# The Wave Thing



## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Hello 

Back in 1980 something a new breed of French Van Arrived on our shores. It was in the form of a Citroen C15 Van. A Rare sight is was at launch available in limited colours of either White (Van Blanc) or Red (Van Rouge) with a bottle icon and accompanying livery over the cab. 

Every other driver who approached you in aither one of the 2 aforementioned either waved, nodded or flashed their lights on approach if you were driving one of the two (my boss had ours sprayed black and stuck out like a struck thumb so we got extra wide stares of either disbelief, shock or something). Eventually this wore off.

Now im the pround onwer of a Motorhome (or campervan if your from the toes downward of the sock) Many owners do a similar thing !. How nice, but why do some do and some dont or will this fade away bit like the Citroen C15 Thing?

Trev (raises hand and smiles with a nod)


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## 88962 (May 10, 2005)

Hi trev

To wave or not to wave. Well from previous posts ( you'll find them if you do a search but I don't have the technical knowhow to help there - sorry, someone may come along to help later) waving is definitely the norm, flashing of lights is a matter of choice and opinion i.e. confused messages. 
We definitely fall into the waving category, in fact have trouble not waving when out in the car. Wave or flash and you'll get a really positive response which I hope continues, it would be a shame if it wore off as you say happened with the C15 van.


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

I don't think people were actually waving in the C15. The driver uses his hands as either an airbrake or to paddle the air to get it to move faster.

It is nice to wave in m\homes as it is a nice feeling when someone waves back. The downside is when I wave and they don't wave back I get something akin to road rage and a torrent of verbal abuse flows from my lips followed by a rollicking from the missus for swearing.

Conversely, if I see someone wave at me and I miss the return wave, I am bathed in a blanket of guilt and feel the need to turn around, chase after them and offer an apology.

So for me it is a very emotional experience and it is really 50/50 what I get out of it.


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## Steptoe (Nov 8, 2005)

if you own a coachbuilt, just don't wave to campervans and vice versa :wink: 

sorry but I don't know the ettiquette regarding A-classes or RV's as I've not owned one of these


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## Don_Madge (May 1, 2005)

Many people wave at us but I can't understand why they don't use more than two fingers :? 

Don


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## LadyJ (May 9, 2005)

*The Wave thing*

We wave at everybody be they big or small and 9 times out of ten they wave back, but must admit to muttering about the ones that don't :lol:


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## guzzijim (May 1, 2005)

Us and our friends have been known to wave at prison vans, they are white and do look very much like motorhomes, that is until you see the side and those little square windows. 
The warders must be beginning to think that crime pays! all those old retired cons. driving around the counrty in luxury cells.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

My wife and I usually wave to any motorhomes we see and must admit to getting a little annoyed when we receive no return wave or smile. When we get home after a fairly long trip abroad we continue waving to M/Hs even when we are out in the car. They must think we are cracked. :lol: :lol:


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## 96475 (Oct 9, 2005)

guzzijim said:


> Us and our friends have been known to wave at prison vans, they are white and do look very much like motorhomes, that is until you see the side and those little square windows.
> The warders must be beginning to think that crime pays! all those old retired cons. driving around the counrty in luxury cells.


Hi,
You are not the only ones waving at the odd prison vans, even the posh coachbuilt race horse wagons get the occasional wave from us !!
Chris & Joyce


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## bigfoot (May 16, 2005)

Same here although with me it is supermarket home delivery vehicles!


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

We have always waved at everyone but since getting the RV we noticed that few wave back except other RVs and A class  
Is this a snob thing or perhaps they don't recognise and confuse us with a coach? 
When we had the C class few A class waved back either.. and over the years I've noticed that fewer and fewer wave to anyone. 
Sadly I think it will die out like the AA man who used to salute you.


