the upside down peace hand signal

r0sa · Post by **r0sa** » Tue May 27, 2008 6:41 pm

ever since i started riding my buddy around, i've noticed that other motorcyclists would give me the upside down peace hand signal, while passing me by on the opposite lane. i've caught on to this and i just assumed it means "hey wassup"...or does this hand signal mean something else?

has anybody encountered this while riding?

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Tue May 27, 2008 6:42 pm

I am pretty sure it is a WASSUUPPP?!?!?!

It what I do to other motorcycles / scooters.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue May 27, 2008 6:56 pm

This is a traditional 2-wheeler greeting that basically means "may you keep both wheels on the road."

kilted texan · Post by **kilted texan** » Tue May 27, 2008 6:57 pm

It is the 'wave' you give to other riders you pass on the street - the slight hand gesture that signals a, 'Hey, good to see ya' kind of thing'.

Here somone wrote down a How To & Why. I personally like The Geek. roflmao

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:00 pm

I know there is another thread about getting respect from motorcycles, but...

We have seen that we scooter riders get waves/agknowledgment/upsidedown peace signs, from harleys and sport bikes occasionally...

Does anyone know if sport bikes and harleys wave to each other?

AmyNTX · Post by **AmyNTX** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:08 pm

Yeah, My husband rides a Harley and I worked for Harley for a few years. It is the "hey whats up, ride safe..etc" kind of thing:)

bjj4287 · Post by **bjj4287** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:13 pm

http://www.viewfromthecloud.com/2006/08 ... tings.html

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:19 pm

for anyone that doesnt check out the link:

The Geek - Left hand raised high in the air as if to say, "Hi mom!" This one is specifically reserved for the new rider, who is "SO excited to be one of the gang!" Also may be seen being used by Moped or scooter riders. Recommendation: Just don't.HGAHAHAHAHAHAHA

bjj4287 · Post by **bjj4287** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:25 pm

kilted texan · Post by **kilted texan** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:38 pm

thanks Mikie I lmao again

DennisD · Post by **DennisD** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:39 pm

If I'm on my scooter I use the Maximum Geek Wave. That is with arm extended high in the air, yelling and screaming, HELLO!! and waving very fast. Some wave back and laugh. Others try not to look.

Dennis

r0sa · Post by **r0sa** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:50 pm

DennisD wrote:If I'm on my scooter I use the Maximum Geek Wave. That is with arm extended high in the air, yelling and screaming, HELLO!! and waving very fast. Some wave back and laugh. Others try not to look.

Dennis

LOL i did that once to a guy that was riding a scooter, couldnt tell what he was driving but he honked, im pretty sure he got a good laugh

kilted texan · Post by **kilted texan** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:51 pm

Dennis I will do the same next time I am in Pee-Cola.

wave

scoots4me · Post by **scoots4me** » Wed May 28, 2008 12:36 am

You guys I finally left my town for the first time this past weekend! I didn't go too far, mind you, since I'm still new but I survived railroad tracks and a tunnel. I'll admit here that I went around the speed bump since I could do it safely. Anyway, I was at a stop sign and two scoots passed by. Dude in the front gave me a manly nod (that's what I call it when men just tip their heads at you) and lady behind dude gave me a little toot on her horn. I was so stupid excited! She also laughed and looked back at me when I tooted my AIR HORN back at her. I only gave it a small little push, but it was loud. YAY! My first scooter nods/honks!

Post by **ericalm** » Wed May 28, 2008 12:55 am

scoots4me wrote:You guys I finally left my town for the first time this past weekend! I didn't go too far, mind you, since I'm still new but I survived railroad tracks and a tunnel. I'll admit here that I went around the speed bump since I could do it safely. Anyway, I was at a stop sign and two scoots passed by. Dude in the front gave me a manly nod (that's what I call it when men just tip their heads at you) and lady behind dude gave me a little toot on her horn. I was so stupid excited! She also laughed and looked back at me when I tooted my AIR HORN back at her. I only gave it a small little push, but it was loud. YAY! My first scooter nods/honks!

It's pretty validating, right? You know you've joined the club!

That makes it even more frustrating when people I ride by almost every day don't return the wave. It's one thing if we're cornering through a canyon or something like that. But most of the time, even t fingers extended from the left handgrip will do.

Be friendly. Wave.

At scooters. Motorcycles—eh, don't bother.

r0sa · Post by **r0sa** » Wed May 28, 2008 1:09 am

the motorcycle drivers i pass by are prettty nice, they always wave/signal

DennisD · Post by **DennisD** » Wed May 28, 2008 1:20 am

Give the guys that don't wave a break! They're probably on some of those great big expensive chrome encrusted beasts and if they have to wave at you they might drop their tools! Do you want to be the one to blame for ruining their day - again?

