Why is that ?, I know the Mk1’s are the originals and I must say, that a well looked after MK1 is a lovely looking sports car, but at the end of the day ,we are all members, and part of this community because of our love for all MX5s, and I like to think that there is still a certain amount of camaraderie among owners, which is something we had in Spades when my wife and I were motorcycle touring.
I don’t really know, can only state a personal theory which is that the introduction in 1989 of the Mk1 put hundreds of thousands over it’s 9 year span into an affordable dream-car 2 seater that provided people like me to re-live their Spit/Triumph/ MGB days all over again…except complete a journey with plug & play reliability. They were not that cheap really, but affordable.
Move on over the decades, the purchasing demographs skew a bit. Enter the retiring Baby Boomers with fat tax free cheques etc, mortgages gone, hopefully rug rats as well, lots of disposable incomes…thousands of us who never even looked at an Mx5 before. Let’s buy a bit of weekend toy car fun…the Mk2/Mk2.5. Extend that further into the NC eras. I doubt you will see a wage slaved mid 20/30 something in such great numbers these days splashing on an ND. Look at the general ages ranges of us now.
Last year, I encountered a nice couple in their new ND up the Grampians who actually did not know that my Mk1 was the great great great Nan of their car. Clueless, but I’m guessing not alone. Things move on, demographics with them.
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We briefly had a motor home a few years back, and almost every other motor home driver and his wife/partner waved at us on the road. However, whenever we were on a site we found them all to be a mostly miserable bunch of people who preferred to keep to themselves. We think we are cheerful, polite and friendly, but can’t understand what makes them tick.
Since owning our ND we have found that many MX-5 owners don’t bother to wave. I’m sure that this is due to the fact that the cars have been around in various forms for 30 years, so inevitably you will have a varied spectrum of owners.
It is a sad fact these days that all too often the younger generation can’t be bothered with the older citizens like me. In my youth I drove a selection of MG’s, both pre war and eventually an MGB, and no matter what model I had, there was invariably a friendly wave from other owners, regardless of their age.
Right now I really only bother to wave if I’m in the right frame of mind, and I honestly don’t think a lot of MX-5 owners are really into the spirit of sports car ownership.
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I just love your first paragraph as that IS so true! 
(Ours went last year).
Dare I say, the Mk4 driver is the least likely to wave back, in my experience.
Apols to the blue 5 on the A24 yesterday who tooted, flashed and waved - I wasn’t ignoring you - you just caught me unawares!
Some of us mk4 owners wave or flash if we see you in time, sometimes fail to get a response though…
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Of course, we can’t spot them all, all the time.
I think it’s nice that the camaraderie exists at all. Its the same with Alfa Romeo, years ago there was a lot of waving, especially with the same model, but not so much now alas
Interesting observation from notedoneyet about the generational thing.
Out walking or mountain biking on the Surrey Hills, 100% of retired types will acknowledge you as you pass. About half the ones with young families will. But any individual or group of below 25ish year olds only look at you to see if you are an escaped lunatic if you say hello in passing. My Scottish roots mean I say hello to everyone.
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Having owned Landrovers I barely had time to keep two hands on the steering wheel when there are loads of them out. Used to be like that with minis.
I believe the the acknowledgement by proper LR drivers, farmers etc., is a slight lift of the index finger whilst still hold the steering wheel.
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In our Tesco car park, a large vertical lift of the middle finger is common. Usually with a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp. And that’s just the wimmin.
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You also get that in the aisles inside the shop, looking for that elusive toilet roll
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Myself and the good lady were out strolling the woodland/lake walk at a NT property last week when we came upon a family. Three young kids having fun doing what kids do just running around poking around the woods etc. We spoke to presumably the mum and passed comment on how they seem to be enjoying themselves after probably been restricted all these weeks. All we got back was a grunt and she quickly hurried them off down the pathway. I tried to tell her about a some ducklings we had seen and maybe the kids would love to see them, nope she just scurried away.
Had this quite s bit just lately, I don’t know what’s wrong with folk. We’ve got 9 grandkids ourselves they love to be out and about, it’s not like we don’t know about youngsters etc 
Mick,
You might want to try and NOT leave the house squeezed into your SpiderMan outfit.
Not a “Good Optic” these days.
We are not so grumpy in Dorset at the moment, after Bournemouth beat Leicester City 4-1 . The expression on Vardy’s face at full time was priceless. 
It’s Hampshire too. A 40 odd mile trip down to a work site near Fawley and back via the New Forest last week saw 1 out 8 MX-5 drivers wave back . Needless to say it was a mark one and the only other one top down - despite it being a glorious morning!
The previous visit to that site I had a very big wave and smile back from a lady in the only ND brighter than my AE30 - I assume the fuchsia pink was a wrap?
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Stay with it, there are some decent MX5 folk out there. 
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I am not sure of the etiquette waving to Fiat 124 
I wave at anyone who looks like an enthusiast, and I think the majority of enthusiast have a soft spot for an MX-5. Chap in a lovely old Ferrari Dino slowly passed us on a 50mph section of dual recently, smiled, grinned and he waved first, at Mrs McT and I.
Also noticeable at track days, everyone chats and is friendly, be they in a Citroën Saxo or a McLaren 570. All having fun together.
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