Beginners Guide to Nodding!

NOD LAW!

I am a bit older than perhaps the average scooter rider, being 32 and all, there has been a few interesting and amusing things i have discovered riding in the UK.

I have been riding for 4 months now, and here is my take on NOD LAW!

Background -

The first few days i was riding to and from work, i discovered other bikers nodding at me! This at first confused me as i thought they were perhaps trying to make me aware of something wrong with my bike. After i got to work for the first time, I decided to check my bike to see if anything was actually hanging off.

Alas, I did not understood my initiation into the biker world and the unspoken laws and rules of NODDING!

Observation -

SIMILAR NODS
It appears from my observation that other bikers on similar power or type of bikes will nod at you and you return or vice versa. First few times this is quite strange, but makes you smile and feel all warm and fuzzy like you are part of an unknown unspoken of family! Hey you, you have a bike like me! - I am going to nod at you, hey, mr shopkeep you have a face like me, have a nod!

DONT NOD TO . . .
IF you are scooter rider, you DO NOT NOD at BIG BIKE BIKERS! - They look upon you like some sort of wet rat looking womprat that does not yet its place in the world of the unspoken hierarchy that no one acknowledges exists, but indeed does!! Or there is someone on your commute that rides a similar bike / scooter who you nod at most mornings and it becomes the UN-RECIPROCATED NOD!

IF they nod at you, then NOD away, but beware that it is an honor that should be cherished to such a young riding padawan!

This is of course, all in good fun, but i do find it amusing the unspoken rules or acknowledgement of NOD LAW!

Please add anything to NOD LAW that you see fit!

 

To be honest, if it has two wheels, I will nod. If they reciprocate, fine. If they ignore me then it is them that has some sort of complex. I would hate to think I have ignored someone that has acknowledged me.

 

I had cause to go down the M6 this morning. As i pulled onto the motorway I inadvertantly joined a bunch of riders all on Triumph Tiger 800's, all geared up and looking like they were either off on their jollies or just coming back. So instead of bladdering past them, I just took up my position, offset to the rider in front and a decent distance behind, and stayed with them for about 15 miles to my exit. No-one tried to push me out of 'the pack', and just before my exit i pulled into lane 1, slowed a little, raised my hand as a thank you. Got nice appreciative beeps as they went past. It don't happen often that way, but it kept me under the straight ban option for a change.
Even car drivers in lane 2 didn't try and pull out into lane three until we had all passed, and we were only doing the 70mph (85/90) speed limit.
You're right about the bigger bike nod culture, and if you go to some of the organised days, or local pubs which have un-explained bike nights, all manner of people are there, all looking and appreciating each others bikes, big and small.

 

I nod at all 2 wheelers.i stop when I see one at the side of the road or gesture "you ok" as I approach.most were just having a rest.few have I needed help.a litre of petrol saved one calling his mate out and put a smile on his face.we gotta stick together.ive driven a car and stopped for broken down stranded drivers/riders.bikers get a rough deal from alot of car drivers..I had one report me to the police that I was laying under my bike,fixing it, could have just shouted "you ok" but no...they turned up..i told them I was fine and i pushed my chink back..what a waste of their time.

 

i nod to almost everyone, apart from those who decide to ride in trackys and wear no gloves etc. I hate it.
I just shake my head at them or if I pull up next to one at the lights, I politely tell them to get some gear.
its a hello, welcome to the biking world(if your on L plates), respect. sorta thing as far as I see. I nod to almost everyone and if I don't get a nod back - oh well. were all on two wheels. we all share the road, we all put up with pretty much the same shit. stick together.
I stop everytime I see a bike at side of road too, just Incase, ive helped a few people out and just today I took a lambretta guy pillion on my bike to the nearest car spares place so that he could get a new spark plug and I helped him change it too. he was on his way with a big smile. its worth it. were all on two wheels, look after eachother, even if you don't like what they ride, they like it and theyre on two wheels.
I hate vespas/lambrettas but I still stopped and helped

 

I had a lambretta when i was 17.cant remember if it was an LD or LI but it was a 150cc and I loved it.dog in snow on bends...but the body work kept me safe and warm.mum rode vespas all her bike life even though she had a full licence..still remember stripping her engines to replace the quadrant .every bloody engine she had nawsed the quadrant.she never rode more than 40 no matter what speed we were doing.one day I borrowed one and found out why.sod vespas...no good for tall fat teenagers.my Norman nipppy handled better.ide love to have another old lambo.

 

I nod to everyone and get upset when they don't nod back.
I have given up with Harley and BMW riders most definitely.