Are you a friendly Biker

[Guest]

I don't think it is unique to bikers either but to the British. I'm going to be a bit negative and say that I think the British are unfriendly and insular as a whole. Most people don't even know the name of their neighbours and if you look at people in the street they often look away or put their heads down. It's like 'what do they want?'. It seems everyone is suspicious of everyone else. My own experience when living abroad (US, Germany, Mexico) is that people have always smiled and spoken in the street (unless it's been a large city). I made more friends in the states in a few months than I did in 10 years here. Also a study showed that the British walk 20% faster in the street than they did in the 1970s. Everyone is in a rush to get somewhere, even if they have nowhere urgent to be. In contrast, it's what I like about Latin America, life is much slower which is why my partner and I are planning to move there in a few years.

Now then - biking in South America...

[Gray]

learners don't ever seem to nod back if you give them a nod.

 

Maybe the majority of them don't know. It wasn't mentioned to me when I did the CBT and so only picked it up after riding for a while when I noticed bikers nodding and waving at me.

[NeilM]

Disagree with the negativity towsrds the British.

So far today.

Had a woman allow mevto jump the qu at sainsbury at the white rose centre cos I only had a cd.

Cashier at aldi in Batley had a closing sign up but saw I only had 2 things n stayed open.

Old dear in said car park come up to me saying how she used to love bikes.

Little girl walking along with her mother outside my in laws nearly falling over staring at the bike. I say come n have a look. Her day made.

we as a national put ourselves down far too much and I feel as a whole we are still a friendly race.

[Phooey]

I either nod or put a thumb up. Sunday's ride saw lots of bikes out and I think all nodded and a couple even responded with a nod and a thumbs up, even the chopper I saw gave the thumbs up and a big, hairy biker, toothless smile!

I always do even if others don't and I don't distinguish between sport, tourer, A licence or learner etc. If they are on two wheels they get my acknowledgement.

[Joeman]

additionally, if im passing another biker (on a dual carriageway or motorway etc) i give them a thumbs up as i pass..

[Digzy]

can i just like... move to wherever you boys are because on my daily commute from redbourn to buckingham i think i get like... 1 nod from about 5-6 bikers (on average)

i mean its not much to move like what?... 6 neck muscles.

I might just go invest in an LED sign that spells "PRICK" and stick it to the bottom of my L plate... ill nod and if they dont respond they can look back and see it light up just for them... how special

[RantMachine]

Something I've noticed...

I ride the same commute every day, at the same time. I pass various bikes going in the opposite direction; on the way to work I pass an XT660R, a Panigale, an unknown red sports bike who is usually filtering like a nutter and I don't get time to see what bike he's on, a Sportster, and what I think is a Bonneville America. On the way home I pass a Gixxer, the Panigale (clearly works the same hours as me), a K1200GT, and an R6. Those are the regulars.

When I was riding my BMW we all nodded to one another - even the other BMW guy started nodding back after a week or so. Since my BMW broke down again and I've gone back to riding my cruiser-style 125 (and wearing my plain black lid instead of the white enduro style one), they've all stopped nodding back - except for the two guys on cruisers. I'm just as nod happy as ever, of course. Says a thing or two about prejudice among bikers!

[steveng]

Having just got my bike in December, I've only had a chance to ride around in the winter evenings and not seen any other bikers about. On Sunday past, I got out for my first decent, 90 odd mile ride, and got my first wave! An old guy on a trike gave me the biggest, overhead wave! I reciprocated with slightly less enthusiasm! From then on, a mixture of some waving, some not.

[Matt Strange]

I generally nod to whoever I notice, I can't always be on the look out for other bikers. I generally don't with scooter riders as they never seem to respond, will nod back if they do 1st though & I see it.

Get quite a few back from the 125s

Edited March 12, 2015 by Matt Strange

[rob m]

Had a little ride down to Loomies today and other bikers were nodding away while I nodded back. Made me feel all warm inside.

[NeilM]

I nod at vespas and lambys just to see what response if any I get.

some of my mates are into the scooter scene and I've dabbled in the past.

What I seem to find is the older end will nod back although the young lads with their brand new parkers just look at you and think prick....lol

It will be funny when I turn up at one of their do's on the bike ( as invited several times)

[dannybee]

I nod at vespas and lambys just to see what response if any I get.

some of my mates are into the scooter scene and I've dabbled in the past.

What I seem to find is the older end will nod back although the young lads with their brand new parkers just look at you and think prick....lol

It will be funny when I turn up at one of their do's on the bike ( as invited several times)

I was out last Sunday for a local ride about with my brother and his mate there both on old Vespas and I was on my Bandit.

I was happy enough tootling about I also dabbled in the scooter scene very briefly on a 50 and was suprised how many bikers nodded.

[nikolees]

can i just like... move to wherever you boys are because on my daily commute from redbourn to buckingham i think i get like... 1 nod from about 5-6 bikers (on average)

i mean its not much to move like what?... 6 neck muscles.

