head nodding. what's the deal?

[vince25]

I think it's great how we bikers recognize each other with a friendly nod, or sometimes a wave. But I have two questions concerning the "nod". Where did it start. Surely its not just an instinctive thing. Like truckies have the old "indicator" signal, and bus drivers do the arm out salute/wave, we have the "nod".
Second question, why do MOST cruisers not do it. I say most, because some do, but most of the time, they choose to ignore us sport / tourer bike riders. Most especially, the "patch" riders or old fellas with big beards. Whats up with that?

[Macktheknife]

Head nodding because hands busy, or maybe because they dont dare let go of the only thing holding them on???
I know lots of guys prefer to wave, some only nod, some dont even notice others at all, and some are just pricks!

[cowpoos]

well most of us wave...but at times both hands are required to ride so I'm pretty sure thaqts how nod's probally started?

[Mattyc]

well most of us wave...but at times both hands are required to ride so I'm pretty sure thaqts how nod's probally started?

i reckon that about sums it up

[SARGE]

well most of us wave...but at times both hands are required to ride so I'm pretty sure thaqts how nod's probally started?



i gave a "rock on" sign to a fellow biker as i was leaned over to turn onto the NW from gt North rd the other day


but im a mad bastard..

[Finn]

I wave to just about all bikes regardless of style. It doesn't bother me if they don't wave back. You're right most cruisers don't wave back probably cause their bikes don't handle well and they can't take their hand off the bars. Can't nod either through fear of bugs going up their snotty noses due to open face helmets.

Just kidding cruisers... lighten up will yah.:shake:

[pyrocam]

im into saluting at the moment. or a raped and bastardised version of it.
2 fingers vertical on left side of left eye, lets say 3 bikers. I do the salute 'move your hand away from your face' part on the last one.

but other times I'll give it a nod especially if I need both hands.

[crashe]

Oi Finn..... Look at my avatar pic... Now that is the double hand wave
Plus I'm on a cruiser as well
:rofl: :rofl: (pt)

I wave :spudwave: to everyone... and I have had the 'patch' riders wave :spudwave: back to me...
And that can be if they are in a group or riding single... some of them don't wave :spudwave: and thats ok..

I wave :spudwave: to the sprotbike riders... now some of that lot can be total snobs...
:rofl: :rofl:

I tend to wave :spudwave: rather than nod...

[Katman]

A nod's as good as a wave!

[MoFunthanmost]

im into saluting at the moment. or a raped and bastardised version of it.
2 fingers vertical on left side of left eye, lets say 3 bikers. I do the salute 'move your hand away from your face' part on the last one.


:banana: Me too! tho usually only to those bikers I actually know (or think I know)...

Have a tendancy to nod only if I'm caught napping and see the oncoming target of said guesture too late to get my hand off the bars in time for it to be seen returned.

but otherwise i :wavey:

[Sniper]

This is a pisstake thread isn't it?

[raster]

I still fairly new on the bike as yet and with a new bike even more so.

I do wave from time to time, rest of the time I'm hanging on for dear life so I nod :yes:

[Dafe]

The general rule for you newbies is...... Waive to fellow sports/touring riders. Don't wave to harleys because they won't wave back, unless you mistakenly waved at a jap cruiser!
Generally, Trail bike riders are good sorts too.

If you have a hand free, it's more common to wave.
Through corners etc, the head nod will suffice.

We have a neat brotherhood out there! Enjoy!

[SlashWylde]

Second question, why do MOST cruisers not do it. I say most, because some do, but most of the time, they choose to ignore us sport / tourer bike riders. Most especially, the "patch" riders or old fellas with big beards. Whats up with that?

Quite simple really, you're not 'one of them'. Humans instinctively divide them selves into groups of 'them' and 'us'. At the first level, we as bikers differentiate ourselves from four wheeled motorists, we openly acknowledge other bikers with waves and nods but ignore the cagers. At the next level, some bikers will separate them selves from other bikers by only waving to others of their ilk - sports to sports, cruisers to cruisers exclusively. At yet another level some cruiser riders won't acknowledge other cruiser riders because they are riding a Jap cruiser and not a Harley or Triumph, or not perceived to be hard enough etc.

This pattern continues ad infinitum, I'm not apologising for it, I'm just saying it's part of life.

Classic example: Allun and I were out and about last weekend. Passing through Clevedon village, we rolled past a tough looking bloke casually sitting on his Harley admiring the scene. Allun, a sports bike rider, gave him a nod but was blithely ignored, I gave the dude a casual nod and was subtely acknowledged in return as I was on a cruiser, allbeit a Japanese model.

For what it's worth if I'm in an exuberant mood and I can spare my attention from the bars or the road I'll nod or lift a hand to another biker regardless of what they are riding.

