Do you pass the same people on your commute? Do you wave to them?
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
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).
Likes For burritos:
#2
Full Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 490
Bikes: 2022 Priority Coast, 2022 Priority Current
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 175 Post(s)
Liked 137 Times
in
99 Posts
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.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,901
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2604 Post(s)
Liked 1,928 Times
in
1,210 Posts
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!
#4
Senior Member
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.
Likes For WonderMonkey:
#5
Senior Member
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.
Likes For Papa Tom:
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: USA
Posts: 1,823
Bikes: 1996 Trek 970 ZX Single Track 2x11
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 614 Post(s)
Liked 565 Times
in
429 Posts
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.
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.
#7
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,502
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7348 Post(s)
Liked 2,465 Times
in
1,433 Posts
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.
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.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#8
Senior Member
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.
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.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Toronto, CANADA
Posts: 6,204
Bikes: ...a few.
Mentioned: 47 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2012 Post(s)
Liked 408 Times
in
234 Posts
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.
#10
Senior Member
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.
#11
Senior Member
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.
Likes For locolobo13:
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 857
Bikes: Cannondale '92 T600 '95 H600 '01 RT1000
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 92 Post(s)
Liked 109 Times
in
82 Posts
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.
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.
#14
Full Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Posts: 263
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 102 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 55 Times
in
48 Posts
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!
#15
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Cental Illinois
Posts: 108
Bikes: 1990 Schwinn Curcit is my main bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 48 Times
in
36 Posts
I have a jogger that always says hi and a guy in a pick up truck that blinks his lights at me.
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: San Jose
Posts: 1,025
Bikes: Blur / Ibis Hakka MX / team machince alr2 / topstone 1
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 426 Post(s)
Liked 274 Times
in
201 Posts
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.
Likes For sean.hwy:
#17
Senior Member
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.
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.
#18
Junior Member
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.
Likes For jolly_codger:
#19
Happy banana slug
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Arcata, California, U.S., North America, Earth, Saggitarius Arm, Milky Way
Posts: 3,695
Bikes: 1984 Araya MB 261, 1992 Specialized Rockhopper Sport, 1993 Hard Rock Ultra, 1994 Trek Multitrack 750, 1995 Trek Singletrack 930
Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1533 Post(s)
Liked 1,528 Times
in
916 Posts
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.
Likes For Colorado Kid:
#21
Flying and Riding
In the summer yes of course. In the winter I never see other riders after the first snow fall.
#23
Old but still riding
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.
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.
#24
Junior Member
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.
#25
Senior Member
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
Likes For hbsyncro: