How often do you get the "wave through"?

Prime Directive

I've been riding in light, residential traffic for about a month now. During my last several trips I've had one instance each of a driver waving me through a stop sign-controlled intersection; on my last trip it happened three times. Most of the time they are giving up their turn/ROW to me and I don't understand why. Do they feel more comfortable having me pass before continuing (like I feel towards them), or do they think they're doing me some kind of favor? In any case, it would be better and safer for me if they were selfish or behaved exactly like I expect them too (take their turn). On one occassion, during my last trip, I wanted to turn left onto a minor road and a car ahead of me stopped and waved me on instead of just continuing straight!

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bkrownd

Good goddess I hate that. One person waves you through, and meanwhile another is behind them wondering what's going on and contemplating passing on the right, and then there's cross traffic that gets confused about who's turn it is to go, etc, etc, etc...

Happens about once a month, I guess, but my streets don't have many intersections and I usually ride in the 11PM-5AM timeframe a lot.

Mos6502

Hey, you live in denver. It's probably because they don't expect you to stop then, since it seems nobody around here on a bike bothers to. It is funny though, how nice people here are to you once you're on a bike.

-=£em in Pa=-

nick burns

I get it a lot too. It's almost like a lot of people think bicycles are exempt from stopping at stop signs. I even got it from a cop once.

I pretty much look at it in the same light as Lem does and appreciate the fact that I didn't have to work my way back up to speed.

-=£em in Pa=-

^^^ My observations too, Nick.
More proof that overwhealming public perception of us is the we should
be on the sidewalk and stop signs dont apply to bicycles.....
Isnt it ironic that car drivers simply cannot beleive that bikes legally
can ride in the road with cars but have no problem-even accept- that
they are exempt from stop sign ? :roflmao:
But again....To a car driver it is more of a hardship to be pleasant than it
is for me...if one actually diverges from hostility I am going to go out of
my way to say 'thank you' for breaking angry car status quo.

PaulH

sbhikes

I don't mind when people do that at stop signs or where the bike path crosses the road. I give a wave or nod of thanks and a smile and carry on. Seems like they are just being nice. And it's not some sinister conspiracy against cyclists. I have a friend who does that to everybody at all stops. I think it's a way to take control of the situation rather than hope that others will obey the law.

I only don't like it when its done in such a way as to confuse everybody else. Or when people stop and wave me through when they don't have a stop sign. Probably because not only does it confuse everybody else but it confuses me, too, until I realize what's going on.

donnamb

Part of the irony is that these well-meaning people can be impeding my sight lines, bloacking my view of traffic in the next lane over. The end result is they cause me a delay much longer than the normal one imposed by a trafic scan at the stop sign.

It's true. At least in this great weather we're having, many car windows are down, and I can explain to the Random Acter of Kindness that there are cars s/he isn't seeing who aren't stopping and to go ahead and thanks anyway.

古強者死神

I dont like when in a 3 or 4 lane road one person stops to wave me thru, but now I cant see the other lanes of traffic and its much more dangerous for me to go thru and nobody else is stoping.

So I can:

A: pull out just in that first lane and wait on traffic again but then there is a good chance of holding the nice person up for a long time.

B: try to tell them no, but most dont take no for an answer and it just gets complicated

C: go for it and maybe get into an accident...

Just so you know. If an accident is caused by sombody that "waves you thru" they are responsible for the acident, and can even get ticketed for it.

scottmorrison99

It is uncomfortable for me too but I look at it like someone actually
commiting a Random Act of Kindness and dont want to snub them
by refusing....I accept thier gracious offer and smile, wave and
mouth 'thank you'.
I didnt have to stop...they feel good....not entirely ideal but no harm done.

I used to insist on waiting, now if it is just the one vehicle and myself, I'll accept the kindness with a smile, wave, and Thank You. I agree with Lem in Pa.

AndrewP

Around here, the residential areas are full of intersections with 4 way stops. If I see a car aprosaching from another dirsction the same time as me, I slow down and wave it through before I come to a stop. Ususally they stop and then wave me through, and I proceed without stopping waving my thanks as I pass. The few that go on my wave-thru, accelerate out of my way before I come to a stop, so I then go. What I cant stand is dithering at the intersection wondering who is going first. I dont try to do this at busy intersections.

Some people think that bikes never stop at stop signs. I have noticed that the proportion of bikes stopping at stop signs is about the same as cars.

caloso

I would agree with all you shiny, happy people. Except I've nearly been killed by well-intentioned motorists like you describe. Well, not by the well-intentioned motorist who stops in the middle of the intersection, but the impatient driver behind him who can't figure out why this person has stopped and damned if he's going wait to find out, so he passes on the right. The last time that happened, the impatient driver nearly took my front wheel off. If I'd taken the wave-through, he would have t-boned me, and I'd be typing this with a straw.

So now I put my foot down and look away.

The Human Car

I agree that predictability plays a large part in safety. Sometimes I plant both feet on the ground and with a gracious bow and sweeping wave of the hand I motion the car that is waving me to go ahead, to go ahead instead. Just depends on how confusing of a situation they are creating by trying to change the order of the progression or if it is a simple not crystal clear on who got to the intersection first.

DataJunkie

I unclip and put my foot down while pretending that I do not see them. A few seconds later they figure it out and go. I'm just not that friendly. :p

ken cummings

A motorist is trying to be nice to a cyclist. If the move is legal and safe I would do it so as to encourage the motorist. If it is wrong I wave smile and shake my head "No Thank You.". If they insist I just dismount and move off the road. Like with the OP I have this happen a few times each week.