Do you wave?

[jymbee]

Growing up on the farm lived on a rural back road. Not that many cars or trucks that drove by but when they did we and they always exchanged waves. Of course odds were pretty good that they were a neighbor, a townsfolk, or perhaps a local vendor such as the feed guy, vet, service person etc.

Also each bypasser seemed to have their own wave "style". Some would just life a single finger off the steering wheel and point, others would do a full arm/wrist animated wave. But they would all wave. Even if you were out in a field some distance from the road, you'd look their way and give a wave.

While we still live in a very rural area there are more cars driving by now. But I can't help but notice that there's not nearly as much of the waving going on when people pass by as there used to be. Recognizable locals and just about anyone driving a pickup truck usually will wave, but the "city people" in their SUVs apparently are unaware of the tradition. Not only do many of them (not all of course) not wave, but they seem to be determined not to make eye contact. Staring straight ahead with a death grip on the steering wheel with no hint of recognition.

Surely waving to people you pass is not something one would practice in an urban area (arm would get very tired and you'd get lots of strange looks I expect) but what I've always considered a rural tradition doesn't seem to be nearly as common as it once was.

 

[MasseyWV]

In the past... yes. Today... no. Different worlds entirely.

 

[oldnslo]

Still live in the country and wave at most folks going by. Like you say, pick-ups and farm equipment wave back. City slickers ignore you or are to busy texting....

 

[DAD1220]

I wave...whether or not I initiate it has some to do with my mood at the time. If I'm on a piece of equipment or tractor, I initiate it to make sure they see me.

The further out I am on a dirt road, if it's a car I recognize, chances are we may stop and chat!

I do wave in the city, and some of the time use my whole hand!

 

[creekbend]

I wave all the time. I even toot the horn on our truck when I drive by a Neighbor's home.

 

[brin]

Yep , I still wave , we live in the country and I return all waves...when we go to the urban areas we don't wave, we are afraid it would be taken as a gang signal... I have heard the Wave originated in past centuries as a sign the approaching person was not armed....so he showed an open hand and the other person reciprocated....

 

[/pine]

Around here on just about any secondary road most (male) drivers acknowledge passing vehicles with a raised finger or two (not the middle one)...

Women seem to take it a step farther and wait until they are in the middle of grocery store aisles and turn it into social hour....

 

[LJH]

Yep. Just about anywhere here in the Valley it'll be someone I know - 'bout 90% in the Winter; somewhat less in tourist season. You recgonize your friends' & neighbors' various & sundry outfits (pick-ups, cars, tractors, ATVs, even horses) from a distance & the wave is SOP for them. Most of us also wave at strange vehicles just to perplex the tourists. :laughing:

 

[forgeblast]

Still do, I figure at least it lets them know I saw the make of their car. (Neighbor has been broken into a few times).

 

[adirondackmtnman]

Growing up on the farm lived on a rural back road. Not that many cars or trucks that drove by but when they did we and they always exchanged waves. Of course odds were pretty good that they were a neighbor, a townsfolk, or perhaps a local vendor such as the feed guy, vet, service person etc.

Also each bypasser seemed to have their own wave "style". Some would just life a single finger off the steering wheel and point, others would do a full arm/wrist animated wave. But they would all wave. Even if you were out in a field some distance from the road, you'd look their way and give a wave.

While we still live in a very rural area there are more cars driving by now. But I can't help but notice that there's not nearly as much of the waving going on when people pass by as there used to be. Recognizable locals and just about anyone driving a pickup truck usually will wave, but the "city people" in their SUVs apparently are unaware of the tradition. Not only do many of them (not all of course) not wave, but they seem to be determined not to make eye contact. Staring straight ahead with a death grip on the steering wheel with no hint of recognition.

Surely waving to people you pass is not something one would practice in an urban area (arm would get very tired and you'd get lots of strange looks I expect) but what I've always considered a rural tradition doesn't seem to be nearly as common as it once was.

We live on kind of a pass-through road, and it's mixed. Locals wave, but we also get the straight-ahead stare and death grip you talked about... whereabouts are you in nys?