How do you wave?
_Ben
Posts: 1,608 Member
Hey guys.
My girl and I were having this discussion the other day, wanted to see what you all did. My dad is who I rode with when I was young, and he always taught me to do the two finger pointing downward wave. Almost like your pointing at something on the road. Now my dads opinion was you only wave at people who have cruisers (he has 2 harley heritage softtails), but I wave to everyone. Most of the time I feel like I have to initiate the wave, but most people wave back. But what I find interesting is some people do a nod, some people do a wave while still holding onto the handle bars. The other day we saw two biker 'gangs' made of women wave at eachother, but they waved like you would if you were just standing up, hand like a stop sign moving side to side. So what do you do?
BTW watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zKQv2dc-cM&list=FL88UThA8mcjTIuXlmTHlENg&index=11&feature=plpp_video
My girl and I were having this discussion the other day, wanted to see what you all did. My dad is who I rode with when I was young, and he always taught me to do the two finger pointing downward wave. Almost like your pointing at something on the road. Now my dads opinion was you only wave at people who have cruisers (he has 2 harley heritage softtails), but I wave to everyone. Most of the time I feel like I have to initiate the wave, but most people wave back. But what I find interesting is some people do a nod, some people do a wave while still holding onto the handle bars. The other day we saw two biker 'gangs' made of women wave at eachother, but they waved like you would if you were just standing up, hand like a stop sign moving side to side. So what do you do?
BTW watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zKQv2dc-cM&list=FL88UThA8mcjTIuXlmTHlENg&index=11&feature=plpp_video 0
Replies
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Depends on road, traffic condtions and if I am responding or initiating. We (DH and I) wave most of the time, usually to side and down. Some times if he waves, I will nod. If windy (like it is a lot here) some times two fingers while holding on handlebar, with a nod. We are friendly folk. ;-)0
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I wave to everyone. I've had other riders ignore me since I ride a sport bike. I was at a stop light with a Harley one morning and he wouldn't look my way. He just looked straight ahead as I slowly brought it up to 13000 rpm through my D&D race pipe. He never acted like I was there. lol. Everyone else did though.0
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We both wave to every rider, except the scooters....LOL...just kidding- If it had two wheels and is under motor power of some kind- WAVE!!! Its also great for motorcycle awareness if other people see you doing it.0
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I wave to them all.. It's sometimes a bit odd for a newer rider to see me take my hands off the bar at full lean in a corner. I've got some shocked expressions from that before!
JM0 -
I do the same (also taught by my dad). His reasoning was that it doesn't mimic any other hand signals. Back in the day; many bikes didn't have turn signals, you solely relied on hand signals (or at least most of his bikes did). I've seen people wave with an arm straight out or just put their arm up to give a short wave. Both can falsely signal to the person behind you that you're going to make a right or left turn. It seems logical to me and I've just always done it that way. But, I've had others say they wave that way simply because "it looks cool." I'm also a non-discriminatory waver; any and all. I've had 1%ers toss out a wave while motor cops ignore it and vice versa. But most every day, average riders I come across send it back or even do it before I do.
The video was great; I had to use a few of those when I was out Saturday; some in combination - like the soccer mom who almost merged into me because she was texting. Then I love when cagers want to give me a speech about being a woman rider and how it's so dangerous. Umm...hello, YOU are my danger!0 -
I wave pretty much to all bikers - except during bike week in Daytona or Biketoberfest. There are so many bikes your arm would fall off if you wave to all. You can tell the newbies at daytona or bikefest - they are waving non-stop. kind of funny.....0
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I wave to all two-wheels...even the Harley Riders. :bigsmile:
I do an index finger point down when I can or a simple nod. When I don't get a response, I still feel good about waving. Maybe they didn't see me....sometimes I'll catch a wave but missed the window to wave back.
It's the sense of community, ya know?0 -
Left hand down to the side, unless I am shifting or something, then I nod.
40 years ago when I was riding, we didn't wave; we did the fist salute. Power fist.0 -
I just put my hand out at length and low, no pointing. I'll wave to cruisers and sport bikes alike. I do not wave at mopeds and other rediculousness I see though.
I find at times I miss waves just because I'm more focused on traffic than trying to pick out bikes in oncoming traffic. I realize some just will not wave at certain bikes for whatever reason, but I'd like to think the ones that aren't waving are paying attention to what they're doing.
Anyone else tap the top of their helmet to warn for cops nearby?0 -
40 years ago when I was riding, we didn't wave; we did the fist salute. Power fist.
Thats bad *kitten*0 -
Most people nod in Australia, rider standard signals for other things like police, slow down etc that most riders know...
Sadly as more and more new comers and weekend riders join the ranks the nod is dying.
Ps.. I never nod to Beemer riders unless on one thou's or motards.0 -
After reading through this, I wondered what the heck happened to the Fist Salute. Decided that's where I'm going in the future.
