Approaching Etiquette: Wave in Reverse

[James Burleigh]

So hey, let's see - - f**k you. That's pretty refreshing for me and don't worry about it 'cause I'm riding an ST bike and don't obsess about waving or all the supposed etiquette of riding a motorcycle. Dang. why can't folks just keep they mouth shut when they ain't got nothin' to say.

Gunny! There's folks who participate in the conversation, and then there's folks who deliver a lecture. They're called know-it-alls, or blow-hards. Or dickheads. You can spot them in a conversation because they're the ones who, as you're talking, look at you condescendingly and then, with a grimace because it's just so painful to them what a stupid **** you are, how things really are. "Don't worry about it" is usually part of their script. I've fired all my former friends who suffered from this particular form of ego-mania.

Jb

 

[2WheelTiger]

So anyway, to get back on track here and away from the non-contributors. I just give them the left handed 'hello', or if the CC is set, I use the right hand. Yeah, it's delivered when I'm at their 10 o'clock.

I think it's pretty rude when other riders pass me and don't wave. In the Seattle area, sportbike riders are best at waving (coming or going). S/T riders are the worst. Heck, even cruiser folks up here wave.

 

[wheatonFJR]

...I think it's pretty rude when other riders pass me and don't wave. ...

I used to get caught up in what others do...but understand that some don't wave for various reasons...working the bike-focused on the road situuation...had a bad day...fatigued from an all day ride...whatever. I don't get caught up in it...I just give a friendly wave when I can and not when I don't...for some of the reasons listed above.

BTW, I also give a left handed "hello" wave at 10 oclock IF the road situation allows.

 

[Nick2]

So anyway, to get back on track here and away from the non-contributors. I just give them the left handed 'hello', or if the CC is set, I use the right hand. Yeah, it's delivered when I'm at their 10 o'clock.

Same here.

What about rolling up to a stop light? Do you stay behind (my general response) or do you roll up beside them (given that most riders I see are usually to one side or the other)?

 

[wheatonFJR]

So anyway, to get back on track here and away from the non-contributors. I just give them the left handed 'hello', or if the CC is set, I use the right hand. Yeah, it's delivered when I'm at their 10 o'clock.

Same here.

What about rolling up to a stop light? Do you stay behind (my general response) or do you roll up beside them (given that most riders I see are usually to one side or the other)?

I am with GunMD ...see post#9.

 

[v65]

In the Seattle area, sportbike riders are best at waving (coming or going).

Sportbike riders around here use their front tire to wave. Being lazy, I generally just lift the fingers of my throttle hand, without removing it from the grip.

 

[Bungie]

I bought a new bike in 02 after a 10 yr lay off (fear... some dumb batch aimed for me on my VFR.. scared the sh*t outta me.. and gave up riding). Anyway right after I got it I was out for a ride and see some guy on a Harley approaching and without even thinking about it, gave him a wave.

This guy stands up on his pegs, lets go of the bars, hooks his thumbs under his armpits and starts flapping like a chicken!

As he went by, I noticed the Angels patch. Man, things sure have changed was my only thought.

Oh, the best part is about a month later I see two HD's pulled over on the side of the hwy, one with half its electrics pulled out. So I stop. Talk for a few, not the talking types I'm thinking. So I offer my cell for them to call somebody. They do and we keep hunting through this guys electrics (pure spaghetti home brew) for the problem. Then I hear this rumble coming up the hwy.

OH SHIT!

About 10 members of the Angels and a pickup. So I'm thinking, get the hell outta dodge! Well, long story short, this guy comes over to me and asks if I'm the guy who stopped to help. I'm the only dumbass there! So I say ya, and he hands me a handful of "Property of Hells Angels' stickers and says "Put these on your bike, nobody will f*ck with it". Then I recognized him. It was ChickenBoy!

But I didn't say shit

Oh, I never did put the stickers on my bike. Didn't want to get my ass kicked by the HA for the stickers or from another club member for having the HA stickers...

 

[2WheelTiger]

Traffic lights - They get their own space. I don't wanna be next to them. They don't wanna be next to me.

 

[dean]

approaching a fellow m/clist (i don't care brand/style/sexual orientation) who's up ahead and on the right, i put left elbow on top of tankbag and wave.

approaching etc. ahead and on the left (not common, but some idiots do choose to keep that lane for their very own) same wave as if waving to approaching m/clist.

i don't know about this "waving to someone who's coming up from behind you" thing, as i always weave to make sure they don't pass me.

dean

cincinnati

 

[dean]

So anyway, to get back on track here and away from the non-contributors. I just give them the left handed 'hello', or if the CC is set, I use the right hand. Yeah, it's delivered when I'm at their 10 o'clock.

