Pacific Northwest - Is it just in Washinton or is this a......

biker thing. ( by biker I mean cyclist). I have spent years hiking and climbing and have recently in the last year gotten more serious into biking. In the mountains, on the trail, almost everone you pass will say hi or nod or wave some sort of greeting. Generally there is a friendly greeting of some sort. I find it different however with cycling. I will naturally nod or wave or give some sort of greeting as I pass other cyclist but have found the majority to either not wave, or reluctantly acknowledge my passing or even some scowl or have no expression at all. My question is 'what gives?' Does anybody else notice this? If I pass somebody walking on a bike path they will almost always smile and say hi. Does anybody else notice this?

Most cyclists I meet on the road wave in greeting as we pass. Just seems like a friendly acknowledgement of our common interest.

If you drive to work, do you wave at every other person driving a car? When it's 5am, pitch black and pouring rain, I'm just going to work like everybody else. If I don't smile and wave, don't take it personally.
For days that I cut through the MUP, if I waved to everyone riding a bike I'd look like I was fighting off attacking bees. There's a lot of people on the Sammamish River and Burke-Gilman Trails.

If you drive to work, do you wave at every other person driving a car? .

I'm sure if it's a mini or a new beetle they do.

I give a nod most of the time, and when it's sunny and there's a lot of people on the trail I'll say hi or a wave of a couple fingers (keeping hands on the bars).

But, not every biker returns the favor. If I get something along the lines of eye-contact, I'm happy.

And, when I do say hi, non-bikers on MUPs tend to smile sincerely and move out of the way faster.

I usually do the nod or lift a hand off the bar for a quick wave.

I don't ride on MUPs much (except for the shared route below the Viaduct on Alaska sometimes) and really, I'm too busy watching out for autos, road hazards and peds to say hi. I'll nod over if we are the only two bikes out there, but even then not always. If I'm stopped at a light with someone, I'll always say hello however.

I've only given this brief notice before, but I think it may have something to do with the relative closing speed of bicycles and the fact that piloting a bicycle is more akin to driving than it is to walking or hiking. I rarely make eye contact with approaching bicyclists. Also, I believe that there is a kind of competitiveness/agressiveness among cyclists that makes many of them act like they're in a race with everyone else rather than just out for a bike ride. These folks will give you nothing more than an "on your left" as they come within inches of your left elbow while trying to avoid the pedestrian coming the other way. I don't talk to people when stopped at lights and I can't remenber anyone trying to talk to me. However, since we ride a tandem most of the time I expect that other tandem teams would acknowledge us just for the fact that there are so few of us. I find it odd that other tandem teams don't say hi or try to strike up a conversation; the only time that happens is if we're both stopped somewhere for a bathroom break, such as at Logboom Park. Once we joined two other tandems at a light in Lake Forest Park and nobody said anything.

I commute the Interurban trail Seattle to Everett. If I'm on schedule there are a couple of people that we wave when passing by on the MUP sections. I don't see many other riders and I assume they don't either during the week. Otherwise I normally don' wave etc. When I first started hiking (before permits were required everywhere) it was unusual to see other parties so we'd frequently stop and talk. Now maybe just a nod.

As a life-long Seattle native, I offer this to explain the difference between an introvert and extrovert in Seattle: An introvert looks at his/her own shoes while talking to you. An extrovert looks at your shoes while talking to you. There are a lot of bike-riding introverts up here.

As a life-long Seattle native, I offer this to explain the difference between an introvert and extrovert in Seattle: An introvert looks at his/her own shoes while talking to you. An extrovert looks at your shoes while talking to you. There are a lot of bike-riding introverts up here.
:roflmao:
Love it. So true; we're nice, but shy.

Interesting responses all. Thanks for the replies. I AM SURE THAT 95% OF BIKERS ARE GOOD AND FRIENDLY PEOPLE. I was not suggesting anything else but jeesh, just a lift of your finger would be nice. I used to have a motorcycle and it was always an unwritten law that you would wave at a passing motorcyclist and that is at much faster closing speeds etc... it seems that it sort of a fraternity in that way. I would really have guessed that biking is the same way. It is just hard for me to pass somebody on a trail doing the exact same thing that I am, look them in the eye, and not nod or wave or something. Oh, don't get me wrong, I will continue to nod, lift my finger and even smile so next time all you stone faces of the great northwest pass another biker and they make a gesture you will have that little voice in the back of your noggin that it may have been RichardNoggin! :)

It depends, I think. I agree with RN to a degree, I'm getting back into cycling and have done my share of hiking and climbing and half way believed that it would be similiar in that atleast there is a nod here and there (went on a long ride Sunday and got growls at best). I have ridden with groups that are super cool this year, but in general people look down while at lights or at stops which in part is too bad. Cyclists are doing something that we all enjoy.

