Common way to greet other Model 3 drivers?

[StealthP3D]

I like the three-finger wave, probably what I'll use. I have been using the two-finger method. The V sign. My first car in 1971 was a 1967 MGBGT, chrome wire wheels, leather interior, red with white racing stripes, and overdrive, which is to say a 5th gear. Not reliable but a cool car for a 17-year-old who had worked 2 summers, loading trucks, for admission. In any case, not so many MGs in the South in those days. We generally greeted one another with the V/Victory sign. Seemed appropriate for a British car. Of course in those days that was also the universal Peace sign, but that was also cool. Some might even say it was far fuc*ing out. Here in Montana, there are not so many Teslas to wave at. And in the outback every car/driver waves at you anyway. You know, just because you are in a car and the other drivers haven't seen one of those in quite some time...........

Sunday afternoon I drove some straight roads that cut through the farm fields on the Skagit River flats. There is about one farmhouse every half mile and it seemed all the local farmers were out taking walks with their spouses/dogs along the mostly deserted roads. I was enjoying the mild weather with a break in the rain we've seen over the previous days so I was driving about 35 mph on roads that many would go 50 mph on. Every single person I drove by smiled and waved. About 8 people in total and I'm pretty sure none of them had a Tesla. One woman was even 30 yards into a field letting her dog play "fetch" and she turned and gave me an enthusiastic wave.

Did I mention these are likely all non-Tesla owners? I would say about half of the Model 3 owners wave back at me but not with the same enthusiasm I experienced in 1968 when my family moved from Germany to Washington State with our one-year-old VW Beetle! They were just becoming popular here but were still quite rare. I still remember how good it smelled inside compared to American cars. And the way other Beetle owners would waive enthusiastically. It made you feel good. Now it's like half the people are on drugs or something or think if they waive you might shoot them. It's crazy.

 

[PACEMD]

Oddly, the only one that didn't elicit this was the 1967 GMC Handi-Van which I lived out of for a while...

Was that you down by the river? I tried to wave.............

 

[PACEMD]

Did I mention these are likely all non-Tesla owners? I would say about half of the Model 3 owners wave back at me but not with the same enthusiasm I experienced in 1968 when my family moved from Germany to Washington State with our one-year-old VW Beetle! They were just becoming popular here but were still quite rare. I still remember how good it smelled inside compared to American cars. And the way other Beetle owners would waive enthusiastically. It made you feel good. Now it's like half the people are on drugs or something or think if they waive you might shoot them. It's crazy.

Yes, you do need to be careful with your hand gestures while driving. I drove a taxi in NYC in the 70s. Hand gestures were how we communicated. When I left the city I had to learn such signaling is not always universally understood or appreciated. For some strange reason though I was never shot........

 

[TechnoDarkOne]

I like the idea @1st in Line, I'd wave back!

Since you know... Model 3... and we're resisting Big Oil by not using their polluting fossil fuels in our cars.

May the odds be ever in your favor!

 

[Puddles]

Was that you down by the river? I tried to wave.............

River! Yes! I lived in it by a river! It was in California and I was a raft guide.

 

[PACEMD]

River! Yes! I lived in it by a river! It was in California and I was a raft guide.

Cool! I thought that was you.........

 

[PACEMD]

I like the idea @1st in Line, I'd wave back!

On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Tesla Law

 

[StellarRat]

As someone still waiting for his Model 3, I am wondering if there is a way to greet or acknowledge other Model 3 drivers on the road?

I believe bikers often wave at other bikers, but car drivers never had any reason to greet other car drivers.

However, Tesla is different to other cars and the Model 3 is different to other Teslas.

We could just pass each other with the learned indifference of other car drivers, or we could try and give a signal that indicates both our joy of being a Model 3 owner AND that we care about each other.

Flashing lights or honking with your horn are both too obvious and have the potential to cause irritation to other drivers.

I am wondering if turning on windscreen wipers with a small water squirt could be a subtle form to say "my Model 3 is so happy to see your Model 3 it made me cry..."

For those driving in areas where the Model 3 has become ubiquitous - how do you react to seeing other Model 3s on the road?

Try driving around each other in circles trying to smell each others tail lights.

 

[qdeathstar]

“Sorry bro, I thought my autopilot was on”....

 

[owenwp]

I like the idea @1st in Line, I'd wave back!

Since you know... Model 3... and we're resisting Big Oil by not using their polluting fossil fuels in our cars.

May the odds be ever in your favor!

Ah, the good old "read between the lines" salute.

 

[Korsair]

As others have mentioned, the Jeep Wave was a thing. I wave to other Teslas, some wave back, some don't, and I'll keep doing it.

 

[Atari2600]

Any Tesla owner wave should require both hands to show support of autopilot. Show being proud of not using fossil fuel by signifying plugging into the charge port with a two handed gesture.

 

[sduck]

Take it elsewhere. Reported.

 

[jbuenavides]

Is it necessary to say hi to a fellow model 3 drivers?

 

[Mod3forMe]

I live in a very heavy Tesla area. I probably see a dozen+ M3 every day. No waving going on.

 

[GTIceman]

I used to wave to other S and X drivers when I had my S. With the 3 I really only wave now when I see drivers with modified cars due to sheer volume. We also have a Mini and they have a waving history, but even that is sadly shrinking.

 

[liquid_celica]

i generally do the wave with 4 fingers and thumb still at the top of my steering wheel. Mainly at work though. I'm about 10/10 on responses.