The Corvette Wave

Have you ever wondered where the slogan, "Save The Wave" came from and what it means? Below is an article that first appeared in the August/September 1969 issue of Corvette News. The article was entitled "Save The Wave". Remember, this article was written and published in 1969!
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. WAVE WHEN YOU PASS ANOTHER CORVETTE!

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 recieves 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 Stirling 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 developes 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.
SAVE THE WAVE!

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 occassionally 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 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 tootsietoys.:see ya

 

ttt

 

Oh wow, I'm a 69er. Graduated HS in 1969. Damn that was a long time ago.

 

Same here.

Kinda sucks when you go to a car show and all the hot 1969 cars you lusted for now have "Historic Collector" plates on them doesn't it.

 

I am a 69 HS grad as well ..........and Yes it does suck as I find myself in the same situation as when I lusted after a Vette in 69........I still can't afford the 69 Vette

But I did get a brand new 69 4speed 340 Dart........it was not a Vette, but it was able to smoke it's fair share of them ;^)

 

Man it must be really cool to have Bryan Adams write a song about YOU

 

Great article.....

 

So basically what the article illustrates is that the monthly "Save the Wave" posts may be slightly chicken little-ish? (the sky is not falling if the wave hasnt succomed to its demise despite forty years of worrying about it )

Great article

 

Chuck

 

Great Article

1969... hummm, that's the year my dad graduated high school

I've been a Corvette owner (at least 1) since 1998 and I will never forget the salesman when I purchased my first one telling me to be sure and wave at other 'vette owners. On my way home with my first 'vette, I was on an express way needing to change lanes. There was a LONG line of cars in the right lane where I needed to be to take the next exit. Sure enough, it was another Corvette owner who allowed me in his lane ahead of him to make my exit.... and yes, we both waved.

 

Good reading. Thanks for the post.

 

Good article. I've been waving since 1971 Unfortunately, I get very few return waves from C5's and C6's Everyone on the Forum is an enthusiast and a waver. It's all those others who just don't get it

 

Wipppersnappers

 

Okay, for that you get time-out.....

 

Ah, 1969..... Freshman year of high school, braces, and one year away from driving. Never thought it would get over quickly enough!

 

Returning from a road trip, driving on I-10 at the 80 limit, a black Audi flew past and disappeared. Miles later the same Audi re-entered the hwy crossing behind to the left lane and once again leaving us behind. Still later we saw the red and blue lights flashing up ahead. Guess who was getting a ticket. A few miles later the Audi past at at a good bit over the limit and as he past the sun roof openrd, his arm came up with the two finger V sign as he disappeared in the distance. We took the next exit to head off to home.

He was probably in a great hurry to get home to his Vette.

 

Yeah buddy..graduated in '64....UGH I feel old!...I didn't but my 2 buddys had Vettes...We all waved

 

Cool article, thanks for sharing. Damn, 1969 I was only 11 years old. Hadn't started dreaming about cars yet but I did spend a lot of time smuggling Playboys out of my older brother's room.

 

Why here's you another wave from OKC!

 

down in palm coast fl seeing my family, met a fellow vette owner and we were talking about the wave. he stated very few here give the wave which doesn't surprise me as most of them think they are better than others even when there money comes from the north or family passed down the cash. In any case the wave should always be saved as there is pride and excitement in owning a vette period. for those who have been blessed to have owned for years, decades or those who finally got there first one at 41 be grateful to be part of AMERICAN history.

Just my two unwanted cents.