Quote Originally Posted by emily_in_nc View Post
Good questions all. I guess for me, it comes down to the sense of community I feel with other cyclists. Like we're in our own little sub-culture, and it's kinda us against the big, bad cars and truck.
This pretty well sums up my take on the "to wave or not to wave" issue. I don't necessarily feel slighted if another cyclist doesn't wave--sometimes they're working too hard or just zeroed in on what they're doing, and that's OK. But I try to wave as much as possible, even if by "wave" I just mean lifting my fingers off the handlebar in a subtle, mute greeting--doesn't have to be a big old "howdy neighbor" love-fest. Just a tiny little gesture that says "We're all in this together, and isn't it great?"

As a not-so-svelte, slightly-past-middle-aged woman cyclist, I've had to get over being bugged by others who wonder what the heck I think I'm doing on a bike. Still, it's nice to see someone else acknowledge with their subtle wave that I am in fact "in the club," by which I mean the community of cyclists everywhere.