GrimJump

I ride my Peugeot 103 and always wave to other bike riders but they never wave back, only a few have. A few folks nod. I also wave to pedestrians and they don't wave back. I try to be nice and make the world not seem so lonely but it seems like it's a bit in vain. I'm still gonna do it!

leed

It's always nice, and it really depends on where you are. I will give the head-nod-of-approval to lots, but it gets tiring if there are a lot of people, so sometimes I just give four fingers with my hands on the bars.

Hot Potato

I always wave, to people I know. Or if I need help and am trying to attract attention. Or if someone is in danger of harm and needs a warning. Why do you wave?

Velo Gator

I'm never sure, so I always wait for someone to wave first. If they're waiting for me to wave first, then we end up in a no-wave stalemate.

Guitarrick

Ditto. On a busy stretch it can get to where you're waving every 20 seconds, I always return a wave or hello though, usually the four fingers.

Velo Vol 

They're not friendly.

Good luck.

corbett1010

Don't see many people on the road. When I do, I wave. About half respond with something.

Guitarrick

ciocc_cat

Are you doing a "hillbilly wave" or a "princess wave"?

alexvpaq

this reminds me of the time when I arrived on BF and some guy was crying his life out because people wouldn't wave back at him.

rufvelo

On the MUP, waving is tiresome and dangerous. On a century seeing a bicyclist after a few hours of solitary riding is a good reason to wave.

LesterOfPuppets

I rode down to Portland yesterday and there are just too many riders down there to wave to all of them.

I say hi more than I wave. Bum bikers in the vicinity of Jantzen Beach were the most responsive group yesterday. Every one of them said hi back or at least nodded.

Most enthusiastic response I got was from a city bike posse that I passed, all 3 responded! The hot girl on a Dutch bike actually hit me with a Hiyee! I saw on some sitcom that only hot girls can pull off the hiyee, so far it holds true.

canam73

The really hard men of cycling don't wave because they're in training. Just accept that all the folk that don't respond to you are doing something really important and that they must stay focused and that you won't ever understand.

kenji666

I also wave to drivers who give me a wide berth when passing from behind. Some just rev their engines as they roar past me, after impatiently following behind due to oncoming traffic.

hhnngg1

Also depends on the rider comfort on the bike. Unfortunately, it seems that you need to be a 'middle ground' rider to easily wave.

Beginner cyclists - Too busy concentrating on the road and traffic to take hands off the bars comfortably
Peloton racing riders - Too busy concentrating on holding the pace or their position in the pack to wave safely

fogrider

if I come up on someone, I say good morning or something like that, if I see someone on the other side, I nod. both does not require me to take my hands off the bars or break form. there are a lot of cyclist on the road, if someone waves, to me, I nod back.

back4more

This week-end it was so windy I was afraid to take my hands of the bars

BayAreaUser

I used to wave to all those I saw on the street, but not anymore. Got tired of not getting responses.
Most of the time, I attempt to make eye contact. If successful, I give them the four finger salute or a head nod. Which they get depends mostly on my level of intensity at that particular moment. If just cruising, then they get a prolonged 4 finger salute and a smile if they are hot; if under stress, then just a quick nod.


I always almost fully stop if I see a cyclist on the side of the road and ask "are you absolutely sure?" after they reject help the first time. I've learned that some people will say "No" as an automatic response even when they could use a pump and/or co2 cartridge.


Most of the time I say, "Good -insert time of day-" when i pass someone while going up hill. Doesn't happen often though =(

megalowmatt

I notice that commuters are more apt to wave than their road racing counterparts.

fishymamba

I try to wave, but I don't like letting go of my handle bars.

531phile 

I normally nod if they wave. I like to keep both hands on my my handlebars for maximum control most of the times. You never know when a squirrel or beast dog will come out at you at anytime.

killerRabbit

I'm friendly, I always wave, smile or nod. Almost everyone returns it.

BarracksSi

I posted this in last week's waving thread:

Honestly, I think waving is silly.

It's not like we're all overcoming some life-threatening disease or meeting up for the big game. Neither does anyone wave to every walker, driver, or fellow riders on the bus or train. Is the act of waving to other cyclists the same kind of approval-seeking that makes people say, "Hey mom, look at me!"?

I'm not antisocial, mind you. I'll chat about our bikes or the weather or whatever as we're tooling along. As an example, I got put into contact with a sports physiology clinic because of talking with a stranger during a ride. I'll often try a head nod or just a lift of the finger, or just a "'Mornin'" while we're waiting at a light.

But, really, most of the time, we're just trying to go somewhere. Bikes become plain ol' transportation devices after a while.

Mansram01

I always nod to fellow cyclists. I don't wave just to ensure that I have full control of the bike. I've always found it kinda strange that other riders don't at least nod. You'd think they're training for the Olympics or maybe one of the Grand Tours. It's not like I'm cruising by at 10 mph either. Shoot, I nod at others on a descent. Guess that's just me.

Fox Farm

Exactly! That pretty much sums up what I do.

So, somewhat related to the wave thing, when I lived in Logan, UT, I was out on a ride with a friend and we came up on 100s of riders who were doing the MS charity ride. Only we were going the opposite direction. After dealing with dozens of them who were frantically waving their arms at us, yelling, "whoa, you're going the WRONG WAY!", we decided to find another road.