The Bikers Nod

sonicated

I went from mountain biking to motorbikes and now I'm getting rather unfit I'm back to cycling again (had nothing to do with the girlfriend moving in, honest). On the daily commute I automatically do the bikers nod to all cyclists passing by and I rarely get a response. However on the rare occasion when I do get spotted it lights the persons face up and I get a big nod and a smile in return.

So, this is a call to arms - please start nodding!

STEFANOS4784

Uh-oh.........

Clever Pun

I think the same type of bike is expected for any recognition

once you get into the centre of london you barely see nods at all, it's more prevalent outside the centre in my experience

Rich158

Clever Pun wrote:

I think the same type of bike is expected for any recognition

once you get into the centre of london you barely see nods at all, it's more prevalent outside the centre in my experience

True, when on my road bike, i only ever get aknowledged by other roadies. This sort of snobbery drives me mad :evil:

claash

Had the same problem here!
But persistance is the key! :?
After 12 months commuting, seeing the same guys day in day out, we now have a break through.
2 guys always nod, and if the road is quiet enough say hi.

OK
1 guy still looks at me as if I am truly mental.
The new commuter still can't even make eye contact.
But I am working on them too........ :twisted: Would like a nod or smile from all the guys ...... especially those who manage the distance in the winter!

BoardinBob

I don't bother with the nod. You always make the assumption that other cyclists are as keen as you but most aren't and just see a bike as a meaningless object.

I used to own a certain sports car and it was commonplace to give a cheery wave to other drives of the same marque as the marque had a particular heritage. However most other drivers didn't give a toss about the car they were driving and god forbid you should wave at a driver in a different model from the same marque, particularly if you were in a modern model and they were driving an older one.

jonginge

This gets discussed ever and anon. I don't think it's snobbery, more a you're in my gang sort of thing.

I nod, wave* to anyone me. More so on leisure rides than the commute, though

* even if they are infinitesimally small waves/nods

il_principe

Pointless in London though - I'd end up looking like a nodding dog.

Littigator

in London? Never

Out of town, will always nod to another roadie and depending on circumstance etc will give most riders a nod

spasypaddy

i always nod if i see someone, and i have more than once chatted to someone at the lights

jrduquemin

I normally nod to other cyclists whilst on my way into work in the mornings. I've passed a few riders on the way home that don't acknowledge my greetings then have the nerve to sit on without asking. Cheeky feckers :-)

lost_in_thought

I'll say hello if I'm out an about in Essex, only very rarely in London unless I think someone's nodding at me or saying hello.

spasypaddy

id always say hello to you LIT

gb155

I never get nobs but always give them, At lights I just get looked at lol

gert_lush

On the commute its always a nod, although I think that they think I have a nervous twitch as I always get a blank reply. I always say 'morning' or 'evening' to anyone I scalp, just to be courteous

When out at the weekends of the Roadbike or the MTB its always cheerful hello and a grin and sometimes an overenthusiastic wave depending on how hard i'm trying...or not :roll:

linsen

I used to have a 2CV and when out and about in it other 2CV drivers waved madly at me! (now you hardly ever see them)

When we got rid of the 2CV (Percy), we replaced it with a completely soulless volvo. Mr L thought he'd start a trend were all volvo drivers waved. It was a little embarassing and didn't quite take off......

I always get acknowledged in town when I'm on the road bike by other roadies, but otherwise nothing. Out in the sticks I will always say a cheery hello to a passer-by. They are few and far between, and generally say hello back. I must say in the roadie's defence, MTBers don't generally say hello to us!

patchy

i tend to simply flash other cyclists. That seems to get over any tricky nodding etiquette.

linsen

patchy wrote:

i tend to simply flash other cyclists. That seems to get over any tricky nodding etiquette.

Isn't it a bit chilly to get your equipment out in this weather?

woodyonthebeach

linsen wrote:

patchy wrote:

i tend to simply flash other cyclists. That seems to get over any tricky nodding etiquette.

