woodway

I'll wave back if I see ya wave, but generally when riding alone I go into my own little world and don't pay much attention to other cyclists.

VertigoFlyer

I totally understand the "own little world" thing. I do that too. I'm a hopeless socially addicted cyclist who can't help but smile n wave as we're all out there enjoying the groove!!

kr32

4 pages so far and some funny posts imo.

Me I wave, I don't wave ,it all depends on what I am doing and how I am riding. It is no big deal really. Some times even just a fingerwave or a nod.

DnvrFox

I almost always give some indication of positive contact, but likely not a wave.

We have oodles and oodles of bicyclers here, and it sort of depends on the traffic load. If I am going early in the am, it is most likely commuters that I will see, and, in general, they are VERY friendly. SOmetimes I will see the same ones again and again, as I generally start out in the opposite directions from where the commuters are headed - they are headed to downtown Denver or places along the way, I am headed out to the hinterlands.

On a Staurday, the place is loaded with everything one might imagine, and I am generally concentrating on riding safely.

Today, I stopped for a lady bicycler with a flat.

She thought she had changed the tube correctly and had remounted the front wheel before inflation. She was standing up, leaning over the upright bike (bike stand) and attempting to inflate it with a little pump with the valve about 11:00 o'clock, with no success.

After determining that there was no air going in or staying in the tire, I offered my assistance, but she opted to hoof it back to the car.

I doubt that she had removed the cause of the first flat, and I have never been able to adequately inflate a tire - especially a road tire - without the wheel lying on the ground and a support behind the pump head - except on my hew Topeak Road Morph. I would bet that she pinched the tube while mounting the tire.

In any event, I was able to keep my trap shut and not offer any advice, as I wasn't asked, and it did not seem appropriate.

I rode away and she walked away.

dahut

Dont let the haters and pontificators get to you - thats life on Bike Forums.

Phil85207

I have to confess that it gets to me too. I usually wave and seldom get a response in some areas and often in other areas. I have found that the Scottsdale AZ area to be the least likely to get a wave back. and when in the wilderness almost always. Go figure.

gmt13

Thanks for the post. I recall now that when I was a serious roadie 30 years ago, there was a bit more spontaneous camaraderie. It was not uncommon when riding alone that you would pick up a few partners on the way, have some conversation, and then wave farewell when paths diverged. Nowadays, even the other commuters don't seem to be inclined. Have we all insulated ourselves so well that we're numb.

I think I will start being friendlier.

There was a seen in the play "A Thousand Clowns" where Murray, the protagonist described saying hello to New Yorkers on the street without a response. As a test, he started saying "I'm sorry" instead of hello, and everybody responded with a forgiving word or two.

-Gary

JanMM

I only wave back to that funny-looking guy in the mirror.

bjjoondo 

I either wave or at least, NOD my head and smile but it don't bother me if someone doesn't do it back!

big john

Hey, it's no big deal. Some of us like to chide a little.
I always wave to riders and say good morning or hi to walkers and people I see on the street.
Once, while riding in a group, a man working in his yard sneezed. I yelled "bless you" and he yelled back "thank you". Everyone got a chuckle.

Proof.

StanSeven

Many cyclists I know are insecure introverts. The last thing they do is wave to others

Loose Chain

If a passing bike does not wave, I arm my a-hole seeking missile launcher. Once the non waving cyclist is past I hit the launch sequence and peddle furiously. Ka-swoooosh and then a moment of silence, then there is a loud noise and a pink puff where the bad person used to be, sometimes a peddle or wheel rolls, bounces down the road, not much else. A few of these encounters and I now find that everybody waves at me and are most happy to see me or at least they seem happy, huh?

gbiker

Pulling over and having a good cry might help to get over the hurt feelings of not getting waved back at.

Out of town, I usually nod or wave.

Wogster

I'll wave, some wave back, some don't, doesn't really bother me though. Interesting observations though, folks in full team kit on plastic bikes don't generally wave back, the increased air flow caused by raising a hand to acknowledge another rider, will lower their performance time by about 1 second per billion kilometres travelled, which is way to much of a performance penalty. What I find funny, the guy on the motorcycle in full Hell's Angels kit, does wave back, go figure.... We are all brothers and sisters out there fighting with the clueless cagers, a wave is just a sign of solidarity.

