Friendly wave

IDRIS1
IDRIS1 Forum Participant Posts: 7
edited January 2020 in Introductions #1

I'm very new to motor homing !! On only my 2nd trip out in my unit - I encountered a fellow motor homer coming towards me who gave me a very enthusiastic wave and a flash of his lights !! of course I responded !! but is that normal / expected - i'm happy to give anyone a wave but don't wish to look like a **** ??

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Slightly offensive word Deleted User but we get your drift.

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  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Forum Participant Posts: 2,401
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    edited January 2020 #2

    Not sure if it is the nor or expected but it does happen and your response should be whatever you are comfortable with and is safe to do.

    I say safe to do as, when this question has been asked before, there are invariably comments regarding the safety of taking hands off the wheel for any unnecessary task but I always presume that people will be aware of this and act accordingly.

    My Dads first car was a 1955 VW Beetle and it was the norm then for any other Beetle drivers to put up their hand to which my Dad always responded, had he not put his up first.

    It may be fleeting, and of differing significance for those who do so, but it can give a warm feeling of belonging to that 'group'!

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #3

    Welcome, Idris.

    It’s a long established tradition that MH-ers acknowledge each other on the road but, in my opinion, our eyes should be on the road and not looking to see if an approaching driver is waving at us. It’s not easy to tell at times if it’s a MH or Tesco delivery van coming towards you. Should you really be looking that closely while driving? Similarly, hands should be on the wheel, not waving. Flashing lights could be misinterpreted by other traffic and could cause an accident - that really is a crazy thing to do.

    It’s up to you what you do but, if you wave to me, I’ll not be responding.

    Enjoy your travels 👋

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,299 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #4

    Does seem to happen quite a bit. When we picked up the MH last March I was too busy getting used to driving it for waving at anyone, so OH did. A much better solution in my opinion.😀

  • Amesford
    Amesford Forum Participant Posts: 685
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    edited January 2020 #5

    Just imagine your sat there filling in your insurance claim form " I flashed my lights at a motorhomer coming the other way and for some reason a car pulled out of a side street in front of me causing the accident" 

  • Whittakerr
    Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #6

    Then the car would be at fault.

  • Graydjames
    Graydjames Forum Participant Posts: 440 ✭✭✭
    edited January 2020 #7

    As a motor homer since the 1980s it has always been absolutely normal and customary for occupants to wave at one another when passing. To many I think it is expected - I recall there was a recent thread from someone disappointed that it is not as common as it once was. 

    I would not recommend flashing headlights, however, and I do not recall ever experiencing that - merely as a greeting from a fellow motor homer anyway.  

    I always wave to oncoming vans on single carriageway roads. I always assumed that the custom of waving at fellow motor caravanners dates back to, and originates from, the time when we were a relatively rare breed and touring caravans were the predominant option. We motor homers needed to stick together!!

    In my experience waving remains widespread among those in motor homes despite them being much more common; however, there's no doubt that, unlike when I first started in the hobby, perhaps only one in two will wave now, instead of almost all of them. 

    I do not see it as unsafe. Good observation is a vital part of driving technique and oncoming traffic should take as much attention as other aspects of the road. A quick wave - in the same way one might acknowledge a driver who has given way to you (an important courtesy in my view) - is hardly unsafe. 

  • Unknown
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    edited January 2020 #8
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  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #9

    "…usual jobsworth brigade who thought it was unsafe to wave which is, of course, absurd."

    How rude! 😖

    In my book, studying an oncoming vehicle to, firstly, check if it's a MH and, secondly, to exchange waves is not very far removed from using a hand held phone in terms of having your attention diverted from the task in hand - driving.

    However, you carry on doing what you want and, whatever I think, I’ll not call you names on here for doing it.

     

    Edit- I see the rude comment has now been edited out of your post, Gray.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2020 #10

    With the proliferation? recently, of motor caravans there are enough problems for the NHS  without an increase in RSI after waving at other motor caravanssurprisedwink

  • Amesford
    Amesford Forum Participant Posts: 685
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    edited January 2020 #11

    Correct BUT

    FLASHING HEADLIGHTS HIGHWAY CODE
    The Highway Code states: ‘Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.’

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited January 2020 #12

    There are a number that reach the morgue who were not at fault. 

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #13

    Oh, this is a can of worms laughing,      Yes, I do wave , and I’m in full control when driving cool

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited January 2020 #14
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  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #15

    I’m not even sure a dog should be driving let alone waving it’s paws around🤔

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #16

    Paying full attention to the road aheadcool

  • Amesford
    Amesford Forum Participant Posts: 685
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    edited January 2020 #17

    And by the looks of it both paws on the wheel cool 

  • IDRIS1
    IDRIS1 Forum Participant Posts: 7
    edited January 2020 #18

    Thanks - I’ll wave if safe to do so - no light flashing 

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited January 2020 #19

    I've just been round the block waving at Motorhomes quite safely in fact in a few minutes I might take my keys & drive my 'van wink.

    Incidentally I always acknowledge on coming m/homes the easy way --  with both hands on the wheel just raise the fingers of my LEFT HAND whilst still gripping the wheel with the thumb.  No less safe than changing gear, in deed probably safer. With the grey clouds at present I've almost certainly got the h/lights on anyway !

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited January 2020 #20

    They seem to load enough other extraneous stuff on vehicles these days. Perhaps an electrically operated hand controlled by a switch on the steering wheel.

  • KeithandMargaret
    KeithandMargaret Forum Participant Posts: 660
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    edited January 2020 #21

    We always wave.

    A lift of the hand or arm in acknowledgement that you'd seen them is quite sufficient and it isn't necessary to give the type of wave you'd give to a friend or relative who was off on the train or bus and not likely to be seen for a considerable time.

    We try to always 'wave' when a Motorhome passes us in the opposite direction, and moan when they don't respond - but failure from us or them doesn't ruin or make our day.

    We wave - if you want to be a miserable git and not wave – so be it !

     

     

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #22

    "We wave - if you want to be a miserable git and not wave – so be it !"

    Thanks for that 😖😖😖

    I'm sure not miserable but I am safety conscious. Have a good evening.

     

     

     

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited January 2020 #23
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  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited January 2020 #24

    Big white Rabbit eh DD?🙄

  • Unknown
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    edited January 2020 #25
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  • Freddy55
    Freddy55 Club Member Posts: 1,809 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #26

    I must admit to regularly taking one hand from the steering wheel. I don’t know what all the fuss is about.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #27

    …I thought I’d explained🤔

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited January 2020 #28

    My pleasure JV👍🏻

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited January 2020 #29

    ??  surprised   embarassed  ??

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2020 #30

    ?????undecided

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited January 2020 #31

    Everybody is getting confused at present !

    Could it be because it's only eleven {11} months to Christmas Eve  ??undecided