Can't really expect people to wave while starting or stopping, or in a turn... I try and nod in those instances my hands are occupied with getting the bike through the process and I don't want to end up like that Phoenix motorcycle cop  And you know what?  Sometimes I don't notice a bike coming the other way down the highway... Cause unless it's an intersection, cars aren't going to miraculously jump the guard rail and so I pay attention to the road in front of me.  I still feel bad about not waving though

I agree with the idea that people on motorcycles that don't wave aren't bikers (except for some really surly craggy old Harley riders, but they live on another plane of existance  :mrgreen: Almost all the old Harley riders do wave though!)  Whether it's a squid on a sportbike, or an accountant on their spanking new H-D or custom, they care more about looking good on their bike rather than interacting with others

I think its fine not to wave... there are times when you just don't notice the oncoming rider or you are occupied.  Safety first, folks.  I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.. but generally, my opinion on the matter is that once one rider initiates the wave process, it is the other riders unwritten obligation to wave back if it does not compromise their safety.  If no wave is given.... its cool, they have their reasons... good or bad.

I also wave at cops (I wonder if they think I'm taunting them?) and any car that pays me a common courtesy like coming to an intersection and actually stoping (sometimes I'll notice them start, then see me and hesitate and wait for me to pass... I always give them a wave to try to encourage that kind of driving).

Yesterday I waved at a pedestrian who had the right of way in a crosswalk but let me through my turn so I wouldn't have to put a foot down.  He waved back.  :mrgreen:

There are other riders who only wave at bikes that they belive are in their 'class' (harleys, sportbikes, etc).  Those people are dicks, but that's their problem, not mine.  I'd say for every 5 waves that get returned, one gets ignored... usually by a cruiser, but I'm sure that's because of the way my bike looks (I'm speaking of the R6).  Cruiser riders will probably say the same thing.. about 1 in 6 waves doesn't get returned.. usually by a sport-bike.

what can you do... the world is full of Aholes.  Many people aren't happy unless they have someone to be pissed off at.  With cars they are behind all that glass and steel, on bikes they are in your face... what can you do?  :dunno:

Being that bikers make up less than 1% of the people on the rode I think we should all stick together.  Which includes waving to every rider I see.  Yeah the Harley riders sometimes don't wave back but that's their problem.

I always wave when I 'm riding  and  if I can not I nod .  I found that most riders will wave or nod back which think is really great  

all the best matt:0 your friend
p.s would the world be great if everybody did this Cars & so on

When i drive with two others in the driving lessons with the teacher in a car behind, all people on a MC is waving. It is a really nice start when someone is a MC beginner. Afterall the bikes have a big School sign on and filled with crahsbars and so on. We really look like newbies




/tralala
from Denmark

i wave at cops as well. even if im in a car i'll wave at a bike. i also put an arm down for rescue vehicles.  Just for a good luck wherever they may be going.  And i also agree, sometimes i honestly dont see the other bike till they are like dead even with me or whenever i hear them behind me   .  It's not me dissin them but im just in my own little world on a bike.  Ridding is like a relaxing therapy for me.  Is there a hand signal to warn for cops???

I try to wave at cops too, just 'cause most (though there are some notable exceptions) are really cool ppl who are doing their best to keep people (read: us) safe.  I do wonder sometimes if they think we're taunting them.  Anyone had a bad experience with waving at cops?  On a bike, I wouldn't think it'd be a prob.  I'll wave at a cop on a bike any day, and I bet most wave back (not a lot of experience yet, since my bike is still having some probs).

As to other riders, I can't tell the difference while I'm riding between a harley and a honda, so I just wave at everyone that I can wave to.

Riding around BYU campus (Brigham Young University, in Provo Utah) there are a lot of people who ride scooters or bikes, and I wave to a lot of them... I notice that the ones with helmets almost invariably wave back, whereas the ones w/out (which on campus is about 90% of them) don't.  I think this is just because people with a real bike feel part of the "biker community" whereas people on scooters nobody really knows where they fall. =]

Still, I've never had someone not wave to me that was A. able to do so, B. had seen me in time, and C. was riding a real bike.  never had someone that I could tell intentionally didn't return a wave.

Quote from: matt86to...p.s would the world be great if everybody did this Cars & so on

People do wave in cars at other car drivers. Happens alot in western Kansas, but thats about the only place I have ever seen it on a regular basis.

So I guess my answer would have to be no....the world would NOT be great if it was all like western Kansas!    

here in Mid-Southern Illinois, if you're out in the country, everybody in a truck, and 85% on people in cars wave at anything that moves, including bikers, joggers, deer, pop cans, raccoons, and rivers.

I always wave whenever it is safe....but I always wonder what the cagers behind me think about all this waving going on.....must be that secreat society :lol:

Wayne

I try to wave when I can and receive many in return. Have noticed that alot of guys without any protective gear, you know hat on backwards looking like orange county choopers or jesse james types just blow by. whenever I see another sportbike though it's automatic, kinda cool to have someone on a liter bike wave to a newbe.

i've seen a fist down for cops close by:
meaning stop sharing lanes, or slow down

I always wave at other bikers. If I don't have a free hand, I try and give the nod.

Here in NYC, eveyone in cars waves. For some reason, though, they only do it with one finger.....go figure

In Europe it's more common to give the nod rather than wave but the principal is the same, there are so few of us on two wheels we can't start sub-dividing, if the other guy dont wanna know well his (or her) privelidge and their loss. Iwas around in the 60's during the wars between bikers and scooter riders, mods 'n' rockers and all that. In those days I was riding a 197cc two stroke Lambretta with fifteen headlamps and even more aerials and an embarrasing amount of fake fur, quadrophenia and all that, then I grew up. The point about winter riding is well made, there is more cameraderie when it's freezing the nuts off.

I wave at everyone ... bikes, ppls in cars if they seem excited bout the mc, I ove to wave to kids in cars ... I nod if my hands are in use ... Bottom line, when I am one my bke I am on top of theworld and want ppl to know that + alotta ppl think pl on bikes are hard ass punks ... so I wanna try andchange that imae I figure if am nice to the cagers they will return the favor + waving to ppl on bikes is a must for me because I they are my brethren ... I dont know how many of you guys have experienced this but bikers go out of their way to help other bikers ... I was recently stranded on the freeway and a fellow biker stoped by and helped me get the bike started + offered to stayed with me till I got off ... good thing that he did because the bike staled on me, he then gve me a ride to the nearest shop and even offered to get his pop's pick up after his pops got home to take the bike to the shop. Therefor after this if I EVER see nother biker in trouble I m goin to try my best to help em out. Waving at em just makes the whole mc experience even better.


So this to all you posers that dont WAVE, dont be a lil punk a$$ Buddha Loves You    and jus wave and have fun .

Be safe