Do you guys wave or acknowledge other defenders on the road? I told my wife it’s like the Jeep or motorcycle culture and she didn’t believe me. Am I alone or are there others out there doing it as well?

 

I have found that no one does.... I used to wave to everyone but have never had anyone else wave back. I used to have a WRX and we all waived to each other and I always enjoyed it!

 

Same here. I used to wave, but not once did anyone wave back. Maybe there should be a defender forum sticker! I bet people who spend a non-0% of their lives talking to other people about their car are the waving type.

My motorcycle friends always wave... so I've got that going for me, which is nice.

 

CJ drivers over 30 always acknowledge each other.

 

I don't get the "Defender wave" with the new one. With my old Defender everyone (in old Defenders) waved, except for farmers.

However it might be a good thing not waving, there's so many new Defenders round here, that l would probably end up with an RSI injury on my hand.

 

I was surprised when I got my first car, a used 1976 MGB in 1980. Every time I passed another MGB I got a wave or a thumbs up.

 

Hell, here in Western North Carolina we still wave at neighbors, known or not. Of course up here in the high country, you might see one - or not.

1964 Mustangs started it mostly here in the states. My dad had a nice ragtop.

 

No waving anymore. I recently parked next to another Defender and told her "nice Defender" as she was getting out. Her reply was "my husband got it for me and I don't know much about cars". Never even noticed that I also got out of a Defender. I think many Defender drivers are first time JLR owners, not long-term JLR enthusiasts like many of us here.

Now walk up to someone that is still keeping their LR3 or LR4 running for 10+ years and you can share repair stories for an hour.

 

Back in the 70's, when I got my fist Series IIa vehicles, we always waved, flashed our lights. There were instances, like on Padre Island, while in Flight School, stopped shared a beer (You could drink beer and drive in Texas then, as long as you were not drunk!). Ended up as good friends. It was a much smaller community of folks back then and well into the 90's. Nobody had $100K Defenders, they were rarely waxed and were used mainly for off road. Now they are buffed, shiny grocery getters that may go off road once or twice in their lifespan. Ownership demographics changed, not the same friendly crowd.

 

I've received several friendly waves/thumbs up... from people in other 4x4s but not once from another Defender. One day it was comical as a clearly higher trim D110 pulled up next to me in my lowly D90 (P300 gasp) with steelies. They did their damnedest not too look over and make any eye contact. It did make me smile though.