I was not suggesting anything else but jeesh, just a lift of your finger would be nice.

:lol: Be careful what you ask for. :lol:

:lol: Be careful what you ask for. :lol:

touche!!

If you drive to work, do you wave at every other person driving a car?

Driving in rural areas on back roads, I usually wave at most approaching drivers and they wave back. I think there's a big difference between urbanites and country folks in the way we approach these friendly gestures. I expect that applies to cyclists, too. I'm never riding on crowded trails, so when I meet an approaching cyclist they're usually in the opposite traffic lane and there's lots of time and space for a friendly tip of the hand from the handlebar as we pass. I probably wouldn't do it under more crowded conditions due to both safety and just getting to be too much work for very little benefit.

biker thing. ( by biker I mean cyclist). I have spent years hiking and climbing and have recently in the last year gotten more serious into biking. In the mountains, on the trail, almost everone you pass will say hi or nod or wave some sort of greeting. Generally there is a friendly greeting of some sort. I find it different however with cycling. I will naturally nod or wave or give some sort of greeting as I pass other cyclist but have found the majority to either not wave, or reluctantly acknowledge my passing or even some scowl or have no expression at all. My question is 'what gives?' Does anybody else notice this? If I pass somebody walking on a bike path they will almost always smile and say hi. Does anybody else notice this?

Its pretty much the same here in Sydney Australia.95% of the people will wave or say g'day if they don't I just say some thing under my breath and keep going.Last week I met a guy who was over here from Chicago,we had a great ride together for about 10 km. Concentrate on the nice people.
Cheers,Tony.

If youre like me, youre better off keeping both hands on the bar! I'm really a nice guy but something about road rash...

I've only given this brief notice before, but I think it may have something to do with the relative closing speed of bicycles and the fact that piloting a bicycle is more akin to driving than it is to walking or hiking. I rarely make eye contact with approaching bicyclists. Also, I believe that there is a kind of competitiveness/agressiveness among cyclists that makes many of them act like they're in a race with everyone else rather than just out for a bike ride. These folks will give you nothing more than an "on your left" as they come within inches of your left elbow while trying to avoid the pedestrian coming the other way. I don't talk to people when stopped at lights and I can't remenber anyone trying to talk to me. However, since we ride a tandem most of the time I expect that other tandem teams would acknowledge us just for the fact that there are so few of us. I find it odd that other tandem teams don't say hi or try to strike up a conversation; the only time that happens is if we're both stopped somewhere for a bathroom break, such as at Logboom Park. Once we joined two other tandems at a light in Lake Forest Park and nobody said anything.

I'm just recently been getting into cycling and I noticed this too. I don' t agree with this explaination. I've been riding motorcycles since High School (6 years), that takes if not as much effort, at least as much concentration and much higher closing speeds are involved. except for the occasional cruiser rider that hates sport-bikes or vice-versa, almost everyone gives a 2 fingered wave or nod of the head. Strange.

biker thing. ( by biker I mean cyclist). I have spent years hiking and climbing and have recently in the last year gotten more serious into biking. In the mountains, on the trail, almost everone you pass will say hi or nod or wave some sort of greeting. Generally there is a friendly greeting of some sort. I find it different however with cycling. I will naturally nod or wave or give some sort of greeting as I pass other cyclist but have found the majority to either not wave, or reluctantly acknowledge my passing or even some scowl or have no expression at all. My question is 'what gives?' Does anybody else notice this? If I pass somebody walking on a bike path they will almost always smile and say hi. Does anybody else notice this?

I haven't read this whole thread. So my comments are coming from your initial post. I usually say hi or hello to anyone I see on the road....but! I live in the country areas and I'm just happy to "see" people:p. When I ride with our club in town I always acknowledge anyone (walkers, joggers, dog walkers, ppl on the side of the road, bikers, kids, blah blah blah) I just think it is friendly and makes them aware that we are buzzing by. Everyone is different. I can imagine if I commuted I wouldn't acknowledge like I do in my recreational mode :D

I agree. It always surprises me how few fellow fellow riders respond to a nod or finger wave, at least along the Sammamish Slough.

I always try to say hello or at least nod. But then again, I do have that annoying habit of being cheerful most of the time :D .

East Hill