WARNING!

Owning, registering, insuring, or driving a Jeep implies knowledge of and intent to abide by the following rules, regulations, and guidelines. Failure to obey the letter or spirit of the rules may result in your being ignored by other Jeep owners as you sit along the side of the road next to your stalled vehicle in a blizzard surrounded by Saturns, Yugos, and Hyundais.

Definition:

"The Jeep Wave: An honor bestowed upon those drivers with the superior intelligence, taste, class, and discomfort tolerance to own the ultimate vehicle - the Jeep. Generally consists of vigorous side-to-side motion of one or both hands, but may be modified to suit circumstances and locally accepted etiquette."

The Jeep Waving Hierarchy (JWH):

Status is determined by model AND build! If the Jeep ahead of you is better built and upgraded, or dirtier than you are, YOU are probably of lower class!
These are simplified rules, not definite rankings.

General Rules:

  1. Members of any category of the JWH must initiate wave to drivers of all equal or higher categories, and continue the wave until:
    1. The wave is returned
    2. The wave is blatantly disregarded
    3. The higher category vehicle has passed by and is out of sight
  2. Members of any category of the JWH are required to return the wave to drivers of vehicles of equal categories.
  3. Members of any category of the JWH are encouraged, but not required, to return the wave to drivers of vehicles from lower categories.
  4. When unsure of status or wave requirements of a particular encounter, immediately initiate wave.

In all seriousness though, there's no need to read too much into it, just don't be a goofball and ignore your fellow Jeepers. Wave to anyone who hasn't been a bonehead and lost that respect. We think our simplest rules cover it quite well