[Highlander]

I wave to most others (unless I'm busy) even scooters. Not if I can see they are riding in shorts though.
Ususlly shake my head when I see them waving with no gloves on too :doh:

[Zed]

...I have two questions concerning the "nod". Where did it start?An explanation from The Nonverbal Dictionary (http://members.aol.com/nonverbal2/index.htm):


Rhythmically raised and lowered, the head-nod is an affirmative cue, widely used throughout the world to show understanding, approval, and agreement.

Though other types of affirmative head movements have been observed cross-culturally (LaBarre 1947), the affirmative head-nod is well-documented as a nearly universal indication of accord, agreement, and understanding (Darwin 1872; Eibl-Eibesfeldt 1970, 1971; Morris 1994). 2. "Others see it [the head-nod] as an abbreviated form of submissive body-lowering - in other words, as a miniature bow" (Morris 1994:142).

Moreover, the accessory nerve (cranial XI, which innervates trapezius), has a relationship with the vagus nerve (cranial X, which innervates the larynx in producing "hmm," "uh huh," and other "digestive" vocalizations). Thus, the affirmative head-nod may reflect an agreeable response to food. 3. Regarding the emphatic head-nod, the strong physical emphasis during its downward phase suggests a separate origin from the "yes" nod, which begins with an upward motion.



Second question, why do MOST cruisers not do it?I don't believe you can stereotype cruisers cos I had two nod at me today! :Punk: :Punk:

You'll find that sprotsbike riders wave/nod at eachother more frequently because they are of the same breed, likewise cruisers I suppose. At the end of the day it comes down to the individual and what mood they are in at the time will determine whether or not they acknowledge the oncoming rider!

[Waylander]

Oddly enough I find that most SPORTBIKER riders don't wave back....

There are the exceptional few however.

[skidMark]

whether or not they acknowledge the oncoming rider!

or the one finger salute at the one who shows off overtaking them at higher speed lol

Cheers:MA

[cheetor]

Well I'll Wave if I can.. hpwevere it seems I'm always in the middle of changind down for a corner etc, so A nod is all I can safely manage

it sucks how so few bikers nod or wave theese days, I'm only a new biker, an d I'm always like to nod/wave, i've even had a few harley riders wave to me 9on my screaming 250

I like to think if ebven harley riders nod to me therestill hope for ALL bikers :)

I nod out or courtesy/respect for my fellow 2 wheeler

[Zed]

or the one finger salute at the one who shows off overtaking them at higher speed lolOnly if he's riding your bike! :blink:

This head nodding/waving thing is great if both riders acknowledge eacthother, otherwise it's the pits! :o

[TerminalAddict]

I'm a cruiser (and slow :) )
I wave, just about everytime .... if I can't spare the left hand I raise all four fingers on the left .. I've been acknowledge using both methods.

I've nodded twice, and been ignored :'(

[NordieBoy]

I wave :spudwave: to everyone... and I have had the 'patch' riders wave :spudwave: back to me...
Maybe they're trying to make you go away :2thumbsup

[Dazza]

If a hairy face on some American Iron is too cool to wave back I give them the bird, :cry: I especially go out of my way to wave to scooter:

[idb]

I like to lift my visor and remove my sunglasses so that I can make eye contact.
I then call out a friendly greeting such as "great day for a ride innit buddy, that's a mighty fine *insert bike name here* you've got there - have you had it long or are you stealing it?"
I might then take off a glove and reach out to slap them on the shoulder as they go past to indicate that it's merely a joke.
I haven't yet had a response - and it doesn't matter what they are riding.
F*ckin snobs!

[Mattyc]

when ppl see me knod they are mistaken , im having a flashback from headbanging from my old long haired bogan days

[zadok]

If you do the head nod, at least you are doing the 'right thing'. If someone doesn't respond, you don't know why. It comes down to treating others as you would like to be treated. If you set the example, others that maybe wouldn't normally respond, just might start.:yes:

[sAsLEX]

..but at times both hands are required to ride


some people would disagree with you there OAB for one!

[Edbear]

I usually try to wave or nod dependin how busy I is, and I don't worry overmuch if someone doesn't respond as there can be a number of reasons - distracted by other traffic or something. HAve found most bikers to be real friendly and when I's on my bike I's pretty happy and unstressed.:banana:

[Zed]

...there can be a number of reasons - distracted by other traffic or something...That's a good point my dear Watson :sherlock: , sometimes you do have to avert your whole attention to more 'life-threatening' happenings!

Officer: "so why did you ride into the back of that stationery truck?"
Injured Rider: "argh...too busy waving and looking at that 996 Ducati."

[DingDong]

I dont consider myself to be a prick but... I break peeps into:
1 Posers
2 riders
3 commuters
4 Harley riders

Posers include: all peeps sitting in cafe's no matter what they ride and anyone who just wants to say "look at me, Im a biker"

Riders include: sports/touring/enthusists (sp)/dirt/nostalgic and anyone who rides because they love their bike no matter what it is.

