Without question I am seeing more caravans, a lot more, on the road now than in my previous near 30 years living in Oz.
At this time of the year it seems most of those vans are in NW Victoria with me! Over the past two days driving I have passed dozens of vans travelling in the opposite direction and I guess about 75% of the drivers either wave or lift a hand from the wheel in acknowledgment to me.
Why?
Call me a miserable bastard ("You're a miserable bastard Harding!") if you will but it all seems rather silly to me.
I've got a caravan, you've got a caravan - let's wave at one-another as we pass at a closing speed of 180kph - we'll never know who we are, we'll never connect again and even if we do we won't know that we once waved at one-another on the Hattah to Robinvale Road.
Perhaps when I wear my black jumper I should wave to others wearing black jumpers?
Whenarewethere said
01:24 PM Aug 15, 2022
Raising the right arm, not fascists are they!
Hairyone said
01:48 PM Aug 15, 2022
Where did you live before? UK?
Mike Harding said
01:56 PM Aug 15, 2022
Hairyone wrote:
Where did you live before? UK?
A number of countries around the world but I don't feel inclined to detail my life on the internet.
Why do you ask? Do people in other countries wave differently at caravans?
Hairyone said
02:05 PM Aug 15, 2022
Sounds a bit like it......
Whenarewethere said
02:30 PM Aug 15, 2022
It was a thing in the early days but it waned when I owned a Peugeot for 18 years, but being a French car one could get away with it!
86GTS said
02:51 PM Aug 15, 2022
Our days of waving ended about 8 years ago.
It did seem rather pointless doing it.
We're not unfriendly its just that we can't be bothered anymore.
Wannabe nomad said
03:21 PM Aug 15, 2022
When I went outback 2020 there were so few fellow travellers on the road that a lot of finger, hand, and arm waving was going on; one motor home practically having a party in the front to see a vehicle coming in the opposite direction. So I waved back.
I live in an area where once you hit the last 5kms 99% of the vehicles will be your neighbours and they will always raise a finger (in a nice way lol) to you. In fact I finally felt like I belonged somewhere when they recognise me (or the cars) regardless of which of our 2 vehicles I'm driving. But this is different it's acknowledging someone you actually know.
With sooo many travellers on the road I will be saving my 'left finger raise' for very isolated spots, or someone I recognise
Aussie1 said
03:37 PM Aug 15, 2022
To me it's just an Ozzy thing. Ethnic's, being Pom's or whatever probably don't understand. But, it is a free country, just keep your hands on the steering wheel if that's your thing. It's all good with me !
Mike Harding said
04:24 PM Aug 15, 2022
You're going all native and defensive on me :)
On the Canning Stock Route I can certainly understand the desire to connect with other humans but on the Murray Valley Highway with one caravan every two minutes this obscure habit eludes me.
But as mentioned... I'm probably at odds with 75% of posters :)
Bas + Eve said
04:30 PM Aug 15, 2022
Its a gesture of friendship to a fellow traveller. Let us know your rego and we will give you the bird as you go past. Grumpy old man.
Geeco said
05:12 PM Aug 15, 2022
Back in the day if you owned an MGB you automatically waved to other MGB's on the road.Why who knows. In the case of motorhomes I see no reason to wave to other MH's regardless of whether they wave to me or not so I don't.
JeffRae said
05:25 PM Aug 15, 2022
I always wave to other motorhomes, caravans etc as recognition of a fellow traveller.
I also wave when anyone does something courteous on the road.
I also smile at people when I walk down the street, probably more people smile back than wave
Jeff
Craig1 said
07:42 PM Aug 15, 2022
Remember Crocodile Dundee in New York, " G'day, G'day, G'day " a smile or a wave is much better than a gun or a knife
Dick0 said
08:23 PM Aug 15, 2022
What a weird attitude to have in this country.
Sarco Harris said
08:48 PM Aug 15, 2022
I have seen (possibly 3D printed) 2 raised finger wave mounted on velcro on the dash in front of the drive to imitate the raising of fingers (and NO not in a V formation).
