Community Forums

Nuiloa · 09-06-2012, 02:24 PM

After reading an earlier post about MH owners waving, my brother and I decided to do a "wave test" along our route from Vancouver to Northern Ontario in early June. We would wave at every single Class A we saw, no exceptions. Here is what we found:

a) on 2-lane highways, the rate of "wave return" was about 50% in the USA and 75% in Canada (probably because of slower speeds and the fact that Class A's are rare on Cdn roads)

b) on 4-line highways, the rate of return in the US was about 40%, although that varied with how wide the median was

On our return trip in August, the rates had changed significantly:

a) on 2-lane hwys, the rate of wave return in the US was about 70%, while in Canada it climbed to 95%

b) on 4-lane roads, the rate in the US increased to 60% (70% if there was a smallish median)

c) the rate of wave return on interstates increased dramatically if we did a "pre-wave", i.e. did a preliminary wave at some distance, followed by a wave when the rig got closer. In those cases, the rate of return climbed to about 80% on 4-lanes and over 90% on 2-lane roads.

Nothing like science

tomwalt · 09-06-2012, 02:32 PM

I'm glad we're making progress. I always wave if it is safe to do so.

KIX · 09-06-2012, 02:34 PM

And that proves it........if you're travelling Westward people wave more.

RanCarr · 09-06-2012, 02:36 PM

I would think waving would be hard for those who keep their windows rolled up because the A/C or heat is on.

MustangGT · 09-07-2012, 11:18 AM

i don't usually wave because, as often as not, the lighting makes it difficult for me to see them or them to see me. These windshields are big, but reflections and glare usually cause problems, as do the inevitable bug guts.

JimM68 · 09-07-2012, 11:46 AM

I like the pre-wave idea, I'll try that.

Also, I think the change in wavebacks between then and now was probably directly related to people reading the previous thread!

clyon51 · 09-07-2012, 03:01 PM

I found the perfect solution. We had this old mannequin in the attic for years. I took it's arm off, attached a spring to the elbow and mounted it just outside the drivers window. It works great, but I do get some strange looks in the CGs.

bluepill · 09-07-2012, 03:15 PM

My co-driver refuses to wave.

He does like to bark, however.

MN_Traveler · 09-08-2012, 12:53 PM

Could be the reason for the difference early versus later in the summer is because early in the year people are white-knuckling it ... Whereas later in the summer they think they are able to take a hand off the wheel for a second ????? :-)

firedoc · 09-08-2012, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clyon51

I found the perfect solution. We had this old mannequin in the attic for years. I took it's arm off, attached a spring to the elbow and mounted it just outside the drivers window. It works great, but I do get some strange looks in the CGs.

I'd like to see a picture of that.

Now

MSHappyCampers · 09-08-2012, 03:56 PM

Ever since reading that earlier thread about waving I have been more observant. I don't think that most folks are ignoring another RV'ers wave, it's just that they can't see them. Of course that's not the case on two-lane roads, but there it's probably that they are concerned about meeting another "monster" on the narrow road and want to keep their eyes glued to the lane they're in. I just wave at all of them and don't worry about whether they wave back or not!