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Post Info TOPIC: Bah humbug to you wavers


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Bah humbug to you wavers


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?



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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"

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Raising the right arm, not fascists are they!



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Where did you live before? UK?



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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?



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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"

Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland



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Sounds a bit like it......


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Guru

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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!



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Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

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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.



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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

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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 !

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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 :)



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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"

Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland



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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.

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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.

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Cheers, Gary



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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

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Jeff & Rae travelling in a motorhome



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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

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Cheers Craig



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What a weird attitude to have in this country.



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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.

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Dick0 wrote:

What a weird attitude to have in this country.


 

 

 

As a real Ozzy I have no issue having a weird attitude Cobber.

biggrin



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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.



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Make it Snappy......Bob

 



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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 .....

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c b tassell


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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.



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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.



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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.

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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.

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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?

 



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biggrin



-- Edited by TimTim on Tuesday 16th of August 2022 08:02:45 AM

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The Land Rover/Range Rover wave last century was more like a condolence " sorry mate you too"!

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Kebbin



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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.



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I reserve the right to arm bears :)



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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.

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Kebbin wrote:

The Land Rover/Range Rover wave last century was more like a condolence " sorry mate you too"!


 Love it! Cheers



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v



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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?



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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"

Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland

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