What ever happened to the "wave?"

cowisl · 06-23-2008, 12:27 PM

I have noticed over the past few years that more and more people do not wave. Why is that? On Saturday we were coming on the back side of bear and saw a small boat crossing from the mainland. I slowed and let the boat have the right of way. No wave or anything.

wildwoodfam · 06-23-2008, 12:36 PM

but not everyone returns the wave.

Used to be everyone waved when out on boats. Its a sign of the times - all about me me me - and who cares about the rest!

Same thing can be said about the country roads of Vermont. Back in the "good ole days" we'd head up to our families place on Lake Champlain and we'd get off the highway at Burlington and weave our way up to St Alabans along the back roads and along route 7 and everyone walking along the roads would wave at us. I'd ask my dad who these people were - and how did we know them?" He'd simply say - "they are just friendly people" - and he'd wave right back at them!

Not many people walking anymore along those roads (we were just up recently.) Some of the older ones still wave - but not nearly everyone!!

Those days are gone....

The world is just a less friendly place.

luckypete · 06-23-2008, 12:38 PM

Hey cowisl,

Here's one vote for.....i always wave!

lp

billhurley · 06-23-2008, 12:52 PM

I always wave as well. It goes so far that my brother in law asked if I knew everyone, but I told him boaters wave to everyone.

How can you beat a day on the lake?

kjbathe · 06-23-2008, 01:54 PM

There was a commercial on TV in the last few years where a family was waving at everyone -- from the car, in the supermarket, to people they didn't know, etc, etc... It was a commercial to promote boating.

Real boaters wave. People borrowing other people's boats return blank looks...

Chris Craft · 06-23-2008, 02:26 PM

It is getting to the point now that people will look the other way just so that they do not have to wave. Some times I can get a little obnoxious and keep waving

Sunrise Point · 06-23-2008, 02:49 PM

Real boaters wave. People borrowing other people's boats return blank looks...

We became boaters about 7 years ago. I was amazed when people would wave at us. I had no idea that it was a long-standing custom, sort of like a "Jeep wave".

I now wave when I'm out on the boat. Almost everyone smiles and waves back, especially the children. It's great.

codeman671 · 06-23-2008, 02:57 PM

I usually wave or nod, but lately have succumbed to using the middle finger for the countless morons that do not know what 150' is.

brk-lnt · 06-23-2008, 03:00 PM

I'll generally nod my head or wave if I'm passing close-enough to another boat where you can make out facial features. This is generally when LESS than 150', as in when going through the Weirs channel, etc.

I wouldn't mind waving at more people, but it seems to get a bit distracting from keeping a proper lookout...

Newbiesaukee · 06-23-2008, 03:50 PM

to me the other day as he was speeding through the no wake zone by Trexler's. The only problem is his wave was in response to my universal "slow down" hand signal. He was ignorant of the law, but he was friendly

jeffk · 06-23-2008, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

I'll generally nod my head or wave if I'm passing close-enough to another boat where you can make out facial features. This is generally when LESS than 150', as in when going through the Weirs channel, etc.

I wouldn't mind waving at more people, but it seems to get a bit distracting from keeping a proper lookout...

I'm a head nodder as well. My wife usually gives a wave, especially if there are kids on the other boat because they usually love it. When we have our Golden on board she rides in the bow and we usually get lots more waves.

SAMIAM · 06-23-2008, 04:23 PM

Hate to make it a local/tourist issue,but most locals look you right in the eye and nod or speak as you pass.When the summer people show up,many of them deliberately glance away so as not to make eye contact.Must be a city thing....not knowing if some weirdo is going to snap or start following you.

SAUGUS BOATER · 06-23-2008, 04:30 PM

I'd have to agree more with kjbathe than samiam. It really is a "boating thing". I'm not a local, but I wave to everyone I pass. Just happy to be out on the boat enjoying something I love and glad to see others probably feeling the same way. Incidentally, I'm from the Boston area, where some the rudest people on the planet live, and when I'm boating out on Boston Harbor, most people wave back there too.

SAUGUS BOATER · 06-23-2008, 04:34 PM

p.s. - I remember that boating commercial. It was really funny !!! I knew the commercial was for something boating related as soon as i saw it.

tis · 06-23-2008, 04:53 PM

Yep, growing up on the lake we always waved and everyone. but everyone, waved back. Now, I am surprise if half wave back so I don't bother any more, which makes me sad. If someone waves, I wave back though and figure they must be old time boaters on the lake, or just friendly. However, what amazes me is when you are going slow, are eye to eye and you wave because you are staring at each other, and they don't wave back!

bdkkennedy · 06-23-2008, 05:10 PM

A couple of years back, I was leaving West alton Marina. While going through the channel between the sand bars, two young woman saluted every boat that passed, with similar results as what has happened to the wave. I stood up, saluted back, and was immediately rewarded with the two of them flashing thier ****. As the years have gone by those two women have become cuter every year. Just a memory. Dont want to hear whether it was appropriate or not, People just having fun.

