The wave

[crisen]

Originally Posted by steveirving

This drove my wife and i into a discussion exploring the idea that there may be better camaraderie and pride of ownership between vintage airstream owners than "new" owners. Thoughts by any of you?

As a new, last fall, Airstream owner, and an Eddie Bauer to boot I don't think it is a much an issue of of any lack of pride or ownership or camaraderie as it is lack of knowledge of this tradition. I find the same thing with the Jeep Wave, this is a tradition amoung Jeep owners (real Jeeps CJ's, Wranglers etc not, Liberty, Cherakee, etc) the newer the model the less likely to return the wave.

We don't see many Airstreams of any flavor up here but now that we know we'll wave if we see you coming our way.

[MrUKToad]

I'll wave at any Airstream I see, moving or not. I wouldn't know a vintage trailer if it jumped out and bit me but I do know it's an Airstream so it gets a wave. The trouble with the Interstates is that there are a number of bus companies in these parts that use the same platform and look strikingly similar; I'll just wave to anything I think!

We did catch up with an older Airstream being towed towards Toronto a few months back. It was swaying around a bit because it was just on the ball; no sway or WD, and the guys driving the truck resolutely ignored us waving at them. I decided they were delivering, so not Airstream owners or they'd have waved back.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by MrUKToad

We did catch up with an older Airstream being towed towards Toronto a few months back. It was swaying around a bit because it was just on the ball; no sway or WD, and the guys driving the truck resolutely ignored us waving at them. I decided they were delivering, so not Airstream owners or they'd have waved back.

Or they had a white-knuckle grip on something solid due to the swaying, and were scared to pry a hand free!

[JackDog]

We have had our tin can (2013 16' Bambi) 9 months and have had it out on three trips. My girlfriend has become the official AS spotter while we drive down the road.

First time we met a nice couple with the same AS at a campground , second trip out one vintage AS and one older AS MH. Both flashed and waved back.

Our last trip out to Arizona we met a nice couple in a brand new Interstate who where on their maiden voyage from Vancouver, BC while gassing up in Tuscon and flashed and waved to an AS passing us on the interstate.

I thought I'd see more on the road than we have but with our next trip out coming up in July hopefully more will be out on the road. We are prior Casita owners so looking out for fellow AS owners is part of the enjoyment of having an AS.

Flashing and waving in So Cal.

Jack Dog
in So Cal

[DBdotdot]

Why wave? Yes, I know it's a sign of solidarity and pride in ownership, but it also seems to be the height of a self-serving ego to be insulted when another AS owner does not return a wave. Is the idea that waving to another AS owner strokes something infantile within ourselves? I know that I enjoy seeing other Airstreams buzzing down the road and across the campground from me and I know I have a lot of pride in my camper, but when I wave at another AS, it feels either like I'm trying to prove something foolish and selfish or examining my own penial inadequates.

[switz]

When I rode Harleys for years, there was always a wave between Harleys. When I rode BMWs, riders on other brands as well as the BMWs seem to never respond. My primary bike is a Gold Wing now and I still wave to all brands, the first in this list usually does not respond. The advantage to the motorcycle salute is your arm is already outside and can be easily seen.

With all the tinted glass, one can hardly see if there is a driver in that oncoming vehicle let alone get a window down and wave when your mind comprehends the silver shape sticking just above the roof of the pickup truck is an Airstream.