Hi I was out for a day ride with friends yesterday greeting other riders we cross on the road. We do this with the left hand showing 2 fingers as “victory” facing down (no the f..k off side) Then I wonder myself about a stupid question: As in UK you ride on the left side of the road and the throttle is still on the right, how do riders great each others over there? Just felt curious. I asked my friends and nobody was sure. thxs!
Yes, a nod or a wave. If I overtake another biker I'll often stick my left leg out momentarily or make a hand gesture similar to that described in the OP. Edited to say, the nod is more of a sideways tilt, as mentioned in a subsequent post below.
Over here we use the left leg way when the situation does not allow to use left hand or when just have “gently” overtook. Thanks to all for your replies!
OK this is slightly odd, no one has said what I do, and seemingly what all riders around here (Essex) do, which is tilt the head. Kinda like a nod to the side, but more like your trying to scratch your ear on your shoulder ... or like you have some sort of nervous tick I think the logic being that often as you're bouncing down a road, your head naturally bobs up and down, and so a nod might not be a nod. So something more intentional/obvious/unnatural is used. Personally if I'm saying hello (to a motorcyclist) or thank you (to car that moved out the way) that's behind me, I'll do a left-foot dangle.
With the predominance of Harley riders over here, I guess it's a little difficult to "shake a leg". As noted already, it's usually a subtle left hand wave. A few years ago, a bunch of fully loaded KTMs passed by and all were "shaking a leg". We later met up at the Alaska turn-off and they had European plates - Germany (IIRC?). I'm sure some folks wondered what they were doing.
Just a nod of the head for me, and sometimes followed by muttering 'wanker' if they don't acknowledge you
It's clear from these messages that standards are slipping terribly on our British roads. When you encounter another rider you should both slow down and stop, politely comment on the weather, then invite them along to the next village for a spot of tea at a local establishment where they do lovely scones.
Does anyone else do the fist on top of your helmet to warn other bikers of police presence? otherwise a nod, tilt, dangle or wave as I see fit… rarely all at once though!
Hi DCS900, the most common way to warn other riders/drivers of Police Speed Camera operation here in the UK, it is a "thumb down with the right hand". A popular weekly motorcycle paper ran a campaign a lot of years ago now on the very subject, each week it got the message across to readers with the "thumb down right hand". Today however if a rider is seen by Police to be warning other motorcyclists, they are pulled over and warned, is seen doing it again you are reported for consideration of Prosecution. I questioned this once with a Police Officer operating an unmarked car who was chatting to a group of motorcyclists in a layby, my question to him was (what is the difference in the Police placing warning notices saying speed enforcement in operation, and unmarked Police vehicles, and a motorcyclist completing the same action). I never got an answer. Those of us in the UK that use phones as sat navs have an app called Waze, this gives up to the minute accurate location warnings of any Police presence, many use the phones for just that facility, and you don't need to bother with a headset, the graphics are clear and simple to see.