Dave R · 06-23-2008, 05:57 PM

Note to self: practice salute.

I am a hard core motorcyclist and I have noticed that as the weather warms and the occasional bikers come out, the wavebacks decrease. Every biker waves back in NH, in January...

The Big Kahuna · 06-23-2008, 06:38 PM

I wave all the time and find that most of the boaters I wave to, either wave back or nod. The wave is still strong on the big lake!

Gatto Nero · 06-24-2008, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave R

Note to self: practice salute.

I am a hard core motorcyclist and I have noticed that as the weather warms and the occasional bikers come out, the wavebacks decrease. Every biker waves back in NH, in January...

Now you have to admit that if you waved at every biker passing you by over the past week or so you'd spend your entire day doing nothing but waving.

Dave R · 06-24-2008, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatto Nero

Now you have to admit that if you waved at every biker passing you by over the past week or so you'd spend your entire day doing nothing but waving.

Agreed, the wave gets suspended during bike week. Kinda pointless to acknowledge non-conformity when everyone else is on two wheels too...

'Course, I avoid bike week like the plague. I like to ride at a spirited pace, alone. Bike week just clogs the good roads with slow moving clusters of bikes and the boring roads with stopped clusters of bikes.

Instead, I rode my bicycle with my wife and kids in beautiful Dunstable, Pepperal, Groton, and Ayer MA over the weekend.

SIKSUKR · 06-24-2008, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdkkennedy

A couple of years back, I was leaving West alton Marina. While going through the channel between the sand bars, two young woman saluted every boat that passed, with similar results as what has happened to the wave. I stood up, saluted back, and was immediately rewarded with the two of them flashing thier ****. As the years have gone by those two women have become cuter every year. Just a memory. Dont want to hear whether it was appropriate or not, People just having fun.

So this is how I should be waving.I knew I must have been doing something wrong.

chipj29 · 06-24-2008, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

So this is how I should be waving.I knew I must have been doing something wrong.

Please don't lift your shirt, k?

Jeti · 06-24-2008, 10:34 AM

I always make a habit to wave, to blondes with DD's! Plus I blow them a kiss!

06-23-2008, 12:27 PM	#1
cowisl Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Cow Island Posts: 168 Thanks: 6 Thanked 20 Times in 12 Posts	What ever happened to the "wave?" I have noticed over the past few years that more and more people do not wave. Why is that? On Saturday we were coming on the back side of bear and saw a small boat crossing from the mainland. I slowed and let the boat have the right of way. No wave or anything.

06-23-2008, 12:36 PM	#2
wildwoodfam Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: North Andover, MA & summers up at the BIG lake Posts: 285 Thanks: 5 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	We still wave at EVERY boat we pass on the lake ... but not everyone returns the wave. Used to be everyone waved when out on boats. Its a sign of the times - all about me me me - and who cares about the rest! Same thing can be said about the country roads of Vermont. Back in the "good ole days" we'd head up to our families place on Lake Champlain and we'd get off the highway at Burlington and weave our way up to St Alabans along the back roads and along route 7 and everyone walking along the roads would wave at us. I'd ask my dad who these people were - and how did we know them?" He'd simply say - "they are just friendly people" - and he'd wave right back at them! Not many people walking anymore along those roads (we were just up recently.) Some of the older ones still wave - but not nearly everyone!! Those days are gone.... The world is just a less friendly place.

06-23-2008, 12:38 PM	#3
luckypete Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: cow island Posts: 27 Thanks: 33 Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts	Sounds like a poll question to me!! Hey cowisl, Here's one vote for.....i always wave! lp

06-23-2008, 03:50 PM	#10
Newbiesaukee Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Coral Gables, winter; Long Island, summer Posts: 1,353 Thanks: 946 Thanked 573 Times in 298 Posts	The captain of another boat waved to me the other day as he was speeding through the no wake zone by Trexler's. The only problem is his wave was in response to my universal "slow down" hand signal. He was ignorant of the law, but he was friendly

06-23-2008, 05:10 PM	#16
bdkkennedy Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	BEST Wave A couple of years back, I was leaving West alton Marina. While going through the channel between the sand bars, two young woman saluted every boat that passed, with similar results as what has happened to the wave. I stood up, saluted back, and was immediately rewarded with the two of them flashing thier ****. As the years have gone by those two women have become cuter every year. Just a memory. Dont want to hear whether it was appropriate or not, People just having fun.

