[Closed] Roadue etiquette question

When you are driving do you expect a wave from every other motorist?
When you are walking, do you expect a wave from every other pedestrian?

(I get a friendly wave most times out on the road bike.....)

Maybe you need to look harder as it might be no more than a flick of the fingers

Hasn't this been done to death? Mostly what Scotroutes says.

[img] [/img]

Sometimes it's just a nod or a "yup" and is easily missed. Not everyone says hello or acknowledges your greeting whether on a road or mountain bike so I wouldn't get too hung up on it. I reckon 50% of the cyclists on my commute don't respond to a hello and that's MTB, CX & road. Maybe they don't realise that people on bikes say hello; maybe they don't like talking to weird people on bikes; maybe they are ***holes.

We were out on the MTBs today around Dent saw just four cyclists, all roadies, and all said hello.

Have a read of Bill Bryson's "Notes from a Small Island" about the Malhamdale "Wave" - a Google search will also suffice.

First 2 I overtook on a climb so I thought maybe they were just blowing

I imagine they were dumbstruck by your awesomeness. 🙂

Just give a barely-perceptible nod. Makes you look hardcore as well, plus you can pretend they never saw it when they blank you in return.

Everyone was friendly on my ride today. Even the walkers!

Haha, was just thinking it's been a while since we've had a rude roadie thread 🙂

Im so bored with this. Fair play to druidh for his restraint, but this gets asked all the time.

If you are that needy that you crave acknowledgement, perhaps you should start a cult.

Are you wearing baggies or a peaked helmet??

[IMG] [/IMG]

When you are driving do you expect a wave from every other motorist?

always if I was in my 110 and they were in a 90/110 as well

I love riding during the week up in Hertfordshire because there's a load of oldies rolling rounds on bikes and they're more than happy to say hello.
don't worry about etiquette or what you think people will want you to do. do what you want. spread the love.

[img] [/img]

Brakes + 1
I grew up in a touring / cycling family and we are definitely "greeters". Cyclists often get treated like shit by certain parts of society and on the roads in particular. I like the idea of a bit of solidarity

See you're having to ask, others might not have a clue.

Less and less return the nod nowadays, I think a lot of newcomers think they're too great.

On a related note, I find it odd that other VW T4 drivers wave at me.

Ahh but do VW T5 owners wave at you..........ha haa got you there..............sorry

If it helps, every day on my commute I pass a guy going the other way and we always say hello. He had a 2 year stint where I didn't see him, then he's back cycling every day. I have never said anything to him other than hello though.

There's happy people, normal people and miserable people everywhere. Some of them ride bikes.

Trailmoggy, monkeyfudger I own a T5 and wave to other vow van drivers 😳

I greet cyclists regardless of what bike I'm riding. Majority respond in a friendly manner. We're a friendly bunch in Somerset..... Must be the cider!

Depends where you are. Out in the sticks most will speak to you. Closer to the big city and they'll look dead ahead with an expression that suggest perhaps their entire family has been murdered. That goes for pretty much anyone one though.

Oh dear, I really shouldn't have asked should. Lesson learned I guess...

Thanks to those who did give an intelligent answer though, sounds like I might maybe need to be more attentive (and less awesome :wink:)

Large418, he was in prison.

Seriously though lbjones, you say you just bought a road bike, which is fine but how much effort did you make to get the look right? As someone else writes above, riding a road bike won't admit you to the circle of the chosen ones if you've left the peak on your helmet or are wearing anything baggy or carrying a rucsac. Then there's the body language - if you look relaxed and happy, gurning away and waving like a friendly nutter you'll be cut dead; you've got to look serious, be concentrating on your technique and riding fast then only notice other riders at the last second and allow them the most imperceptible nod or raised finger. Do try harder man.

It's true ... the awesome roadies will blank you for said reasons above. Also if your legs are hairy, pale or knees pointing quarter to and quarter past as you ride.

Hmmm, I do have quite hairy legs, I did make the effort a bought some lycra though. Maybe your right, didn't get it right, probably looked like the chump trying to fit in and failing miserably, I've bought some of those clip on triathlon bars now, I'm guessing that probably won't help....

I've bought some of those clip on triathlon bars now

Guaranteed blank responses right there

What! I've just watched TDF highlights and they all had them! 😀

Yes, I seem to be heading in the wrong direction here, maybe time for some re-evaluation, I have shaved my mono brow on the wife's insistence, I guess that's a start towards full aero commitment

Thats the spirit.. start at the eyebrows and shave your way down.
Nobody will wave if you have leg hair waving back....

I'm sorry OP, but everytime I go out on the road bike I am overwhelmed by people waving, clapping me on the back & giving me a high 5. It gets embarrasing at times & it is difficult to make any progress down the road. Just the other day I was getting my bike out of the garage when some bloke comes up, slits his palm with a knife and tries to make out that we should be blood brothers on the grounds that he rides a Boardman Road pro carbon. I wouldn't mind, but I've never even been into Halfords in my life.

Must just be you.

Don;t get a motorhome. You spend your whole life getting waved at by old people in theirs

Are you wearing baggies or a peaked helmet??

This. Unless you are looking pro and your bike isn't adorned with pumps/saddle bags/bells/reflectors etc it's like farting in a lift, you are not welcome and until you have the tan lines and souplesse of a real cyclist you will be ignored.
😉