Same here.

What about rolling up to a stop light? Do you stay behind (my general response) or do you roll up beside them (given that most riders I see are usually to one side or the other)?

that's easy. if they're sitting in the middle of their lane, i stay way back, as in general they haven't a clue to what they're doing.

if they're in the one of the car tire tracks, i'll come to maybe 3 feet of their rear wheel, in the other tire track, and wave if they acknowledge.

.

.

.

.

which seems to exclude about 50% of the cruiser riders.

dean

cincinnati

 

[JoshHefnerX]

I agree w/ Gunny on this. When I'm at a traffic light I don't want to be sharing the lane. Infact, I don't want to be sharing a lane at all w/ someone. I'll let someone pass me, but I'll wave them through when that's ok.

Josh

 

[Harald]

To those of you who are opposed to sharing the lane while at a stop light, how about this scenario?

Joe biker is stopped at a light in one of the car tracks and I pull up and stop next to him and say, "hi." Once the light goes green I let him go first (because he was there first) and then go myself while keeping the standard stagger formation.

Would this be Okay with you? Or are you so anti-social that you don't want anyone near you while riding? (trick question I know)

 

[v65]

To those of you who are opposed to sharing the lane while at a stop light, how about this scenario?
Joe biker is stopped at a light in one of the car tracks and I pull up and stop next to him and say, "hi." Once the light goes green I let him go first (because he was there first) and then go myself while keeping the standard stagger formation.

Would this be Okay with you?

Not knowing you, and that many riders are not experienced, I would probably be wondering what you were going to do when the light turns green. So certainly at the moment you pull up next to me it would not be OK. After you let me go first then it would be.

 

[GunMD]

To those of you who are opposed to sharing the lane while at a stop light, how about this scenario?
Joe biker is stopped at a light in one of the car tracks and I pull up and stop next to him and say, "hi." Once the light goes green I let him go first (because he was there first) and then go myself while keeping the standard stagger formation.

Would this be Okay with you? Or are you so anti-social that you don't want anyone near you while riding? (trick question I know)

It's not about being social, it's about sharing a space with someone that I don't know. How do I know that you're not a total assclown when you pull up next to me? For that matter, why would you pull up next to me not knowing if I'm a total assclown?

 

[dean]

To those of you who are opposed to sharing the lane while at a stop light, how about this scenario?
Joe biker is stopped at a light in one of the car tracks and I pull up and stop next to him and say, "hi." Once the light goes green I let him go first (because he was there first) and then go myself while keeping the standard stagger formation.

Would this be Okay with you? Or are you so anti-social that you don't want anyone near you while riding? (trick question I know)

has happened to me before, and doesn't bother me one bit, and confirms my belief in a m/c "brotherhood".

dean

cincinnati

 

[IanS]

Well over in Europe where they ride on the same side as you mericans they 'wave' with their right foot especially if you've given them a bit more room to get by.

 

[drew231506]

To those of you who are opposed to sharing the lane while at a stop light, how about this scenario?
Joe biker is stopped at a light in one of the car tracks and I pull up and stop next to him and say, "hi." Once the light goes green I let him go first (because he was there first) and then go myself while keeping the standard stagger formation.

Would this be Okay with you? Or are you so anti-social that you don't want anyone near you while riding? (trick question I know)

It's not about being social, it's about sharing a space with someone that I don't know. How do I know that you're not a total assclown when you pull up next to me? For that matter, why would you pull up next to me not knowing if I'm a total assclown?

Someone a little paranoid? It must be a little lonely thinking all strangers are assclowns at first glance...I suppose they stay strangers. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt at least on occasion. Especially if they have a motorcycle.

I had a guy pull up next to me in heavy stop and go traffic. We ended up riding together for about an hour and I got his card, he turned out to be a good guy and we ride occasionally now. Ive pulled up to someone once at a redlight...but he was riding a beautiful blue FJR. He never heard of the forum though and that kinda stunted the conversation...how can you not know of the forum!?

