What’s With The Jeep Wave?

[Cattywumpuss]

At the risk of putting the cat squarely amongst the pigeons . . . . what’s with the Jeep wave? New Jeep owner here and so I did a little research and read how it originated during WWII with the drivers swapping the V sign and such, but where does it stand now, in the 2020s?

Like is it just something Wrangler drivers do? Do Gladiator owners wave as well?

Is it dying out these days? Do you personally wave or not wave? Any specific etiquette I should know?

Just curious and figured this was a good place to ask. Or not.

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[Y-Guy]

I wave to all wave to Wrangler & Gladiators. Around here its very common, a few of the old guard Jeepers don't wave and the pavement princesses often don't. But I do.

 

[D_JT]

Just cool gesture between Jeep owners. Wave, don't wave up to you. Just don't get into the fad of being obsessed with children's bath toys.

 

[camss69]

Wrangler owners wave at Gladiator owners until they realize it’s a JT.

Lots of women and teens do as well. (my daughter does).

 

[OVERLORD]

For me it's like the motorcycle life, I wave at all motorcyclists, even though some of the Hardley-Ableson ideology riders don't wave back.

We're doing something different, with a brotherhood, and a history.

At the very least were driving a brick, perhaps the most easily recognized vehicle on the planet, not a used bar of soap that looks like every other used bar of soap.

 

[DirkG]

Wrangler owners wave at Gladiator owners until they realize it’s a JT.

I wave at all Wranglers and Gladiators and especially make sure to V it to a Gladiator owner. I usually get a wave back from Gladiator owners.

Lots of women and teens do as well. (my daughter does).

That being said, I often don't get a return wave back from the women. Maybe it means I'm getting old

 

[embedded rock]

My experience is that JT owners always returned the Jeep Wave. Wrangler owners were hit-n-miss. Some Wrangler owners literally looked the other way.

Have ridden motorcycles since I was 13. Same thing with the wave. HD riders are nearly predictable if they will return their wave.

 

[WilldWilly]

"The roots of the Jeep Wave tradition are often traced back to World War II. During the war, the original military Jeeps (Willys MB and Ford GPW) were a vital part of the Allied forces. Soldiers driving these Jeeps would often wave to each other as a show of solidarity and recognition—especially when crossing paths in unfamiliar territory.
When veterans returned home and purchased civilian versions of the Jeep, they brought this tradition with them. Over time, it evolved into a widespread gesture among civilian Jeep owners. What started as a wartime signal of unity became a peacetime salute among fellow adventurers."

 

[OVERLORD]

"The roots of the Jeep Wave tradition are often traced back to World War II. During the war, the original military Jeeps (Willys MB and Ford GPW) were a vital part of the Allied forces. Soldiers driving these Jeeps would often wave to each other as a show of solidarity and recognition—especially when crossing paths in unfamiliar territory.
When veterans returned home and purchased civilian versions of the Jeep, they brought this tradition with them. Over time, it evolved into a widespread gesture among civilian Jeep owners. What started as a wartime signal of unity became a peacetime salute among fellow adventurers."

I also heard that JEEPs were captured and the uniforms of GI's were used to infiltrate US bases for terrorist style attacks. No "V" for Victory, coming on station, you would encounter open fire.

 

[BallsDeep]

Wrangler owners wave at Gladiator owners until they realize it’s a JT.

Lots of women and teens do as well. (my daughter does).

Coincidentally enough, I just saw a post about this the other day on the Wrangler subreddit… it was literally 99% in favor of waving to JT owners. Damn near everyone was like, “It’s a Wrangler with a truck bed. Wave to them. Just don’t wave at a Compass or modern Cherokee…” They also mentioned that Gladiator drivers wave back way more often than their Wrangler compadres.

Not sure if that makes us more friendly, or more desperate

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

I wave. All Wranglers, Gladiators, and the most anything old school, XJ, original Wagoneers things like that. Sometimes they wave back sometimes they don’t. We have a pretty high number of Jeeps here in SoCal so it’s a lot of waves. Maybe some have just gotten tired of throwing up the V. I dunno.

I live in the sticks so I wave at neighbors too. There was a time in America when it didn’t just have to be a Jeep owner. People actually waved to other people for absolutely no reason other than to say hello. It’s strange, I know, but these things actually happened.

 

[gonemad]

I ride a VTwin about 10k a year and around here riders of all flavors of bikes wave when passing. The Jeeps around here don’t wave so much. I do, generally.

 

[ssrlewis]

When we purchased our Grand Cherokee I would wave at any Jeep owner and would not get one in return from Wrangler and Gladiator drivers.

When I purchased my Gladiator now all Wrangler and Gladiator drivers wave at me. I don't wave back because its called the Jeep wave yet it is only for certain models so I refuse to play that game.

It appears I'm getting old and cranky.



Steve

 

[Gvsukids]

what’s with the Jeep wave?

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...-deal-with-jeep-wave-and-the-gladiator.25687/
Check out the other threads at the bottom of this page.

 

[Morris]

I wave sometimes. Ive had people wave at me. im still new to all this though and feel like an idiot if someone doesnt waive back. At the same time im in the city a lot so i try to focus around me more.

i waved to an xj once and he waved back.

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