To shake or not to wave? That is the question

Sounds like a fun question, but what is the correct answer? Is there a universal unwritten rule? Do you always have to say hello so that other runners see you as friendly? Or should you only say hi to people you know so a stranger doesn’t think you’re a potential stalker?

In Texas, it is typical to greet and even wave at each passing runner in their races. Heck, I wave to joggers, walkers, people’s dogs, and even some passing motorists yelling out the window. I imagine they’re saying “Hello!” because they know me or they’re admiring my sweaty butt. Either way, a wave is indicated. I also talk non-stop while running, so people either love to run with me or find me incredibly annoying. I was even told by another runner to shut up while running a marathon. I guess they were having a bad day. I know my incessant chatter can distract me, but what about the wave?

To complicate the music in my head, I also wonder about the bikers. Do you say hello to everyone on a bike? After diving headfirst into the triathlon world a few years ago and riding hundreds of miles, I still don’t know the answer to the hello question when it comes to cyclists. The first few months I was learning to ride a bike without falling; a wave would have made me crash. I didn’t even think about it! Now, I often wave or at least nod at passing cyclists. You never know who is a friend or not with the headphones on.

Geography may also have something to do with it. I’ve realized, after doing quite a bit of running while traveling, that auto wave is not the norm in other cities. I even started to think it was just a Texas thing, but I remembered my childhood running in Rhode Island, where everyone waved. On the other hand, everyone knew everyone else in my small town. Maybe it’s something from the suburbs. In fact, while I was running in Chicago, people were looking at me quite strangely when I waved. No one actually greeted me back and I have to admit I didn’t feel very welcome when I finished. My experience was similar in Pittsburgh. It doesn’t shake much. I was expecting the same in New York, but was surprised when I got quite a few waves and even a passing growl while running. Who knew New York running backs could be friendlier than those in Chicago and Pittsburgh?

Therefore, I embarked on a mission to answer the undulating question. To greet or not to greet? After a highly unscientific survey of over a hundred runners across the country, it turns out there are no hard and fast rules. However, there are some vague guidelines:

1. It is always better to say hello than not to say hello unless you are running in a city. Vacillators can be mistaken for muggers.
2. Wobblers tend to go out for a recreational run, not a hard-paced run or speed training.
3. There are more waves in the South than in the North.
4. Women greet more than men. In fact, one man felt that a wave can be interpreted as a pickup line.
5. Doubters often use an iPod and don’t even realize they may be seen as rude and hostile.
6. Most cyclists haven’t really even thought of waving, but feel that a simple nod is recognition enough.

So I guess there’s not a universal rule about waving, but I’m going to continue to wave to all runners to try to foster a sense of community while running, but as far as cycling; I think I’ll stick to the wink.