BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I usually nod, smile, or lift fingers off left grips; mostly reserve words ("How's it going?") for when I'm passing someone from behind.

Amusingly enough, I get a LOT of "The Wave" from motorcycle riders.

i stopped at a red light once on friendship ave, and this motorcyclist in full garb, had the green and was stopped, and yelled over to me in a raspy voice, "go on brother."

i felt awesome

i always wave, you just gotta start doing it, it'll spread! pittsburgh cyclists actually seem much more receptive to it than some of the other cities i've been riding in lately. esp columbus.

erok. that is awesome.

people should start posting counts... in the boating world this is so common that instead of just couting responses we started catalouging if we could effect the type of wave people gave by the wave we initiated with... it seems that people who jab (a wave that doesn't come back, sometimes done with only one or two fingers) are pretty set in their ways, but people who wave will sometime abandon the wave in favor of a jab if you jab first.

granted there is a lot more time on a boat to study these things, it would be interesting to see if as a small group of cyclists we could get the response rate for the city (and number of waves initiated) to go up over the summer.

I'm a nodder, and sometimes a waver. Much depends on the situation (like, do I need to avoid that foot deep pothole?).

I've found it interesting on my various commutes through the years to keep track of pedestrians who will say "hello" or nod when you pass them (if they are facing you).

almost every weekday morning the same cyclist and i pass each other going opposite ways on penn ave downtown. he always gives me this huge smile and nod and i do the same. i don't think we've ever waved but the huge smiles and nods always start my work day on a positive note

Mostly nods on the jail trail, half-waves everywhere else, except in the rain like today when we both have the biggest grins as we pass.

I wave on the trails. Usually I am to worried about cars/potholes/traffic to wave on the streets.

When I first started riding I was surprised about how few waves I got from other cyclists. Its obviously a very cool community, much like the biker community where even dudes on harleys will smile and wave to someone on a sport bike, but it seems like cyclists are likelier to say hi when they aren't moving.

That aside, I'm going to start being proactive and offer hugs while I'm riding. If you see me with an outstretched arm just ride straight into me, deal?

I always give a shout out to others on the road. I figure that most non-bike people out there are trying to run me down and kill me, so I might as well be cool to kindred souls.

Usually, it's mainly the spandex-clad racer people who blow me off and don't say hi back...cultural issue, I guess.

I usually wave. Braking, signalling, standing in the pedals to climb, dealing with lots of holes and patches, many other reasons ... take precedence, however.

This is something that occupies my mind for many of my commutes home. Having driven or spent lots of time in Jeep wranglers, VW beetles and VW Buses (all which seem to have a high kindred wave scene) This is something I miss on my bike. While I do understand that it is hard and a bit uncomfortable to sometimes take your hand off the bars to wave, I have come to cyclists who do not even make eye contact. I practically stare at them hoping to see their eyes so that I can acknowledge that we are both out here together, but sometimes they dont even gance over at me.

On a side note, I can say that the few times that I have been on the side of the road to make a repair a biker has never passed me without asking if I am ok or need any help.

Mostly nods on the jail trail, half-waves everywhere else, except in the rain like today when we both have the biggest grins as we pass.

love that. i was out in the rain a few weeks ago, and passed the only other cyclist i saw that whole time. we were both smiling about as broadly as is possible. i may also have been singing at that point, i don't know.

I usually either nod or use my dingybell. I also have some select regulars pedestrians that I see that get the full dingybell salutation.

what's the full dingybell salutation?! sounds fancy.

For guys that I ride by, I'll do the manly nod if they nod at me. For ladies, I usually "tip my hat".

classy!

Usually, it's mainly the spandex-clad racer people who blow me off and don't say hi back...cultural issue, I guess.

i don't know. sometimes you're out on a training ride and you're going like hell and you've just crested a big hill and you're trying to get back up to speed and you're not even thinking about waving at someone. and then when someone waves at you, your tired mind takes a few seconds to even register that fact, and by the time you try to get an arm up to wave back, they've already turned their attention back to the road.

that said, i nod or wave all the time, and it's a rare occurrence indeed when i don't get a return greeting.

Big fan of the wave, nod, and ringing my bell. I think Pittsburgh has a pretty friendly wave culture. Maybe not as good as it used to be, but still pretty decent.. My friend Travis was also a big fan when he was in Pittsburgh. He waved/got waves back all the time. Then he moved to NYC... He said people would just look right through him when he waved. Not even a smile. Now that's cold.

I think there are enough people that read and write here that this thread can go a long way tomaking The Wave part of Pittsburgh Bike culture.

Mick

I glance over and will nod if we make eye contact, if I pass someone I will say good mornin or how ya doin. When I see you at a light I will do the same. Not everyone does the same but that's OK.

Maybe people just don't like me...

probably cause you beat them at roller racing...

When I used to ride in the South Hills regularly, I would rarely see other cyclists. So when I spotted another rider heading the other way on Streets Run, I gave a quick wave, but got nothing in response. The next time I saw him, he gave a huge wave like half a block away. It made my whole day. /sad

So, I think a lot of unanswered waves/nods/etc. are due to distraction or unexpected friendliness. It's easy to feel antisocial when you're the only one riding on the road amongst an endless stream of anonymous cars. Sometimes you forget how natural it is to be friendly with other cyclists and pedestrians when you finally encounter one. (Although this has been getting easier with so many people riding now.)

Have you guys never seen 2 seconds?

You are supposed to just look forward, and take two

fingers off your hoods (left hand, side they are

passing) and give the double finger point. Its

explained in the movie pretty thoroughly.

Rocco: you would be surprised how few people in

spandex are racers.

erok, you might be on to something...