The Corvette Wave...
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 1,640
Likes: 4
From: Hayward CA
SAVE THE WAVE...appeared in the Aug / Sep '69 issue of the Corvette News...
SAVE THE WAVE
The following is a reprint of an article, titled "SAVE THE WAVE" that is said to have appeared in the Aug / Sep '69 issue of the Corvette News...
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 he meets one of their ilks on the road. The first time it happens, they will be taken by surprise. He immediately thinks:
1) He has been mistaken for Sterling Moss.
2) His lights are on.
3) He has just been given the bird.
Soon, however, the new Vette owner anticipates, indeed even relishes, encountering other Vettes as he drives. During this period, he experiments with his waves, running the gamut from the gaping "yoo hoo" to the ultra cool "two finger flip." He perfects his timing, making sure he affects 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 Vette, 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 Vette owner. Passing him going in opposite directions is one thing. Greetings 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 up 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 Vettes prefer to suffer the latter rather than 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 the 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.
So, when you see a fellow Corvette owner,
SAVE THE WAVE!
The following is a reprint of an article, titled "SAVE THE WAVE" that is said to have appeared in the Aug / Sep '69 issue of the Corvette News...
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 he meets one of their ilks on the road. The first time it happens, they will be taken by surprise. He immediately thinks:
1) He has been mistaken for Sterling Moss.
2) His lights are on.
3) He has just been given the bird.
Soon, however, the new Vette owner anticipates, indeed even relishes, encountering other Vettes as he drives. During this period, he experiments with his waves, running the gamut from the gaping "yoo hoo" to the ultra cool "two finger flip." He perfects his timing, making sure he affects 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 Vette, 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 Vette owner. Passing him going in opposite directions is one thing. Greetings 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 up 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 Vettes prefer to suffer the latter rather than 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 the 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.
So, when you see a fellow Corvette owner,
SAVE THE WAVE!
Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 620
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles CA
Originally Posted by BodaciousBlue
Today, unfortunately, this grand and glorious tradition is wavering.
Man, I wave every time. It's great when I get a return wave, but Im trying to develop the "That guy will understand eventually" mentality when Im left hanging.
It's more embarrasing when the GF is in the car with me, I wave at a guy, get snubbed, then the GF thinks Im a loon. *SIGH*
But when the
is returned, it just makes the whole 
experience that much more 
I love that! Wave back if ya see me!~~~JadeDragon
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 297
Likes: 6
From: Phoenix AZ
The wave aspect of Corvette ownership is very cool. I wave at everything, whether snubbed or not, I dont mind.
Some wave stories;
One night when I was coming down Rt70 (in my C4) I got side by side with another C4. We waved and then ran a corvette convoy for the next 30 miles until we split paths. Which was great, I hadnt had the C4 for long back then, so I was wrapped at the level of comeraderie.
Another time my wife and I were in the C4 when a garbage truck waved at us. I waved back, and my wife asked why the truck waved. I replied, "Bet you a million dollars the guy owns a corvette and waved on reflex."
When I was test driving the C5 which I eventually bought from the dealership, I was in the car with the salesman when a black C5 went the other way. We waved at each other, and I explained to the salesman about the waving culture.
So to those that have already waved to me; thanks, to those I havent waved to yet - see you on the road!
cam
Some wave stories;
One night when I was coming down Rt70 (in my C4) I got side by side with another C4. We waved and then ran a corvette convoy for the next 30 miles until we split paths. Which was great, I hadnt had the C4 for long back then, so I was wrapped at the level of comeraderie.
Another time my wife and I were in the C4 when a garbage truck waved at us. I waved back, and my wife asked why the truck waved. I replied, "Bet you a million dollars the guy owns a corvette and waved on reflex."
When I was test driving the C5 which I eventually bought from the dealership, I was in the car with the salesman when a black C5 went the other way. We waved at each other, and I explained to the salesman about the waving culture.
So to those that have already waved to me; thanks, to those I havent waved to yet - see you on the road!
cam
