Top 10 Reasons BMW Riders Don't Wave Back

[Steve_R]

Top 10 Reasons BWM Riders Don't Wave Back

10 - New Aerostitch suit too stiff
9 - Removing hands from bars is considered "Bad Form"
8 - Shoulder is too stiff from camping on the ground the night before
7 - Too sore from an 800 mile day on a stock "Comfort" seat
6 - Too busy programming the GPS, monitoring radar, listening to IPOD, XM or talking on cell phone
5 - He's an Iron Butt rider and you're not
4 - Wires from the Gerbings are too short
3 - You're not riding the right kind of BMW
2 - You haven't been properly introduced
1 - Afraid it might be mistaken as a friendly gesture

[pkpr1998]

The 11th reason:
I just dropped my bike at the last stop and I am just too embarrased!

[zippy_gg]

Reason # 12: Drinking a latte from a cup in the expensive cup holder :o

[LTsaddledance]

I just love posting this one on a "wave" thread. Sorry if you've seen it.


http://members.aol.com/horsoljer/bmwriders.jpg/

[riderup1]

How about cause we're afraid to let go of the handle bars for fear of going into a head shake??????????

[bwbcpa]

How 'bout - We're afraid to take our hands off our heated grips for fear our fingers will get cold!

[RideIt]

Hey, I had to do a one finger wave after passing a Pickup hauling two Harleys from Myrtle Beach SC Rally last weekend (After for some reason the driver of the Pickup gave me a similiar wave :) But, what do you expect, maybe the driver of the PU was just a real friendly guy.
Leon
05 Blue LT

[messenger13]

I dunno guys...

I
A L W A Y S
WAVE
BACK!

And shame on you if you do NOT wave back on purpose.

[yaklt]

We're talking about waves with friendly intent here, right?

[messenger13]

This year, I performed a very unscientific test. I've been on two "extended rides" this year. Two times down to North Georgia on two different bikes. I waved at every rider that I saw. Last Saturday, I did 420 miles to the southeast tip of Ohio and back. Again, waving at every rider that I saw.

Here's what I have discovered:

The further south I rode, the LESS other riders waved back at me! What's up with that?!?!

The only conclusion I can come to is that us northern riders appreciate riding more, and we have more of an appreciation for when other riders can actually get out and ride. Y'all take it for granted. Last Saturday, ALL BUT THREE Harley riders waved back at me. And there were a LOT of bikes out that day. I'd bet I passed by 200 bikes or more.

C'Mon Southerners! WAVE!!! http://perso.wanadoo.fr/mike.werner/BlogPics/RIF_Hi.gif
http://www.bigbikeworld.com/forum/smileys/smiley14.gif

[hschisler]

I think the operative word is "unscientific". On my business trips to southern states (NC, SC, FL, TN, KY) I've always been a recipient of Southern hospitality. It exists. Perhaps the folks on bikes you are seeing in the South are not real Southerners -- transplants from the North, as it were.

That, or maybe the word is out that you have had your quota of trips to the South this year and they ain't gonna wave at you no more! :D

[messenger13]

This thread is NOT about Southern Hospitality. It's about bikers waving back . . . and my personal observation that they do it less & less, the further south I travel. I found the whole thing quite odd.

[hschisler]

I just love posting this one on a "wave" thread. Sorry if you've seen it.


http://members.aol.com/horsoljer/bmwriders.jpg/The caption to this cartoon sounds similar to my experience after church yesterday. The quartet I sing in performed at a very, very small country church. Talking outside afterwards we learned the pastor rides a Gold Wing. 3 of us in the quartet ride; 2 Gold Wings and my LT. The pastor, having previously been told about 3 of us being riders, asked if I was "the sophisticate who rode the BMW". I just laughed.

Yeah, I'm a sophisticate. Some stereotypes never die.

[hschisler]

This thread is NOT about Southern Hospitality. It's about bikers waving back . . . and my personal observation that they do it less & less, the further south I travel. I found the whole thing quite odd.You missed my point: Southern Hospitality can be evidenced by waving -- whether from a bike, a car or a pickup truck. I was trying to offer a possible explanation for what you have been experiencing recently.