Dennis

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Wed May 28, 2008 1:24 am

I never knew all these motorcycle signs, so this means that harley rally I passed by the other day (30+ harley's) when they all waved, I just gave them a high five. They probably laughed when they dismounted "Hey guys you remember that orange scooter thing? What a geek"

illnoise · Post by **illnoise** » Wed May 28, 2008 1:27 am

Be careful to keep it casual and quick, because it also resembles a sloppy left-turn hand signal. Most drivers don't have any idea what hand signals mean because most scooters have turn signals and few bicyclists use them, but some do.

I usually nod, because on a manual scooter you need your left hand for too much other stuff.

Bb.

StacyB · Post by **StacyB** » Wed May 28, 2008 2:03 am

I get the wave from motorcyclists most of the time. When I don't, I just figure they don't know what they saw... lol.. I keep hearing about a lot of Buddy's in Dallas, but I haven't seen any around...

Post by **ericalm** » Wed May 28, 2008 3:09 am

StacyB wrote:I get the wave from motorcyclists most of the time. When I don't, I just figure they don't know what they saw... lol.. I keep hearing about a lot of Buddy's in Dallas, but I haven't seen any around...

Women get more waves.

mandyscoots · Post by **mandyscoots** » Wed May 28, 2008 4:31 am

I got my first offical peace sign wave from a harley guy the other day, and I was brave enough to take my hand of and return it! I was so excited and happy that he approved of Pepto and I.

pugbuddy · Post by **pugbuddy** » Thu May 29, 2008 2:47 am

the motorcycle drivers i pass by are prettty nice, they always wave/signal

Hit and miss around here. The "sport bikers" around here typically act like they cannot see a scooter. They'd probably try to ignore me if I ran into them! The Harley's are hit-and-miss.

I passed one group of guys getting their dirt bikes out of the back of their pickups and one guy started jumping up and down and pumping his fist in the air while yelling at the top of his lungs! I decided to not try to mimic him as I scooted past!

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Thu May 29, 2008 5:06 am

I totally GEEKED out this morning...

I HAD to tho... I saw another RED '07 Buddy and they were across 3 lanes of moving cars so I wanted to make suer she saw me...

penguinwife · Post by **penguinwife** » Thu May 29, 2008 12:32 pm

I've been getting a crazy number of cars beeping and waving at me which makes me grin like a fool. They're usually going in the opposite direction so I know they're not just telling me to get the heck outta their way!

And I was surprised at first when other motorcyclists gave me a wave but now I feel slighted when I'm not acknowledged...

madtolive · Post by **madtolive** » Thu May 29, 2008 2:03 pm

i got a little bit of harley love the other day...it was a family of four on two harleys that i pulled next to at a stop light. they were all chattering, and a young guy at the helm of one of the harleys nodded at me and was like, "hey!" and i could hear one of the young girls riding cupcake say "hey mom, i want one of those!" it was cute, she said

then i zoomed off and had them eat my dirt!

i'll show em "cute"...(just playing).

and then there's "the dude" i pass *every day* on my way to work. he rides a smaller vintage looking mototrcycle, and he's a hot hipster type. i did the peace sign thing the first time we crossed paths, and he has never ever waved back. i think he's too cool to associate with fully geared up little girls on little scooters. sucker don't know what he's missing, i say!

siobhan · Post by **siobhan** » Thu May 29, 2008 2:55 pm

I always do the open palm wave to bikes and scooters alike; sometimes the other responds, sometimes not. I'm a girl so I do think that ups my reply rate (my boyfriend and I can be riding together and he'll get nothing and I'll get the wave from an entire pack of Harleys...mind you he's on a super-weird scoot so they could be wondering what the hell is he riding).

I sold my Met to a neighbor and brought her out on her first couple of rides to protect her back from the cages as she learned. She would toot the horn and wave at pedestrians, kids in cages, even two cop cars (and I hadn't yet registered my Buddy or gotten my MC license at that point). I pulled up next to her at a red light, flipped up my shield and growled, "You do that again, and I'll leave you to your 50cc crawl home alone." Now she only does it when we're on our street to our neighbors.

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Thu May 29, 2008 7:26 pm

Harley dudes always give "the nod" to me unless we are in oncoming lanes passing at high speed, then I usually give the "2 wheels on the road" sign and they do it back. By the time they are close enough to notice I'm on a scooter, they have already acknowledged me. Then they get this confused look on their face as I pass with a big grin!!!