 

[Kevin Daly]

I used to get caught up in what others do...but understand that some don't wave for various reasons...working the bike-focused on the road situuation...had a bad day...fatigued from an all day ride...whatever. I don't get caught up in it...I just give a friendly wave when I can and not when I don't...for some of the reasons listed above.
BTW, I also give a left handed "hello" wave at 10 oclock IF the road situation allows.

can I get an AMEN! I mean did we get on a bike to wave at each other of freakin ride? uke:

 

[Kevin Daly]

Oh, the best part is about a month later I see two HD's pulled over on the side of the hwy, one with half its electrics pulled out. So I stop. Talk for a few, not the talking types I'm thinking. So I offer my cell for them to call somebody. They do and we keep hunting through this guys electrics (pure spaghetti home brew) for the problem. Then I hear this rumble coming up the hwy.
OH SHIT!

About 10 members of the Angels and a pickup. So I'm thinking, get the hell outta dodge! Well, long story short, this guy comes over to me and asks if I'm the guy who stopped to help. I'm the only dumbass there! So I say ya, and he hands me a handful of "Property of Hells Angels' stickers and says "Put these on your bike, nobody will f*ck with it". Then I recognized him. It was ChickenBoy!

But I didn't say shit

Reminds me of when i was 18. I was getting on I-5 headed up to Bellingham WA and fell in behind a group of Banditos. In the time it took for me to contemplate whether I should blast past them or fall back, the other half of the group (of about 30) rolled up behind me and i was trapped in formation (on the outside).

Actually though the guy next to me gave me a smile and let me out to the other lane and I took off

Its easy when your young and on a rice rocket... "I wish i could afford one of those beauties "

 

[Nick2]

I used to get caught up in what others do...but understand that some don't wave for various reasons...working the bike-focused on the road situuation...had a bad day...fatigued from an all day ride...whatever. I don't get caught up in it...I just give a friendly wave when I can and not when I don't...for some of the reasons listed above.
BTW, I also give a left handed "hello" wave at 10 oclock IF the road situation allows.

can I get an AMEN! I mean did we get on a bike to wave at each other of freakin ride? uke:

Wait did I see anyone imply that we got bikes to wave? Gosh, maybe I missed it? Shoot, I thought I got mine to be one of the "guys." Thanks for setting us all straight Kevin. We might have missed what it meant to have a bike (particularly an FJR) if you hadn't clarified that for us. What a freakin great post! Dude, that was really great. You know, most of the time when other riders wave at me, I just give them the finger; that way they know they should be focusing on riding. Can I get an AMEN to that!

I think everyone on the Forum would agree with what wheatonfjr posted. Congratulations Kevin! You just managed to take a reasonable post, add your two cents, and come off as a jerk. uke: You must be one of the guys GunMD is worried about at a stop light.

Of course the thread has to do with overtaking a rider not really waving as one goes by (the wave thing was just to get attention). The wave is not the most important issue for me - - it's passing other riders and stopping at stop lights. I've had folks do different things and I wanted to know the forum's collective opinion.

Later, I've got to go out and wave at some folks - - aw, I meant I wanted to go ride and act like an _______ (that's for you to fill in).

I bought a new bike in 02 after a 10 yr lay off (fear... some dumb batch aimed for me on my VFR.. scared the sh*t outta me.. and gave up riding). Anyway right after I got it I was out for a ride and see some guy on a Harley approaching and without even thinking about it, gave him a wave.
This guy stands up on his pegs, lets go of the bars, hooks his thumbs under his armpits and starts flapping like a chicken!

As he went by, I noticed the Angels patch. Man, things sure have changed was my only thought.

Oh, the best part is about a month later I see two HD's pulled over on the side of the hwy, one with half its electrics pulled out. So I stop. Talk for a few, not the talking types I'm thinking. So I offer my cell for them to call somebody. They do and we keep hunting through this guys electrics (pure spaghetti home brew) for the problem. Then I hear this rumble coming up the hwy.

OH SHIT!

About 10 members of the Angels and a pickup. So I'm thinking, get the hell outta dodge! Well, long story short, this guy comes over to me and asks if I'm the guy who stopped to help. I'm the only dumbass there! So I say ya, and he hands me a handful of "Property of Hells Angels' stickers and says "Put these on your bike, nobody will f*ck with it". Then I recognized him. It was ChickenBoy!

But I didn't say shit

Oh, I never did put the stickers on my bike. Didn't want to get my ass kicked by the HA for the stickers or from another club member for having the HA stickers...

OK this one made me laugh out loud.

Funny, I mean really funny.