When driving a Jeep, you are doing more than driving a Jeep. You are representing a culture of people. The most notable thing about Jeep culture is the Jeep Wave.

The Jeep Wave is a simple concept. When one sees another Jeep driver on the road, they give a simple wave. Typically the wave is with the left hand raising two fingers while holding the steering wheel. The wave is  most commonly done between Jeep Wranglers however the wave has branched out to more models like a compass.

I have driven a Jeep since I started driving two years ago, and while I was growing up my dad was always driving Jeeps. I already knew about the Jeep wave before I even started driving. I always thought it was a cool little thing that came with the vehicle and gave me a small sense of community when I started driving. However as more kids my age start purchasing Jeeps I have noticed the the wave is dying off.

A lot of kids my age just do not know about the wave as they didn’t grow up with it. Typically when I have an exchange of a wave on the road it is with older people, very rarely does it happen with my own age group. I kind of wish they would educate themselves on the history and culture surrounding the vehicle before they decide to drive it.

I am extremely privileged to drive a Jeep, heck I am extremely thankful to have a car. For me to be complaining about an unspoken rule among higher end car owners I have to acknowledge the privilege I have to be able to do this.

The Jeep Wave has also become a loyalty package for new Jeeps owners because Jeep knows how to market themselves well. It includes benefits on maintenance and vehicle protection but also 24/7 owner support. I almost wonder if this is also a ploy to inform new owners of the culture behind driving a Jeep.

I want the Jeep Wave to continue. I think it is one of the many benefits to driving a Jeep, and the sense of community it provides is important to Jeep drivers.