Would save the trouble and (at least for me) give me a laugh every time somebody waved back.
Aussie1 said
09:00 PM Aug 15, 2022
Dick0 wrote:
What a weird attitude to have in this country.
As a real Ozzy I have no issue having a weird attitude Cobber.
Bobdown said
09:31 PM Aug 15, 2022
Waving only happens in the regional areas and the bush, where friendly people live. You only get the bird in the cities, one finger at a time.
tea spoon said
09:40 PM Aug 15, 2022
caravaned for 40 plus years ......waved to most vanners coming along towards us ......today its almost gone waving as vans are way to many ........on K.I many years ago everyone waved ....on York Peninsula some wave most without a caravan on ......nowdays i Tent and have a closed in trailer i tow with my gear i dont wave no more to anyone .....
Hewy54 said
09:59 PM Aug 15, 2022
tea spoon wrote:
caravaned for 40 plus years ......waved to most vanners coming along towards us ......today its almost gone waving as vans are way to many ........on K.I many years ago everyone waved ....on York Peninsula some wave most without a caravan on ......nowdays i Tent and have a closed in trailer i tow with my gear i dont wave no more to anyone .....
On KI they still wave.
Had an amusing moment a couple of years ago while on KI with Blazeaid. Had a female backpacker with me for the day in the car. At the end of the day she said, wow Hewy you must have been here a while - everyone knows you and waves.
vanTas said
10:15 PM Aug 15, 2022
Waving of either two fingers or a whole hand is prolific amongst drivers of various LR models i.e. Defender to Defender, Disco to Disco, RR to RR.
If you havent seen one of your marque for a while, you can offer a wave to any LR product.
I think the same goes for other brands as well.
When towing a van, the waves come from other vanners as well, regardless of tug make.
It is an easy way to wish the other driver a good trip, and at the same time be reassured that the road ahead is open - the vehicle going the other way just traversed the route.
It will occur anywhere it is safe to do so.
86GTS said
05:30 AM Aug 16, 2022
Most motorcyclists nod to other oncoming motorcyclists, I always did.
The exception was Harley riders on their overrated antique piles of crap, they are too cool.
Mousey said
05:53 AM Aug 16, 2022
Starts with the small things. Friendly gesture. As I stated elsewhere this trip would have to be with the most miserable unfriendly people we ever encountered.
Brodie Allen said
07:29 AM Aug 16, 2022
Ower yer goin', mate? Orright?
Aussies of just about every ilk acknowledge one another when briefly meeting.
I have surfed - always give a nod or a grunt
Big bikes and similar - a head nod
Runners - a quick finger
Hikers b- "Ullo"
and so-on.
It's what makes us Aussies and sets us aside from the heathen nations where
everyone is crowded on top of one another.
We even talk to our neighbours out here!
"Just up the road a bit, mate."
Get it?
TimTim said
07:35 AM Aug 16, 2022
-- Edited by TimTim on Tuesday 16th of August 2022 08:02:45 AM
Kebbin said
08:32 AM Aug 16, 2022
The Land Rover/Range Rover wave last century was more like a condolence " sorry mate you too"!
peter67 said
08:34 AM Aug 16, 2022
86GTS wrote:
Most motorcyclists nod to other oncoming motorcyclists, I always did. The exception was Harley riders on their overrated antique piles of crap, they are too cool.
Dead right 86.
Hitting the road said
08:40 AM Aug 16, 2022
Yeah, it's an Aussie thing apparently...Truckers generally acknowledge each other as they pass on the smaller highways and byways...same job different day eh.
I often will but not always acknowledge fellow travelers on smaller back roads when passing by. I have to admit, I do lift a couple of fingers off the wheel but very rarely look at the other driver and would not even know if he / she acknowledges in return...don't care either really.
yobarr said
08:41 AM Aug 16, 2022
Kebbin wrote:
The Land Rover/Range Rover wave last century was more like a condolence " sorry mate you too"!