When you ride in to the Tech Session on June 17 I'll wave at you. ;)

[Steve_R]

Interesting how this thread has gone, as I posted it in the Humor Forum. The entries I posted were from a helmet sticker that a friend of mine gave me to put on my helmet (like I'm really gonna do that). It will be interesting to see where it goes from here.

[graydude]

My experience is most riders wave back. The exception being the older the harley, or the higher the ape hanger bars, the less chance of a wave back. I'm like Joe, I wave at everybody.

[messenger13]

Interesting how this thread has gone, as I posted it in the Humor Forum.And the admins added a thread I created in the ChitChat forum, into this thread that's in the 'Bike Talk' forum.

The winds of change are ablowin'...

[pkpr1998]

I waive at all; most of the time! Joe, ride by the house and I'll waive atcha! LOL

Y'all have a good day; I can't believe it is already Tuesday!

[Ekim]

Count me in as a waver! I generally intiate the wave to all except Harley riders. They get a wave when I see theirs first (or their point the ground type wave) cause seems like when I intiate I get nothing in return.

[messenger13]

Count me in as a waver! I generally intiate the wave to all except Harley riders. They get a wave when I see theirs first (or their point the ground type wave) cause seems like when I intiate I get nothing in return.No offense, but this is where I feel we have an opportunity to "be the bigger man". When I initiate the wave, but get no wave back...I don't feel rejected. I feel I did what was "good" and "right".

Who knows? Maybe they're tired of Beemer riders not waving back. Or, maybe they're just too cool. Whatever. I'm just worried about the guy in the mirror.

[Ron82much]

Count me in as a waver! I generally intiate the wave to all except Harley riders. They get a wave when I see theirs first (or their point the ground type wave) cause seems like when I intiate I get nothing in return.

That's a nice, friendly attitude for ya! I wave at everyone as soon as they are close enough. Sometimes I beat the other guy to it and sometimes not. I ride a cruiser and an LT and wave the same way on either one...the response is virtually the same too. FWIW the absolute hands down non-waving winners, in my experience, are sport bikers...no matter what I'm riding.

Oh, by the way, I think some percentage of "non-wavers" are really "late wavers". In the last two years with the LT and the intercom my wife has corrected me a few times when I complained about jerks who don't wave...turns out they just did it a little too late for me to catch it.

[BrianD]

I am a waver too, and so is the wife on the back. In fact she usually waves before i do.
Just a couple of months back we were riding through Sydney when a bunch of about 7 bikes comes around the corner. Leader out front, the rest 2 abreast, all looking very fierce and serious on their Harleys. So the wife gives her usual eager wave, the leader gets an almost embarrassed little grin on his face and with the barest lift off the bars waves back.
Well the wife had a good little chuckle over that one.

[jwd98056]

I have a little different theory about people waving on the roads and the apparent regional differences. While I can't argue that hospitality is rampant through much of the South, there are certainly many places thoughout the country where folks wave will wave at on coming traffic and usually use more than one finger. I believe that in most rural areas of the country this is usually the case.

That doesn't mean that there are not any friendly urban environments but as a whole urban environments are generally less friendly. Here are o few of my thoughts.

1. The social pressures of cramming so many people in a small area and the hectic pace of urban life makes people less friendly.
2. Your chance of meeting an a**hole is directly proportional to the population density.
3. Urban drivers are too busy shaving, reading, applying makeup, eating, talking on the phone, etc., etc., etc. :eek:.
4. In urban environs it is almost impossible to look at every driver to see if they are waving so you miss many opportunities ;). Passing a lone rider on a country road is easier to manage.
5. Most urban drivers are plum tuckered out after a half hour on the road and just can't raise their arm any more :).
6. People are driving faster and they don't have time to respond. By the time they figure out you don't have a gun in your hand it's too late to wave back :D.

In spite of the urban/rural bias it is still obvious that the motorcycling community, as a whole, seems more road friendly than people in cages regardless of the locality. That is probably because we are feeling so happy to have survived another day of car wars :rolleyes:. I find that the majority of riders will wave back regardless of the type of motorcycles that are being ridden though there are definitely some folks running around with a brand or style bias. They are probably stuck up on any number of issues and I could care less.