Isn't it a bit chilly to get your equipment out in this weather?

if its big enough they should be able to see it and guess what religion you are.

Going back to the nod. The nod is everything and the occasional finger to the D1ck H3ad driver.

Breathless Commuter Man

gb155 wrote:

I never get nobs but always give them, At lights I just get looked at lol

Is that a typo or are you trying to take this thread somewhere else.

Massimo

I tend to nod but have recently started experimenting with raising my palm from my right brake hood in a kind of 'cyclists salute'.

dirk_van_gently

I too am also a motocyclist, and the old nodding, flashing lights, waving is just considered a general acknowledgment of someone enjoying the freedom or motorised 2 wheeler. I don't actually care if I get a response, I even ackowledge Yuffs on twist and go scoots. I take the same approach to cycling, I always say hello, wave, nod or whatever to cyclists, and always say hello to peds if I encounter them on a mixed use lane.
I was out MTBing a few weeks ago, good few miles under our belts having a trundle and a chat on the way back to the start. I was saying hello to other MTBers coming the other way, and my partner was in near hysterics, "what's so funny?" I ask, "you saying hello to everyone" I replied, "well many are saying hello back and smiling, and the ones that don't are just ignorant"
Cycling snobbery was Roadies v MTB, but that has spread to XC v DH ad infinitum. If a polite hello can go some small way to breaking down the snobbery boundaries, then all well and good. If people choose to ignore my enthusiasm, F! em!

hisoka

I always try to nod, say a hi too. I get something back about 50% of the time I would say. Depends of course on the road, some it is a bit too dangerous to do anything but hang on and hope (slightly OTT I know, but it feels it after having the car incident the other night where someone drove right past me at about 2 inches and honked his horn as he got next to me.)

girv73

Ah the INR (look it up in the Newbies sticky)

I can't say I give the INR 100% of the time, but I do more often than I don't, and I don't much care if there's a response or not. I'd usually say "hi" or "mornin" to the few regulars that I pass on the way to or from work too.

Rich158

Breathless Commuter Man wrote:

gb155 wrote:

I never get nobs but always give them, At lights I just get looked at lol

Is that a typo or are you trying to take this thread somewhere else.

he's obviously never passed Patchy

woodyonthebeach

I want to live and commute in london. You seem to get alot more nodding action

il_principe

Not sure we do. Surrey hills on a summers sunday morning and you'll be nodding like mad.

Clever Pun

BoardinBob wrote:

I don't bother with the nod. You always make the assumption that other cyclists are as keen as you but most aren't and just see a bike as a meaningless object.

I used to own a certain sports car and it was commonplace to give a cheery wave to other drives of the same marque as the marque had a particular heritage. However most other drivers didn't give a toss about the car they were driving and god forbid you should wave at a driver in a different model from the same marque, particularly if you were in a modern model and they were driving an older one.

Citron Dolly?

Feltup

BoardinBob wrote:

I don't bother with the nod. You always make the assumption that other cyclists are as keen as you but most aren't and just see a bike as a meaningless object.

I used to own a certain sports car and it was commonplace to give a cheery wave to other drives of the same marque as the marque had a particular heritage. However most other drivers didn't give a toss about the car they were driving and god forbid you should wave at a driver in a different model from the same marque, particularly if you were in a modern model and they were driving an older one.

In the early days of said modern variant nods and waves were common place but then as it became one of the most common sports cars on the road the love was lost. p.s. occasionally older models would wave but it was rare.

I say hi to almost everyone, it drives my girlfriend nuts

jjojjas

I always say Hi, but then its not exactly chocka with cars around here like some of you guys deal with every day.

cee

I usually find people are more open to saying hello when outside of the city centre. Don't really do it on my commute (i do talk to people when stopped at traffic lights though...some folks seem a little surprised that a stranger is talking to them!), but when out riding trails in the hills, everyone who passes says hello.