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

ScotJimland said:


> We have always waved at everyone but since getting the RV we noticed that few wave back except other RVs and A class
> Is this a snob thing or perhaps they don't recognise and confuse us with a coach?
> When we had the C class few A class waved back either.. and over the years I've noticed that fewer and fewer wave to anyone.
> Sadly I think it will die out like the AA man who used to salute you.


I think the trouble is that some posh horseboxes look like M\homes - I have waved several times at these by mistake and feel pretty foolish having done so. The answer is to get a coachbuilt with a huge lump on the front so no mistakes can be made.


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## hymmi (May 9, 2005)

Hi,

I wave at everyone,we are all doing the same thing whatever motorhome you have,but i agree with ScotJimland it is a snob thing,when we had coachbuilts or high-top everyone waved,since having Hymers only they and the RV's usually wave...............unless i get in first with a wave then the others will.


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Perhaps people perceive that if they have a coachbuilt why wave at an A class which looks nothing like they have got. And if you are pottering along in a 15 year old Wheelie Bin, is a mighty Yank Tank going to bother to respond to that. Try waving at a Roller while driving a Reliant Robin and see what response you get. They are all motorists.

I think responses are more likely to come when waves are between class for class even though we are all under the umbrella of m\homers and I don't think snobbish behaviour really comes into it. I think it is probably more the case that if driving an old vehicle, waving at a spanking sparkling dream is a tad intimidating.


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## 93795 (May 1, 2005)

I know my place :!: :!: ( The Two Ronnies )


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## Trond (Nov 30, 2005)

I wave at all motorhomes. In tunnels I flash the light becouse a wave are not visible in the dark. Most ppl wave back but once in a while my wife reports:
"Did you see that, he did not wave!"
I did not see that, I mind my own business and keep my eyes at the road and traffic.
"That must have been a rental" Is my usual reply.
I could not care less if anyone wave back, in fact, I mind so little about this therefore I'm gonna build a afterburner to fit the side exhaust pipe and teach those " I wave at noboddy dudes" a lesson. I bet they start wave at anything with their tyres on fire. :twisted: 

A big wave from a cold and dark place


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## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

8O Dare to be different... wave at the *People* ...as has been said we're all motorhomers whatever we drive

I know it's a bit off topic (mods please ignore  ) 
..speed (sorry, safety) cameras!

just wanted to say thank you to all those who contributed £115 million to road safety


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## 90860 (May 1, 2005)

we do it all the time in the van !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

please Wave back .


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## Scotjimland (May 23, 2005)

Pusser said:


> I think responses are more likely to come when waves are between class for class even though we are all under the umbrella of m\homers and I don't think snobbish behaviour really comes into it. .


I think you are correct Pusser, a kindred spirit exists between people when they share a common interest or own the same vehicle.. (The number of owner clubs bears this out). 
Motorhomes range in size from Jiffy vans to large ARV s .. hardly the same kind nor class of vehicles but the owners share a hobby and a passion for travelling, this is where the conflict arises and the 'should I wave or not' quandary arises from. 
Let's all wave to whatever the size or age of vehicle and remember it's our love of travelling and our kindred spirit that unites us and not the vehicle we own.


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## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

Trond

It may be cold and dark where you are but your posting brought me sunshine smiles 8)


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## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

> Let's all wave to


Jim, lets make it _*people in*_...


> whatever the size or age of vehicle and remember it's our love of travelling and our kindred spirit that unites us and not the vehicle we own.


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## 91929 (May 1, 2005)

here was a time when the AA (Auto Ass not Alcho Annon) patrol men would stand to attention and salute people who had an AA bage on the front

Now they run and hide in case it is a job

We get some MH wavers in the Lake District - they are genuine MH'ers However you also get the summer holiday types - whod ont even speak if you park next to them in the cap park

Also when on the continent you can flash a vehicle with GB plates (disks) Most of the truckers respond and a few caravans & MH's

Once when looking at a map - the main roads were being altered leading to the docks - a GB truck pulled in front & gave us a pip on his horn - flashed his indicators L , R, L & drove of slowly for us to follow. We saw he had GB plates & followed through the road works


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## 90860 (May 1, 2005)

I have never FLASHED
but always wave !!!!!!!!!!!!
and i did it in France however not with a trucker....

