it. I'd typically offer up a "tip o' the hand" to them, if we'd seen each other before. Often didn't get a return, but sometimes would.

Kind of like passing another cyclist across the street, or when riding a motorcycle passing another on a two-lane road. Works sometimes, sometimes not.
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Old 03-05-21, 08:01 AM
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Until Pandemic, my commute was in Manhattan. It's a very crowded and heavily populated place, and people don't generally wave or make eye contact. There were a few cyclists I would see regularly. One in particular was distinct, and I tried waving and making eye contact, but he always looked away.

We moved to our home in a rural area for Pandemic. I wave or shout hello to everyone. Today on a morning ride of 6 to 8 miles, I saw one person in his yard and three cars. That's it.
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Old 03-05-21, 10:07 AM
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When my commute was further, and I used the train, I'd see the same people every day. I'm not one to strike up a conversation, but I'd say hi to the other bike commuters and occasionally chat about bikes.

Now that my commute is under 4 miles on the most direct route, and it's through mainly residential areas, I don't really see anyone consistently. Every so often I'll time the ride right and bump into my coworkers that also bike commute. The route is a bike route, so there are always folx riding that I'll wave to. More than people though, I notice the same cars parked in the same places.
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Old 03-07-21, 07:24 PM
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There's one dude who works close to where I live that I often pass on the homeward commute. He always makes a point of waving, and sometimes quite emphatically, to me, so I wave back, perhaps less enthusiastically than him, because it's usually on the section of the road where I'm climbing and he's booking it downhill.
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Old 03-09-21, 04:25 PM
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If I see anyone I always say hi. Typically I do not know if it is the same person until a week goes by as I am not that close an observer. Though occasionally I will say hi and also add an extra greeting if I start seeing a person for more than a few days.
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Old 03-10-21, 04:59 PM
  #11  
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I wave at just about everybody. About 4 miles of my commute was on muti-use paths and there was a guy I regularly saw with no arms, he had prosthetics. He would wave back at me every single time! It gave me warm fuzzies that I could always count on him to acknowledge my existence. I moved a few months ago after not commuting since the start of COVID, I'll miss having that interaction once I have to commute again.
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Old 10-18-21, 07:46 AM
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Nod &say "Morning" most of the time.
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Old 10-18-21, 10:07 AM
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I met too many people to greet everyone, but there were a handful I recognized so "started working on them." A walker a half mile from home ignored me for quite a while but then started returning a "good morning" with a smile. I figured out where she lived and pointed the townhouse out to my daughter with the story on one of our tandem rides. Her response? "Oh yeah, she asked me once if you were my dad." Huh???? Turns out she was an assistant at my daughter's el ed school and somehow pieced things together.

In Minnesota, the true sign winter has begun and ended is when the joggers greet me. I get ignored most of the time, but when winter is here, there's always a wave or hearty greeting when we meet out in the cold. Then it warms up and the fair-weather joggers show up and it's back to joggers and cyclists ignoring each other.
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Old 10-18-21, 03:52 PM
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I stop by the same place for a quick coffee and food, and the staff know me cos I bring my own flask and order quite specific things. They now leave nice notes like Ride Safe on the take outs. It's really nice!
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Old 10-18-21, 03:52 PM
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I have a jogger that always says hi and a guy in a pick up truck that blinks his lights at me.
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Old 10-21-21, 10:03 AM
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I don't find cyclist like waving all the much here in the bay area. They seemed kind of surprised that I waved at them. I got a much better response when I used to ride motorcycles. Seems like 90%+ waved back vs cyclist seems like less than 1/3 wave back.
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Old 10-21-21, 06:50 PM
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Before I had retired, I did see regulars on the trail to or from work. There was this old couple who would walk with hiking poles and in the snow too. I would say hi to them.

And then when I entered the parking lot at my work, there would be this car trying to cut through bypassing the traffic light at the right turn. He would always end up tailing me, pushing me and passing me dangerously, endangering my other coworkers walking across.
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Old 10-22-21, 03:32 PM
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I wave to everyone I pass by. When no reply is given I remember (and this isn't mine, i just can't remember who said it it it) that we say hello not because others are good, but because we are good. I keep at it because who knows, it might change someone or lift their spirit.
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Old 10-25-21, 04:13 PM
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When I had a commute, I was regularly passed by two separate women, and almost always called a cheerful good morning. Not a lot of riders here at 6:30 in the morning.
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Old 10-26-21, 02:02 PM
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Most people I pass, give the motorcycle wave. (Low and hold out your hand like the motorcyclist do.)
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Old 10-30-21, 03:22 PM
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In the summer yes of course. In the winter I never see other riders after the first snow fall.
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Old 11-01-21, 04:11 PM
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Originally Posted by locolobo13
Nod &say "Morning" most of the time.
Me too and add a "ching-ching" or "ding- ding" depending on my bike, always the bell when kids are involved. One of 3 tones on bike horn when cars are there!
gm
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Old 11-06-21, 05:31 PM
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Yes I do at least one of the common greetings depending on the situation. I waive to cyclists going in the opposite direction if going at a good clip - say hello or good morning (afternoon) if passing. When people are working in their yard close enough to the road I say good morning or afternoon. Also when passing I give one ring on my bike bell and when I go past I often say "Just saying Hello" . I will often say hello to pedestrians at cross walks and if they waive me through give them a hearty "Thank you".

I have to say that I am most often rewarded and seldom ignored. People usually welcome a friendly gesture and I am happy to initiate. I find very few are the initiators.
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Old 01-08-22, 01:27 AM
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Big Dave Crowe
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I wave at the runners, knock down the signs of the protestors, throw treats to the dogs and tip myu hat to the ladies, all in that order by the way.
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Old 02-20-22, 10:28 PM
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I see the same red VW bug every day heading in the same direction. I can tell if I am running behind or ahead of schedule depending on where I see her on the road
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