3:15 p.m. today, near Cumberland Mall in northwest Atlanta. I'd never known what a Classic looked like until this afternoon, when I saw an oddly-shaped hood approaching me. When the driver waved at my '05 in passing, though, I knew, and spotted the model name on the back end as he passed. Most of you other Prius drivers are too damned stuck-up to give me the wave. Are you not proud to drive this car, or what? :Wth:
Whenever I see a Prius on the road I want to wave! I restrain myself because I don't want to creep out other drivers or anything. I'm still saving up to get my Prius, so I have to live vicariously through others that actually have theirs. I've even dreamed about driving Prii. Does that make me obsessed?
I've given up. I'll wave to Classics since I know they're probably the Prius enthusiasts. With the new ones, you never know if you're getting a Prius enthusiast, one who's excited to drive a Prius or just one who thinks you're some weirdo.
I wave but don't expect anything return that way I'm not dissapointed if nothing happens or I get the finger for my trouble. Most people that bought a 2k4-5 never even heard that Toyota made the Prius in 2k1. Most can barely find their key in their pocket and start the car never mind understand others are geeks about the car. NOW Classic owners are geeks. We always wave, but I have to inject into this discussion that a couple of weeks ago I was driving the wifes Prius and got a wave from an Insight. That was a bit surprizing.
[font=Comic Sans MS:3da6525fff]I always wave, to both Classic and 04+ Prii. I've had two waves back on the road since March, but one guy in a Salsa pulled up next to me in a parking lot and shouted, "You have one damn fine car!" I yelled back, "You do to!" and we smiled and waved. It's disappointing when people don't wave back. I tell myself they must be concentrating on driving...[/font:3da6525fff]
Waving has a lot to do with the rarity of a car. When I drove ALFA-Romeo's, most of us waved :wave: or flashed headlights. When I drove a Golf, nobody waved. When I got my '02, most of us waved. :wave: It wasn't unusual to be asked about our cars in parking lots, and it was lots of fun being the center of attention. By early into the '03 model year, we were thick as flies around here. I've been told that the Portland area sells the most Priuses per capita. On my 20 minute freeway commute It's not unusual to see six or more 01-03's and scads of newer ones. Somewhere along the line, the waving stopped. I kinda miss it, being unique, but then it's good to see the line succeed. The gas savings and emission benefits are worth loosing the waves. But if I see you waving at me I'll wave back, and I'll smile :wink: remembering the pioneer days. Hey- if you're gonna be nuts about a car, pick one that's worthy. And the Prius (old or new) is.
I always try to wave too, to Classics and 04+ here in Lubbock (and I am constantly looking out for them). Oddly enough up until recently, I had seen about the same number of both. Now it is slightly more 04+, which seem to be friendlier for some reason. I have a limited sample size though, still probably only around 10-12 combined for the city. Still the other day there three 04+'s at the same stoplight, but all on different sides. I have a 04 tideland that lives in our neighborhhood that I have chatted with the owner once, and we always wave when we see each other. Spread the wave! I think it is neat to wave at each other. For me, I feel a kinship with Prius drivers (similar to grads from my undergrad), even though I now there are many reasons for buying the car.
I wave at hot chics when I see them in a Prius. Here in LA a Prius is like a left-wing hippie liberal Ferrari when it comes to gettin the ladies. (should be read with some bit of fascisms ) I think people don't wave because it's a little too personal, A quick double flash of the cool HID's would be better and prompt more of a response. Remeber it should be a "quick" double flash, which is easy to do with the stalk controls.
I always wave and infrequently get a return wave. it's so disappointing. i have walked by 2 prii in the parking lot after work as they drove out... i'm getting up the guts to wave at them and tell them about our local Prius club. but i can be shy with strangers.
My wife and I always wave at Prius drivers, but only occasionally get a wave back. However, on a recent four-day trip to Wyoming, we got "re-waved" by the only two Priuses we saw. Perhaps the Prius is more of a statement there. Most frustrating was several miles of stop-and-go traffic in Denver a couple of months ago, when we were basically next to an elderly couple (elderly = older than we are) in a silver Prius for about at least 15 minutes without getting their attention. I almost used the horn, but there were too many other cars close by, and you never know who's got low blood sugar and is packing heat! :lol:
I always wave at '04/'05's. My family really gives me a hard time for doing it too. It is almost like I am embarrassing them. I don't care. I do it because I love my car. And I like to embarrass them! I get return waves about 1/2 the time. Back in Feb (when I first got it) I got a lot fewer return waves. I think friendliness among we geeks must be improving. If I could recognize the oler models as easily, I would wave at them too!
I always try to do a subtle kind of wave (sticking all five fingers up fromthe steering wheel), but rarely get a response. Not too long ago, on my way to our local Prius Club meeting I got a very enthusiastic, full-on flailing wave back from a girl in a white 04+ with a John Kerry sticker on the back, which was kind of gratifying.
I'll wave. That sort of thing is big in the sportbiker community where 90% of waves are returned. I certainly don't take offense to those that don't wave back though, there's always something that might going only they are aware of...
I wave and all hybrids. Sometimes they wave back. Insights and Prii are easy to spot; we're obvuios. But the way I see it, even if they're in a HCH or a HiHy, they clearly went out of their way to buy that specific car. I'm the guy who takes notice and thanks them for promoting hybrid technology even if they're not advertising it. I even waved at a guy in a RXh, though he WAS smug. I don't get offended when people don't wave back. Sometimes I'm so focussed on the road or just plain clueless to notice other cars. So I expect that sometimes others are the same way. Though there's nothing sweeter than getting the wave back and a friendly smile.
I'm glad I'm not the only getting snubbed in Atlanta. I wave at all the prius drivers and they pretend I'm invisible. I was even at a light next to one and they didn't even look over. I thought it was personal. Maybe it's an Atlanta thang. So much for southern hospitality.
I sometimes find myself waving on the days when I don't drive the carpool. they must think it odd to see the passenger in a little yellow mini waving and smiling...
I still do the Prius wave to 04-05 Prii but not nearly as often. It seems like the response rate is only maybe 25% or so. I am typically seeing anywhere from 3 to 6 04-05 cars each way on my 6 mile commute and most of the time people are focused on driving, as they should be.
