The Jeep Wave Hierarchy. In addition to the Jeep Wave, there is also a Jeep Wave Hierarchy. The Jeep Wave Hierarchy is based on a scoring system with three categories. The first category is based on the vehicle itself. This takes into account the nostalgia factor, the discomfort tolerance quotient, and the amount of owner dedication required.
The Rules of the WAVE Warning Owning, registering, insuring, or driving a Jeep implies knowledge of and intent to abide by the following rules. Failure to obey the rules may result in your being ignored by other Jeep owners as you sit along the side of the road next to your stalled vehicle in a blizzard surrounded by Saturns, and Hyundais. Definition: An honor bestowed upon those drivers with the superior intelligence, taste, class, and discomfort tolerance (exception to 97 and newer Jeep owners) to own the ultimate vehicle - the Jeep. Generally consists of either a raised or 4 fingers extended upward from the steering wheel, but may be modified to suit circumstances and locally accepted etiquette. Examples of commonly accepted modifications: Top off: One handed wave above windshield or outside body tub.
Top off during blizzard: Shiver and nod, hands may remain frozen to steering wheel. Southern/rural locations:, just a nod.
General Rules: 1. All Jeepers are responsible for upholding the tradition of the Wave. It seems that generally is only practiced by Jeep owners driving the following Jeep vehicles; CJ, TJ, JK. All Jeepers are required to return the Wave even if it's a or Compass.
Do not EVER wave to Hummers, even if you know the person.
We've had our '95 Wrangler Rio Grande Edition for only a few weeks now. I've driven it around town a little, and put a few miles on it, but my wife has yet to get behind the wheel. She just wasn't all that interested. Last weekend we went out to dinner in it, but other than that, it just sat in the driveway.I've been working on it, adding accessories and making sure it's ready for our upcoming trip to Yellowstone, and reading everything I can about Jeeps, just to get up to speed. This forum is just one of the places to which I refer regularly. Local automotive repair shops are another.I was excited to see a flyer about a swap meet kind of a thing hung up in a local shop that was scheduled for this weekend just south of town.
I figured it would be a great place to meet and greet other interesting people, learn a few things about Jeeps, and maybe pick up a few accessories and other items. Earlier in the week, my wife and I made plans to attend, and today, after lunch, off we went.Before we got very far, with me driving and my wife riding shotgun, a very nice looking young lady came around a corner in a new white Wrangler, looked us up and down and waved at us. Not the two-finger farmer kind of wave, or a peace down kind of wave, but a full-on WAVE wave. 'So.who was THAT?' My wife wanted to know.
I was kind of at a loss at the way the question was asked, as I halfheartedly waved to the young lady in return. 'Well, uhhmm, I guess I don't know, uhhhh, dear.' She continued, 'Well, she seemed to know YOU.' The only thing I could come up with was, 'Well, maybe she's just a friendly person you know, uhhh sweetheart.' The loudest sound heard in our Wrangler over the next few miles was whatever was on the radio, while I mulled over and weighed other possible responses.My thoughts were interrupted because we were getting closer to the swap meet. Sure enough, the closer we got to the swap meet, the more Jeeps we saw.
The more Jeeps we saw, the more people we saw waving at each other, including waving at US! WAIT A MINUTE! I remember, now! I read something about the 'Jeep Wave'.
That's IT!By the time we got to the swap meet, I had explained to my wife all I could summon up about the Jeep Wave. How, just like on our Gold Wing, other riders will express their greetings by waving to others on the same brand of machine. Or, just a general 'we're happy, how about you?'
Kind of wave. 'See, Dear, It's just like that.'
It finally dawned on her what all the waving was about. I was off the hook.well, for now, anyway.We had such a good time at our first Jeep event, we talked about joining the local Jeep club and started making plans to visit other places and shops in the area.
We had an absolute ball!But, to top it all off, on the way home, I had to just about physically restrain my wife from falling out of the Jeep a couple of times, because, well, SHE had to wave at everyone we passed by.in a Jeep!Next thing is she will probably want her own!. Living near two preppy ass colleges is the worst. 75 percent of Jeeps around here are JKUs driven by college students who look at me like I am crazy when I give them a little wave.Then 24 percent are soccer moms in their JKUs who do the same thing. (I have nothing against the JKU, I actually really like them, they're just super common in my town).Clearly Jeeps are great vehicles all around, but it seems like only one out of a hundred Jeeps in my town are people who embrace the whole 'Jeep culture' and understand the community that has been formed around these amazing vehicles.