Scooter Etiquette

[jbernha]

I just got a brand new scooter here in Chicago and now I'm noticing many other scooter riders on the road. Is there an etiquette to acknowledging each other? I had another scooter honk and nod at me today but not sure if a wave suffices, eye contact, act like you don't know each other, any other ideas out there? Thanks!

[Skootz Kabootz]

The low five baby...

[Lostmycage]

Nod, wave, honk... whatever. Don't get hung up on it. Focus on your ride. If you notice someone when you're cruising, that's a good time to wave, etc.

Stop and Go traffic, I don't notice other riders coming the opposite direction, especially if they're not turning left or if there's a median. Focus on your surrounding traffic. No one's going to get all in a huff if you don't wave. If they do, you'll probably never hear about it, lol.

[bpatrick5]

The low five has my vote. Plus, the Harley guys get a kick out of it.

[dawg onit]

low five is the best

[Major Redneck]

taking a hand off the handlebars of a scooter is just not a good idea... two finger throwup off the left hand and a nod is all your going to get from me,,, cept when space allows for that Bad-Boy horn on the rattler...

[jmkjr72]

the low five
just dont do the geek wave

[TVB]

the low five
just dont do the geek wave

One of my favorite moments on a scooter was last summer, scooting down the Lake Michigan coast past one of the beachtowns, and crossing paths with this adorably geeky teenage boy on a rental Honda Metro, who grinned and waved at me like I was his bestest friend and he was finally holding hands with the cutest member of the cheerleading squad. Ah... first times....

[jmazza]

I usually wheelie.


If I'm coming up to a light or stop sign, I just stoppie.

But that's just me.

[Kaos]

the low five
just dont do the geek wave

One of my favorite moments on a scooter was last summer, scooting down the Lake Michigan coast past one of the beachtowns, and crossing paths with this adorably geeky teenage boy on a rental Honda Metro, who grinned and waved at me like I was his bestest friend and he was finally holding hands with the cutest member of the cheerleading squad. Ah... first times....

Yeah, the best wave I ever got was a pair of teenage girls riding double on a LX-150. They waved at me like it was the best moment of their lives to see another scooter. Their exuberance was contagious

So the geek wave is ok in my book.

I usually either low-5 or Boba Fett nod at other riders.

[Rippinyarn]

The left low two (downward pointing peace sign, as in two-wheeled transport) is what the cool people do. The exaggerated head bob (up more than down) is what cool people do when they can't get their left hand off the grip.

I gave a mcycle cop the head bob yesterday and all I got back was a steely glare

[Lostmycage]

There's also this.

[Apiarist]

i put both my feet in the air as far out to the side as i can manage and rotate the left foot counterclockwise, the right foot clockwise and yell out the pledge of allegiance backwards in Swahili.
no one ever does it back though

[threar]

To other scoot-peeps I give the left-low-two or the head bob. The Harley riders, on the other hand, get the full-on geek wave.

[KABarash]

There aren't too many scooters around here...
Most scooters I see seem afraid as well as unsure to remove a hand from the bars! Two weeks ago I saw a young lady on a Honda Met in flip flops, tank top and shorts short enough to be a belt, in a local convience store fall over when she tried to wave!! She was blonde!!
I give every two wheeled form of conveyance I see the 'low two fingers' I've gotten back an assortment of return styles.

[bigbropgo]

I have been guilty of the " hang loose " from time to time. I answer the geek wave with the " rock on ". I was stopped in the left turn lane as opposing traffic was crossing. Some one on a scoot gave me a quick honk. Just to be a nerd a gave them " the fonz ". Most of the time I'm just happy to have and exchange. Motorcycle riders seem to force the etiquette. Not sure if its a bad thing to just have fun with it. The low peace sign seems to be the most common.

[bigbropgo]

i put both my feet in the air as far out to the side as i can manage and rotate the left foot counterclockwise, the right foot clockwise and yell out the pledge of allegiance backwards in Swahili.
no one ever does it back though

OUCH!

[Milktown]

I just got a brand new scooter here in Chicago and now I'm noticing many other scooter riders on the road. Is there an etiquette to acknowledging each other? I had another scooter honk and nod at me today but not sure if a wave suffices, eye contact, act like you don't know each other, any other ideas out there? Thanks!

what part of chicago do you live in?

[Vic]

On the Buddy I don't get as many waves as I do on the Sym, but I always try to acknowledge anyone that I notice when riding.

I vary it according to my mood and traffic. Usually I give em 5 down low, sometimes 2, sometimes just pull my hand off the grip and hold my hand up a little bit. I have been known to give scooters a thumbs up, also. I also do the big-head-helmet-bob, or if I am unsure of getting a response the much cooler single nod. If I am in a really good mood and want to play with them, I sometimes give the full on geek wave, too.

I get a lot of waves these days, it is rare that folks don't wave back, especially on my regular commute, I do not know who these folks are but I know that we pass the same way in all of our vehicles and suspect that they see me riding on days that they are not.

-v

[loodieboy]

Depends.