06-23-2008, 12:52 PM	#4
billhurley Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: St. Augustine FL. Posts: 86 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I always wave as well. It goes so far that my brother in law asked if I knew everyone, but I told him boaters wave to everyone. How can you beat a day on the lake?

06-23-2008, 01:54 PM	#5
kjbathe Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 281 Thanks: 3 Thanked 21 Times in 11 Posts	There was a commercial on TV in the last few years where a family was waving at everyone -- from the car, in the supermarket, to people they didn't know, etc, etc... It was a commercial to promote boating. Real boaters wave. People borrowing other people's boats return blank looks...

06-23-2008, 02:26 PM	#6
Chris Craft Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 120 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	It is getting to the point now that people will look the other way just so that they do not have to wave. Some times I can get a little obnoxious and keep waving

06-23-2008, 02:49 PM	#7
Sunrise Point Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Meredith Center / Winnisquam Posts: 250 Thanks: 87 Thanked 34 Times in 21 Posts	Real boaters wave. People borrowing other people's boats return blank looks... We became boaters about 7 years ago. I was amazed when people would wave at us. I had no idea that it was a long-standing custom, sort of like a "Jeep wave". I now wave when I'm out on the boat. Almost everyone smiles and waves back, especially the children. It's great.

06-23-2008, 02:57 PM	#8
codeman671 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,486 Thanks: 221 Thanked 810 Times in 486 Posts	I usually wave or nod, but lately have succumbed to using the middle finger for the countless morons that do not know what 150' is.

06-23-2008, 03:00 PM	#9
brk-lnt Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: South Down Shores Posts: 1,944 Thanks: 544 Thanked 570 Times in 335 Posts	I'll generally nod my head or wave if I'm passing close-enough to another boat where you can make out facial features. This is generally when LESS than 150', as in when going through the Weirs channel, etc. I wouldn't mind waving at more people, but it seems to get a bit distracting from keeping a proper lookout...

06-23-2008, 04:23 PM	#12
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,891 Thanks: 334 Thanked 1,673 Times in 584 Posts	Hate to make it a local/tourist issue,but most locals look you right in the eye and nod or speak as you pass.When the summer people show up,many of them deliberately glance away so as not to make eye contact.Must be a city thing....not knowing if some weirdo is going to snap or start following you.

06-23-2008, 04:30 PM	#13
SAUGUS BOATER Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Saugus Massachusetts Posts: 84 Thanks: 14 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I'd have to agree more with kjbathe than samiam. It really is a "boating thing". I'm not a local, but I wave to everyone I pass. Just happy to be out on the boat enjoying something I love and glad to see others probably feeling the same way. Incidentally, I'm from the Boston area, where some the rudest people on the planet live, and when I'm boating out on Boston Harbor, most people wave back there too.

06-23-2008, 04:34 PM	#14
SAUGUS BOATER Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Saugus Massachusetts Posts: 84 Thanks: 14 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	p.s. - I remember that boating commercial. It was really funny !!! I knew the commercial was for something boating related as soon as i saw it.

06-23-2008, 04:53 PM	#15
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,702 Thanks: 751 Thanked 1,454 Times in 1,011 Posts	Yep, growing up on the lake we always waved and everyone. but everyone, waved back. Now, I am surprise if half wave back so I don't bother any more, which makes me sad. If someone waves, I wave back though and figure they must be old time boaters on the lake, or just friendly. However, what amazes me is when you are going slow, are eye to eye and you wave because you are staring at each other, and they don't wave back!

06-23-2008, 05:57 PM	#17
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,984 Thanks: 246 Thanked 743 Times in 443 Posts	Note to self: practice salute. I am a hard core motorcyclist and I have noticed that as the weather warms and the occasional bikers come out, the wavebacks decrease. Every biker waves back in NH, in January...

06-23-2008, 06:38 PM	#18
The Big Kahuna Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Gilford Posts: 148 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Big Wave I wave all the time and find that most of the boaters I wave to, either wave back or nod. The wave is still strong on the big lake!

06-24-2008, 10:34 AM	#23
Jeti Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bedford NH Posts: 40 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 1 Post	I always make a habit to wave, to blondes with DD's! Plus I blow them a kiss!