Big deal; so they didn't wave. Maybe they were thinking about work, had a fight with the wife/girlfriend/whatever, they were paying attention to the road instead of you, etc.

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Bruce Clarke - 2020 Yamaha XV250

Waving is nice Bruce. I think biking in the UK has become very fragmented over the last 20 years or so, if you grew up on bikes in the 70's and 80's (and obviously before) riding a bike was enough to make you part of a homogenous group. Now it seems it's what you ride and wear that defines you as part of a group within a group and decides who waves to who and who might stop to help you. That's a bit of a shame I think. As a generalisation that hasn't happened in continental Europe where there seems to be more solidarity amongst the biking fraternity.

Everybody wave!

Dave,
I think what you say about europe is interesting as I find I get hardly any waves in Europe. These days, when over there, I don't bother waving till someone waves at me.
As to the 'fragmentation' of the biking community I'm not sure that is right. On my big traillie I get the same number of waves from all types of biker, except possibly a FEW more from other guys on the de riguer 'adv' bikes (GSs, Tigers, V-Stroms etc.) especially when I have me boxes on!
Among sports bike/cruiser/road tourer the response is similar.
I have also found round these parts, that while most bikers will pass a stranded biker, a critical few will always slow/stop to see if you are OK.
Waving is more prevelant in the North too, in my experience.
Matt

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http://adventure-writing.blogspot.com

http://scotlandnepal.blogspot.com/

*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!

I found this site from a link. They are in the US, but I think they are trying to go international. It seems like something to look into for Europe, too, judging by this thread. (The US has long been fragmented within the biker community), as well as hostile traffic from 4 wheeled vehicles.

http://www.bikerfriend.org/

In many instances the wave is merely a matter of numbers, the more bikers you encounter, the less likely you are to wave. The same thing happens with cage drivers in Australia, as you get further away from the cities and into the outback, people start waving as you go past and are more likely to stop and help if you are broken down.
Sean

Matt, I guess this just shows that it is probably a very subjective thing we are talking about here. My own recent experience, mainly in Iberia, and on both my sports bike and off road bike is that more or less everybody gives you a wave as you pass by - from scooters to superbikes. Luckily i haven't had the need of roadside assistence ( I ride Hondas!). Last time I rode in England there seemed to be a very cliquey thing going on, very tribal and exclusive. It was not what I remembered whilst living and riding in England. Maybe I am looking at the past through rose-tinted spectacles.

For the record I'm a waver!

I must agree that things have changed with the wave and even with stopping to help. I think it is kind of funny that the people I see the most broken down at the side of the road are also the same people on the Harleys that are too cool to wave.

It is definitely a function of how many other bikes there are on the road and where you are. Near major urban centres, with loads of bikes it's more difficult to get the return wave but out in the sticks more common. Same thing for the stop to help. We just returned from a trip up to Inuvik, which by most definitions is pretty remote. Every single biker waved back and most automobile drivers did too. We stopped by the side of the road for a break, eating a plum, and people (cars and bikes) would stop and see if we were OK. Here at home, near Calgary, I may or may not get people to stop no matter what's wrong.

By the way, whenever I see a European motorhome with Euro plates (here in North America) I always wave and I usually get a return. Hey, they're travellers too!

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Ekke Kok

'84 R100RT 141,000 km (Dad's!)
'89 R100GS 250,000 km (and ready for another continent)
'07 R1200GS Adventure 100,000 km (just finished Circumnavigating Asia)
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

www.ekke-audrey.ca

In my experience you still get lots of waves in France (outside of big towns).
Also I would like to clarify the "rules" as it seems from the above that there is a bit of confusion:

You wave (with your left hand) to say "Hello"
You stick your (normally right) leg out to say "Thank you" - especially when cars etc... get a bit out of the way so that you can overtake, it is the custom to stick a leg out to say Thanks once the overtake is done!

I've had to explain many times to my french friends why UK riders never say "thank you" when cars get out of the way to let bikers overtake. Some of my friends even told me that if they realise that the biker behind is from the UK, they won't make it easier for the biker to overtake as they are "so rude". I had to explain that things are just different in the big Island! so please if someone in France position themselves so that it is easier for you to overtake, don't forget the "leg signal"!

