When you're riding along enjoying the sights and smells of the countryside you enviably pass others riders going the other way, and you either nod your helmet or wave! Both forms of a bikers salute. Waving can take many forms, usually with the left hand in NZ-land cos the right hand is on the throttle. It varies from an enthusiastic wave to a barely noticeable finger raise but it's usually there, unless you're a Harley rider, they rarely wave. Some unkind people would argue that they are too busy holding on.
Perhaps they feel superior in some way and just can't be bothered or perhaps they only can share their joy of riding with only other Harley riders? I'm not sure yet, perhaps one day I'll ask one when I'm feeling brave! Maybe the divide is just too big between American and Japanese bikes? Perhaps they're too busy remembering the war! Too far? OK, we'll put that one on the too hard shelf for the time being. Actually Ducati & BMW riders can be a little superior or 'unfriendly' too when you think about? I shouldn't generalize.
Back too friendly gestures.
A barely discernible nod of the helmet can be much harder to pick up, especially when your head is being buffeted by wind at 100ks, (that's a point now that I think about it, perhaps they AREN'T nodding at me! Maybe it's uncontrollable head roll)! Maybe naked bike riders with no fairings 'nod' more than others! Haha, oh dear... New theory coming!
Anyway, why are bikers wavers & nodders?
Is it because bikers are just friendly people or perhaps something much darker - an endangered species! The common bond of danger and the temporariness of life forces us to connect with like minded souls wherever & whenever we can find it? A shared bond of being in the minority and the love of 'feeling' your travel.
Put any two bikers in a small town, at a garage or cafe and they will talk. About their bikes, the ride they've just done or a past ride. Walk into a cafe with a helmet in your hand and you'll get a smile, a nod or a quick raise of the eyebrows from a fellow biker. Or, as I has happened on more than one occasion, invites to share a table with complete strangers and have a coffee or beer and share tales.
How many car drivers do that? Unless they're related, none that I've seen. Do car drivers wave or nod to every passing vehicle, none that I've seen. They travel in their little air conditioned insulated cocoons with their biggest concerns being the volume of the radio, the temperature of the car or how best avoid being seen by the police talking on their cell phones. . Give me a bike any-day. I'm saying cars don't have obvious positives but they are just not my preferred mode of transport.
Car drivers are our biggest enemies! THEY JUST DON'T SEE YOU!
Or they do and they don't care. But that's another story...
PS - I was 'tongue in cheek' about Harley riders, some of my best biker friends are HD riders! Sorry guys, couldn't resist.
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