Do you give 'The Nod'
Hi
I think people will know what I mean.
You're cycling along a bike path, and another cyclist is approaching. The get close - just about to go past and you give 'The Nod'.
Sort of wordless, 'Hello', 'Nice day', or whatever.
Most people seem to give 'The Nod' on the veloway (my main bike path) and some even give 'The Nod' accross 4 lanes of road.
In my experience commuters give 'The Nod' more than serious racers. The 'petrol bikes' don't give 'The Nod' at all! When I was on my electric bike I didn't get 'The Nod' as much - possibly because I was going so fast.
Do you give 'The Nod'? Do you get 'The Nod'?
Simon
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by rossmg on -
I nod, I give a little wave with my right hand on the handlebars, kind of a lift of the fingers, I even say "hello" if within ear-shot. It always bemuses me those who are focused in front in a bubble of their world not wanting? to see others...
Guess I'm just a social butterfly!
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Permalink Reply by Kathryn Black on -
Sure do - I usually ride on my own - there dont seem to be too many riders who ride at my pace around the hills, so I really appreciate a bit of friendly recognition from others, especially when you're struggling up hill. I also like a quick word from those that pass me going up hill - if you dont, you're an arrogant sod!
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Permalink Reply by Kane on -
My previous statement has to be revoked, for the 4 weeks or so up until today I barely got and reciprocation and then today going up Norton and back down I think everyone I went past gave the hand wave and nod back. Friendly day for cyclists out there today I think.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Warner on -
Maybe it depends on the weather. If I pass someone while we're getting rained on, I give them a grimace of sympathy instead :-)
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Permalink Reply by GlenM on -
Kane must be right about it being a friendly day for cyclists. Going up Lower NE Rd near the dernancourt shopping centre a cyclist who passed me raised a hand as he went past me, the cycist with him didn't. Then they ruined it by starting to ride next to one another in the cycle lane.
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Permalink Reply by Sue on -
I had the opposite today. I rode home from work this morning through town then down 'The MT' (Mike Turtur path) and there were a lot of commuters and no one really said Hi or waved etc, the only people who said anything were people out for a casual ride and a woman running with her jogging pram everyone else had head down, bum up and seemed on a mission to get to work.
I was amazed how many people used MT to commute to work, it was almost 8am when I was cruising home. I don't often commute or use MT in peak hour so it was fantastic to see soooo many people using the shared path. It WAS peak hour on The MT! :)
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Permalink Reply by Nigel "Griffo" Griffiths on -
I will generally nod/wave to an oncoming cyclist if i see them. My main commuting route is along Salisbury Highway so sometimes I can miss them on the other side due to traffic etc. On the rare occasion I actually catch up to another cyclist heading in the same direction, I'll pull up alongside (if safe to do so) and have a chat until we head in our seperate directions.
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Permalink Reply by David B.o.R. on -
I always nod, and if I'm passing someone going in the same direction, I always say hello or good morning - partly because I feel some weird guilt about passing people (it seems like they think that I think I'm better than them) also because I want them to know that I'm not out of breath. Why either of these things matter so much I have no idea.
My exceptions are - people on petrol powered bikes that aren't scooters or motor bikes, mainly because they are too noisy to hear me anyway. I will often chat with a scooter of motor bike rider at the lights too.
Having said this - sometimes, when I'm trying hard I miss people on the other side of the road.
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Permalink Reply by Rhino on -
Yep, I always give the nod, and the "secret handshake" of lifting the four fingers of my right hand.
And it was one of the first things I taught my son when he learnt to ride a bike, as part of the initiation ritual to become one of us...
But sorry to say: No nods for electric bikes. So just don't seem to be on an equal rank!
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Permalink Reply by Belinda Hoare on -
I must be the only cyclist in Adelaide who doesn't actually give a toss if I happen to nod and don't get a nod back - c'mon people, are you really that sensitive? I take the bus to work everyday, and I don't get on thinking that because we're all bus passengers that I must nod, and they must nod back - purely for the sake of acknowleging our 'bus comradery'...
I can't speak for everyone, but I know that given how insanely busy life is, my ride time is my thinking time - and apart from concentrating and navigating and not getting hit by cars, I'm in my own little world, solving my own problems...
Each to their own.
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Permalink Reply by hozozco on -
You grew up in the city didn't you Belinda?
I grew up in Whyalla (but I got better). When I first moved to Adelaide I would mentally acknowledge everyone I saw. It was exhausting - especially down Rundle Mall!
Now I'm more like a city person and walk through Rundle Mall and treat the people like trees and ignore them. It's odd how you can be alone in a street full of people!
Out in the Southern Suburbs (and on the Veloway) cyclists are still few enough that most acknowledge each other. I wonder what happens in the Scandinavian countries that have zillions of cyclists?Simon
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Permalink Reply by Konadog on -
I generally give a nod back home in my smallish town on Vancouver Island when I'm riding, but almost never get a response on the road or the paved bike paths as I ride along on my mountain bike. I imagine the roadies acknowledge each other as they whiz along the road though - always did when I was one of them way back when. On the forest trails mountain bikers always say hello, but those are mostly single tracks and it's hard to pass without some sort of exchange. I drive a unique L-300 delica bus and always wave at the others I see on the road too - some wave back and others don't. It's nice to get a nod or a wave in any of these cases, but if people don't respond I don't mind - I just figure their either lost in their thoughts or are enjoying the freedom of their solitude. Either way, I don't feel that anyone owes me recognition as we pass and never take offense.
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