Wow. Come to Aus and you guys will be confused like crazy. It really depends on the person, the culture and the generation. In America, everyone shook my hand, I was so confused! Let’s see if I can explain why:
School chums usually just wave at each other, no real confusion there. High schoolers as far as girls do the cheek kiss, boys will do the “slap handshake” sometimes with the back-pat hug. A girl greeting a boy can go either way, depending on how close they are. I find the girls closer to boys usually join in their funny handshake. Though in high school, we usually wave, too.
Of course, out of highschool and in uni we do about the same thing, but some people will give handshakes. It really depends, business people will always handshake, though (Including professors and the like).
I’m Assyrian, so we do what Fix described as the “klem” to greet women. Men handshake, but they’re more likely to do the klem to girls, except when the girl wants a handshake. (I usually handshake my uncles, but I’ve never seen them handshake a girl unless the girl is close family). With the klem though, everyone seems to have a different amount of times. I’m a one cheek person, but I’ve known people to go left-right-left-right. x_x It’s crazy, and I always just let the other person decide. I generally wave to my cousin’s, though!
In Wing Chun we’re all of different ages and backgrounds, so we mostly wave, do slap-handshakes, or hug. Hugging is usually reserved for close friends in any background, but I tend to hug everyone who doesn’t shy away, because I love hugs.
Oh, and just to add to the craziness that is Aus, I have been bowed to before by an Asian gentleman! Very confusing society, if you ask me.