I always wave to other 5s i just have to remember when im not in my 5 not to do it or people but think im mad when im waving whilst im driving my wifes volvo
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Itās certainly true that quite a few MX-5 owners donāt bother to wave, although I passed 4 last Sunday, and got 3 waves. I think itās purely a matter of manners. How often have you given way and waited for an oncoming car in a narrow road, and got not the slightest hint of acknowledgement? I tend to give a modest raised hand to any MX-5 I happen to notice, but quite often you donāt see them until the last second because they are so low, and frequently hidden by the car in front of them.
Bob
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The comment about an MX-5 not being very visible sometimes is quite valid, I think.
Mine is Galaxy Grey, and as such is a similar colour to that of faded tarmac, and after a few close shaves when I first got it, now I feel safer driving with lights on all the time.
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If MX5s were rare cars Iād certainly wave - and I will return a wave if one is given to me. But I am not sure what Iām supposed to have in common with such a wide demographic of people who just happen to own the same model of car - one that encompasses three decades and four primary versions.
Owning a Lotus , and Atom or an Alfa 105 coupe (other iconic cars are available) denotes a certain degree of enthusiasm , if not outright fanaticism , which might be held in common with other owners. But a car that costs from peanuts to 30 grand, that can be owned a rabid enthusiast or just someone wanting cheap transport - suggesting that we have something in common is unlikely to be true in many , if not most cases .
So it all sounds a bit Terry Wogan to me , a bit desperate . , needy .
my thought on it is a wave was to show that you had the same interest as the other motoristā¦i:e thatās why more classic car owners will wave but generally to there own make or model they ownā¦bit like we are not A-B drivers and more enthusiasm and likely to talk to you when parked up but with the mx5 itās spanned over 4 genarationsā¦so it would be fair to say a lot of drivers of the gen 3 and 4 just buy the car as a means of diffrent transportā¦this can be seen as when you pass them donāt matter how hot it is they have the roof upā¦I wave because its norm for me as coming from MGs and if you wave back then its a bonusā¦but I donāt expect itā¦
An intriguing metaphor, but wouldnāt āenthusiasticā be more fair? At least amongst us MX5OC members.
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Having been out last weekend for our first trip away for a few days making use of our newly acquired MX5, we headed out to Walkington in East Yorkshire last Friday and didnāt see many MX5s, just a couple and got a wave from one.
However can I just say thanks to the MX5s who we saw as we headed out of Beverley and headed up to Bridlington as we waved and got waves back from quite a few fellow MX5s, quite a few NDs and a lovely met blue Niseko so if any of you spotted us in our 2012 Metropolitan grey PRHT heading up to Brid this Sat just gone ( Yorkshire Day ! ) thanks for the waves, was something I was looking forward to
Every time I go out I look for mx5 s and waves donāt get out much have mk 4 but not as just a car had one of the first 100000 mk ones itās not just a car itās a lifestyle once your in your always in and will wave forever lol
I agree , to me only mk 1s count , I will wave to any mx5 but if they dont wave back, then fair enough , not that bothered but mainly I get a wave back from other mk 1s .Mines a mk1 HARVARD , POP-UP LIGHTS very important , thats what made it special/iconic .Thatās what a mx5 is , the beginning , the best, it ll always look classical ! The best!
Passed a black Mk1 and a maroon Mk3 on the A24 just outside Dorking today and neither returned my wave. I flashed just beforehand too, so have to assume they saw me. A week or so ago went past a white Mk4, with, I think a 51 race car type motif on the door. That didnāt get me a wave back either so perhaps it is limited to the diehards. When I had my Midget, there was pretty much a 100% wave return, as there was with my S2000, but both those cars were rare and perhaps enthusiast owned.
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I agree, I used to have an MG Midget back in the 70s and everyone waved back then. Perhaps itās an age thing, itās the young whipper snappers under 40 that donāt join in. Iām not mentioning my age btw. 
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I had three mk4s wave at me, in my mk4 within a 5 mile piece of road in Fife this afternoon. My wave coincided with theirs in each case, so we were not just returning the waves but making the first move, which is gratifying.
I have always been a āwaverā since my motorcycle days in the 60s, costs nothing and is a nice sign of recognition of a like minded person.
While avoiding the myriad of cyclists these days I am always surprised that they do not seem to acknowledge each other as they pass, they just keep doggedly pedalling on, ignoring everyone around them, including fellow cyclists.
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Agree, when we had our Spitfire in the late 70s early 80s there were more of them around and they always returned a wave , in fact a lot of other sports cars , MGs , etc would also flash or wave , hey ho, times are changing.
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I very rarely get a wave whether Iām in the mark 2 or the mark 4, I do find it strange having had British classic sports cars up until recently and I used to get a wave from any classic car, I drive a Defender and nearly always get a wave, flash or a thumbs up even from series Land Rovers Iāve even had Discovery drivers wave, but MX5 owners look straight past you, I pass an old guy in a Mk1 on the way home from work and his car is painted in the old Lotus Gold Leaf colour scheme and he completely ignores me in my ND. 
I always try to acknowledge fellow MX5 drivers when out and about.
A couple of weeks ago springs to mindā¦Sunday afternoon I was out for a jolly, driving the Yorkshire Wolds and found myself in Sledmere.
Before I knew it I came across five fellow owners travelling it the opposite direction which took me by surprise 
To my fellow driversā¦my apologies if I wasnāt quick enough 
Now I know about the waving I shall ensure I wave from my pink MK1 in Sussex.
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Nobody could say that they didnāt see you, now could they!!! Have fun!!! Keep safe!!!
I always do when I see another one and get a response about 6 out of 10 and the other day even got a wave from a nice old chap in a vintage blower Bentley - which was nice as he waved first ! I think some drivers just see the MX5 as a nice little runaround and are not necessarily of the community mindset which is fair enough.
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