BadBrains · Post by **BadBrains** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:13 pm

I received some sport bike snubbery over the last couple of weeks and not too many nods from the harley crowd, but today on my way to work the most badass leathery veteran with white hair flowing from all visible skin on a gigantic Harley threw down the hardest "rubber to the road" signal I've ever seen. He proceeded to look me right in the eyes and with his stern chin held high he gave me a nod. I was so caught off guard that I barely had time to respond. I felt vindicated!

Whenever an old motorcycle veteran throws the sign it makes up for allllllll the other two-wheeled snobbery. May you live long random dude from VFW post 08787!

bjj4287 · Post by **bjj4287** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:21 pm

right on! lol

SScooterG · Post by **SScooterG** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:32 pm

I'll toot at other two-wheelers or just raise my hand or give them big smiles.

This morning I was at a stop light, and this guy on a Harley (who I had seen yesterday morning as well) pulled up next to me and was like "Hey! Enjoying your scooter?" He was very nice and accepting.

gymnation · Post by **gymnation** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:40 pm

I keep getting this ...half and backward peace sign. I'm just not sure what it means...Probably just me.

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:58 pm

for all the snobbery sport bikes may have towards us... they still arent too good to share a good parking spot

P.S. I was there first!

r0sa · Post by **r0sa** » Thu May 29, 2008 10:28 pm

i parked my scooter at the mall one day, and when i came out, a sporty motorcycle parked in front of me, i was thinking.."yeah, that's right, you park in front of me, not behind me!"

kilted texan · Post by **kilted texan** » Fri May 30, 2008 1:41 pm

That's why I park where the SB is parked. If someone else want to squeeze in with me that is fine but I don't want to squeeze out to leave.

MikieTaps · Post by **MikieTaps** » Fri May 30, 2008 3:33 pm

there wasnt such a large gap when i parked... it looked like my avatar when i got there...

curlyred · Post by **curlyred** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 2:24 am

I received my first "big one" sign from another biker today! I couldn't even tell you what kind of bike it was, but he was all geared up, and he initiated! I replied and then couldn't wipe the stupid grin off my face the whole rest of the ride to the dojo!

KCScooterDude · Post by **KCScooterDude** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 3:01 am

I get a wave or nod from just about everyone, especially scooter folk. I don't expect one from a rider braking or having to clutch coming to a stop, but I do get a nod usually.

As a general rule:

Harley riders, or bikers in general in full leather - pretty friendly, usually a wave or nod.

Sport bike rider, 25, no helmet. No chance. Not going to wave at anyone. We know where that story is going to end.

bunny · Post by **bunny** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:37 am

As a road surfer on the back of a cruiser, I'm acquainted with the two down wave. In fact, I posted in another forum how I wondered if scooterists did this too while on a ride last weekend.

The best will be when a cop acknowledges me on a scooter - and not to give me a ticket, either.

I still look for scoots when I'm out in my cage. Haven't seen one yet. Except for the random one that I saw a few months back at a garage sale, which reminded me that I still wanted a scooter...and here I am.

I will be that chick waving madly like a loon the first time I see a scooter!

AxeYrCat · Post by **AxeYrCat** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 12:41 pm

As someone who rides a motorcycle and used to ride a scooter: I wave at all the two-wheeled vehicles I see.

Most scooterists don't wave back around here.

Oh, I do not wave at trikes -- and I don't mean MP3s.

I get livid when people don't respond, and frequently, I catch myself generating a bit of negative Karma when I think to myself 'fine, screw you, then, douchebag!'

iinigma7 · Post by **iinigma7** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 1:07 pm

AxeYrCat wrote:Most scooterists don't wave back around here.

Yeah I've noticed the same thing. But I think it's because there are more "Mopedists" than "Scooterists". When someone's driving a moped or scooter because they have to (DUI?) their attitude is totally different from someone who purchased a two-wheeler because they really wanted one. Also, alot of people just have the mentality that "I'm driving this crappy chinese scooter so I can afford the rent", and they really don't get into the culture.

I always give the peace symbol out to the side and I expect nothing less in return.

AxeYrCat · Post by **AxeYrCat** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 1:46 pm

Yeah, it sucks...

Scooters -- even the ones that are labeled/licensed as MOPEDS -- are liquorcycles to most people around here.

To those who don't know (I didn't before we moved here):
If you lose your license to a DUI, you can still ride a scooter.

It gives scooters a less-than-flattering image.

bunny · Post by **bunny** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 1:52 pm

I'll have to look into that here in TX. I thought having your license suspended meant your license to drive anything was suspended.

Interesting.

got2scoot · Post by **got2scoot** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 3:20 pm

I give the 2 finger flit to almost all scooterists.
We also like to honk at each other around Chicago which is funny because I have a crazy air horn that makes most other scooterists start cracking up.

