Nov 14, 2011
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Jarvis Ontario
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Save the Wave

Ever since Corvette No. 00001 first met Corvette No. 00002 on the road, their drivers saluted each other with waves. Today, unfortunately, this grand and glorious tradition is wavering

There's one item of standard equipment that comes as a pleasant surprise to every new Corvette owner. It's an instant wave of recognition he or she receives when they meet one of their ilk's on the road. The first time it happens, they will be taken by surprise. They immediately think:

1. They have been mistaken for Sterling Moss
2. Their lights are on.
3. They have been given the bird.

Soon, however, the new Corvette owner anticipates, indeed even relishes, encountering other Corvettes as they drive. During this period, they experiment with their waves, running the gamut from the gaping "Yoo Hoo" to the ultra cool "two finger flip". They perfect their timing, making sure they affect neither a too-early wave, nor the jaded "oh brother" too-late variety. Determined not to be one upped, he even develops a defense mechanism for non wavers, usually settling on the "Wave? My hand was just on the way to scratch my head" approach. (This is especially useful when you're not driving your Corvette, but you forget, and like a dummy, you wave anyway.)

Indeed, one of the most perplexing problems facing a would-be waver is what to do when driving next to a fellow Corvette owner. Passing him going in the opposite direction is one thing. Greeting are exchanged, and that's that. But what happens when you pull up next to a guy at a light, wave, nod, smile and then pull to him at the next light, a block later. Wave again? Nod bashfully? Grin self-consciously? Ignore him? Or take the chicken's way out and turn down the next side street? If you're expecting an answer, you won't find it here. Sad to say, some questions don't have any.

Girl-type Corvette drivers also have a unique problem: to wave or not to wave. This miss or misses who borrows her man's Corvette for the first time is immediately faced with this quandary Should she wave first and look overly friendly, or ignore the wave and look like a snob? Most ladies who drive their own Corvettes prefer to suffer the latter rather then take a chance of being misread. For this reason, all girls are excused for occasionally failing to return a well-meaning wave. So are new owners who are still learning the ropes.

There is no excuse, however, for a guy who refuses to return a wave, not out of ignorance, but of arrogance or apathy. While this type of behavior is the exception to the rule, it seems a few owners of newer models (remember this article was written in 1969) refuse to recognize anything older than theirs, while some others simply won't wave, period. Boo on them. These ding-a-lings don't seem to realize that they are helping to squash a tradition that had its beginnings back when most of us were still driving tootsie toys.


You now know the meaning of "SAVE THE WAVE"

This article, titled "SAVE THE WAVE" appeared in the August / September 1969 issue of the Corvette News
 
LOL, Brian, we've all felt that pain occasionally, I'm sure, but rejoice in that the 'wave' is not dead or even close.
99% of my waves have been returned some with a smile and yes even from the fairer sex, and indeed from gal passersby who seem to adore the car. (can't be me for sure since I'm probably old enough to some of these gal's grandad.:rofl:)

I'm convinced that the ones who don't return a wave are either jealous of the car that they're driving since it's someone else's or just have no social graces at all and it wouldn't matter if you were driving a tank or a Ferrari, it just doesn't register or matter.

Thankfully they are few a far between.

Keep the faith Brian....Most 'vette drivers, as we've seen, are great people and really care...........Heck, some of 'em even drive across Canada to be with us ....... :D

Cheers,

C.
 
not all are the same indeed

my rate of return on waves so far is 50%.

as an old motorcycle rider I assumed that corvette owners would return my waves - so far only half or so have done so.

disappointing but I'll keep waving.

I do enjoy the "nice car " yells from the kids the most - makes me smile every time :D

Duff
 
Maybe Albertans are friendlier after all. Everyone I make eye-contact with, I will wave to. So far they all wave back.

I love it!

Maybe it's because my "newbish" enthusiasm!
 
Maybe Albertans are friendlier after all. Everyone I make eye-contact with, I will wave to. So far they all wave back.

I love it!

Maybe it's because my "newbish" enthusiasm!

I find the same and glad to hear others have similar experience.

Enjoy the acknowledgements, and keep waving folks. It's catching.:D

C.
 
I've been pretty fortunate in the GTA and surrounding areas. I'm at about a 90% wave return (even with the ladies) ... which is great. The odd dude that doesn't return the wave, I just chalk it up to a new owner not "knowing the code" or as Colin mentioned, one that will never have social graces. Regardless, the real-deal Vette owners need to take the high road (pun intended) and always flash the Vette brother/sister hood wave.:seeya:

Hey, is it just me or do some of you find yourselves either waving or just about to wave when you see a Vette drive by and you're in your "other" car? My wife cracks up everytime I do this. The Vette driver must be thinking "Don't pretend you're one of us dude, go out and get yourself one before you have the audacity to wave at me". :)
 
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It's a mixed success rate for me. I would say that most wave, but I find that most C6 drivers don't. That's just based on my experience. I figure that they don't know about it. they just wanted a fast two seater sports car and haven't been introduced to Vette culture. Too new to the scene to understand. Just my two cents.
 
:seeya: I just returned from a trip from Atlantic Canada to Key West and back, spending a week in Jacksonville. I exchanged Corvette waves with all the corvettes I passed by. I would say that 90% were returned. All by the C6 owners and C5 owners, but seldom from the older generation vettes for some unknown reason. Maybe they don't belong or get on either the US forum or this forum.
:seeya:
 
That's too bad to hear about the older gen owners not waving back. I always hear how either new vette owners don't wave or old vette owners don't wave. One day I hope we can all get along.
 
I'm an old guy and I wave to anyone with a neat car. Whether they wave back or not is immaterial to me. I waved to everyone when we had the Chevelles and do the same now with the Corvette. We just like to enjoy our cars along with the ones we see. Hopefully everyone else does the same. If I am in one of our everyday vehicles I give them a thumbs up. Works for me.
 
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I'm an old guy and I wave to anyone with a neat car. Whether they wave back or not is immaterial to me. I waved to everyone when we had the Chevelles and do the same now with the Corvette. We just like to enjoy our cars along with the ones we see. Hopefully everyone else does the same. If I am in one of our everyday vehicles I give them a thumbs up. Works for me.
I am the same way, I actually got caught off guard the first time I got a wave from a non-corvette now I wave at any hot rod, older muscle car or antique and I get waves back. I haven't tried it with any new non-vette muscle or sports car.
I would say my success rate with Corvettes is about 90%. I haven't crossed paths with a C8, C2 or C1 in my Vette but I have waves from all the other generations.
 
In all fairness, I live in rural farm country so I wave at everyone I meet out here and pretty much always get a wave back.
I was raised on a farm and I still remember my older sister scolding my Dad for waving to people he didn't even know. His answer....You have to be nice to everybody. I go for a little walk most days and wave at everyone who drives by. I guess they are all getting used to me and are waving back now. Old habits are hard to kick and I have no intention of kicking this one. Many are city folk who have moved to the country and are just learning the country ways. Living on the edge of a village, I get to meet lots of nice dogs as well, everything from beagles to Plott hounds, to a big fat old boxer who wants his back scratched every time I see him. You can't beat living in the country.
 
C7. C8. They never wave and l will never wave for them..... Because they think they are different level
Too bad you feel soured that way. Just like anything and anybody, they don't all deserve to be painted with the same brush. Maybe it's a demographic as I wave to every generation and 95% of every Vette driver I wave to waves back.
 
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