BigAura

I believe the two fingers (peace sign formation), down low, wave from motorcyclists is to pay homage to the bicycle as their two-wheeled ancestor.

JonathanGennick 

You have opened Pandora's Box w/this thread.

It's not a matter of "nice" versus "not nice". You've got your introverts and your extroverts. You've got those who think of themselves as "cyclists" and those who are on bike because they lost their license to drive. You've got city-raised people like me versus country-raised people who grew where neighbors would stop their cars and block the streets to have a conversation. People aren't "not nice" just because they don't wave.

Ok. Funny story time. The other week I was riding uphill to my home on my skate park bike. Think 26er BMX bike -- low seat -- no way can I sit -- I am standing to pedal, all of the time. Good friend waves at me while I'm standing and pedaling up hill. Have you ever tried to stand and pedal with one hand and wave back with the other? I didn't want to offend my friend, so I managed a quick wave while almost losing control of the bike and then quickly got my hand back on the bar again.

Anyway, this topic's been done to death. Give a friendly wave if you like. Just realize that not everyone is inculcated into the wave culture. There are plenty of nice people out there who won't necessarily wave back, and for all sorts of reasons, so don't sweat it.

OldsCOOL

I've owned Jeep's (CJ's and Wranglers) for years. We have our wave and the only ones that will wave or wave back are the real jeepers. All others call them, "cars".

Peter_C

You've just learned why I do not post new threads often. I figure it's OK to ask anything you want to ask - if someone does not like the topic, then don't read, and/or don't answer. Cross-posting is generally a no-no, but a 'MOD' didn't chew on you, so it's not a crisis.

Me, I get passed a lot, so if a miss a wave here or there it's probably because I'm too tired of waving - but I do the eye contact thing with a smile

Sorry you got - you're new here, so I'll tell you what you did wrong - speech, UGH - some folks are just cranky I guess.

sarals 

There is women's "etiquette" that comes into play, it's called "being careful" (or similar), and younger women tend to play it safe. So do many older women. Me? I wave, or return waves, but even though I am very friendly person, I am careful with inviting gestures (I do size up a person before I "get personal"). I have had unwanted attention - just because I'm a woman. So - don't take it personally when women don't wave back - it's NOT personal!

Peter_C

I understand, I get 'unwanted attention' all the time, and I just hate it! All those women hitting on me all the time...





Kidding, just kidding! Hehe - not meaning to poke fun - I assume that is a problem for some - I have never had it so can't speak to that issue.

Rider98Glide

Around here, I wave at the people in cars because I am just glad they didn't run me over!
If I am on a bike path where there is quite a few riders then a nod/smile or nothing. It is like way back when, all Harley riders would give the wave-hand pointed towards the ground as you pass which still might happen out touring. Massive increase in numbers makes it kind of ridiculous in a populated area.

glowrocks

That describes me perfectly.

Knowing how I am, I don't worry if I get a response or not if I'm the original waver

Loose Chain

I have found that most people in Jeeps (CJs, TJs, YJs, JKs etc) nearly always give a wave or raise a couple of fingers from the wheel as a salute. I have found this from north to south, east to west. It is fairly universal and expected. Motorcyclist also tend to wave, either a finger raise on the grip or a low wave with the clutch hand though sometimes certain "biker" groups will not acknowledge the other, Ricers vs Harley etc., though most of the time, they do wave. I also find that boaters tend to wave at one another unless it is crowded, then less so, especially if they have the same brand/type of boat. Bicyclist, nah, pretty rare, especially among roadies. Must be the skinny seats stuck up the rear end.



In west Texas and southern New Mexico it is also common, if not expected, for everyone to wave. Generally, if driving, it is a few fingers lifted from the wheel. In the old South it is also more common to get a wave and for it to be expected by a passing stranger.

LC

gbiker

Having been a motorcyclist, it's quite a surprise when you first discover all the waving. It's like this big, friendly, hidden world you never knew about. But after a while it gets pretty tiresome, especially on weekend mountain roads.

Wogster

They make those with column shifters and power windows.... I may be interested in a vehicle that is more truck like, in the near future.....