The origins of the Jeep Wave | The Exposition
Thu, Jun 15 2017
Episode 2 of The Exposition looks at some theories behind the origin of this driving ritual.
[00:00:00] Get behind the wheel of a Jeep, and you'll hopefully notice the other Jeep owners waving at you as you pass by.
It's kind of cool actually, but one thing we couldn't help wonder is, where and how did this wave start?
If you've never heard of the Jeep Wave, don't worry, you're not alone.
For example, my friend James - that's James. Back in 2013 he bought his first Jeep. Like many new young Jeep owners, he had no idea about the wave. He quickly caught on, though.
[00:00:30] So where did it start?
Oddly enough, I was only able to find three pretty convincing theories.
Theory One - The wave started in WWII as a way for soldiers to acknowledge each other while driving by on patrol.
Theory No. 2 - The wave began after the war. Which also makes sense. Since civilian Jeep owners were most likely returning veterans who already appreciated the car, the wave was a way to acknowledge each other's service.
[00:01:00] Theory No. 3 is the wave started much later, in the 70s when off-roading really took off. Kind of a way to salute a kindred spirit out looking for adventure.
Now, there is an unspoken rule of who waves first. The rule is, the younger Jeep always salutes the older one. Or if you have a stock Jeep you must wave to a modified Jeep first. These are interesting theories, but one thing's for sure, the Jeep wave is a unique tradition. The next time you drive a Jeep, be sure to wave as you pass another by.
Related Video:
It's kind of cool actually, but one thing we couldn't help wonder is, where and how did this wave start?
If you've never heard of the Jeep Wave, don't worry, you're not alone.
For example, my friend James - that's James. Back in 2013 he bought his first Jeep. Like many new young Jeep owners, he had no idea about the wave. He quickly caught on, though.
[00:00:30] So where did it start?
Oddly enough, I was only able to find three pretty convincing theories.
Theory One - The wave started in WWII as a way for soldiers to acknowledge each other while driving by on patrol.
Theory No. 2 - The wave began after the war. Which also makes sense. Since civilian Jeep owners were most likely returning veterans who already appreciated the car, the wave was a way to acknowledge each other's service.
[00:01:00] Theory No. 3 is the wave started much later, in the 70s when off-roading really took off. Kind of a way to salute a kindred spirit out looking for adventure.
Now, there is an unspoken rule of who waves first. The rule is, the younger Jeep always salutes the older one. Or if you have a stock Jeep you must wave to a modified Jeep first. These are interesting theories, but one thing's for sure, the Jeep wave is a unique tradition. The next time you drive a Jeep, be sure to wave as you pass another by.
Related Video:
- Jeep
- Automotive History
- Ownership
- SUV
- Off-Road Vehicles
- Classics
- Videos
By Autoblog Staff
See also: Off-roading the Lyman Trail in the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, Researchers who busted VW cheating say FCA's diesels dirty, too, Forum die-hards render upcoming Jeep Wrangler JT Rubicon pickup.