An odd obversation

[Motorbreath]

Maybe the goldwing ones weren't british . Here we salute making a "V" with our fingers, way cooler.

[Chillum]

When I've been riding a lot and then get in the car I still find myself nodding to riders - can't seem to help it.

I've also noticed that since riding a cruiser the sports bike riders are quite huffy. I had more Harley riders nod back to me when I was on the Fazer than I have sports bike riders since riding the cruiser.

[Dave48]

I will continue to nod to all other 2-wheel riders EXCEPT the unsuitably attired-they obviously dont respect their own bodies so why should I?
There does seem to be a "pecking order" though BUT as has been said we are all vulnerable so should put aside tribal/brand loyalty. The only cage drivers salutes I see tend to be one or two fingers in the vertical position-this gets more common in the heatwave!
I learnt all about gravel rash & abrasive injuries years ago racing bicycles-it hurts!

[Bitfik]

When I've been riding a lot and then get in the car I still find myself nodding to riders - can't seem to help it.

Laughed at that one m8, been there too 

[DryRob]

When I've been riding a lot and then get in the car I still find myself nodding to riders - can't seem to help it.

Aye me too, the girlfriend thought I was developing a tick 

[Gaz73]

When I've been riding a lot and then get in the car I still find myself nodding to riders - can't seem to help it.

Aye me too, the girlfriend thought I was developing a tick 

That made me chuckle, :

[Bitfik]

So, when you pass a group of bikers, what is the official nod arrangement? One nod per biker? One or two long nods? One nod for each tightly grouped bunch?


And what is your nod style? How do you rate other nodders?


Up and down? Almost a bow.


Side to side, more like a wink.


Diagonally? Probably the coolest in my opinion. Not that that counts for anything!


I have also had wavers, and one flasher! That was in very poor visibility tho.


I once seen a couple of camper vans acknowledge each other and have wondered if this was a ritual for them too, or did they just know each other?


Who knew this was such a big subject?.. 

[Dave48]

Camper vans-another oppressed minority group?

[Robbie8666]

ah camper vans... well IMHO there are 3 sorts..
VW split screen
VW bay windows
all others
lol
 
I do the diagonal nod 1 nod each for 1st 3 or 4 in a line then just raise fingers as an acknowledgement
 
same when i pass a car/van etc thats moved out of my way or I pass another biker going same direction
 
 

[locksmith]

When I've been riding a lot and then get in the car I still find myself nodding to riders - can't seem to help it.

Laughed at that one m8, been there too 

That leads on to you trying to filter whilst still driving the car 

[Chillum]

When I've been riding a lot and then get in the car I still find myself nodding to riders - can't seem to help it.

Laughed at that one m8, been there too 

That leads on to you trying to filter whilst still driving the car 

I feel the impulse more at traffic lights, especially temporary ones where I normally just jump to the front

I used to nod up/down but noticed that I would lose sight of what was ahead of me, so now it's just a kind of nonchalant tilt to the right. A lot of Pan riders like to make a scene and actually wave - I swear to $deity that I wouldn't be surprised if I saw a Pan rider tootling along having a picnic!

If there's quite a few riders oncoming I make the tilt a slow one so I acknowledge about 3 at a time depending on grouping

This is almost as big a subject as which urinal to choose in a pub situation (before your pished).

[Grahamm]

So, when you pass a group of bikers, what is the official nod arrangement? One nod per biker? One or two long nods? One nod for each tightly grouped bunch?

Generally I nod at the front and then maybe again halfway down a big group.

I go for the diagonal nod myself
[/quote]

[Dave48]

The "Pan wave" is  remarkably similar to ones royal wave. Goldwing riders cant wave/nod now as "Im on the phone/intercom/music centre & dont want to loose concentration. If H-D riders dont acknowledge-theyre not being discourteous-they just have blurred vision

[DryRob]

I remember a mini owner telling me there was a mini etiquette book with the new models encouraging them to wave at each other.
 
I go for the diagonal nod, the other types just look like going over a bump or checking a blind spot.
 
I've seen the light thanks to this thread and now nod to every bike user 

[Ton13]

This has made me laugh,
I nod to pretty much everyone but am suprised that a good 40% dont nod back... when i rode a scooter back at 16 my uncle told me he always nods to scooters and young kids as they are the next generation of bikers, we all started somewhere...
 
even the scrootes that live up the street with their winey "peds" i treat with the same respect as the MC riders that i am friends with...
 
as for my nod, it depends whats coming up, i do try for the diagonal nod and try to get each person, unless they are really close... a friend who i ride with though NEVER nods and it really frustrates me.... I think he needs all his brain power to concentrate on keeping his bike on 2 wheels 

[HarryHornby]

I was going to post this question the other week, you've beaten me to it.
 
What is the diagonal nod?
 
