Doing the Wave.

When you give a wave, you let your presence be known. A wave shows a state of well being. The nature in which it was given alone can signal excitement, distress or pomp. And for years it has been a simple gesture between bikers, though in this case, the gas-fueled variety.
Every summer, it is hard to miss the subtle gestures given between motorcyclists along the nations highways. The lowered wave in acknowledgment of a peer, the highway handshake. While they may never know each other personally, they share a common interest, bond, and threat. The interesting fact though, is how much I noticed this as child looking out the back window, and continue to till this day. Think of this: you are at the party and the hottie across the room just sent a wave in your direction. Whether it was for you or not, you noticed, right? Granted, while we bikers are all hot, we may not draw the attention like the hottie we've been staring at. But I would have to believe, the same way that the brotherhood of hogs gets noticed with a simple gesture, that we too could raise the awareness of bicyclists around the city.
We send waves to the cars at critical mass, but how about waves to each other as we pass by. We already do it to the people we know, but all of us that ride share a common interest, our own safety. Most of us are already aware of the bicyclists we pass going the other way, or get passed by. With some acknowledgment between us, it could make drivers more aware of our presence, after all, they will be wondering who you're waving at. At least then we will have gotten them to think about who else is on the road.
I don't know how this would ever catch on, but it seems like it would be a valuable tool in bicycle awareness. Drivers might catch on to the waves being thrown about. Maybe a kid in the backseat will grow up with a greater respect and understanding of the modern bicyclist after seeing the two wheeled man giving a happy hand. After all, it couldn't hurt the camaraderie within our community, and in the end, it even gives you an excuse when the hottie you're staring at just happens to be the biker passing you by.

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on December 18, 2012 at 9:47am

Semi-OT:

I love that show, but Jeremy Clarkson has said some pretty disparaging remarks about cyclists on a few different occasions...

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on December 18, 2012 at 10:42am

I thought Richard Hammond's solo effort (Crash Course) was disappointing. The Top Gear dynamic seems to work best.

Cameron Puetz said:

I love the show as well, but Jeremy Clarkson is just a negative disparaging person. It get that the old grouch character is part of the show's dynamic, but he really over does it. I wouldn't mind seeing a version of the show with just Hammond and May.

Kelvin Mulcky said:

Semi-OT:

I love that show, but Jeremy Clarkson has said some pretty disparaging remarks about cyclists on a few different occasions...

Permalink Reply by yai danche on December 18, 2012 at 1:33pm

i don't wave or even do a head nod unless the other person does it first.  one time, a guy going the wrong way held out his hand for a high five and i just yelled wrong way, dude!!  however, i ALWAYS wave at this guy who usually rings his bell.  drivers also give him friendly honks (at least i think they are friendly) because of his twin American flags on the back.  

Permalink Reply by We all have an inner Beast... on December 18, 2012 at 2:42pm

I bike on the southern end of Halsted (Madison to Archer) and I wave to almost everyone on a bike ( if I can safely do so) as well as a few Crossing Guards. I have noticed that some of the "elite" cyclists look at me with disdain. Same from some of the "straight leg", tight jean-types. (I even got that tonight when 2 of them passed me up - they had the "bike ninja" thing going - looked like they had single-gear (is that what they are called?) bikes with no visible brake levers on the bars. I did, however, catch up to them and keep up with them from Roosevelt to the river bridge area.)

Waving at people on the way in to work makes me a happier person, whether they wave back or not. I will continue to do that, and say "Good Morning/Evening !" as much as I can to people. I believe that if we are happier to others, together we can be a happier society.

 

Have a Great Day !

 

 

Respectfully,

 

Manny

Permalink Reply by We all have an inner Beast... on December 18, 2012 at 2:49pm

That guy does the Critical Masses too !!!!

yai danche said:

i don't wave or even do a head nod unless the other person does it first.  one time, a guy going the wrong way held out his hand for a high five and i just yelled wrong way, dude!!  however, i ALWAYS wave at this guy who usually rings his bell.  drivers also give him friendly honks (at least i think they are friendly) because of his twin American flags on the back.  

Permalink Reply by yai danche on December 18, 2012 at 3:15pm

dude is awesome!  i've seen him in all sorts of weather.  i've never seen him up close since i'm on the other side of the street, but he looks elderly.  he deserves a friendly wave.  

Manny Fuentes said:

That guy does the Critical Masses too !!!!

yai danche said:

i don't wave or even do a head nod unless the other person does it first.  one time, a guy going the wrong way held out his hand for a high five and i just yelled wrong way, dude!!  however, i ALWAYS wave at this guy who usually rings his bell.  drivers also give him friendly honks (at least i think they are friendly) because of his twin American flags on the back.  

Permalink Reply by We all have an inner Beast... on December 18, 2012 at 3:16pm

Definitely !!!

yai danche said:

dude is awesome!  i've seen him in all sorts of weather.  i've never seen him up close since i'm on the other side of the street, but he looks elderly.  he deserves a friendly wave.  

Manny Fuentes said:

That guy does the Critical Masses too !!!!

yai danche said:

i don't wave or even do a head nod unless the other person does it first.  one time, a guy going the wrong way held out his hand for a high five and i just yelled wrong way, dude!!  however, i ALWAYS wave at this guy who usually rings his bell.  drivers also give him friendly honks (at least i think they are friendly) because of his twin American flags on the back.  

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