Modern Vespa

I am just a few years into riding my Vespa-my first motorized bike. Here in the South, it seems that most folks that drive two-wheeled bikes acknowledge each other, when safe, with a customary "low wave" when passing. I find it exhilarating that most passing by me whether they are riding a 50cc "liqour cycle" or a 1000 cc Harley-Davidson, greet me with the familiar "low wave." After many trips to Italy where your arm might fall off trying to acknowledging every bike that passes by, I wondered if the "low wave" was common across the US and/or in other places in the world? Are there any "rules" governing the "low wave" and do you flash your fellow bikers or just those lucky enough to be scootering a Vespa?

Here in MN I wave if I can, about 1/2 of the bikers I see wave. I would never flash (with lights) I know in some areas of the world that is telling them that you are giving them the right away and they may pull in front of you...

In the jeep wrangler - I notice about 95% of the wrangler drivers wave...

I do the "low wave" to anyone on two wheels. I don't always get a response, but I tell myself that's not because they don't want to wave at a scooter, but because they're concentrating on their riding.

Here in DFW area, I get the low wave from almost all two wheel riders.

A low wave can also be a road hazard, around a turn or my be a LEO with a radar gun. so low wave with two fingers down is a hello.

I give a low wave with 2 fingers down or give a head nod if I'm breaking or turning. I try to greet any scooter rider and the friendly looking mc riders a wave or nod. The unfriendly ones seem to keep their head/eyes glued straight ahead as if they don't want to acknowledge you. Oh well.

Here's a link to Secret Motorcycle Hand Greetings: Revealed!

It explains the various types of wave: "The Nothing, The Two-finger Flip, The Big One, The Dis, and The Geek." Complete with photos.

I most often do "The Big One" wave, though I have been known to do "The Geek." Now that I know how horrendous The Geek is thought of, I will refrain.

Yup. "Hi Mom!"

I try that around here, but 95% of the Wrangler drivers don't know that they're driving a Wrangler.

From what I've seen here in Iceland, a small wave (extending your arm a bit) or a thumbs up gesture is common...If bikers wave at you at all. Scooterists usually don't wave, but smile and usually nod. Some of the chrome&leather&stalhelm brigade sometimes give you all sorts of strange waves that I haven't figured out yet.
If a passing biker waves at me, I wave back.

too funny!

I'm a fan of the low five myself. Love the article on the different greetings, quite enjoyable.

Is this really an ethical dilemma?

The wave gets discussed frequently and I never stop being fascinated by others' fascinations with the wave: who does it, who doesn't, when, where, how, why. If you wave and don't get one back is it a dis? Should you wave at motorcycle cops?

In the city, some do, some don't. I can't wave at every bike I see but try to wave at every scooter. Least likely to get a wave in the city from a sportbiker. Honestly, I don't even make the effort unless I get a nod or wave from them first.

What's interesting is that once we get out of the city, especially on the open highways or in the twisty canyons, scooters seem to get a lot more respect from riders of all types of two-wheelers. At the very least, I give and get a lot more waves. Even the sportbikers are pretty cool. I suspect it's because out there, we're more like real "riders," not just more urban trendoid noobs on scooters. Truth be told, it goes both ways-to me, they're not just more squids revving up their engines and causing problems in traffic or weekend Harley wild hog warriors.

We nod in the UK (but not in town, and you don't expect to get a nod from a lot of "real" bike riders but I like to nod to them all the same: just because they're ignorant doesn't mean I need to be).

Over zere on ze crazee continonte of yoorope, zey wave zee leg at ozzer bikerz. I lerve ze wavy leg style, but eet no work so good on a scooter at speed. Ees no good when you're riding feet forward.

I politely give the low wave back when I'm waved to. Otherwise, I don't go out of my way to acknowledge another motorsports driver. I try to keep my attention on the road and the surrounding hazards. I've never really understood the whole "wave" thing. When I'm in my car, I don't wave at people who drive the same make of car as mine.

