Friday, August 28, 2009

Greeting: are you a nodder or a waver?


Ever since I heard a professional cyclist (wish I could remember his name now?) slag off a novice cyclist for nodding - claiming "they are the nodders" - at a passer-by cyclist, I consciously consider my greeting actions - nod or wave - when faced with that encounter?

To nod involves a short dipping of the head/helmet and to wave you raise your hand and often pointing finger upwards simultaneously, at a fellow cyclist while on the move. All in the name of saying hello and acknowledging for a common cause. Of course you can simply shout out "hello/hiya/howzit..etc", but then often cyclists have their ears plugged up with music, right?

So, out of curiosity I decided to run a quick Twitter poll to gauge how fellow (Twitter followers) cyclists greet each other (mostly strangers)? After a few minutes of sending the tweet it was clear that people usually signal using various gestures.

I mostly nod (safer in built up London traffic) and occassionally finger gesture too.

The Twitter poll results:

Nod = 7
Wave (finger gesture) = 7

Other gestures:
Shout: 4
Ding: 1 (@londoncyclist suggested that perhaps we should Ding them)

Here's what some of the respondants had to say/comment on Twitter:

@londoncyclist: I tend to nod when passing another cyclist. Maybe I should Ding them. Have you heard of Ding Day?- http://tr.im/xkjm

@Humphr: Both

@ishmaelb: Depends on what you mean by "cyclist", but normally I just wave.

@adrian_trenholm: nod, wave or shout "good morning" depending on circs, to cyclists, runners, walkers and horse riders.

@Yorkshire11: I just blurt a good 'Hello Mate' out, or something topical like 'Nice init'. THe best thing is saying hello to people

@RyanV49er: Crazy flapping arms and shouting "watch out for the dogs!!!!". Always makes me laugh...

@felixhemsley: A sly nod of the head and a raise of the fingertips off the bar as a gesture...

@stevesaunders: I nod, and lift one finger from my bars or hoods as a wave

@TheOnlyMrW: nod or wave and a hello, unless they're mountain bikers as you never get a response!

Annon: Nod
Posted by at 10:10 AM
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6 comments:

  1. I like this style of post - where you just report on what others say :) Twitter is the best community building tool there is.

    P.S. Don't forget ding day 9th of September
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  2. @Andreas thanks. And, thanks for pointing Ding Day (http://www.dingday.org) out.

    The harmony campaign (Ding Day) sounds great. I'll post a few tweets next week to remind tweeps.

    The only minor issue I have is that we need bells. How many people that use London's roads use bells? (bet less than 50%). Obviously I can still create 'harmony around London's cycling community' by alternative gesturing as discussed in the post.

    But, I guess it just wont have the same ring tone (excuse the pun).
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  3. Here's a good follow-up question: how does the way you greet fellow cyclists (especially roadies) differ depending on whether you pass them going the opposite direction, or overtake them? And does it matter if it's a girl or a guy?

    My answers:
    -- oncoming, girl or guy, I nod to people I vaguely recognise, wave to people I know better (only on the first lap of RP though; subsquent laps don't require it I hope!)
    -- overtaking, girl (stranger), say hello as I go past.
    -- overtaking, guy (stranger), don't tend to say much, they're often annoyed to get chicked and try to sit on my wheel *sigh*
    -- overtaking, person I know, COMPLETE TAKE THE PISS, ha ha.
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  4. True actually - don't think bike bells are as prevalent in London. Still - the more people hear about it the more it builds a bit more of a community :)
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  5. Maryka, it's a great question and one that brings out a cyclists true colours ;-)

    It seems you've had a lot of thought about a cyclists cognitive thought process and perceptions - our primate instinct to be competitive - I love it.

    I might do a short video recording interview the next time I see a man being overtaken by a lady cyclist. Wonder how many would be prepared to comment?

    BTW, what's been your reaction when a girl has overtaken you? [internal reactions welcome too ;-)]
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  6. Rob, I can count the number of women who have overtaken me while out on a training ride probably on one hand... can't remember the last time it happened actually. However in triathlons, I usually say "good ride" or something similar. Road races I just grit my teeth and work harder!

    Seriously though, I do wonder about people who get overtaken by a stranger and then decide it's an invitation to jump on that person's wheel without saying a word (girl, guy, roadie, random commuter, whoever). What is going through their minds...? I can't imagine ever wanting to do that!
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