Now before I get jumped on this is just a generalization and not indicative of the good and courteous people that frequent the Grey Nomads Forum. J
I know this subject has been discussed before but I thought Id share my thoughts about our recent return from Melbourne with our van. People hardly wave back now when we wave to them!
This friendly gesture of goodwill towards my fellow travellers was instilled into me at a very young age when we travelled on holidays around Western Australia it was commonplace and was no effort to wave to others on the road and its a habit that hasnt left me yet.
So what has changed?
Are people to preoccupied?
Or just not bothered.
Too tired?
Just being ignorant?
Perhaps unaware of this aussie tradition? (visitors from overseas)
Blind? (visually impaired that is)
Have grown up without being told why we do it like its just a friendly wave.
Maybe its just ME that they choose to not wave to. (Like Why is that silly old bugger waving at me for? Stuff him
Well it wont deter me at all. Im not going to get a complex about it. However, in my experience the more remote you go the more chance there is that youll get a wave back. Perhaps Ill just have to be content with that.
It could be just a sign of the times. After all we now live in a society where, most times, if I just try say Good morning to somebody at the bus stop Im immediately branded a predator and God forbid if I try to strike up a conversation with somebody down at the supermarket some just stare and scuttle away as if Im the axe murderer.
Cheers from Technogypsy (the manic axe-wielding predatory waver)
I'm totally with you TechnoGypsy - I always wave to other vans once out of the big smoke and often say G'day to people on the street especially when walking but like you sometimes get no reply which bugs me. However I'll keep doing it.
Good Luck.
I wave to everybody not everyone waves back the ones that dont i just say under my breath get stood on ,and simply wave to the next one, sometimes I do forget to wave and I say to myself sorry mate catch you next time,being an x truck driver when driving a truck you just automatically wave have done it for years,sometimes when just driving the 4WD I wave to caravans and they probly think what's that DH doing ,but i suppose it just comes automatically ,when I get to tired or can't be bothered I will give it away,the ones that don't wave well just think the next one will,don't let it get to you ,just keep on keeping on life is to short enjoy it while you can.
Lance C
-- Edited by Olley46 on Thursday 25th of December 2014 06:23:19 PM
I'm a bit crazy so I do this trick in elevators. I make sure I get close to the doors and turn around facing the other travellers and announce that today's trip we will be flying at 30 feet at a low speed, emergency exits are.... Then do the aircraft thing. Oh some of the looks I get, but most people have a damn good laugh.
You are far from alone with the wave, I think it's just part of caravanning, anyone towing a van gets a wave when I'm on the road. Take care and have a great day.
on a recent 3 mnth trip round part of WA, we started off waving at everyone and I gradually got sick of people not waving back when the road was great, no distractions and usually we were the only 2 vehicles on the road.
I did find that those with their headlights turned on during the day usually did wave back and maybe its a "race" thing..........we have a hard-top and found the majority who waved, or waved back had hard tops. Those with poptops, camper trailers and motor homes didn't. Do we only wave to those towing the same sort of rig nowdays??
I got to the point of not waving unless waved at 1st - but often my wife would wave from the passenger seat.
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
I think the less cars passing or the further you are from big population centres gives others more cause to wave.
In general it is much harder to keep waving to a continual stream of passing cars, but people are still very caring in the bush.
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Life is but a day.... a fragile dewdrop on its way
Wel I like to wave too it's my way of saying hi I/we are ok hope you are too, and when they return the wave it says to me that they are ok also, if they are too shy ignorant arrogant or just plane too tired to wave back well it's there bad luck. I'm am a big believer in karma
As I were taught by my parents and I taught my kids
Treat others the way you want them to treat you .
So I will keep waving till I can't wave no more
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When the power of Love becomes greater than the love of power the World will see peace ! 24ft Trailblazer 5th wheeler n 05 Patrol ute and Black Series Dominator camper trailer ( for the rough stuff)
Having lived in WA myself I can relate to what your saying :), and yes it was so common to lift the finger off the wheel in a gesture of G, day n safe travells .
Like previousely said , sometimes you get sick of giving the wave and no return wave but I/we still persist especially with the Van in tow becauze at least halfe return the wave :).
Keep it up n dont let this ole custom die, it does feel so good to get that return wave ey..
Now before I get jumped on this is just a generalization and not indicative of the good and courteous people that frequent the Grey Nomads Forum. J
I know this subject has been discussed before but I thought Id share my thoughts about our recent return from Melbourne with our van. People hardly wave back now when we wave to them!
This friendly gesture of goodwill towards my fellow travellers was instilled into me at a very young age when we travelled on holidays around Western Australia it was commonplace and was no effort to wave to others on the road and its a habit that hasnt left me yet.
So what has changed?
Are people to preoccupied?
Or just not bothered.
Too tired?
Just being ignorant?
Perhaps unaware of this aussie tradition? (visitors from overseas)
Blind? (visually impaired that is)
Have grown up without being told why we do it like its just a friendly wave.
Maybe its just ME that they choose to not wave to. (Like Why is that silly old bugger waving at me for? Stuff him
Well it wont deter me at all. Im not going to get a complex about it. However, in my experience the more remote you go the more chance there is that youll get a wave back. Perhaps Ill just have to be content with that.
It could be just a sign of the times. After all we now live in a society where, most times, if I just try say Good morning to somebody at the bus stop Im immediately branded a predator and God forbid if I try to strike up a conversation with somebody down at the supermarket some just stare and scuttle away as if Im the axe murderer.
Cheers from Technogypsy (the manic axe-wielding predatory waver)
Your description of the non wavers is spot on with the exception of the blind, who should not be driving.
On Norfolk Island, it`s part of their culture to wave to other drivers even if it`s just lifting one finger.