Love it! Cheers
Mike Harding said
09:39 AM Aug 16, 2022
OK, so if it's just a friendly thing why don't you also wave to truck and car drivers?
Without question I am seeing more caravans, a lot more, on the road now than in my previous near 30 years living in Oz.
At this time of the year it seems most of those vans are in NW Victoria with me! Over the past two days driving I have passed dozens of vans travelling in the opposite direction and I guess about 75% of the drivers either wave or lift a hand from the wheel in acknowledgment to me.
Why?
Call me a miserable bastard ("You're a miserable bastard Harding!") if you will but it all seems rather silly to me.
I've got a caravan, you've got a caravan - let's wave at one-another as we pass at a closing speed of 180kph - we'll never know who we are, we'll never connect again and even if we do we won't know that we once waved at one-another on the Hattah to Robinvale Road.
Perhaps when I wear my black jumper I should wave to others wearing black jumpers?
Raising the right arm, not fascists are they!
A number of countries around the world but I don't feel inclined to detail my life on the internet.
Why do you ask? Do people in other countries wave differently at caravans?
It was a thing in the early days but it waned when I owned a Peugeot for 18 years, but being a French car one could get away with it!
It did seem rather pointless doing it.
We're not unfriendly its just that we can't be bothered anymore.
I live in an area where once you hit the last 5kms 99% of the vehicles will be your neighbours and they will always raise a finger (in a nice way lol) to you. In fact I finally felt like I belonged somewhere when they recognise me (or the cars) regardless of which of our 2 vehicles I'm driving. But this is different it's acknowledging someone you actually know.
With sooo many travellers on the road I will be saving my 'left finger raise' for very isolated spots, or someone I recognise
You're going all native and defensive on me :)
On the Canning Stock Route I can certainly understand the desire to connect with other humans but on the Murray Valley Highway with one caravan every two minutes this obscure habit eludes me.
But as mentioned... I'm probably at odds with 75% of posters :)
I also wave when anyone does something courteous on the road.
I also smile at people when I walk down the street, probably more people smile back than wave
Jeff
What a weird attitude to have in this country.
Would save the trouble and (at least for me) give me a laugh every time somebody waved back.
As a real Ozzy I have no issue having a weird attitude Cobber.
Waving only happens in the regional areas and the bush, where friendly people live. You only get the bird in the cities, one finger at a time.
On KI they still wave.
Had an amusing moment a couple of years ago while on KI with Blazeaid. Had a female backpacker with me for the day in the car. At the end of the day she said, wow Hewy you must have been here a while - everyone knows you and waves.
Waving of either two fingers or a whole hand is prolific amongst drivers of various LR models i.e. Defender to Defender, Disco to Disco, RR to RR.
If you havent seen one of your marque for a while, you can offer a wave to any LR product.
I think the same goes for other brands as well.
When towing a van, the waves come from other vanners as well, regardless of tug make.
It is an easy way to wish the other driver a good trip, and at the same time be reassured that the road ahead is open - the vehicle going the other way just traversed the route.
It will occur anywhere it is safe to do so.
The exception was Harley riders on their overrated antique piles of crap, they are too cool.
Ower yer goin', mate? Orright?
Aussies of just about every ilk acknowledge one another when briefly meeting.
I have surfed - always give a nod or a grunt
Big bikes and similar - a head nod
Runners - a quick finger
Hikers b- "Ullo"
and so-on.
It's what makes us Aussies and sets us aside from the heathen nations where
everyone is crowded on top of one another.
We even talk to our neighbours out here!
"Just up the road a bit, mate."
Get it?
-- Edited by TimTim on Tuesday 16th of August 2022 08:02:45 AM
Dead right 86.
I often will but not always acknowledge fellow travelers on smaller back roads when passing by. I have to admit, I do lift a couple of fingers off the wheel but very rarely look at the other driver and would not even know if he / she acknowledges in return...don't care either really.
Love it! Cheers
OK, so if it's just a friendly thing why don't you also wave to truck and car drivers?
Do you not feel friendly towards them?