The Wave…

Waves come in so many forms, out there in the ocean, every minor league baseball game ever, teen novels about fascism(Stasser,1981).  But what about an interspecies wave?  Do Seagulls wave at sharks?  Do plants wave at insects?  Do cars wave at cyclists?  In many cases, those in a car are trying to get from point A to point B.  They need to get to where they want to be and the journey does not matter.  Thus their relationship to the road becomes very transactional and almost burdensome.  “I must cover this land to get to where I want to go.” 

Cyclists on the other hand have a totally different relationship to the dirt and asphalt under their tires.  The road is the catalyst for adventure.  The road is what brings to life the bike, takes it from a hanging fixture in a home to a living breathing thing.

So here we are, two separate groups sharing one space with very different goals and motives.  Sounds like the makings for a great novel.

But there is one tool in the cyclists’ seat pouch that is our saving grace, that being the wave.  The friendliest of all the gestures.  Personally, I wave through and through, some folks can pull off the nod (I think you have to carry a certain presence for the nod - I bet Funk has a good one) but regardless, it is our form of cross-species kindness.  The wave invites a moment of mutual respect and affirmation of the other party’s right to the road.

So please, next time you are on the road, give a wave, nod, or even a wink.  Be an ambassador for our sport.  Invite everyone involved into the shared space we all pay taxes for.