With regards to nodding when in cage, yep, been there done it, or when sat at lights and a bike pulls up next to me, I've nodded then (hopefully they've seen the THINK BIKE sticker in the back and don't think I've got a tick LOL)
 
Yes, have had thoughts of filtering when in the cage, then suddenly realise I can't.  Doh!  glad we are all as bonkers as eachother!
 
With regards to waving, I commute every day and see the same riders, if it's been rubbish weather like recently and then we get a fab patch of sun, I'll sometimes wave in the morning because I'm so pleased to be riding in some nice weather so it's more of a big happy (hey, we made it throught the shite weather) wave to my fellow commuters.  There are 2 people I see on a regular basis who don't wave, one is on an L Plated custom thing, has been on L Plates since I started riding 3 years ago!     The other is a new rider to the journey and he/she's on a burgman scooter, I've nodded and never got one back so I've stopped.
 
If you overtake another bike do you nod, stick out a boot or put out a hand to acknowledge them?  I usually stick out a hand or boot, often wonder if they think the boot means I'm trying to kick them!  ha ha

[Grahamm]

What is the diagonal nod?

Firstly try nodding your head forward.

Secondly, lean your head to the right, so your ear almost touches your shoulder.

Now imagine combining the two so your head goes towards a direction 45 degrees between straight on and to the side.

Voila! The diagonal nod! :

If you overtake another bike do you nod, stick out a boot or put out a hand to acknowledge them?  I usually stick out a hand or boot, often wonder if they think the boot means I'm trying to kick them!  ha ha

Coming back from Birmingham via the A34 earlier today, I had a bike pass me who appeared to stick out his elbow in response to my wave!

[Skinbeatersam]

I nod at cyclists.


They nod to each other, cos I used to be one, and the nod was a common thing. I still do if I see one cycling well, and not being a dick. They NEVER nod back.


Bikers mainly nod back, unless they are the police ones. I think they hate me . . . .


Scooters these days just seem to be driven by arseholes, who ride on the pavement, pop wheelies, and are basically dickheads.


Lorryists are OK with me. Cabbies and buses can take a run and jump . . .

[Looney tune]

Nearly always nod or raise my left hand for a wee wave depending on circumstance.
When making progress through cars I always stick my hand out to say thanks to the car I have just pulled in in front of. Surprising how many of them acknowledge you for the gesture 

[ullukk]

I try to nod to just about about every two wheeler no matter what they ride, i used to get a bit wound up if i didn't get a nod back but over the years i've sort of trained my brain to forget it a split second later, if i'm at traffic lights or in slow moving traffic i occasionally give a thumbs up, also these days i always try and give a quick thumbs up to motorists who have moved to the left to let me filter past. I must confess that their was once a time when my road etiquette was very poor to say the least,(80's LC hooligan days etc,) when i was in that much of a rush everywhere that i didn't have time to think about any other road user but myself. Getting older and turning into steady eddies isn't all bad eh folks!!.

[DryRob]

Bikers mainly nod back, unless they are the police ones. I think they hate me . . . .

I've had a copper on a bike nod back to me before, thought I'd give it a go to see what happened and nearly ran into a lorry when he responded.
 
If I see another runner while I'm out jogging I try to let on and usually get a response but some of them are obviously above me and don't even make eye contact (they're usually done up in all the hi-glo and latex, I wear football shorts and other "non-running" clothing).

[Skinbeatersam]

If I see another runner while I'm out jogging I try to let on and usually get a response but some of them are obviously above me and don't even make eye contact (they're usually done up in all the hi-glo and latex, I wear football shorts and other "non-running" clothing).



You can't run in a crash helmet . . . .

[DryRob]

Would have made more sense if I'd mentioned I'm training for this 

[VNA - BMW Wank]

When I've been riding a lot and then get in the car I still find myself nodding to riders - can't seem to help it.

You should try the Scottish Islands.  Generally, it doesn't matter if you are walking, cycling, riding a bike, driving a car, mowing the lawn.  Everybody waves, nods says hello.

Then you get back to the mainland.  It takes a good few miles to adjust again. 

I sometimes think on nice sunny weekends, when everybody is out, all this waving and nodding starts to get in the way of enjoying a ride.  It's just constant.

Yup, always nod to the police bikers round here, they always nod or wave back.  Plus I've followed them a few times filtering in heavy traffic on the M8, a wee blast of the music and lights makes all the difference.

Oh while I generally nod and wave all the time, I don't do it half way through roundabouts, negotiating junctions or when fully blasting round tight corners.  I notice others do, it can compromise your focus on what your doing.

blah blah blah.

[alan09]

i was filling up sunday morning, the guy at the next pump who had just filled up who was riding some sort of customized chopper bike, you know the type those with the open faced helmet & teeth  covererd in dead flies.He almost had to walk passed me to get back to his bike so i looked at waiting for the "the nod" but got nowt he totally foccin blanked me, i thought WTF im invisible, but tossers like him are very few & far between.