By blackmountaincycles,
Filed under: People
I’ve got a theory about the wave. More specifically, the lack of the wave. I’m a waver. It’s just part of what I do when I ride. Wave to other cyclists on the road. It’s an acknowledgement of other members of this community we’re members of – cyclists. In the grand scheme of things, it’s a small community. We’re on the road doing the same thing, trying to achieve the same result – fitness and enjoying the outdoors
I wave at other cyclists I see on the road – roadies, racers, tourists, all cyclists. It’s really easy here because the roads are all narrow and the other cyclists pass going the other direction only two car widths away. I can spit that far. I see another cyclist coming and I give a wave – a full-on hands off the bars wave. Not the Queen’s wave and not the grand marshall of the local parade wave, but a palm forward, maybe the pinky and ring finger curved down a bit half-way to a peace sign kind of a wave. A “howdy, good to see you out on the bike kind of a wave.”
I time my wave to give the other cyclist time to react and wave back. A “hey, right back atcha.” However, that’s rare. The vast majority of the time, the reaction is a complete lack of reaction. Looking straight ahead, barely a swivel of the head to the left. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
I probably wouldn’t give the wave if I was riding or commuting in a city where there’s so many cyclists on the road that my left hand would never be on the bar. I give the wave on the back roads of West Marin where there’s not so many cyclists that it’s a constant action. And I give a “howdy” or “morning” (I rarely ride in the afternoon – that would only be a “howdy”) if I pass someone or someone passes me. I do get “howdys” back from passed cyclists, but never from someone who passed me.
During my ride this morning, I thought about the wave and why it’s not returned. Or why it’s not even instigated by the other rider. If I didn’t wave, the riding coming from the other direction will never, NEVER, wave. Seriously. Never. Try it. Maybe it’s a Marin thing. The more I thought about it, the more I think I came up with the reason. This is 2016 and integrated shift lever/brake levers have been on bikes for so long that most of the riders on the road have likely never had to move their hands from the bars to shift a down tube lever. Maybe those riders who don’t wave don’t like taking their hand off the bars. Maybe the last time they gave the wave, they weaved and wove across the road and almost crashed. Maybe. It would, at least, be an excuse that’s understandable. But that then begs the question “how do they take a drink from a bottle.” Oh well. I’ll keep riding and keep waving. Wave back, ‘kay?
The only rider who waves back
(What’s playing: Roberta Flack Come Together)
Grinduro!
23 responses to “The Wave”
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I’m a waver as well. When people don’t wave back, I am a bit sad because they don’t realize how fragile and small each of our existence really is. Or maybe bicycling doesn’t make them happy to be alive, but is instead their punishment?
I think there’s some truth in your thought, Jeff. The wave to me is like the secret handshake. And doesn’t everyone want to know the secret handshake?
Sometimes waver. I don’t get bent out of shape if a wave isn’t returned. Seems a little silly to read too much into it. Plenty of possible reasons why it’s not returned. Just don’t damn feel like it is acceptable :p. Another possibility I’m guilty of, they’re in their happy place daydreaming and just don’t notice and by the time it registers, too late.
I nearly always wave and also say hello when passing someone. I maybe get a 30% wave return rate. I guess that those other riders are too focussed on their preparations for the Thursday night World Championships to share the moment with anyone else. I also wave to the workers in the local farm fields. They always wave back.
It says something about your broader personality I believe. There aren’t that many nice people on the planet really, but I do believe us wavers are amongst them.
I wave on the road, and say hello on bike paths. I haven’t kept formal statistics, but my impression is I get more replies in the morning than the afternoon, and more from women then men (don’t tell my wife).
I’ll even wave at those other two wheel travelers, even though they have too many cyclinders. I’ll often get a wave back.
Some people are super nice and wave, others are super grumpy and don’t. There is no average kinda “hey” person, that is a statistical product or something like that. If you are always “first” on the draw, well, you would make a great gunslinger! Hmmn, but drawing a firearm and waving are opposites…I need to think about this some more.
Y’all need to come on out to Arkansas–plenty of waving going 0n.
I’ve been a nodder and eyebrow raiser to everyone. Response to that from other riders is about 50/50. Side note: I had a motorcycle a couple years back that I rode in West Marin about once a month. Motorcycling was new to me and I was surprised to see that almost every motorcyclist waves to other motorcyclists. Sometimes a low wave or a low peace sign. Other times full on wave. Unless someone was cornering or would jeopardize their safety, they all waved. You’ve inspired me to become more of a waver when I’m on the bike. I enjoy your blog and shop.
The move “2 Seconds” covers it well…
Waver for life!
I wave. As a motorcyclist, 90% wave back when I wave. The 10% that don’t are typically die-in-the-wool Harley riders. I would say most commute cyclists wave. It is a survival thing; if you don’t, guaranteed when you break down or need help, you will be less likely to get the assistance needed. We need to stay in touch and waving helps. It keeps us cohesive and strong. Go wave!
Thanks for the blog entry and thoughts, this is always and forever an interesting question to ponder. I’m a waver, well, more of a peace-sign-er or the almost-peace-sign you describe. I spent many years as a triathlete, so i don’t get bummed when I’m not waved back to…I got used to it in those years. More often than not, I do a wave and get alot of dead pan stares. That one baffles me…you see me, I see you seeing me, but you don’t wave? Often, conversations stop, as two riders go past, just staring. I can’t figure that out. I will say from my part, when someone else is quicker on the draw, that I will be focused elsewhere (computer, road surface, deer about to attack…) and only just in the pass see the wave coming my way. I feel bad when this happens. I do enjoy, so much, the camaraderie and community that is shared in that passing moment. The acknowledgement of being in our respective, but shared happy places, enjoying time in the saddle. Keep waving, all ya’ll wavers and we are all bound to pass one another along the way.
