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Ashara's avatar

I too live in rural America, and unlike accents and idioms known only to the locals, “the wave” appears universal - at least between Pennsylvania and Colorado. And you must barely smile. It’s important to look cool, not like a Golden Retriever who just got its first dog biscuit.

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Barbara Murphy-Shannon's avatar

Bahahaha!!!!! Here's another wave you won't find in any etiquette book. The bike wave. Yup. Bikers have a wave (pedal bikes not those hells angels...that's a whole different type of wave that includes guns).

I've been a biker most of my adult life and when I'm out on the road pedaling away and a on coming biker approaches from the other side of the road, I'm caught in this ping pong thought process "do I wave? or not? wave or not wave of not????

But let me back up.

There are two types of bikers.

The ones that wave and the ones that don't.

Me...I'm a waver. I'm friendly. I'm outside enjoying the day on my bike and a wave says so.

The non-waver is not friendly. They are serious bikers and out for training, they aren't enjoying the day, no this is serious stuff. They can't waste any energy on a wave. They might need it for the next hill...serious stuff.

But every single time I see a "serious" biker approaching.

You know the ones.

They're on one of those bikes that looks like they are on a rocket ship in full uniform.

I start thinking, what if this one is different,

what if this one is nice, what if this one is friendly.

What if I don't wave and then I'm the asshole.

I don't want to be an asshole.

What if I just do a small wave.

Flick of the fingers up off the handle bar.

This way if they don't reciprocate,

They didn't see it.

Not my fault.

I'm not an asshole.

I'm having fun!

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