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Is the Biker nod dying off?

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  • 06-03-2011 4:56pm
    #1
    phoenix0250
    Registered Users Posts: 88 ✭✭


    I have just noticed the sheer lack of head nodding to each other recently. Why dont bikers acknowledge other bikers anymore? Kind of sad really, as the biker subculture and mutual respect was/is pretty fantastic. So do you nod? if not, why?


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    #2
    WHIP IT!
    Registered Users Posts: 5,881 ✭✭✭WHIP IT!


    Just noticed this thread on the homepage, never been on a motorbike in me life... but sadly the 'head nod' is not just dying out in the motorbike fraternity... it seems to dying out in the 'horsebox' fraternity too... thems were the days when ye'd get at least a wave off another horsebox on your way racing/exercising/buying/selling and perhaps even a beep and a flash of the lights... now, the occasional nod and raised eyebrow if your lucky...

    tsk tsk tsk...

    Nostalgia - it's not what it used to be...


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    #3
    stratowide
    Registered Users Posts: 565 ✭✭✭stratowide


    Don't think so,was out yesterday for a spin met a good few biker's and I think they all nodded or waved..I'd always give a nod too,maybe not always a wave though.


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    #4
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,986 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    I never nod, I give a wave.
    Being from rural Ireland saluting everyone is expected no matter what you drive :cool:

    Met one biker in Borris-in-Ossory (miserable little town) who pumped his fist in the air and I got a wave like I got from my ma collecting me on my first day of school
    It made my day!


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    #5
    bladespin
    Registered Users Posts: 7,340 ✭✭✭bladespin


    Yes and no, personally I think there will always be a 'type' that will wave and a 'type' that won't, I always nod, wave or stick the leg out depending on the circumstance, that was what I learned - respect and acknowledge each other.


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    #6
    phoenix0250
    Registered Users Posts: 88 ✭✭phoenix0250


    Because the reason im asking is that, for the past month, when i bike it down to and from college i always nod, yet no one nodded back which is strange. And no,i dont ride a scooter :P


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    #7
    Flyin Irishman
    Registered Users Posts: 480 ✭✭Flyin Irishman


    I always nod, but its a bit hit-and-miss whether I get a nod back. I did get one guy that rode next to me on a dual carriageway and informed me that my seat cowl was loose, I appreciated that!


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    #8
    DiscoStu
    Registered Users Posts: 2,277 ✭✭✭DiscoStu


    Always do it out on national roads or a spin through the mountains. In Dublin city its a bit too chaotic to ignore the rest of the road food chain waiting for that opportune moment to kill you on the off chance of a nod in return.


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    #9
    daenerysstormborn3
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,213 ✭✭✭daenerysstormborn3


    All bikers get a very noticeable nod from me whether they nod back is irrelevant. I do it in a "it was good to see you on your bike" sort of way. If they don't nod back I don't give it a second thought, if they do I always give and get the nod whenever I see them out.


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    #10
    honeybadger
    Registered Users Posts: 869 ✭✭✭honeybadger


    bladespin wrote: »
    Yes and no, personally I think there will always be a 'type' that will wave and a 'type' that won't, I always nod, wave or stick the leg out depending on the circumstance, that was what I learned - respect and acknowledge each other.

    always wonder wot the stick the leg out was about,,sound for clearing that up


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    #11
    biscuiteater
    Closed Accounts Posts: 77 ✭✭biscuiteater


    honeybadger wrote: »
    always wonder wot the stick the leg out was about,,sound for clearing that up

    i am not a biker, i am a one that sits behind the biker and thumps him, (husband),
    they wave if they are facing each other and stick there legs out if it's buts, ie over taking,
    i learnt this on a holiday in france when if someone came towards us they waved and i would ask did he know them, and if someone over took us the leg went out and i thought they were trying to kick us, my husband would roll his eyes, lol


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    #12
    seanybiker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,898 ✭✭✭✭seanybiker


    Use the leg when its not a great idea to be waving. Taking a corner 1 handed is frowned upon lol.


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    #13
    RRaff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 44 ✭RRaff


    Living in Dublin now almost 3 years and no one seems to nod or wave except for this weekend at the IBS! Completely different in Cork (greatest city in Ireland) where everyone I cruise past gives or returns recognition.


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    #14
    seanybiker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,898 ✭✭✭✭seanybiker


    RRaff wrote: »
    Living in Dublin now almost 3 years and no one seems to nod or wave except for this weekend at the IBS! Completely different in Cork (greatest city in Ireland) where everyone I cruise past gives or returns recognition.
    loves the way cork people always throw in the greatest city into a post. PROC rules


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    #15
    WHIP IT!
    Registered Users Posts: 5,881 ✭✭✭WHIP IT!


    seanybiker wrote: »
    loves the way cork people always throw in the greatest city into a post. PROC rules

    You'd think he'd move back there if it was so great, wouldn't ya? ;)


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    #16
    seanybiker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,898 ✭✭✭✭seanybiker


    WHIP IT! wrote: »
    You'd think he'd move back there if it was so great, wouldn't ya? ;)

    Maybe he's an ambassador for them.


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    #17
    mikemac
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,986 ✭✭✭✭mikemac


    Maybe a spy ;)


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    #18
    seanybiker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,898 ✭✭✭✭seanybiker


    Probably yeah lol


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    #19
    Alkers
    Registered Users Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Alkers


    Nearly always nod in Dublin but I find it isn't always returned. Couriers and the likes tend to not return the gesture but that's understandable! Nothing worse than nodding and not getting a response though!