Have a good Chistmass and a picefull new year


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## Trond (Nov 30, 2005)

sng said:


> Trond
> 
> It may be cold and dark where you are but your posting brought me sunshine smiles 8)


Thank you sng, that was the purpose of my post.


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## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

Truckers can be very helpful. French ones have tried to kill me but UK ones are OK. Once we came over or rather through the tunnel in a car and I settled in behind this big lorry and was just getting my wits together (both of them) when I noticed we were on a small single track road with heavy concrete sides. Eventually the lorry wheeled left and we were in this huge space with lorries everywhere all waiting to go back to UK from where we had just come from and no exits were available. We drove up to a very high ticket office and I poked out my head and cried, "Is there anybody there". A head poked out of a hole in the ticket booth some 12 feet up and looked down at us scornfully. I was just about to explain the situation to him when I realised he knew exactly what the situation was by the mere fact I was there when I shouldn't be. He smiled at us annoyingly and pointed to the 30 foot high fencing surrounding this mighty lorry park and we could just see a hole that had been cut into it which was car sized.

He announced gleefully that this hole was for British car drivers who apparently come down this way on a regular basis and we should drive through it and join a road which would take us to freedom. 

This I did and in no time at all we were on our way to Reims only marred by a sign some 30 minutes later welcoming us to Dunkirk. Could have been worse I told the missus. It could have been Welcome to Belgue.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

. Quote Pusser/ I think it is probably more the case that if driving an old vehicle, waving at a spanking sparkling dream is a tad intimidating.[/quote

Not just intimidating Pusser .When we used to be the happy owners of a very ancient VW Devon conversion it took both hands to steer ! No way could the driver risk taking his hands off the wheel. Fortunately this was in Africa where there was not a lot of traffic. People used to wave at us under the impression that we were a taxi.

I love peole waving at us and, given we are not miles apart on a motorway, will always wave to others however big or small. I don't like people flashing though -especially on the continent. It always worries me that they are trying to tell me a bit has dropped off or there is a traffic cop around the corner or something.

G


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## Nora+Neil (May 1, 2005)

We wave at all types of M/H.

We are all the doing the same thing, enjoying ourselves camping.

Some people loves to chat on site others don't. Thats ok.


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## 88844 (May 9, 2005)

We have to flash as our M/H is Fiat block blue so does not look like a M/H. No decals either. Looks more like a Social Service Mini bus. But then who wants to nick a S.S. Mini Bus :wink:


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## 96511 (Oct 12, 2005)

We wave to all motorhomes, and found it happened in New Zealand too, although we found that sometimes the occupants of a 'van from a different hire company would not respond. All the 'vans had company decals on the luton, so were easily identified.
When we meet caravans, we usually say to each other in a sympathetic tone " Oh poor souls"


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## Jented (Jan 12, 2010)

*Wave*

Hi.
To ALL of you who wave to prison vans,horse boxes,supermarket delivery vans,

S E E Y O U A T S P E C S A V E R S !!!
You will probably be behind me. Mr Magoo. Aka Ted.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

That's just what we do especially Prison Vans and Security Vans that collect money, I'm sure we will be arrested soon.


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## vardy (Sep 1, 2006)

Oh I dunno - bet it brightens up the day for the poor guy who drives the shuttle service with the lags all farting and swearing in the back! :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## teal (Feb 23, 2009)

Well it seems all of our bus drivers wave to each other and when you consider the amount of buses passing, their hand is constantly up and down. East Sussex.


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## littlenell (Aug 1, 2008)

we wave, rarely flash lights in case it is misinterpreted by car in front...

If you don't get a wave, check the weather, and it it is a little breezy most likely I will be trying to keep in a straight line without getting blown all over the place and daren't risk me hand leaving the wheel!!


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