Originally Posted by MikeDeason

The half wave (also known as the handlebar or Royal Wave, depending on your region) given by cyclists who picture themselves the Sir Galahad of the bike trails as they regally acknowledge other cyclists and offer benevolence to the poor serfs on foot who they pass; it’s less a gesture of camaraderie and more a performance of imagined nobility. A silent, self-important salute, it carries the energy of someone bestowing favour. It’s not community, it’s theatre. So unless you’re about to pull a sword from a stone, just nod if you must gesture