Waving as you pass someone seems rude. But I NEVER do flybys ... passing someone in the same lane ... that dangerous AND rude.
I couldn't disagree more. I have passed other motorcycles on 4 lane roads and have overtaken slower riders on 2 lane roads. I always wave and I get waves back... I have also been passed this way and I always wave.
Sometimes I get the wave as I'm passing. They see me coming up and are aware I am passing, so as I start around they give the low wave, to which I reply with the high wave with my clutch hand after I'm in front of them...it would be rude
not to wave.
Around here overtaking someone going slower than you are on a F.M. hwy in the middle of nowhere, when you have the dashed passing stripes, and you can see 3 miles up the road and nobody is coming in the opposite direction is not rude and it's not unsafe. What is unsafe is staying behind someone who is flower sniffing or is a beginer and are going slow and having a 1 ton dualie pickup riding your "O Ring" because he wants to pass, but has to pass 2 motorcycles which includes the 2 second distance between the two bikes...and they will do it... many farm trucks fly down those roads.
I have passed and have been passed. When I am passed I see the car, or motorcycle, or even a small group of motorcycles come up behind me and I know they want to continue down the road, so I will flag them by with my clutch arm, slow down and get over to the far right of my lane to make it easier for them to pass. I always get a wave when I do this and always return the wave.
Around here waving after you pass whether you're in a car or on a bike is just the way to say, "Thanks for letting me on by."
If someone goes out of their way to make it easier for you to get by and you do not acknowledge their gesture with a wave...
that is rude.