Two wheels down if riding the Buddy.
Nod if riding the Stella.
No love whatsoever for Squids.
And for those I pass, and especially for those who pass me, I let my plate do the talking:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/loodie/4542931425/" title="Plate by loodieisthebestest, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/454 ... 9a33cd.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Plate" /></a>

[jijifer]

I'm down with the low 2 acknowledging two-wheeled brethren. I'm not a fan of honking since that takes away it's importance as a "DANGER DANGER" device. We were on a small group ride the other week and this guy kept honking when he liked something he saw. I was on edge thinking someone was hurt with all the honking. I say stay off the horn unless danger is afoot.

out here, once out of the city, motorcycles even throw the low two to us!

[TVB]

I'm not a fan of honking since that takes away it's importance as a "DANGER DANGER" device.

What she said.

[Scalpel]

For a good explanation of waves, check out this video from M13:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqykEhOIaRk

...And I will admit that I once gave the patented M13 wave to a squad of Harley riders. Fortunately, they found it hilarious.

[bunny]

Geek waver here.

Raise your hand up and wave it madly at the other scooterist. Keep waving until they are FORCED to acknowledge your geeky presence. Watch them cringe inside their helmet as they take in the glory that is bunny ears on the daisy decal'd helmet AND the daisy decal'd Italia.

Considering what I ride and how I attire myself for the ride, anything less than a geek wave would be sacrilege.

[ericalm]

It's the low 2 or the head nod from me. Sometimes the high 2 from the left grip combined with a nod.

If I know the riders, I honk and yell obscenities at them.

Motorcyclists around here favor the low 2 as well. Scooterists get a lot more waves outside the city on the open road and in the canyons where the MC people are surprised to see us out cutting the same routes they do. In the city it varies quite a bit. Many scooterists don't even wave. Whatever, I try.

[Vic]

I'm not a fan of honking since that takes away it's importance as a "DANGER DANGER" device.

What she said.

Amen! I hate it when people go honking at every little dumb thing. Yes, the horn may be cute, but it is not there to draw attention to the flower on the side of the road, it is there to draw attention to the scooterist who is bleeding all over the side of the road and like I tell my kids, "if nobody is bleeding, I don't want to hear about it!"

-v

[bigbropgo]

For a good explanation of waves, check out this video from M13:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqykEhOIaRk

...And I will admit that I once gave the patented M13 wave to a squad of Harley riders. Fortunately, they found it hilarious.

the m13 wave is the best. he even demonstrates the geek. pay attention to how he explains how important it is to have both hands on the handlebars on tight corners. then watch were his hands are. i love his vids.

[pugbuddy]

To other scoot-peeps I give the left-low-two or the head bob. The Harley riders, on the other hand, get the full-on geek wave.

I give the low-two or a head nod (tulsa roads are not always easy to ride on with only one hand on the handle bars).

I once had a Harley rider do the geek wave to me! He was laughing his butt off while he did it too. I was too shocked to actually wave back!

[chloefpuff]

There's also this.

OMIGOSH how did i ever ride without those?

[Stormswift]

Nobody waves at me. They just part, like Red sea. They cross to other lanes. I usually get a 3-car length space around me. I haven't figured out if it is my reddish pink jacket, reddish helmet or green and beige trim Buddy. I am not doing anything crazy, I swear. I just think in my area they are not used to seeing a female rider and freak out when I make a rare appearance

[pdxrita]

For a good explanation of waves, check out this video from M13:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqykEhOIaRk

...And I will admit that I once gave the patented M13 wave to a squad of Harley riders. Fortunately, they found it hilarious.

Cool video, but I felt pretty sea sick by the time I got to the end. I just can't handle too much helmet cam, I guess. Love the M13 wave, but I'm not taking my hand off the throtlle like that.

I do two fingers down or head nod, depending on conditions.

[LuvMyScoot]

I'm most comfortable with the low five but will return a full blown geek wave if it's initiated by someone else. I find the nicest scooterists are the young guys on Chinese scoots. I think it's because they think that if there's one woman who's not going to make fun of their ride it's me...and they're right!

[Lostmycage]

There's also this.

OMIGOSH how did i ever ride without those?

Yeah, I want the rocket launcher.

[dawg onit]

i had no idea that was a low 2, i thought they were throwing peace signs.
I've driven vws & get the peace signs all day. I throw the low five & get low peace signs...it all makes sense to me now.

[Coffeejunkie]

While I usually prefer the low five, I tend go across the board with the various grettings from the low five to the two finger hands on the handle bar wave.

What I find amazing is the number of folk that notice the two finger on the handle bar wave.

[Queen]

the low five
just dont do the geek wave

One of my favorite moments on a scooter was last summer, scooting down the Lake Michigan coast past one of the beachtowns, and crossing paths with this adorably geeky teenage boy on a rental Honda Metro, who grinned and waved at me like I was his bestest friend and he was finally holding hands with the cutest member of the cheerleading squad. Ah... first times....

I've been riding everything on two wheels from Harleys to Beemers over the last 38 years, I'm old enough to love acting like a geek...so I do the geek wave and grin, then laugh like a crazy person. It cracks me up!!