Right hand wave

[zeop]

Random question.  Do bikers in the UK or Japan driving on the left side of the road wave with their right hand when they pass other bikers?  That seems impractical, since they'd be taking their hand off the throttle.

[normzone]

More knowledgeable heads will be here shortly, but I heard from a visitor that some kind of a head nod is substituted for our wave.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 When I lived in Washington I often crossed the hood canal bridge which had potato grater sections.
 I loved waving with both hands when crossing these sections especially when meeting Harley riders who never waved, they just stayed white knuckled on the bars
 as they passed.

[roofus]

I have been told by a British biker friend that generally they nod.

She didn't say what Harley riders do!

[Aldo]

From my optic, motorcyclists typically don't wave to each other here in Europe...they certainly don't in southern Italy. I don't recall any waving when I lived in the UK a decade ago, either...

At most, you may get a headlight flash, or maybe a head or foot 'nod' ...

[atavar]

From my recollection bikers on the continent hang a leg rather than raise a hand..

[Arizona Wayne]

Some times I wave with my right hand as when I have my throttle lock on.  :)   Maybe it throws the opposing rider off?  Maybe they think I'm queer?.......with my pink helmet on?

[Triple Jim]

From my recollection bikers on the continent hang a leg rather than raise a hand..

I like that idea.  I wonder if we can get it to catch on there in the US.

[EVDavid]

UK riders usually nod, French riders stick there right legs out and Italians are too busy riding fast to do anything. 8)

[Arizona Wayne]

UK riders usually nod, French riders stick there right legs out and Italians are too busy riding fast to do anything. 8)

I nod if it's too late to wave.

[Yukonica]

 ;) Being 'super-cool' myself, I use the 'two finger wave while retaining control of the bike' wave.
I was taught this greeting when I let go of the left grip, fingers spread, at 230. Changed lanes.  :-[

Raising the index and middle finger off the grip indicates a friendly recognition of the oncoming rider.
Raising the index finger is reserved for known friends/acquaintance/regular commuters.
Raising the middle finger is reserved for "I recognize a snot when I cross one"... not brand specific.

Like raising the foot as an idea but I don't want oncoming to think I'm Vali out for a ride.  ;D

[Triple Jim]

UK riders usually nod, French riders stick there right legs out and Italians are too busy riding fast to do anything. 8)

Serious question:  Their right legs?

[EVDavid]

Their right legs, and be careful trying it! Foot into wind and leg bent.

[Yukonica]

Serious question:  Their right legs?

Yeah, you know, it's like trying to speak Quebecois in Paris ... They'll find a way to ignore you.

[lazlokovacs]

France is one of the only countries where motorists will, by common consent and custom, leave a lane for motorcycles between cars in traffic to facilitate lane-splitting. When the French authorities attempted to encourage cars to abandon this practice, a national campaign was adopted by French motorcyclists  that involved kicking the cars that wouldn't pull out of the way. The hanging out of the right leg is these days usually a gesture of recognition, but it has its roots in the kicking movement when it signified, 'look I'm going to kick in your stupid citroen/peugeot/renault if you don't get out of my way' or even 'because you got out of my way I'm not going to kick you, but see this foot here? I could have used it to dent your paper-thin bodywork' or something.

[nick949]

I'm just back from riding in the UK. 
Most two-wheelers I saw were scooters - especially in the rain, the bike riders are pansies and stay indoors.  ~;
Of the few bikes I saw, about 50% made some kind of acknowledgement; usually a slight sideways nod.  No waving - too busy with the traffic.

Nick

[jbell]

From my recollection bikers on the continent hang a leg rather than raise a hand..

I know what a dog means when it does that, don't think it would go over to lovingly here in the US.

[v7john]

I'll wave with the left hand sometimes to other bikes. Other times I'll nod. It's a sort of sideways tilt of the head. No good flashing the headlight as everyone rides with lights on these days. Harleys are just another make of bike and, so far as I can tell, their riders behave pretty much the same as everybody else.

