All joking aside about Larry David's invention of the "Prius Wave", I received my first last weekend, just two weeks into Prius ownership. I must admit it was nice as I didn't see nearly as many Priuses in Portland as I had expected, especially even fewer once we got out to the coast. I was leaving the French cheese factory in Tillamook, Oregon and got a wave from a black Prius. I don't think there was any sex appeal thing going--that guy looked about as attractive as Larry David, and I'm in there with my family--so I'm pretty sure it was a genuine Prius Wave. Shocking. Exciting. Unexpected. Wierd. But how could I not wave back? The nicest, though, was when we were pulling up to a little parking lot to hike into Munson Creek waterfall there were some people standing, chatting by their car, their backs to us. When I stepped out one turned around and exclaimed, "Wow! Did you just pull up?! I didn't even hear you drive in. Is that 'stealth car' one of those hybrids?" Gave a nice opportunity to show off my little space ship.
Nice! Here on the Left Coast, we try to maintain a delicate balance between our excitement for the "eco techno Prius" and the desire to consider the car as universally accepted as any other "just another car".
I waved!! HI!!! I waved as you went by!!! I'm still waving... and I'm seeing more and more Prii all the time!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Aug 7 2007, 08:46 PM) [snapback]492191[/snapback]</div> I missed the reference. Is the Prius wave something special, different from a regular wave? Are we suppose to wave at all the other owners.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(quixotequest @ Aug 7 2007, 06:13 PM) [snapback]492153[/snapback]</div> I had a similar experience as I was driving my Super White Touring #6 into a grocery store parking lot. As I turned right to go up an aisle, suddenly another Super White appeared before me, about to exit the aisle. It was a sunny summer day and we both had our windows down. Instinctively, I pointed at the clone of my car and blurted out to the lady driver, "Nice car!" just as she did the exact same thing. We both got a good chuckle out of that and she stealthily drove on.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cam @ Aug 7 2007, 09:44 PM) [snapback]492243[/snapback]</div> [British accent] Oh reallllly! Please try to maintain your diginity and for heavens sake use the "Royal Wave" to retain a modicum of smugness, lest we all slip back into ordinary commonness. Wildkow
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wildkow @ Aug 8 2007, 11:00 AM) [snapback]492383[/snapback]</div> I honk and give a peace sign B)
I see another silver Prius going the other way most mornings around 6.30 and always wave. Don't get a wave back though - that time of morning is best suited to auto-pilot mode! However, I got a bit of a surprise the other day when I got back to the parking lot after work, and the three other Prii that I sometimes see parked in various places (a Mag Grey, a Driftwood Pearl and an older one with a wonderful darker green, almost greyish shade, were all parked alongside mine. Looked like a dealer's lot for a moment!
The "Prius wave" is special. It requires that the "waver" be seated in a Prius or standing next to one. Last year, before I got my Prius, I would give a "thumbs up" to Prius I passed. I guess you could call that an anti-Prius thumbs up (the anti-Prius is the ex my 2001 Pathfinder - which burns 2-3 times as much fuel as the Prius).
I give a thumbs up, and if the other Prius driver doesn't notice, I wave too. The only time I got a surprised & wave back, was from a taxi driver in Laval, in a silver Prius just like mine. We both got a good laugh.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mark Derail @ Aug 8 2007, 10:26 AM) [snapback]492485[/snapback]</div> None of you guys are from the South are you? Growing up there everyone waved at one another regardless if the car was a a Pacer, a Pontiac or a Studebaker, it's just how people in the South roll. We bought our '05 in May, here in the Palm Springs area and since then we have seen the numbers of Prii in the Coachella Valley just mushroom. Or maybe it's just the 'shrooms making us see Prii everywhere. Regardless, there are not that many Prii waves to be passed about out here. It may be because this place is so close to LA and Hollywood the self-absoption rate seems to be a bit high. When my wife and I pack up and move (back to the South) in a couple of weeks, we will certainly be wearing wrist braces for all of the Prii waving we will be doing.
I've tried waving to other Prius drivers around Chicago, but very few responses. (Well, maybe surprise.) -Rich
I always wave to others in the same caar, but then I've done that since 99 when i had my mustang. its like when bikers wave!
I've had a Jeep Wrangler in the past and always thought it was cool that about 75% of the time other Wrangler owners would wave... We should all start a national trend to get all Prius owners to start waving.... I'm proud to own one and a simple wave says yes im smart, sexy, and i'm saving the environment!
good luck. i waved for a year or two and never got a wave back. there are just too many people around here who drive them for the mpg's and don't even notice others. i'll keep an eye out for you!
I use to get "Mustang waves" back in the day, but it's very rare now. It's like everyone is too angry or busy. Now I see more birds than on the roads than waves. It's too bad.
Re: OMG! I received a "Prius Wave"!? Speaking of Hummers.... anyone else sicked by the site of them?? Those H2's especially is still around everywhere even though Hummer itself has dissolved. I hate them and they represent everything that is wrong with America! ok ok strong words lol..but seriously why would anyone want one! ugg!
The all elusive "WAVE" is because the Prius is now driven by the masses. People buy the car for various reasons, most of them fuel economy and reliability. IMO, once you have a car for the mass public, it's no longer a "cult" symbol and therefore the etiquette and such widens out completely. After owning corvettes, this is still considered a cult car, not for the masses and corvette owners still wave and nod to each other. I do make eye contact with fellow prius owners, but most of them are busy and just trying to get where they're going, so I notice no nods, nor waves.