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Have you ever wondered where the slogan, "Save The Wave" came from and what it means? Below is an article that first appeared in the August/September 1969 issue of Corvette News. The article was entitled "Save The Wave". Remember, this article was written and published in 1969!
SAVE THE WAVE
Ever since Corvette No. 00001 first met Corvette No. 00002 on the road, their drivers saluted each other with waves. Today, unfortunately, this grand and glorious tradition is wavering.
There's one item of standard equipment that comes as a pleasant surprise to every new Corvette owner. It's an instant wave of recognition he or she receives when he meets one of their ilks on the road. The first time it happens, they will be taken by surprise. He immediately thinks:
He has been mistaken for Stirling Moss.
His lights are on.
He has just been given the bird.
Soon, however, the new Vette owner anticipates, indeed even relishes, encountering other Vettes as he drives. During this period, he experiments with his waves, running the gamut from the gaping "yoo hoo" to the ultra cool "two finger flip." He perfects his timing, making sure he affects neither a too-early wave, nor the jaded "oh brother" too-late variety. Determined not to be one upped, he even developes a defense mechanism for non wavers, usually settling on the "Wave"? My hand was just on the way to scratch my head" approach. (This is especially useful when you're not driving your Vette, but you forget, and like a dummy, you wave anyway.)
Indeed, one of the most perplexing problems facing a would-be waver is what to do when driving next to a fellow Vette owner. Passing him going in opposite directions is one thing. Greetings are exchanged, and that's that. But what happens when you pull up next to a guy at a light, wave, nod, smile and then pull up to him at the next light, a block later? Wave again? Nod bashfully? Grin self-consciously? Ignore him? Or take the chicken's way out and turn down the next side street? If you're expecting an answer, you won't find it here. Sad to say, some questions don't have any.
Girl-type Corvette drivers also have a unique problem: to wave or not to wave. This miss or misses who borrows her man's Corvette for the first time is immediately faced with this quandary. Should she wave first and look overly friendly, or ignore the wave and look like a snob? Most ladies who drive their own Vettes prefer to suffer the latter rather than take a chance of being misread. For this reason, all girls are excused for occassionally failing to return a well-meaning wave. So are new owners who are still learning the ropes.
There is no excuse, however, for a guy who refuses to return the wave, not out of ignorance, but of arrogance or apathy. While this type of behavior is the exception to the rule, it seems a few owners of newer models refuse to recognize anything older than theirs, while some others simply won't wave, period. Boo on them. These ding-a-lings don't seem to realize that they are helping to squash a tradition that had its beginnings back when most of us were still driving tootsietoys.
"One thing is for sure, the Corvette C8 is definitely attracting a new kind of customer. In fact, according to GM North America Vice President Steve Hill, the new C8 is attracting younger buyers, doubling among Gen X customers as compared to the C7, and wealthier buyers as well, with a $76,000 increase in median household income. Additionally, most C8 customers are new to the Chevy brand."
That's the reason. New people to the community who don't know the old ways (which is great for GM's sales, but disruptive to existing vette culture). Try educating people at car meet-ups when you see them. Take the community to the new owners, don't just expect them to know the culture and assimilate. You're finally seeing the next generation adopt something you love, embrace them - be kind, communicate, and engage.
BTW, 100% of the above applies to me. I'm hear to learn, but I'm going to be the minority. I've got some experience with what I'm saying as I tried to introduce a younger crowd to road racing. New generations are going to cause a disruption, it's up to the old guard to guide (but not force).
Personally, I can't wait until I am in a position to return the wave. A similar thing exists with Mustang owners (I confess I am a former Mustang Cobra owner).
Have you ever wondered where the slogan, "Save The Wave" came from and what it means? Below is an article that first appeared in the August/September 1969 issue of Corvette News. The article was entitled "Save The Wave". Remember, this article was written and published in 1969!
SAVE THE WAVE
Ever since Corvette No. 00001 first met Corvette No. 00002 on the road, their drivers saluted each other with waves. Today, unfortunately, this grand and glorious tradition is wavering.
There's one item of standard equipment that comes as a pleasant surprise to every new Corvette owner. It's an instant wave of recognition he or she receives when he meets one of their ilks on the road. The first time it happens, they will be taken by surprise. He immediately thinks:
He has been mistaken for Stirling Moss.
His lights are on.
He has just been given the bird.