I might just go invest in an LED sign that spells "PRICK" and stick it to the bottom of my L plate... ill nod and if they dont respond they can look back and see it light up just for them... how special

 

Haha, you don't need to get upset...it's going to be a lot of time when something else will be in your mind, or your attention will have to be on something else on the road and you won't nod back yourself!!

And I still remember first time someone waved at me, 12 years ago, even remember where it was!

[Grumpy Old Git]

Keep going - The 'noddy' thread is only up to 3 pages! A long way off the record

PS. I never nod at someone with the middle name of xzttyleetwuewrt in case I get beemed up (like Zod) - By the way, where is he these days?

[RantMachine]

Well, he usually appears from nowhere whenever someone mentions him, so give it a few posts and I reckon he'll show up.

Either it's ESP, or he regularly Googles "TMBF Zod" to look for new posts

[Fozzie]

I nod at everyone, aside from peds where they have to nod me for me to nod back as they rarely give you anything more than an odd look.

Same applies to big cruisers, I often tip my head and get nothing back so tend to ignore some of them, but if they nod I'll nod back or if I see them looking my way I might tip my head. Not sure who started it but there are obviously divisions in the 2 wheeled world.

End of the day, don't care because... Motorbike...

[Digzy]

can i just like... move to wherever you boys are because on my daily commute from redbourn to buckingham i think i get like... 1 nod from about 5-6 bikers (on average)

i mean its not much to move like what?... 6 neck muscles.

I might just go invest in an LED sign that spells "PRICK" and stick it to the bottom of my L plate... ill nod and if they dont respond they can look back and see it light up just for them... how special

 

Haha, you don't need to get upset...it's going to be a lot of time when something else will be in your mind, or your attention will have to be on something else on the road and you won't nod back yourself!!

And I still remember first time someone waved at me, 12 years ago, even remember where it was!

 

Aaah i was jus playing... i couldnt afford the LED sign anyways

i just dont see why there is divsions, were all on 2 wheels because we love it right? i dont get why engine size would matter.

[Whitey1984]

I nod to everyone i see, if im concentrating on something else then i might miss the odd few.

Before i moved to Bournemouth my commute was 26 miles from Poole to Sturminster Newton, went past lots of riders on the way to Poole Quay for a regular bike night, Used to nod so much it looked like i had a twitch.

[nikolees]

I nod at everyone, aside from peds where they have to nod me for me to nod back as they rarely give you anything more than an odd look.

 

haha, I've nodded to some pedestrians the last days as they were looking excited to meet me...

(all of them wore spidi or spyke or whatever motorcycle jacket )

[Fozzie]

I nod at everyone, aside from peds where they have to nod me for me to nod back as they rarely give you anything more than an odd look.

 

haha, I've nodded to some pedestrians the last days as they were looking excited to meet me...

(all of them wore spidi or spyke or whatever motorcycle jacket )

 

That's fine!

Every now and again you get kids who look excited to see a motorbike, so if I spot them pointing and sounding excited by a motorbike I wave and it often seems to make their day.

Kids don't care what you ride, in my case I think they just like "it's a big blue motorbike!".

[Matt Strange]

On the way back from Cadwell, I have to confess to avoiding a large group of bikers gathered at a service station somewhere around Coventry/Leicester. I was tired, a bit cold and more interested in looking at my route via google maps than to idle chat. If I were out on a pure bimble somewhere, fare enough I'd probably been a little more engaging and up for some idle banter. They looked over at me a few times, probably thought "huh, arrogant miserable ****" etc etc

Sometimes I just don't want to engaged with the public, let alone anyone with a similar interest who may potentially distract me for hours & hours! -see the thread on "The problem with riding a motorcycle" viewtopic.php?f=3&t=55928

[humbucker]

Still counter nodding.

[Mr Fro]

Still counter nodding.

Best done with your weight on one footpeg...

[fq-craigus]

I twerk at every bike i see

[rob m]

On the way back from Cadwell, I have to confess to avoiding a large group of bikers gathered at a service station somewhere around Coventry/Leicester. I was tired, a bit cold and more interested in looking at my route via google maps than to idle chat. If I were out on a pure bimble somewhere, fare enough I'd probably been a little more engaging and up for some idle banter. They looked over at me a few times, probably thought "huh, arrogant miserable ****" etc etc

Sometimes I just don't want to engaged with the public, let alone anyone with a similar interest who may potentially distract me for hours & hours! -see the thread on "The problem with riding a motorcycle" viewtopic.php?f=3&t=55928

 

Glad somebody said it. I'm a sociable type but sometimes just want to be on my own. I tend to avoid major meeting spots when I'm in that mood. In the past 2 years I've ridden in Europe twice and in Wales on my own. I just prefer my own company sometimes. Saying that I'm really looking forward to going to Germany with friends this year, but they're guys I've ridden with before so feel comfortable travelling with them again.