What’s With The Jeep Wave?

[WilldWilly]

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

My wife as the passenger thinks the wave is the same as holding the door for someone. She will tell me if someone did not wave. Then she will go into emotional support mode. "I feel so bad for you honey. I do not understand why they don't wave." I find something sarcastic to say in response like. "Well maybe they passed a auto transport filled with Wranglers and Gladiators, and their arm is now sore." I usually tell her it is not the end of the world. I am actually waving at the Jeep, not necessarily the person inside. It just feels like a nice subtle way to acknowledge where, and how this all started.

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[Neomonk21]

I wave. I started doing it with my YJ, and then my TJ, and I continue doing it with my JT.

 

[jdinny]

I wave to all Wranglers, Gladiators ect.
Started back in the 70's with my CJ-2A, Ford GPW, then on to my CJ-5, JK(still have) and my Gladiator. Most Jeepers around here wave. I'm an old dude, I just flash the peace sign, wave back or not, I don't care, just have a good day. just no ducks

 

[Thunderspud]

The sheer number of solid axle Jeeps around here makes waving at all of them an exercise in futility, lol. I don't believe I have ever seen area specific sales/ownership data but it sure feels like every third vehicle I pass on a two-lane.

The only thing that outnumbers the solid axle Jeeps are non-Jeeps with duck condos on the dash..

 

[antihero23]

My problem is I Jeep wave to other Jeeps even when I'm not in one of my Jeeps. Embarrassing!

I Jeep wave to all Jeeps, don't care if they reciprocate or not.

I have noticed though that average looking men and women in stock soccer mom/mall crawler Jeep JL/JTs rarely wave back. Maybe they don't know the Jeep wave, I don't know.

 

[ItsmeMrWright]

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.

I wave at every Jeep I see if I recognize it as a Jeep. Wouldn't want to wave at a Bronco, you know.

 

[Rahkmalla]

I used to only return wave. But sometimes people would wave super late and I wouldn't have time to react and felt rude.

So i just started waving at all (non-angry) Gladiators and Wranglers... but i don't pay attention for wave backs. I don't really care about the wave, i just don't want to be rude.

 

[HorsesRear]

I wave but where I live I have noticed if you do not have ducks lined up all over your dash pad you don't get a wave back. The duck thing has really a big thing around here. I would say 80 percent or better have the ducks.

 

[CKayaks]

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.

Still common in rural Montana at least. Kind of rude if you don't wave when driving anything but the main roads here. Usually just 2-4 fingers raised from the steering wheel as you pass.

And we have problems with 'traffic jams' all the time. Folks stop and chat for 30-40 minutes. Last spring we had four pickups, two side-by-sides, and a tractor down by one of the irrigation dams. Started out with just one guy moving water and someone stopped to chat, then another, another, etc. Some food and beer and it could have been a picnic

 

[DJPodratz]

Gladiator owner here. I've also had a couple of Wranglers ('92 & '05) as well as an '84 Cherokee.

Wranglers and Gladiators always get a wave from me. A really old Cherokee does to. The early '80s Cherokees looked a lot like Wranglers from the front so I always gave and got waves way back then.

My daughter has had a couple of Wranglers and I believe the "wave" is the reasons she loves them. It's good to be connected!

 

[FormerToyotaGuy]

I started doing it 40 years ago when I started driving in a Cj5...then through years with YJ, TJ and now JT. Over the years I feel less people wave... I still do. Still wave when on motorcycle to other bikes as well. What other car owners do that?

 

[SummertimeCarl]

I like the wave thing, it's charming.

I do the "V for Victory" to any Gladiator or Wrangler when I'm on a road where I'd have to stop for a school bus.

4 lane highways with a median? I'm not waving or my arm would get tired.

But on the 2 lane back roads I nearly ALWAYS get a wave back.

 

[Falcor]

I always wave when driving a Jeep. I was determined the last time we were on vacation in the Virgin Islands to get other Jeep rental people to wave at me. I think I got one.

On the flip side, with my current ride (Ridgeline) I'm afraid if I try to wave at other RL drivers I might get another gesture.

 

[embedded rock]

How's your Jeep wave experience in Colorado? Most never returned a wave. Maybe too many Jeeps? I noticed drivers without a front license plate (meaning out of state) returned Jeep waves.

Filling the tank of the former JLUWX in Ridgeway, CO, a decked-out Gladiator was on the other side refueling. I asked where he was headed. "Oh, I'm from here." Did I just get categorized or judged? A moment later, he did mention where he thought he might go.

 

[YGBSM]

I wave at Jeeps and I wave at work to other pilots... Then I scream...

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