Soon, however, the new Vette owner anticipates, indeed even relishes, encountering other Vettes as he drives. During this period, he experiments with his waves, running the gamut from the gaping "yoo hoo" to the ultra cool "two finger flip." He perfects his timing, making sure he affects neither a too-early wave, nor the jaded "oh brother" too-late variety. Determined not to be one upped, he even developes a defense mechanism for non wavers, usually settling on the "Wave"? My hand was just on the way to scratch my head" approach. (This is especially useful when you're not driving your Vette, but you forget, and like a dummy, you wave anyway.)
Indeed, one of the most perplexing problems facing a would-be waver is what to do when driving next to a fellow Vette owner. Passing him going in opposite directions is one thing. Greetings are exchanged, and that's that. But what happens when you pull up next to a guy at a light, wave, nod, smile and then pull up to him at the next light, a block later? Wave again? Nod bashfully? Grin self-consciously? Ignore him? Or take the chicken's way out and turn down the next side street? If you're expecting an answer, you won't find it here. Sad to say, some questions don't have any.
Girl-type Corvette drivers also have a unique problem: to wave or not to wave. This miss or misses who borrows her man's Corvette for the first time is immediately faced with this quandary. Should she wave first and look overly friendly, or ignore the wave and look like a snob? Most ladies who drive their own Vettes prefer to suffer the latter rather than take a chance of being misread. For this reason, all girls are excused for occassionally failing to return a well-meaning wave. So are new owners who are still learning the ropes.
There is no excuse, however, for a guy who refuses to return the wave, not out of ignorance, but of arrogance or apathy. While this type of behavior is the exception to the rule, it seems a few owners of newer models refuse to recognize anything older than theirs, while some others simply won't wave, period. Boo on them. These ding-a-lings don't seem to realize that they are helping to squash a tradition that had its beginnings back when most of us were still driving tootsietoys.
I thought about waving at the driver of a white C8 HTC last week but it would have been with a middle finger. The ******* had entered through a drive-up bank exit that had a "Do not Enter" sign and then bullied his way driving the wrong way down the narrow one-way entrance to the drive-up tellers. I hugged the curb and retracted my exterior mirrors to make room for him to pass. The guy did save driving the few extra feet that would have been required to enter the bank parking lot through an actual entrance.
It happened at Community America Credit Union near Lowes in Shawnee Kansas in case someone on this forum is the culprit.
Corvette owners like that are not helping the image of Corvette owners.
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I have always waved (when I see another Corvette in time), but whether someone else waves back is beyond my control. I can only do my part to keep the tradition alive.
I wave when I see another 'Vette', no matter the year. With windows up, it's sometimes harder for people to notice you're waving. I used to wave to other motorcyclists when I rode.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
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I've been waving for 50 years from this car. I was a teenager when I bought this. Most of the guys with older Vettes wave. Very few of the C4 through C8 drivers ever wave. I'll keep waving.
Yes, I know it puts me in the doghouse with many, many of you...but this perpetually reemerging kerfuffle over "all Corvette owners must execute the wave" is just about the dumbest part of Corvette ownership. I rank it near the top, along with "all Corvette drivers wear New Balance and jorts, LOL" and "I drove my Corvette in the rain, it's totalled LOL."
The story would be less ironic if GMA knew it's "The Wave" and not the "the gesture." As in "Save the Wave."
But this is nothing new. Old line Corvette owners have been complaining about new Corvette owners not waving for decades. When the C7 hit the roads the forum was full of complaints that C7 owners didn't wave back. I suspect the same was true when the C6 hit the streets. Probably the C4 attracted a bunch of new owners who didn't know about "the gesture."
Once again GM Authority show's how little it is actually an "authority." About anything.
I thought about waving at the driver of a white C8 HTC last week but it would have been with a middle finger. The ******* had entered through a drive-up bank exit that had a "Do not Enter" sign and then bullied his way driving the wrong way down the narrow one-way entrance to the drive-up tellers. I hugged the curb and retracted my exterior mirrors to make room for him to pass. The guy did save driving the few extra feet that would have been required to enter the bank parking lot through an actual entrance.
It happened at Community America Credit Union near Lowes in Shawnee Kansas in case someone on this forum is the culprit.
Corvette owners like that are not helping the image of Corvette owners.
I posted something similar when almost got side swiped by another C8 going around in the emergency lane. My post was flagged as inappropriate 😬. Maybe a coincidence but that was a White HTC as well. C8’s bring enough attention, let’s get our act together team!
05-02-2022, 09:39 AM
Some New Corvette Owners don't know the Protocol