Commuters include: scooters and anyone who owns a bike because its cheap to run.

Harley riders: not all are concerned with image but most are... almost posers

I wave to everyone except cafe' goers and scooters... because I'mm 100% sure they're posers and commuters, I wave to harleys because some wave back but some are more concerned with how tough they look.

Sorry if I've offended you... but you'll need to get over it

[Oscar]

I used to raise a finger from my throttle hand - but I realised my bark busters might be obscuring it - so I nod.

[ducatilover]

well not all cruiser riders are unsociable, when i fucked my bike two a few cruisers pulled over and asked the babbling woman if i was okay, got no sense from her so they came and talked to me, bloody good guys those thanks if they were kbers....also some fellow witha pillion on one of those new bandit 1200s's stoped nice bunch we are:2thumbsup i always wave or nod if i cant wave:blip:

[gamgee]

speaking of salutes, and i know this is an extremely stupid and random question, but is it illegal to give the one finger salute to highway patrol? or will it just make them pull you over and search you with a microscope until they find something to fine you for?

[skidMark]

speaking of salutes, and i know this is an extremely stupid and random question, but is it illegal to give the one finger salute to highway patrol? or will it just make them pull you over and search you with a microscope until they find something to fine you for?

never shit stir with someone that has the power to take your license away thats my opinion

like the rather nice officer who pulled me a while back on my mini motox on queen street on his bike and said hed only just found out about kiwi biker...if your out there cheers for the compliance so i ddnt end up paying ahh nice cops do exist :D

[gamgee]

didn't mean i was gonna do it, just wondering is there anything they can do about it?

[Zed]

didn't mean i was gonna do it, just wondering is there anything they can do about it?Intimidating a police officer, yeah I think they could find just cause to prosecute you and anything else they find you guilty of.

[Mooch]

I think it's great how we bikers recognize each other with a friendly nod, or sometimes a wave. But I have two questions concerning the "nod". Where did it start. Surely its not just an instinctive thing. Like truckies have the old "indicator" signal, and bus drivers do the arm out salute/wave, we have the "nod".
Second question, why do MOST cruisers not do it. I say most, because some do, but most of the time, they choose to ignore us sport / tourer bike riders. Most especially, the "patch" riders or old fellas with big beards. Whats up with that?

The nod think seems to be the main way of biker acknowledgement in the UK. On some destinations you see so many bikes you'd never have hands on the bars if you waved. Also if your fanging it around a corner, probably better to have both hands on the bars for full control. The nod in NZ has probably come over with the Pom bikers.
In NZ not so many bikes around so waving is the way to go.

[NodMan]

A nod's as good as a wave!


Na mate this nods betta than any wave... lol
for the record this fellas been nodding for more than 35 years.... ole bastard

[vince25]

that about sums it up perfectly.

[shcabbeh]

I prefer waving simply because it's more noticable. Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm doing a noticable nod or not, which isn't helped if they don't respond. I've just found that waving gets more responses too and it's a good feeling knowing you're not alone in the sea of cages. :D

[Finn]

Okay my first post was a bit of a piss take but I really think it comes down to the rider regardless of bike. Over this last weekend I got wave backs from cruisers and even a couple of Harleys.

:rockon:

[Lou Girardin]

speaking of salutes, and i know this is an extremely stupid and random question, but is it illegal to give the one finger salute to highway patrol? or will it just make them pull you over and search you with a microscope until they find something to fine you for?

When I've been naughty, but see them before they see me, I just give my best shit-eating grin.

[scumdog]

When I've been naughty, but see them before they see me, I just give my best shit-eating grin.

And if you DON'T see them before they see you?????:blink: :doh:

[Lou Girardin]

And if you DON'T see them before they see you?????:blink: :doh:

Happens rarely, last time in '02. $120, I wasn't grinning, till I earned 16 times that on my next sale, 2 hours later.:2thumbsup

[cheetor]

Well to top it off I got a nod from a Man and woman on a ZX9R today, I was standing at the bus stop jacket & helmet in hand (long story)
Anyway, Big ups to all of those who wave/nod

[Sniper]

speaking of salutes, and i know this is an extremely stupid and random question, but is it illegal to give the one finger salute to highway patrol? or will it just make them pull you over and search you with a microscope until they find something to fine you for?

Or fine you for having a tinted visor.

[dawnrazor]

Or fine you for having a tinted visor.

didn't think tinted visors where illegal here?

[kro]

Always preferred the nod myself, it just looks cool :P

I think as others have said, its a visual acknowledgment, without the over familiarity of a wave, or throwing flowers and chocolates at the oncoming rider.


Nod for the win !!!