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Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

It may have something to do with traffic today.
As the previous posters wrote, waving is less near big cities.
When I am driving in dense traffic near a big city, I have all my attention on the road in the direction/lane I'm driving and sometimes I notice the biker in the opposite lane to late to wave back.
This has nothing to do with lack of respect so please, don't take it to personal (don't go complain to Oprah ;-)

On a two lane countryroad, I always wave back because I notice the other biker in time.
I don't think it has anything to do with the kind of bike you ride. I have been riding all kinds of bikes, Harley's, GoldWings, BMW's, Yamaha's and even an Russian Ural and I did not notice any difference in waving back.
On Harley forums, members complain that GoldWing riders don't wave back, on GoldWing forums the Harley riders don't wave back etc.


When I see a stranded rider, I always try to stop to offer help but the same as with waving, in big city or freeway traffic, it is not always possible to stop in time on a safe way so then I hope the next biker will stop.
Also I think that a lot of "new motorcycle riders" don't know that habbit until someone tells them.

Well, maybe I can wave to some of you on the road to the Belgian meeting next month (and maybe even shake hands and have a :-)

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Jan Krijtenburg

My bikes are a Honda GoldWing GL1200 and a Harley-Davidson FXD Dyna Super Glide

My personal homepage with trip reports: https://www.krijtenburg.nl/
YouTube channel (that I do together with one of my sons): motormobilist.nl

Greg
I have just spent the summer in Lincolnshire and had a mixed reaction from the Yellowbellies. I actually found that most bikers nodded rather than waved.

I have a few questions for those who ride regularly in the UK.

Is a nod the same as a wave in terms of greeting?

Is a quick flash of the headlight OK, as a lazy option, or does it indicate something else and possibly annoy riders?
How far down the c.c. scale should I take my friendliness? I don’t think I’m a snob but I didn’t wave to the numerous oncoming mopeds and scooters unless I couldn’t tell what they were. Then when they passed I felt a bit silly. Any pointers?

Stephan

My interpretation of a biker (or any on-coming vehicule) flashing at me would be "Caution, Police ahead, reduce speed!"

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Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

Hi Stephano, a flash of the lights can give out a mixed message IMHO, also car drivers can interpret this as a “to go” signal and pull out in front of you which keeps you on your toes! A nod or a wave is fine as some people are not comfortable with taking their hands off the bars.

I tend to wave to everyone including mopeds (I own a Yamaha Townmate so ride a Moped during the worst of winter) and admit that a lot of moped riders don’t respond.

Hope the Yellowbellies didn’t treat you too bad, we can be a funny bunch at times!!

Also I use the waving of the right arm hand flat out, arm straight at shoulder level to knee to indicate police presence or as a general slow down signal for road debris, accidents etc, anyone else use this, it was told to me by an old biker as a universal sign, but I don’t see it much?

Cheers - Greg

I ride around North America and that's a reasonably big chunk of real estate. I have to say that waving and stopping to help is very much alive and well. I broke a fuel pump on my 1200 K bike whilst on the busiest highway in North America (the 401) and within half an hour there was a 4X4 towing a monster covered trailer wading through the ditch to get me and this whole circus was fetched by a very polite fellow on a Hog. On the flip side I've pushed a Harley that had some starter probs (damn near had a heart attack with that paper wieght), fetched some fuel for another guy and phoned for a fellow and his wife to get picked up after his Wing died. As for waving, my buddy and I have discussed getting spring loaded neon hand that activates with a push of a button, but we haven't found anything right just yet so I'll just continue to wave like some demented idiot and enjoy every second of it. I hope the "I'm better/loftier/richer/own a different bike/could care less 'virus' doesn't hit my turf. It would be a very sad day if it did because you meet the nicest people on a busted bike.

Ride safe, ride far,
Stu

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Ride Safe...Stu

When I started riding,in the mid'60s,it was common practice that,when a motorcyclist was stopped at the side of the road for a fag/piss ect,he'd give the thumb-up sign to any passing motorcyclist that all was well. The sign to give if you needed assistance was the thumb-down. I still use those signs today.Unfortunately,most of todays riders don't understand such sign language.They just look at me,uncomprehendingly.in much the same way that a cow looks at a passing train!

I always nod,wave or put a leg out(depending on which country I happen to be in at the time)to all motorcyclists. Whether the compliment is returned,or not,is not important to me.

We have loads of bikes on the road in California. Waving is very common. Doesn't matter what you are riding, bicycle, scooter, chopper, everyone seems to wave. At times it gets a bit tedious, but all-in-all, a very nice gesture.