How polite are groups to each when on the road?

Harrybelafonte

mrcheez wrote: »

Just curious, do you wave at all motorists when you are driving as well?

Not all, but I'd wave at people when I'm driving a car which isa relatively rare sight, Alfa owners used to wave til they became 10 a dozen, Lancia drivers all wave at each other, NA MX5s, Morris Minors, etc. It's the acknowledgment of a shared passion and unspoken companionship.

easygoing39

mrcheez wrote: »

Just curious, do you wave at all motorists when you are driving as well?

No,but I wave at the lads on the tractors,and the lads driving RS's and classic cars.

CramCycle

mrcheez wrote: »

Just curious, do you wave at all motorists when you are driving as well?

When I lived in the country I definitely did, you know, just in case it was someone you knew, safer to wave at everyone.

skallywag

Waving seems a bit overboard, a quick nod is the way to do it.

magicbastarder

i tend to cycle alongside other cyclists and hum the rocky theme music as loudly as possible, in a bit to be friendly and motivational.

07Lapierre

I think the real question here is: what constitutes a "wave"? Does raising your index finger count as a wave or should you raise your arm and wave as if your life depended on it?

I tend to just nod my head in acknowledgement.

Harrybelafonte

07Lapierre wrote: »

I think the real question here is: what constitutes a "wave"? Does raising your index finger count as a wave or should you raise your arm and wave as if your life depended on it?

I tend to just nod my head in acknowledgement.

The steering wheel finger raise can disappear behind hoods. Hand has to lifted off bars. For a group, one must salute, hand to forehead, as the approach. One should only drop that hand until after the last cyclist passes.


Unless it's a group of Freds of course.

Moflojo

In my experience over the past decade the fraternal nature of cycling has diminished slightly. I put this down to the Bike to Work scheme and how popular and successful it has been. Essentially, so many people got into cycling at the same time that there weren't enough existing cyclists to pass on basic cycling etiquette and tips to all the newcomers.

I don't think cycling etiquette is a lost cause though, I think we're just going through an adjustment period while all the new, and very welcome, cyclists get bedded in. As with all things, evil prevails when good men fail to act, so don't be afraid to set a good example for others even if it isn't reciprocated.

OleRodrigo

Agreed. We could possibly be facing the greatest evil the world has seen in years - the non waving cyclist. We need to stand firm and be relentless in our waving and good cheer against this malignant auld bollix.

As firm as our delicate little legs allow us to stand, that is, so to speak.

Wishbone Ash

All this talk of 'waving'. I'd be a bit freaked out if another cyclist 'waved' at me. A nod or salutation such as raising an arm/hand is fine but a 'wave'? :eek:

mrcheez

I think we need an inverse relationship chart here with:

"Number of cyclists on the road" increasing on the Y axis.
"How many waves you receive" increasing on the X axis.




i.e. it's probably more common when you encounter someone doing something you are doing when it's out of the norm.

Like how many times do snowboarders wave at each other at a ski resort?

Weepsie

I'll start going Seinfeld on it.

irishrover99

i got a thumbs up from an oncoming driver while i was heading up Balinascorney and about turn left onto the Shankill road.
It was a nice of him and good to see someone in a car acknowledging me. He must have been a jealous/envious cyclists.

RobertFoster

irishrover99 wrote: »

i got a thumbs up from an oncoming driver while i was heading up Balinascorney and about turn left onto the Shankill road.
It was a nice of him and good to see someone in a car acknowledging me. He must have been a jealous/envious cyclists.

Are you sure it was a positive thumbs up? I give a thumbs up as a thank you when someone eases off to let me change lanes in front of them, but I also give a thumbs up as a "well done" when someone does something stupid/dangerous. Outwardly they're the same gesture, but only those who can hear my inner monologue know they're different :pac:

As for waving at cyclists, within the M50, generally no. Outside the M50, (depending on the width of the road and if there's other traffic between us) I'll try and offer a nod/raised finger/smile. I always say hello when overtaking, or comment on the weather/hill we're currently enduring. Passing in the opposite direction I'll only shout if I recognise the jersey/rider.