KCScooterDude · Post by **KCScooterDude** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:05 pm

bunny wrote:As a road surfer on the back of a cruiser, I'm acquainted with the two down wave. In fact, I posted in another forum how I wondered if scooterists did this too while on a ride last weekend.

The best will be when a cop acknowledges me on a scooter - and not to give me a ticket, either.

I still look for scoots when I'm out in my cage. Haven't seen one yet. Except for the random one that I saw a few months back at a garage sale, which reminded me that I still wanted a scooter...and here I am.

I will be that chick waving madly like a loon the first time I see a scooter!

I've gotten a cop to signal back. Kind of a low wave and nod, though. I think he was surprised. I bet most riders don't acknowledge them.

bunny · Post by **bunny** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:09 pm

KCScooterDude wrote:I've gotten a cop to signal back. Kind of a low wave and nod, though. I think he was surprised. I bet most riders don't acknowledge them.

That's kind of sad when you think about it. They're just as much a part of the two wheel community as everyone else.

This whole thread makes me think of this commercial running currently for boats as a vacation alternative. It shows a family waving at everyone. Hubby, wife, three kids, dog...everywhere they go they wave. turns out they got the habit from boating...

We'll soon be a community of two finger saluters...

KCScooterDude · Post by **KCScooterDude** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:23 pm

bunny wrote:
KCScooterDude wrote:I've gotten a cop to signal back. Kind of a low wave and nod, though. I think he was surprised. I bet most riders don't acknowledge them.
That's kind of sad when you think about it. They're just as much a part of the two wheel community as everyone else.

This whole thread makes me think of this commercial running currently for boats as a vacation alternative. It shows a family waving at everyone. Hubby, wife, three kids, dog...everywhere they go they wave. turns out they got the habit from boating...

We'll soon be a community of two finger saluters...

It's nice to be part of that kind of community. Mini drivers I notice recognize each other. My first car was a 1963 beetle convertable (new to me in 1984) and back then VW drivers showed a Vee when you passed them.

I currently drive a 1980 BMW 320i. When I see an older BMW, 1980s 3 series for instance, these drivers tend to honk or wave. New BMW drivers? They'd rather run you off the road. There's a clear division at the local BMW club. For instance, you get guys who show up with a 135i that they haven't even had time to take to the DMV for permenant plates. Gee, Bob, that car is showroom new! Yeah, well, that's because it's right off the showroom! A lot of what I'd call BMW enthusiasts are switiching to Subaru these days. 90 percent as fun to drive and at least 1/3 less in price.

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 5:32 pm

kilted texan wrote:It is the 'wave' you give to other riders you pass on the street - the slight hand gesture that signals a, 'Hey, good to see ya' kind of thing'.

Here somone wrote down a How To & Why. I personally like The Geek. roflmao

DOH! I've been doing "The Geek"!

But I guess that's to be expected. I'm an engineer by training after all.

fhujay · Post by **fhujay** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:17 pm

Not to speak well of sport-bikers...

I often commute to work via bicycle. On these occasions, I'm totally kitted out. Spandex shorts, dayglo yellow jersey, cycling shoes...you get the picture. I'm not exactly what anyone would consider cool. So on my way home I see a sport bike coming in the opposite direction. Not a '25 y/o no-helmet' type. More like 'late 30s AGATT'--totally looked like he was on his way to a race.

And I definitely got the full-fledged 'keep it on two wheels' salute! I think I almost fell of my bike!

Again, not that any of us seek acceptance from crotch-rockets, but it was still pretty cool!

DennisD · Post by **DennisD** » Fri Jun 20, 2008 6:35 pm

fhujay wrote:Not to speak well of sport-bikers...

I often commute to work via bicycle. On these occasions, I'm totally kitted out. Spandex shorts, dayglo yellow jersey, cycling shoes...you get the picture. I'm not exactly what anyone would consider cool. So on my way home I see a sport bike coming in the opposite direction. Not a '25 y/o no-helmet' type. More like 'late 30s AGATT'--totally looked like he was on his way to a race.

And I definitely got the full-fledged 'keep it on two wheels' salute! I think I almost fell of my bike!

Again, not that any of us seek acceptance from crotch-rockets, but it was still pretty cool!

The ATGATT on the rocket might have also been a cyclist. I wave at cyclists and often stop if I have time to see if fully loaded touring cyclists need any directions or assistance. Quite often they are looking for a bike shop for some repairs. After many hard days on the road its not fun trying to locate a bike shop and then find out they moved or closed. Give a biker a helping hand.

Dennis