I put myself solidly in the "always wave" group. What I find interesting is I find myself waving differently depending on which motorcycle I ride. On my HD I tend to do the inverted V down to the side thing that has become so prevalent. I don't know if this is the V-Twin salute or some other secret squirrel biker insider thing. Of course the motorcyle scene is one of the most conformed non-conformant movements in history. I have been riding HDs since 1972 and the only other thing that came close to this was the peace symbol. Maybe all the baby boomers are just getting lazy :). I feel comfortable doing it on my HD but for some reason I wave with my whole hand riding on my LT. Perhaps investing all five fingers in this expression makes it less of a social statement and more of a sincere greeting :bmw:.

[Texas42]

I wave at everyone too, and I'm in the south. :yeah:

[Ron82much]

I have a little different theory about people waving on the roads and the apparent regional differences. While I can't argue that hospitality is rampant through much of the South, there are certainly many places thoughout the country where folks wave will wave at on coming traffic and usually use more than one finger. I believe that in most rural areas of the country this is usually the case.

That doesn't mean that there are not any friendly urban environments but as a whole urban environments are generally less friendly. Here are o few of my thoughts.

1. The social pressures of cramming so many people in a small area and the hectic pace of urban life makes people less friendly.
2. Your chance of meeting an a**hole is directly proportional to the population density.
3. Urban drivers are too busy shaving, reading, applying makeup, eating, talking on the phone, etc., etc., etc. :eek:.
4. In urban environs it is almost impossible to look at every driver to see if they are waving so you miss many opportunities ;). Passing a lone rider on a country road is easier to manage.
5. Most urban drivers are plum tuckered out after a half hour on the road and just can't raise their arm any more :).
6. People are driving faster and they don't have time to respond. By the time they figure out you don't have a gun in your hand it's too late to wave back :D.

...





That reminds me of another exception...rallies. I noticed that during Bike week in NH and Americade in NY that pretty much everyone quits waving. With more bikes than cars on the road you would pretty much have to drive one-handed full time to maintain the practice. It usually takes me a ride or two after heading home to get back into the habit!

[hschisler]

I wave at absolutely every bike I see.
I wave at kids on bicycles, and love to wave back at little kids in the back seat of mom's soccer taxi.

When I can't use the hand to wave I give the other guy a big head nod.

What is the protocol for waving on the interstate, with a big grassy median? Is there a "separation distance" at which we don't "need" to wave? Seems awkward to me... some guys wave on the interstate; I don't usually because I'm too focused on heavy traffic.

[tkramer]

This Saturday, I had lone a cruiser rider lift and wag his left foot at me while I waved. I guess it's better than a nod?

I wave with the shaka gesture, ( the Hawaiian "hang-loose" sign: fist with thumb and pinky extended ). I'm no surfer, but it seems appropriate here in Southern California. Plus, no one else seems to do it.

I wave 100% of the time on two lane roads. On larger thoroughfares there is a chance I won't have time or inclination if I'm in the midst of defensively navigating a flock of cagers. And superslab: rarely, unless it's out in the boonies.

[Zotter]

Joe - here's some more unscientific think'n for ya to grind on.

Could be that the further South you go, cultural history comes back to haunt. Get too friendly with someone not of your 'group', or have an otherwise polite gesture misinterpreted, could lead to an ass kicking.

Maybe there's some secret way of wave'n in Dixie that's accepted to all. You're just doing it wrong. :cool:

[Ekim]

No offense, but this is where I feel we have an opportunity to "be the bigger man". When I initiate the wave, but get no wave back...I don't feel rejected. I feel I did what was "good" and "right".

Very good point! :o

FWIW the absolute hands down non-waving winners, in my experience, are sport bikers...no matter what I'm riding.

Thats funny cause it seems to me the oposite. Sport Bike guys seem to return more waves than Harley guys in my area. It might be because the majority of the riders here ride Harleys and sport bikes are few and far between. When they do see a wave they are more than happy to be acknowledged for being a biker just the same so they throw the hand up.