If you're rolling down the road and some old fart gives you the Fist Salute, that's me. Maybe it'll catch back on. Let's bring it back.0 -
As other have said, if it has 2 wheels and a motor, I wave..... Yes there are times that I am paying attention to traffic or road conditions and do not see bikes heading my way and miss the wave.
My wave is about a 30 degree angle from the bike, hand flat (to reduce wind drag) or one finger point.
@Atjays, did not know about tapping your helment to warn of police. Can't say I have seen anyone do it either.0 -
As other have said, if it has 2 wheels and a motor, I wave..... Yes there are times that I am paying attention to traffic or road conditions and do not see bikes heading my way and miss the wave.
My wave is about a 30 degree angle from the bike, hand flat (to reduce wind drag) or one finger point.
@Atjays, did not know about tapping your helment to warn of police. Can't say I have seen anyone do it either.
I was riding with about 10 other bikes last year. In the mountains Northeast of Vancouver, Washington. We were coming down in elevation and moving pretty good, when a couple guys on bikes came from the other direction and they both started tapping their helmets. Didn't know what it meant, but I knew it meant something so we all slowed down. Sure enough, just around the bend was a speed trap.
Way back when, about 40 years ago, we used to turn our bright lights off and on to signal of a cop ahead.0 -
we do the helmet tap to warn of police up ahead0
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deff gotta tell folks about popo's with a helmet tap, sometimes people look at me like im crazy lol guess as long as my friends and such know what Im talking about. No waving to Spyders, mopeds or the like :noway:0
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Sorry. I'm a waving snob. I'm selective. I remember the fist. Don't know what happened to it. The two finger wave was more of a V-twin thing when it started. When someone was passing you riding a bigger bike, you put down the two finger wave. You would never throw it down to a Honda 750 (which was my first bike by the way). Some people are out there waving like Gomer Pyle at every bike they pass. I don't bother because in this day and age bikes are so common. When I started riding back in the 70's, you didn't pass a lot of bikes, so it was more unique and the fist or two finger wave felt appropriate. If I'm riding around town, I generally don't acknowledge anyone unless it's a club and I do that out of respect. If I'm out in the country and someone waves, I generally respond with a two finger wave, but never when someone is waving like Gomer Pyle.
I never wave at those spyder machines because that feels like I'm waving at a dune buggy. I really don't consider them motorcycles. Trikes, I get it because if you are getting too old or have a disability that prevents you from keeping two wheels up and still want to ride, they are necessary. But when I see someone healthy riding on three wheels, I don't consider that a motorcycle and don't wave. Last week I passed a group of 20 trikes going down the road and they were all waving like a platoon of Gomer Pyles. I just had to turn my head and look the other way and because I think they were waving at cars too. Sorry....I can be a snob.0 -
Sorry. I'm a waving snob. I'm selective. I remember the fist. Don't know what happened to it. The two finger wave was more of a V-twin thing when it started. When someone was passing you riding a bigger bike, you put down the two finger wave. You would never throw it down to a Honda 750 (which was my first bike by the way). Some people are out there waving like Gomer Pyle at every bike they pass. I don't bother because in this day and age bikes are so common. When I started riding back in the 70's, you didn't pass a lot of bikes, so it was more unique and the fist or two finger wave felt appropriate. If I'm riding around town, I generally don't acknowledge anyone unless it's a club and I do that out of respect. If I'm out in the country and someone waves, I generally respond with a two finger wave, but never when someone is waving like Gomer Pyle.
I never wave at those spyder machines because that feels like I'm waving at a dune buggy. I really don't consider them motorcycles. Trikes, I get it because if you are getting too old or have a disability that prevents you from keeping two wheels up and still want to ride, they are necessary. But when I see someone healthy riding on three wheels, I don't consider that a motorcycle and don't wave. Last week I passed a group of 20 trikes going down the road and they were all waving like a platoon of Gomer Pyles. I just had to turn my head and look the other way and because I think they were waving at cars too. Sorry....I can be a snob.
I get what you're saying. Kinda disagree. I'll wave at most bikers I come across. I realize there are a lot of bikes on the road these days as compared to the 70's, but there are a lot of cars too. I feel like there needs to some solidarity out there, cuz it really does feel like it's us against them sometimes. Us being two weels and them being 4 wheels. Out on the road at least. Once you arrive at an event of rally, sometimes there is a division amongst classes of bikes and/or clubs.
I've noticed I can get along with anyone when we are one on one. Once bikers begin to form up in groups, not as often.0 -
Left hand down to the side, unless I am shifting or something, then I nod.
40 years ago when I was riding, we didn't wave; we did the fist salute. Power fist.
^Exactly this...but we are both old enough to have been riding 40 years ago...0 -
Left hand down to the side, unless I am shifting or something, then I nod.
40 years ago when I was riding, we didn't wave; we did the fist salute. Power fist.
^Exactly this...but we are both old enough to have been riding 40 years ago...
>>Power Fist<<
And still going strong, Brother.0
