So is it just a fact that these unwilling head nodders are miserable and don't want to say hello Rivski

Yep, that's about it! A bit like drivers who don't acknowledge when you've given way to them. Rudeness.

I guess it could be that they're approaching a corner or planning another move which demands total concentration. You wouldn't want to overshoot a corner just for the sake of politeness! But, at the end of the day, some are just miserable! If you're riding in a group, it's different - etiquette is for the oncoming rider to acknowledge the first and last bike, or he'll have a sore neck and look like a half-wit!

Keep waving or nodding. I prefer the continental approach - a small gesture with the left hand - but it wouldn't work too well for us in the UK.

 

Check this out: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/biker-hand-gestures-101-leslie-kay-drury

I also encountered a lot of bikers in France who waved at me with the right foot after overtaken me (I was on a car). Never seen that in Spain.

 

I always give the nod but i find it's mainly Harley riders who don't acknowledge.....:laugh:
I always give a thumbs up to cars that move over when overtaking too... politeness costs nothing... shame a lot of car drivers aren't as courteous...

 

Yes I thought it was just a polite thing to do and I always have done it. I do mutter Knobhead to myself when they don't respond!

There are 2 guys in particular that I see every day and they never acknowledge me and they both ride triumph bikes but I still nod to them in the hope it gets on their nerves!!

I have also noticed that most car drivers don't mind you filtering through in traffic, but some get really annoyed and try to block you passing them which I don't get??

 

I mutter the same thing too....:laugh: You do right to carry on nodding....kill em with kindness haha..
A lot of car drivers are bikers or wish they were so do let you through, but like you say others go out of there way to stop you getting past...probably miffed for having to sit in traffic when you can just breeze on by...:grin2:

 

'The nod' not so common in Sweden. But to hold up your left hand slightly whenever you meet a motorcycle is. I even salute the Hells Angels or Bandidos when i meet them, sometimes you get the 'middle finger' back 😬 But like @Yamaboy said, kill em with kindness...

 

'The nod' not so common in Sweden. But to hold up your left hand slightly whenever you meet a motorcycle is. I even salute the Hells Angels or Bandidos when i meet them, sometimes you get the 'middle finger' back 😬 But like @Yamaboy said, kill em with kindness...

Same with any country that drives on the right. They wave not nod. If we wave in the UK it would be with the right hand and that of course would scrub off speed and have the potential to be dangerous.

 

I forget where I am sometimes and nod at bikers when I'm just walking down the street.

 

I always go with the down left hand as salute, even if sometimes I don't get an answer from the biker I'm waving at.
Nodding with head is just something you do when you can not remove your hands from the bars

Keep it up always and everywhere!

 

Here in Greece we use the headlight signal for salutation. I usually end up cursing at car drivers cause the don't use their blinkers of their rearview mirrors.

 

"... use their blinkers or their rearview mirrors."

 

I get a lot of the down-low left hand peace sign when spotted by other bikers. And a nod if they have a hand full of clutch. It's the polite hello. And yes, some Harley-pirates often don't wave back depending on how seriously they take themselves in their pirate-persona.

 

In the US I usually do the hand wave with 2 fingers down, and nod if my hand is full of clutch or at a light. Most cruiser guys wave around here (NC) but I remember up in NY they still had the whole stupid sport bike vs cruiser attitude thing which I never really understood. We are all riding, I don’t care what you’re on. I usually wave to trikes too.

 

In Northern England you get a lot of nods between bikers, down South especially London you get ignored so I've pretty much give up with it here. I'll always reciprocate but no longer nod first or you look/feel daft.

 

I've noticed here in the U.S. that many riders reply with a two finger (something like a "V" ) rise in reply to a wave, vs. actually replying with a wave. In part, I think it's because there are getting to be so many motorcycles on the road as opposed to 20 or 30 years ago. When there are a lot of riders out on the roadways, it gets pretty hectic trying to wave or reply to a wave every few minutes, not to speak of having your hands leave the bars so frequently. I've even noticed car drivers replying to a hand wave with the 2 finder reply so they don't have to take their hand off the wheel. It's hard to notice that at 60 plus miles an hour.

 

The V is the normal salutation between bikers in Spain . V = 2 fingers = 2 wheels

 

Actually most riders around here, Northwest US, will wave if I am on a motorcycle, rarely if I am on my scooter. So, I wave at everyone and don't worry if they reciprocate or not. Even Harley riders will wave most of the time, unless they are wearing the Nazi style 1/2 helmets or are on an old oily chopper. It's funny when I pass someone and he raises his arm and waves like we're old friends from wayback, I assume he/she is a new rider.