Rider Etiquette Decision - What do you do?

[Dave20046]

Originally Posted by MiniMatt

Everyone and anyone, possible exception of scooters if I'm honest.

Question: Do you nod to bike coppers? I do, but got pulled for it once! He was sat at the side of the road monitoring traffic/waiting/whatever, I nodded as I went past and 30 seconds later saw blue flashy lights in the mirrors. Apparently whenever anyone sees him they look first at their speedo, then look dead ahead and never make eye contact - so whenever anyone deviates from that norm the copper reactions kick in, and figure something is up and it's worth a tug All was fine, chuckle had by all etc.

Bike paramedics round here are very happy fellows though (that or they're sampling their own supply) as you often get full on waves from them

I have done before porbably stupid though thinking about it!

[gruntygiggles]

I nod or wave to all (except idiot kids on scooters in shorts or tracksuits).....luckily am free to wave as I have two free hands!
I do find though that cruisers, groups of blokes on supersports with matching brand new leathers and some moped riders never nod back....oh well!

On the bike = happy = nod

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by gruntygiggles

...groups of blokes on supersports with matching brand new leathers...

odd, i get the most enthusiastic nods from the CBRGSXRZXR1 guys, kind of like they're trying to look over their right shoulder by turning their heads to the left

See your post TLW reminded of an incident yesterday. We were ambling along the A44 when a couple of SS riders caught us up. Not wanting to hold them up I moved left and waved them through. The first guy on a 675 waved his appreciation, only to swing wide on a left hand bend and nearly mount the kerb. Close thing. He carried on in front, his touching his helmet to indicate the time honoured gesture "what a knob". So sometimes an acknowledgment can be inappropriate or dangerous.

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by petevtwin650

See your post TLW reminded of an incident yesterday. We were ambling along the A44 when a couple of SS riders caught us up. Not wanting to hold them up I moved left and waved them through. The first guy on a 675 waved his appreciation, only to swing wide on a left hand bend and nearly mount the kerb. Close thing. He carried on in front, his touching his helmet to indicate the time honoured gesture "what a knob". So sometimes an acknowledgment can be inappropriate or dangerous.

Tis true.....luckily I am on the back and can always afford a nod or wave. The only exception being when going at speed round twisties when I'd rather keep my eyes on where Dan is putting the bike so I can keep my knees out the way for him to lean off.

I nod at near enough everything apart from mopeds/scooters

i've only been nodded at once *nobody likes me*
i try to nod to most but scooters, but im new and i have to concentrate unless im going in a straight line, and i've only ridden in winter and so passed all of 2 other bikes
if i dont nod back its only cos i dont notice or im concentrating

EDIT: i never nodded/waved as pillion unless the rider didnt acknowledge the nod cos he was busy doing something

I nod to everyone. I was out yesterday in the blazing sun for a short while, the amount of bikes i saw was huge, but hardly any nodded back, especially the groups. But whatever, i'll keep nodding away. I'll nod at scooters too because they could just as easily have bought a Nissan Micra.

Originally Posted by Thingus

I nod to everyone. I was out yesterday in the blazing sun for a short while, the amount of bikes i saw was huge, but hardly any nodded back, especially the groups.

Maybe those who didn't return the compliment were concentrating on not colliding with each other, like the bunch I saw at Craven Arms yesterday morning. Why do people ride so close.... they must trust their mates implicitly. I like a bit of space around me. I said this to Karl once and I justified it on the braking distance needed, he suggested that even a supertanker could stop in the space I wanted. Got a bit better since but I still hate being crowded out.

Originally Posted by Magnum

I wouldn't ever overtake a faster bike. Like today there was this brand new 09 plate ninja that i was behind and it was going so slowwwwwwwwwww, i wanted to overtake it, but cmon its a 100bhp bike, and mines 10bhp. Didn't really seem right.

I've never understood that mentality. I'm not saying that you're wrong as it personal choice of course. But if I want to overtake a bike I will. I've gone past things much faster than the SV before when they've been tootling along at 50mph on a 60mph road. I'll always give a wave as if to say 'Not after a race mate, just got places to be'.

I'd done this when the new Hayabusa was released. I assumed the guy was running it in and I went past him on the Ducati. I didn't get chance to wave, as by the time I'd raised my hand he was head down, ar$e up and doing a good 40 mph more than me