sbhikes

Motorcyclists do it. Do you?

Do you wave to other cyclists? Do you wave to all cyclists or just certain ones? Are there some you never wave to?

I wave at my fellow commuters in the morning--the ones I recognize--and to any other recumbent rider I see. It's camraderie. I usually don't wave to road bikers hunched over trying to go as fast as they can, or to Latino guys (sorry!) I always wave to little kids when I'm on my recumbent. They LOVE it. They think I'm a rock star.

Anyway, do you wave? Do you think it's important to do?

DnvrFox

No fair, sbhikes. You didn't vote.

genec

I wave at all the riders that are in decent eye range... so to those across the 4 lane road... sorry. Although on a quiet Sunday, when we are the only ones about... everyone gets a wave.

That "wave" can consist of anything from a raised hand still on the brake hood to a nod to a full on wave... depending on what I might be doing at the moment.

Bottom line is that I try to acknowledge my fellow (and female) cyclists as being out there too.

sbhikes

Sorry! My dinner was ready just when I hit the submit button.

The poll is just for fun anyway.

STEEKER

I try to wave or just nod my head ,sometimes I ring the bell if it is some one I know then wave BUT not at night unless I know them . but most of the time I am watching the road and cars

roccobike

It depends. There's not a lot of waving going on during a trail ride, mostly because of the single track. But after the ride there is plenty of waving, nodding and freindly talk. On the road, I cycle in quiet neighborhoods instead of main roads so there are few cyclists. But the bike paths or MUPs are very freindly, most cyclists nod or wave to each other during a ride.

Bekologist

I'm waving at EVERYBODY nowadays.

most all bikers get the nod, the wink, the wave. Pedestrians get the once over, the local deranged get a big nod, the drug dealers a lesser one. i'm dinging my bell at kids in strollers, smiling at the moms, waving hiya 'you looking at me?' to the taxi drivers, waving the big rigs by, I've even caught myself waving at the livestock.

My fav is a nonchalant, insoucient "V for victory" off the hoods, or maybe it's a "peace" sign, who can really say?

roccobike

Cool! As long as your not telling someone 'Your number one', Bekologist !

chipcom 

I give a nod, along with a 'howdy', 'mornin' or similar greeting if they are in hearing range.

mtn_mojo

I either wave, say hello or nod to other bikers or pedestrians I come across. If it's a biker on the other side of the road, a quick extension of my hand off the handlebars and a smile. If it's someone on the MUP where quarters are a little closer, it's a "howdy" or " 'morning!"

o-dog

I always give a "what up" nod at least

webist

I do what I can to acknowledge everyone I encounter. I pay particular attntion to drivers of vehicles which yeild me my right of way at intersections and driveways, etc entering my roadway.

The only real exceptions are cyclists whom I have learned never acknowledge a greeting of any kind. Strangest example of this is an elderly couple who ride daily in my neighborhood. They ignore everyone.

Otherwise, everyone gets at least a wave of the hand while resting on the hood.

cyclebutt

Alway's wave... to me it's a commeraderie thing

UmneyDurak

Hmm this brings back memories of all the rants about those "arogant roadies" that never wave bake. Some people are just way too uptight, God forbid you don't wave back. Automatically you a complete ahole.
Anyway sometimes I wave, sometimes I don't.

As You Like It

Like Bekologist, I wave at practically everyone and everything. For me it goes back to my western Nebraskan upbringing where, of course, you wave to everyone you encounter on the road, if you are driving or otherwise. It is considered very stuck up and rude not to wave, and so I've just been conditioned to wave, even if I don't know the person I have encountered.

slvoid

There's only 1 type of wave in new york city...

Dogbait

It's the same here. Unless I'm on a busy highway, more than half of the cars and trucks and most of the bikes wave. The livestock pretty much ignore waving humans.... unless they're on horses.

Dogbait

cyclezealot

I usually wave or nod hello. And more. I think yelling passsing on left is a necessary courtesy.

FastFreddy

I almost always wave -- or nod or smile if I don’t want to take a hand off the bars. Exception: I don’t even try to exchange greetings with the guys with lots of tattoos riding fixies – way too much attitude.

I also wave to motorists when they’re courteous – which is most of the time.

peregrine

I don't wave but I always either nod or smile or say something in greeting :]

CommuterRun

I don't often wave and I almost never see any other cyclists, but I do give an acknowledging nod, smile and "Good Morning, how's it goin'?" or "Hey, how ya' doin?'" to all motorists that pass in either direction, unless I'm trying to negotiate an unusually busy intersection. I'll usually stop and talk to folks on the side of the road, particularly if they're engaged in something I have interest in or if they look like they might be having some kind of trouble, flat tire, etc. In return I get many smiles and waves.

I also give greeting to any wildlife I see. The deer are nice. The armadillos are very snobbish. They don't stop their rooting long enough to even look at me.

bikingshearer 

+1. Good, courteous driving behavior needs all the positive reinforcement we can give. I also try to wave or say "howdy" to all and sundry on a bike.

Daily Commute

I like to wave to motorists who are jerks. It often diffuses the situation, makes them feel silly, and doesn't make me mad for the rest of my ride.

LittleBigMan

I wave at almost everybody.

New years morning a guy across the street waiting at the bus stop hollered "Happy New Year" at me as I passed, so now I call out to him most mornings. First morning on my recumbent, he called out, "Sports car!"

Still, I speak to stangers sometimes and they ignore me. I don't blame them, I might be a pervert!

vtjim

If it's a regular trail user, I wave. But I wave at regular pedestrians and runners, too... Especially the the cute blonde who walks her dog at sunrise every morning.