-- Edited by Phillipn on Thursday 25th of December 2014 10:14:51 PM
Interesting topic. I usually wave to all when out on the country roads. Some wave back others don't. I definitely think there is an on road snobbery of sorts. I drive a MH, and most caravanners do not acknowledge, however other MH drivers almost always do. Then when caravanner waves first, I am usually slow on the uptake and can be seen waving as they zing on by. It is good though as a bit of fun and boredom breaker, to keep count and see how many will wave.
When I took the grandchildren up to the NT a couple of years ago, along the Stuart Highway, the kids starting making a count of wavers, and they would wave frantically at every one we were passing and once again because we were in a MH, that is who would wave back and the truckies, but most caravanners ignored their waves.
Is this another form of discrimination????? Hmm, maybe we could get a Govt, grant to investigate the possibility.
Lets face though life on the road is pretty sweet, if there is a wave or not.
All travel safe over the holiday period.
-- Edited by shekon on Friday 26th of December 2014 07:40:33 AM
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I am fun and adventure. So much to see, so much to do, so many people to meet. Will see, do, and meet all that I can.
We wave at everybody, even when we aren't a long way from home. Its funny how caravaners wave back when we have our van in tow, but not if we are just in our car.
I don't care, I'll go on waving.
I reckon it is simply the time of the year. Lots that are on the road now are purely holiday makers heading out to a 3 week or so stint at one of two caravan parks and haven't yet learnt the "waving" lingo. That is my opinion anyway. I find that this time of year I just give up as there is too much traffic mostly and not many are interested in my friendly wave. Go away from the seaboard and things are a bit different but I reckon late January and the wavers are back in force.
I have raised this one previously after our trip to the N.T. but like others I still give the whole hand wave, one thing I have noticed is that the wave is sometimes delegated to the passenger and they are often a more animated wave.
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Life was meant to be enjoyed Australia was meant to be explored
Happily doing both to the Max.
Life is like a camera, focus on what's important & you will capture it every Time
I always wave and if there's a stream of travellers coming toward me, I just keep my hand up and smile., love it when I get waves and lights flashed, makes me feel apart of a brotherhood/sisterhood of nomads.
But I too have found that CV are less enthusiastic to wave back. I too am in a Motorhome., I always thought it was because "Athena hadn't washed"
Peace to all CV out there, I'm harmless, Athena loves it when she is acknowledged.
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"I'll know what I've been searching for, when I find it"
maybe there are some good reasons why people don't wave. (and Im not referring to the families that use their vans or whatever once or twice a year and theyre loaded down with Xmas pressies and Dads in a bad mood and shouting at the kids to shut up and stop fighting amongst themselves (does that bring back memories lol), so waving at others is the last thing on his (sorry ladies........her) mind:
1. They too have given up being the 1st to wave because most didn't wave back
2. Even in non-holiday times the roads are busier than they used to be and you need to pay more attention to driving - often in the country its the 100's of road trains roaring past or overtaking in your travel (we try not to travel more than 3 hours a day and seldom move locations every day)
3. The roads are in poorer condition than they used to be with more large pot holes and broken edges of the tarseal - a real issue in WA. Im really looking hard at the state of the road in front of me
BTW My wife counts how many travelers pass us in the opposite direction (irrespective of van or camper trailer) and in the off holiday season on a major WA country road, often her count is round 60-80 vans in the 3 or so hours we've been moving. That's a lot of travelers to wave at
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
I always wave and if there's a stream of travellers coming toward me, I just keep my hand up and smile., love it when I get waves and lights flashed, makes me feel apart of a brotherhood/sisterhood of nomads.
But I too have found that CV are less enthusiastic to wave back. I too am in a Motorhome., I always thought it was because "Athena hadn't washed"
Peace to all CV out there, I'm harmless, Athena loves it when she is acknowledged.
I wave to vans and MH's equally.
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Why is it so? Professor Julius Sumner Miller, a profound influence on my life, who explained science to us on TV in the 60's.
SWMBO is not a waver as she is usually dozing. She did however join in the spirit of the thing by suggesting that we look for one of those waving hand on a spring things that you stick to the window with a suction cup.
I probably got the habit from my youth when I worked in the bush. There of course you lifted a finger from the steering wheel to acknowledge every passerby & even pedestrians too. But not the cows or sheep.
slightly off the subject, but still relates to GN's sticking together. On our last 3 mnth trip in WA, we found 3 vanners stopped on the side of the road and it wasn't obviouslt why they had stopped (like in a rest area having lunch or taking pics) - these were vans on the side of the road either right on the shoulder or partly on the shoulder/roadway.
I stopped for all 3 and asked if they were ok. Only one thanked me after saying they were fine - they were looking for some latin named plant - the other two were almost rude - certainly abrupt in their response they didn't need assistance.
If I had to stop in a non-rest area, it would be most likely because I had a problem and I would hope - expect - that other GN's passing would stop and see if they could assist..........................
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
I wave to everyone....except in built up areas or windy roads etc where I need both hands on the wheel...I like many others I have spoken too recently have made a point of saying g'day or good morning/evening to all that I meet when I am out walking, sometimes stopping for a much longer chat....that habit did almost die out but I am enjoying an attempt to bring it back to life!
annie
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Connor - Whippet
Ciaran - Whippet
Annie - after my 2nd cup of coffee I'm almost human! Together we are pawsaroundoz!
We always wave, even when we don't have the van attached, but recently our 14yo grandie taught us a game. Guess "sweet or sour" before the wave, even when walking in a park. See how many times you are right. "
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Pay it forward - what goes around comes around
DUNMOWIN is no longer on the road and still DUNMOWIN!
