"Thank you" waves...anyone else do this? : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

rel3rd · 10-29-2009, 03:18 PM

I'm surely not the most road rage-free rider, meaning if I am blatantly cutoff, turned in front of, tailgated, etc., then I usually and "safely" let the offender know how displeased I am at that moment. Could be a bird flip, a yell, or even just a head shake and mumbling, but never anything physical or violent.

However...

I do regularly find myself also "THANKING" the observant, courteous 4 or more wheeled vehicle operators when they acknowledge my presence.

In other words, if someone is just milliseconds away from pulling out, and/or right in front of me, but quickly aborts that thought and gives me the right of way (only when it is in fact mine), then I always give them some sort of appreciative gesture, whether it be a small wave and a lip-readable "thank you", a nod and half smile, or some combination of those things.

For me, it's deserved and IMO maybe makes that particular person get even a slightly more positive opinion of bikers in general.

I actually had one older lady ask me if I knew her, since I waved, and when I told her exactly why I did smile and wave, she lit up with a big smile herself.

anyway...

Just wondering if anyone else does this particular "wave" or not...or if I am just some sort of nutcase, lol?

Big-G · 10-29-2009, 03:26 PM

Yup. Give a friendly wave for someone that sees me and respects my right of way.

Of course, I give the finger or hold both hands out and shrug my shoulders then point at my head to the rest that piss me off hahaha.

stupidglide · 10-29-2009, 03:27 PM

No, you are not crazy, and, yes, I pretty much do the same, for all the same reasons

<see?

MilesToGo · 10-29-2009, 03:37 PM

Guess you are just a nice guy. To me it's like thanking someone for NOT running me off the road. I just give them a "look" that basically says wake up and pay attention before you kill somebody.

strokerjlk · 10-29-2009, 03:42 PM

yes I do the same.
the ones that always get a thanks wave is those that stop the lawn mower when they see me coming.

rel3rd · 10-29-2009, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miles to go

To me it's like thanking someone for NOT running me off the road.

That's pretty much EXACTLY what I am doing...cuz if they did a quick stop or whatever to avoid pulling out on me, then they actually ARE paying attention, right? I'd much rather have the little old man slam on his brakes as soon as he sees me come around the truck that was turning or whatever, then the teeny bopper with the radio blaring and the cell phone in her ear actually NOT ever seeing me...(been there, done that one.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by strokerjlk

yes I do the same.
the ones that always get a thanks wave is those that stop the lawn mower when they see me coming.

oh yeah! can't forget that one. The riding mower cutting foot tall grass is a killer, lol...

Bronxhog · 10-29-2009, 04:33 PM

Absoulutely , I do the same......I like courteous drivers unfortunately they are far and few here in NY metro area.

I tend not to ride in the city and try and avoid rush hours which leaves me upstate NY and its beautiful roads.

MaloloJoe · 10-29-2009, 04:37 PM

Yep, a nod for good behavior and a flipped coin for the tailgater

MilesToGo · 10-29-2009, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rel3rd

That's pretty much EXACTLY what I am doing...cuz if they did a quick stop or whatever to avoid pulling out on me, then they actually ARE paying attention, right? I'd much rather have the little old man slam on his brakes as soon as he sees me come around the truck that was turning or whatever, then the teeny bopper with the radio blaring and the cell phone in her ear actually NOT ever seeing me...(been there, done that one.)
oh yeah! can't forget that one. The riding mower cutting foot tall grass is a killer, lol...

Yea well, the way i look at it - if they have to slam on their brakes at the last minute then they weren't paying attention until the last second. If you ride correctly, like i do, then you will be seen by anyone willing to pay attention. I'm glad they had that moment of clarity but it won't get a friendly wave from me.

SGTLegal · 10-29-2009, 05:57 PM

Same here. quick nod and a smile for people that recognize my equal right to occupy space. One finger salute for those who don't.

niget2002 · 10-29-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by miles to go

Yea well, the way i look at it - if they have to slam on their brakes at the last minute then they weren't paying attention until the last second. If you ride correctly, like i do, then you will be seen by anyone willing to pay attention. I'm glad they had that moment of clarity but it won't get a friendly wave from me.

Same here.

Now, if they're kind enough to let me out or over or in someway actually did a non-expected kind gesture, then I'll wave thanks.

BTW... I used to wave at people that did stop at the last minute... but it only took once of the "Thank-you" being picked up as "F' you" and a guy in a pickup to change that to where I don't give a you know what anymore.

'05Train · 10-29-2009, 07:05 PM

Always. I also wave at kids who gawk at the bike.

shovelmike · 10-29-2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '05Train

Always. I also wave at kids who gawk at the bike.

Yep, I always like to wave at the kids. AMA lifer here, always out to improve our relations with the public.

Anja · 10-29-2009, 09:52 PM

I'm with shovelmike on the waving at kids stuff. They usually love it.

Adults? Depends on how tight the circumstances are. If there's time to take my attention away from the situation.

And it also depends on how friendly the general situation feels to me. There have been a couple of times when I've seen a double-take and thought the driver might have misinterpreted my wave.

I feel fairly vulnerable in the breeze in traffic and am cautious of hand gestures in general. Too bad more people don't read sign language. The fist making a circle over one's heart isn't so easily misunderstood as a raised hand!

Husband will give a flip of the hand if he's irritated but I refrain after a youthful moment of impulsivity and the threatening results years ago. The guy followed me all the way home and it DID NOT feel comfortable.

eodmachine · 10-29-2009, 10:14 PM

i have noticed that most of the time that i am cut off is from the ones who drive the minivans. more often than not the back of most minivans is full of screaming kids, driver yapping on phone...the worst was when some idiot in a minivan didnt see me and must have thought they were the only one on the road and they threw their fast food drive through bag out the window and i had to dodge half eaten hamburgers and fries on the interstate. they definetely got their side mirror punched as i drove by along with a 1 finger salute.