I'll also wave to considerate car drivers, policemen and kids on the footpath!

I'm not sure about riding in mainland Europe these days. I thought that riders dragged the right leg when they overtook another biker.

[Rough Edge racing]

 Watch for the right hand wave from riders on vintage Indians with a left hand throttle...

[Triple Jim]

I'll also wave to considerate car drivers, policemen and kids on the footpath!

Yes, around here it's very common for everyone to wave at everyone else.  If you walk past someone in the Walmart parking lot, you say "Hi, how are you?", or the other guy will beat you to it.  If someone is in his yard raking leaves and looks up, I'll wave from my Guzzi, and he'll wave back.  I guess that kind of thing is common in poor, rural counties.  In Bethesda, MD, if I'm walking to the mailbox and pass someone walking the other way, he'll most likely pretend to be interested in something in the other direction, so he doesn't have to interact.

[pressureangle]

I'm just back from riding in the UK. 
Most two-wheelers I saw were scooters - especially in the rain, the bike riders are pansies and stay indoors.  ~;
Of the few bikes I saw, about 50% made some kind of acknowledgement; usually a slight sideways nod.  No waving - too busy with the traffic.

Nick

They're not pansies, they have Lucas electrics.  :D

[Tom]

Shaka sign for me.  Right or left.  I have a throttle lock on the SP.

[EVDavid]

V7john.
Correct, right leg on overtaking and nod coming from opposite direction, or wave.

[leafman60]

Yes, around here it's very common for everyone to wave at everyone else.  If you walk past someone in the Walmart parking lot, you say "Hi, how are you?", or the other guy will beat you to it.  If someone is in his yard raking leaves and looks up, I'll wave from my Guzzi, and he'll wave back.  I guess that kind of thing is common in poor, rural counties.  In Bethesda, MD, if I'm walking to the mailbox and pass someone walking the other way, he'll most likely pretend to be interested in something in the other direction, so he doesn't have to interact.

Lol

People down here wave a lot.

The cruiser crowd trolling about the roadways also have a marked tendency to wave.  Sometimes I do it but sometimes I don't.  I feel kinda bad when I don't.  I guess I need to realign my cultural manners and make a greater effort to consistently wave to my two-wheeled comrades.

[Two Checks]

The "two finger point at the ground" by the "faifhful" can't be seen in the UK.

[Tony/CT]

Not much waving going on anymore in CT. Too many bikes, too small a state. Over the past 45 years there has been a steady decline of the wave as the number of riders increased. There are a select number of really nice routes here and on a weekend the roads are packed with bikes. I was finding that my left arm was developing tendinitis from lifting it off the bars so much to acknowledge riders who were not interested in waving. Now, I leave my palm on the bars and raise my fingers if I'm feeling like a wave. Now in Vermont, my other home, it's a totally different story. Most riders wave. The same with N.H. and Maine. So the moral of this story is that not everyone in New England is an ass!

[1stgarry]

Most folks nod here in the UK - forward or sideways nod.
Too much traffic and congestion to take hands of controls for a wave.....except for the 'too cool for skool' types who don't want to seem to keen, so just raise a finger or two off the handlebars! 
Not noticed anyone do the kick out.
     

[DougDoolin]

I think it is ridiculous to wave no matter what hand or wherever you are.
I have asked people who do this a simple question.Why?
"Because we are enjoying the riding on our motorcycles and acknowledging it to one another" is often the reply."
Then I ask,"do you stick your flippin arm out the window and wave at every person that drives the same model car that you have?"
Usually this is when they don't have any better of a comeback then something like.."you're an a$$hole."

[oldbike54]

 They are correct  :o

  Dusty

[DougDoolin]

They may be,but at least I am not looking like a dufus,constantly waving at people who are total strangers and could give a rats ass if they ever meet me or not.I truly will never understand it.