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    #20
    RRaff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 44 ✭RRaff


    seanybiker wrote: »
    loves the way cork people always throw in the greatest city into a post. PROC rules
    Credit where credit is due!
    WHIP IT! wrote: »
    You'd think he'd move back there if it was so great, wouldn't ya? ;)
    I wish! Damn work commitments!
    feelingstressed wrote: »
    Maybe a spy ;)
    Oh no I'm not......please kindly ignore the black unmarked van that may appear to be following you over the next few days. :)


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    #21
    JohnnyCrash
    Registered Users Posts: 978 ✭✭✭JohnnyCrash


    Met 2 bikes on way into work this morning,gave 2 and got 2 in return. Maybe a lot of it could be "If you dont nod first,I wont nod back" I always nod and its very,very seldom I dont get some sort of recognition dack


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    #22
    scorn
    Registered Users Posts: 265 ✭✭scorn


    Not sure if it's countrywide or just Dubland, but I find some of the guys on the more upmarket bikes tend not to acknowledge guys on the 'lesser' bikes... (note that this a generalisation based purely on my own observation - please don't jump down my throat as I'm sure everyone on boards would give the nod)

    I give the nod to many but don't get many back - and those back are mainly from similar smaller bike riders. I'd hate to think there was bike snobbery around as it's great to get out on two wheels regardless!

    I should disclose that I'm on a Bros so might appear as a courier, giving the impression that I wouldn't give/return the nod in the first place - so it could all be just one big misunderstanding :)


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    #23
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users Posts: 14,906 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    scorn wrote: »
    Not sure if it's countrywide or just Dubland, but I find some of the guys on the more upmarket bikes tend not to acknowledge guys on the 'lesser' bikes... :)
    You mean BMW riders don't you...:D


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    #24
    rymus
    Registered Users Posts: 8,819 ✭✭✭rymus


    I'd been wondering about this lately.. Bought a bike back at the end of Jan after being off bikes for a few years. Back before I sold my last bike the nod was more or less universal. The only people you really wouldn't get it from was the sports bike guys. Something about interrupting their aerodynamics probably :D

    Since getting back on two wheels in Jan I've noticed 'the nod' is all but gone. At the moment I'm still hoping it's mostly a Dublin / big cities thing. I've been down around Cork and you still get the odd one or two that'll do it but it's mostly died out.

    You do tend to get it from groups more so than people on their own and I got a very enthusiastic wave from a few grizzly looking harley riders down in Wicklow a few weekends ago.

    Also, to answer the previous posters statement, I'm on a bmw and I'll feckin nod at everyone! :D


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    #25
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users Posts: 14,906 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    rymus wrote: »

    Also, to answer the previous posters statement, I'm on a bmw and I'll feckin nod at everyone! :D
    'Pologies man , don't mean to tar ye all with the same brush. But Those twats from Long Way have encouraged a load of people to start riding bikes that have no knowledge of biking practices.


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    #26
    No1J
    Closed Accounts Posts: 783 ✭✭✭No1J


    seanybiker wrote: »
    Use the leg when its not a great idea to be waving. Taking a corner 1 handed is frowned upon lol.

    Most couriers use the leg, the right one, what else can you use going around a left hander overtaking a van kicking up a gear while using left hand on the walkie talkie?


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    #27
    rymus
    Registered Users Posts: 8,819 ✭✭✭rymus


    CJhaughey wrote: »
    But Those twats from Long Way have encouraged a load of people to start riding bikes that have no knowledge of biking practices.
    Can't argue with that!


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    #28
    Paparazzo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,398 ✭✭✭Paparazzo


    Simona1986 wrote: »
    Nearly always nod in Dublin but I find it isn't always returned. Couriers and the likes tend to not return the gesture but that's understandable! Nothing worse than nodding and not getting a response though!
    If I don't get a nod back I spend the next 5 miles about what wánkers they are!
    CJhaughey wrote: »
    'Pologies man , don't mean to tar ye all with the same brush. But Those twats from Long Way have encouraged a load of people to start riding bikes that have no knowledge of biking practices.

    I think the Celtic tiger has a lot to answer for. Lots if people with too much money bought bikes. Hopefully the recession weeds some of these out


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    #29
    Wossack
    Registered Users Posts: 7,005 ✭✭✭Wossack


    dont tend to nod on the commute these days...

    however, with the roads so potholed to shite, to a casual observer it probably looks like Im nodding more


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    #30
    Flyin Irishman
    Registered Users Posts: 480 ✭✭Flyin Irishman


    CJhaughey wrote: »
    Those twats from Long Way have encouraged a load of people to start riding bikes that have no knowledge of biking practices.
    Paparazzo wrote: »
    I think the Celtic tiger has a lot to answer for. Lots if people with too much money bought bikes. Hopefully the recession weeds some of these out

    I think this is more a symptom of the biker subculture and community diminishing than people not nodding. New people getting involved in biking, whether they know the ins-and-outs of the current practises or not, should be a good thing! New bikers should be welcomed and shown these practises, not ridiculed and resented for not inherintly knowing them.

    Hopefully you wont get your way, and new people will continue to get bikes, otherwise it will become a very scarce community altogether...


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    #31
    amacca
    Registered Users Posts: 6,822 ✭✭✭amacca


    I ride a fairly full on sports bike and I always either nod (when going fast..ish) or give a wave (when going slow...ish) to anyone on any form of powered two wheeler (so none of your sportsbike people look down everyone else guff)

    In the past two years I'm fairly sure not a single rider has failed to acknowledge in kind

    and they've been on bmws, goldwings, silverwings, cb250s, kwakers, monster, harleys, svs etc


    even "da police" although I did have a sudden rush of "maybe that wasn't such a good idea itis" when I waved as I sped (mildly over)/rode at a perfectly legal speed by a bike cop parked in a 50km zone obviously looking for those that may have been "breakin the law"

    slept slightly uneasily that night.


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