I wave, but often just the eye contact and two fingers off the bar wave. I get a lot of return waves. Maybe because I creep people out with the gaze first, and it’s a relief to wave away the attention. I often compliment people on their bikes, too, whether they’re passing me, or I’m passing them, no matter what kind of bike. There’s always something nice to say about a bike. On the other hand, if someone overtakes me silently, I often go, “AAGH! Jesus!” And swerve and laugh, which makes them say, “Sorry!”
PS: Nice work on the new site.
Thanks, Philip. That’s a good one regarding reactions to silent passers.
I think you are on to something re the brifters and hands glued to bars. In a group I ride with some Saturday’s it feels like I’m the only one that drinks (or eats or sheds a vest etc) while moving. Seems like the rest only do those things while stopped to regroup. Perhaps as a corollary, they stop a lot.
Some thoughts: Interesting how being a-social is taken to be the same as anti-social by those who are social enough to want to wave! That introversion is assumed to be grumpiness by extroverts! Some people just aren’t as social as others. I imagine that many cyclists are using their solo time on the bike as time away from others. And for them, maybe that means not having to constantly acknowledge others, a thing which maybe they find more burdensome than do those others who like to constantly acknowledge everyone else around them. Or, perhaps they find a wave to be an empty, meaningless, anonymous gesture, even an intrusion on theirs or another’s thoughts, and would rather spend their social energy on real meaningful social engagement – conversation, riding together, etc.
Right on, Ed. As a bumper sticker I have says: “Just because we both ride bikes doesn’t mean we are friends”
I know a professor at UCSB that was on a committee that had to handle several sexual harassment cases. Super nice guy and very popular with students. Early on he wondered out loud to his wife if his hugging a student or staff could be interpreted as misconduct. His wife said “don’t worry – you hug everybody!”. I think waving should also be equal opportunity.
I wave to everyone if I notice them in time and have similar response statistics to yours, including on a mountain bike. I ride mostly in Sonoma County. Walkers and horse back riders typically like it when I say “good morning” or “nice horse” or get off the bike to take care while passing a horse or to say hello to a dog. Bikers, not so much. Beyond my ingrained inclination to wave I think it is good for the community of people that get out and do things in nature to interact a little. It doesn’t ruin your resting heart rate and makes the overall perception of mountain (in particular) and road riders a little less douchey.
I usually give a wave or a G’day or a tilt of the head as an acknowledgement. Sometimes it can be difficult if there’s a bit going on around you in regards to any traffic you’re negotiating and I can understand Philip’s and Ed’s perspective too. You might have a chuckle at this from a cycling shop in Adelaide, South Australia. Link here:
https://bmcr.com.au/dbad/
Love your site and blog (in its old and new forms), so many kernels of wisdom and cool stuff in general.
Awesome!
Thanks,
Alex
Awesome, Alex. Thanks. D*BAD!
I live in GA now, most everybody waves. Seems kinda excessive at times, but when I think about it, it gives me a sense of community and belonging. I am from Santa Barbara, CA, not so many wavers there. CA is a funny place.
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I’m “lantern rouge-ing” with such a late comment but i was fascinated by the topic. I’ve been an “acknowledge-er” for a long time whether it’s just a look & a nod or even just a few fingers off the bar with a direct look & it’s usually been reciprocated regularly throughout the years until the last 10 or so.
These day there’s a lotta “I’m too cool & focused whilst training on my molded plastic*** bike for the weekends big race to bother waving” (sorry – *** = i meant to say ‘carbon fiber’).
I used to see Robin Williams on the Tiburon Loop kinda regularly & we were always riding in the opposite direction to each other but we had “the nod” down. I can’t say I knew the man but I’d chatted with him briefly outside of bike shops & so it was always nice to give n’ get the nod when we passed each other.
The best acknowledgement I ever got was back in the mid ’70’s whilst doing the Fairfax out to Olema, down Hwy 1 to Bolinas & back up & over the ridges & home, ride. I was by myself, buzzed (lotta guys even raced stoned back then…ask G-Fisher) & enjoying the sunny day & the ride. Heading down the coast just after Olema. there was a long gently rolling / fairly flat stretch next to a field that’s since been divided into smaller pastures but at the time, it was more open & there was a herd of 6, 8 horses & seeing them, I was digging on them & I just yelled out something along the lines of – “you guys are frickin’ awesome” & the whole bunch of ’em picked up & started running alongside the fence line & paced me the whole length of the field. Just as my roadway was about to head left up the hill, their pasture ended & they all peeled of to the right but i definitely vibe-ed out a “thank you guys”
Now that was an acknowledgement between like minded creatures that i’ve never forgotten about all these years later. We were, all of us looking for a little freedom in motion & sensing it in each other, we shared it. I’ve done a lotta cool rides in a lotta cool places with a lotta cool people over the years but that was the coolest part of a bike ride I’ve ever done & it was only for the length of a long field. Truly awesome.
Great sotry, Stephen. A couple of years ago, three horses started running alongside a group of racers at the Almonzo 100, a gravel race in the mid-west. Search on youtube for “Almonzo horses.” https://flic.kr/p/nnRZaB