Who knows, but interesting how much we all think about this topic! :eek:

[wyorock]

In Wyoming you don't have to be a biker to get a wave. On rural roads I get waves from cages, pick-ups, semis and even the highway patrol. It may be an hour before you see another vehicle, It's nice to see a friendly face.

[grifscoots]

It seems that riding thru extremely nasty weather will get you waved at by a biker no matter what. Suffering breeds friendliness and brotherhood in these circumstances, so it would appear.

I do the down hand hang thang to all bikers and just loves to wave at the young 'uns in cars and such as they peek out windows.

[bmwusmc]

Hey, Tiff, I gave the "shaka" sign to a couple of bikers here in Vegas one day and got the one finger bird in return..It might be that it is not considered a good thing to do with some people..It could be that it does resemble the cuckold sign at first glance. I only do it if I know the other party that I pass is a fellow pineapple.(I'm a transplanted biker from Honolulu)
I do wave to anybody when I'm out on a ride and about 10% of the time I get ignored but as Joe says I feel good about it anyhow..

[hschisler]

...I do the down hand hang thang to all bikers and just loves to wave at the young 'uns in cars and such as they peek out windows.Exactly what I was getting at earlier. Nothing better than to catch a little kid -- usually a boy, for some reason -- tapping Mom on the shoulder and pointing to me out the window. I wave back, little boy breaks into big smile, and tells Mom. Makes my whole day. Don't know why, it just does.

Sometimes Mom and little boy wave first. I wave back to both of them. Or better yet, give the kid a thumbs-up. You never know when you've just left a permanent impression.

[meese]

But that doesn't usually apply to the rest of us, grif. After all, you have your own personal raincloud just waiting for you to go riding. :)

And yes, always wave or thumbs up at small kids. A little smile is worth a lot.

[grifscoots]

Ain't that the truth!

[SanMan]

In the small town in Indiana where I'm from everyone always waves no matter what they are driving. I kind of miss that.

Scott

[JATownsend]

This is probably off topic, but here it goes!

I bought my first Bimmer, a 3.0 Bavaria in 1973. My first Beemer was a 1975 R75/5.

In any event, ALL BMW drivers, IE: Cars, waved and saluted each other back then. It was rare to see another BMW on the road. In contrast, I don't remember EVER having been waved at on the R75!!!

This whole wave thing is rather new... but, I do enjoy giving the sign and then counting how many react and wave or simply FLY bye. :rolleyes:

[Dezrae]

I dont bother to wave,

im just to damn lazy, deal with it.


but i do nod my head though so im not totally ignorant :-))

Infact i have found here at the coast hardly anyone waves, but we all just give each other a nod of the head, where as the further inwards of australia you go, the more waves you get.

[retiredjj]

I suspect with increasing fuel costs and people buying more m/c's the desire to wave will deminish as there will be just so many m/c's out there. I think I'll get one of those waving hands that sticks to the windshield and let it do the waving for me. :D

[wardenross]

Here's what I have discovered:

The further south I rode, the LESS other riders waved back at me! What's up with that?!?!

See Pic below!

[mjordans2000]

This year, I performed a very unscientific test. I've been on two "extended rides" this year. Two times down to North Georgia on two different bikes. I waved at every rider that I saw. Last Saturday, I did 420 miles to the southeast tip of Ohio and back. Again, waving at every rider that I saw.

Here's what I have discovered:

The further south I rode, the LESS other riders waved back at me! What's up with that?!?!

The only conclusion I can come to is that us northern riders appreciate riding more, and we have more of an appreciation for when other riders can actually get out and ride. Y'all take it for granted. Last Saturday, ALL BUT THREE Harley riders waved back at me. And there were a LOT of bikes out that day. I'd bet I passed by 200 bikes or more.

C'Mon Southerners! WAVE!!! http://perso.wanadoo.fr/mike.werner/BlogPics/RIF_Hi.gif
http://www.bigbikeworld.com/forum/smileys/smiley14.gif
It is a very regional thing. I've ridden through areas and rarely got a wave from any brand and then last year in Arizona I went through an area N.E of Phoenix and couldn't believe the response. Every bike, and I do mean every bike, waved including packs of Harleys. My arm was getting tired.