Like others, I'll greet (or at least acknowledge the existence of) walkers/joggers/gardeners/road workers/horse riders/dogs and dog walkers/cats. I've even talked to motorcyclists at traffic lights.

Unknown Soldier

Daroxtar wrote: »

I'm a pure culchie. I wave or nod the head at everyone. If they don't respond I just assume they're townies

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

All this talk of 'waving'. I'd be a bit freaked out if another cyclist 'waved' at me. A nod or salutation such as raising an arm/hand is fine but a 'wave'? :eek:

A culchie wave is usually just a slight lifting of a few fingers, or a "look" with a slight movement of the head.

We do it when driving too. It's almost telepathic.

I say good morning/afternoon/evening when passing people standing at bus stops, so it's not hard to guess where I stand on this issue

mad dave

I always wave or nod whether I'm on my own or with the club. I hate it when they give eye contact and don't wave back.

ford2600

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

We do it when driving too. It's almost telepathic.

There is as many variations of a salute as their is accents.

My favorite is one I've seen around mid Tipperary, usually by farmers.

The top of steering wheel is treated like an arm rest for both arms, with the hands almost folded across each other, the salute is slap with the back of hand of the windscreen.

I suppose they could be killing flies/wasps.

On saluting from a bike, you would want to be from a different planet not to return a salute in this type of location
https://goo.gl/hPxAUx

Maybe not so much on the some busy suburban/city centre street.

If you think cyclists should always salute each other go the opposite way to a large sportive some day; even @Draxotar would give up I know I did meeting SKT one year and Tour de Cure another

Wishbone Ash

ford2600 wrote: »

...My favorite is one I've seen around mid Tipperary, usually by farmers.

The top of steering wheel is treated like an arm rest for both arms, with the hands almost folded across each other, the salute is slap with the back of hand of the windscreen....

My father in law rests his arms over the steering wheel as you describe and just raises an arthritic thumb at each vehicle he meets.

In rural Co Louth they raise the right arm and flick the hand rapidly downwards with fingers extended.

moonshadow

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

My father in law rests his arms over the steering wheel as you describe and just raises an arthritic thumb at each vehicle he meets.

In rural Co Louth they raise the right arm and flick the hand rapidly downwards with fingers extended.

Jaykers if only it was easier to post photos here, I'm a Louth cyclist and you would love to see the down hand flicks being recognised by the dub groups on the N2 as we pass !!

magicbastarder

Well, on a 40km spin around ncd, every cyclist bar one waved out said hello. And I'm not 100% sure about the odd man out.
Though this was not a scientific survey, I did not wait for them to say hello first before I returned the favour.

ezra_

We were out today and passed a group that had maybe 12-14 members.
Every single person nearest to us both waved and shouted hi - it was very impressive!

Our uncoordinated return of greeting probably looked very lame in comparison

terrydel

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

A culchie wave is usually just a slight lifting of a few fingers, or a "look" with a slight movement of the head.

We do it when driving too. It's almost telepathic.

I say good morning/afternoon/evening when passing people standing at bus stops, so it's not hard to guess where I stand on this issue

Some greetings must engage one muscle at most, they are barely perceptible!
But I just love the whole ethos of it, regardless of whether its cycling or something else, its a nice thing, a good part of human nature and something to applaud, tho not when cycling :P

kayaksurfbum

90k ride around co Waterford today, passed 3 local clubs, two groups of one club. All except one club gave a wave and hello back to us. The club with two groups ignored us, and just now i see they are trying to get my club to turn up for a sportive they are organising.

Id like to tell them they are a bunch or ignorant feckers on the road, why would i want to ride with ye. Any one agree with me?

py

Will nod, wave or say hello to cyclists (groups or solo riders) when out at the weekends and most do acknowledge. Usually out for my weekend spins in the morning so when I'm out that bit later I've been known to still say "morning" as I encounter folk.