I usually do the peace sign keeping my hand on the grip or the head nod.
But honestly, on many roads in my area it is a distraction. If I wave, I find it easy to spend too much time looking for the other rider to wave back (I guess I just want to be loved ) vs. concentrating on the road/cars around me.

Since I ride an mp3 I give a 3 fingered low wave by making an O with my thumb and ring finger....also has another meaning but so far no complaints.

A low wave to anything on two wheels unless they catch me by surprise or my hands are busy with a turn or braking, in which case I give a smile and a nod.

Around here, about half of the Harley riders will reciprocate; the sports bike riders almost never (although I did get a nice low wave back from a young squid on a sports bike last week). With the 50cc scooter crowd, it depends on how terrified they are... the newbies are afraid to take a hand off the bars under any circumstances!

I'm a fan of the "big wave," hand straight up in the air and waving like you've spotted a long lost friend. Once, while riding over the Ortega Highway on the back of my husband's Fatboy, he greeted all the oncoming riders harley riders with the big wave. I laughed all the way home.

If you do a search on "do you wave to scooterists," you'll find that most of the MC forums have discussed this whole issue. It's pretty interesting and enlightening. Very rarely does anyone wave to me, but maybe that's because I automatically assume that MC riders won't wave to me, so I don't wave to them first. I usually start riding in January and February. There are usually only a few die hards riding scooters or motorcycles in Canada in the winter. Everyone seems to wave to each other at that time of year, because no matter what you're riding, you have to be pretty dedicated (and maybe a bit stupid). During the summer, when everyone is out riding and it's not a novelty to see someone on 2 wheels, waving seems to peter out.

most of the bikers in az are dicks and don't/won't acknowledge me on my Vespa, even if we're side by side at a red light. I keep on trying though, truth be told it's kind of amusing to see those big bad harley riders look at me with contempt when I "low wave" em on the street. maybe i'll just start flipping the bird instead! hahaha!!!

That's true here too.

Yup. Weather has been lousy last few weeks and those of us still on the road have been waving at about 70% rates and the parking... oh the parking

The wave?

check out this video on a wave

Alice, the visual...

Low wave is very big in south Texas and Louisiana. I would imagine all along to coast to Daytona.

No AZ is just a no wave state, I spent a week in AZ riding and no one waves. I kinda like that. don't filp the bird its also a Angels state. just ride on.

same here

Low wave (two fingers down..."two wheels") if safe to do so...if not two fingers off the left handle...or a simple nod.

It's quite surprising how many Harley Riders have acknowleged me while riding...a few sportbikers too...

Wave? Pushaw. I stick my tongue out at every rider I see. I have a full face helmet on though. Passive aggressive? I think so. =P

TB the one's on harley's who don't wave are usually tourists on rentals. I think because they have to go by the vespa's to get to the harley's they consider us part of the family CC sells Kawasaki's too i think. That would explain why some of the sport bikes wave at us also. Never had a scooter rider wave tho

I use the "big one". (Thanks for posting the article) I wave so much, I catch myself waving when I do have to drive a car.

I'm reposting the "Hello Kitty wave" - just because it was funny!

I've noticed the colder it gets the more likely it is that someone is to wave, with the exception of when I'm downtown.

what I noticed is that around 50/50 with any kind of rider that waves, some times its more like a gun fight, with both riders waitng to see who will wave first. I will say MC members almost never wave when with a club. ( Patched Members )

I don't know what The Senator's problem is with AZ riders. Down here, south of Tucson, I wave at anything on two wheels and most of the time get a wave back. If, because of traffic conditions, I can't wave, I nod, and that seems to get the same response. Hey, it's us against the cagers, whether we're on Vespas, Harleys or mopeds!

In my experience Harley riders wont wave to a scooter and most seem to take it as an insult should you wave to them, which I have now made habit I know a local woman who rides both wears the same gear so is easy to recognize and claims that Harley riders she sees on a regular basis will only wave when she is on her bike.

Same thing happens to me. I just laugh it off.